Koufax’s prices are even higher from a year ago

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by Mark17

Would you pay a few thousand dollars for George Washington's favorite pewter mug, crafted by Paul Revere, and presented to him at his first Presidential inaugural ball? Assuming you would keep it and not just flip it?

If so, would that make you a George Washington groupie?

No, no, never would I buy such a thing at any price! I'm a Canadian and that bastard George Washington was our implacable enemy. Washington led his Virginia (British) militiamen in a raid against the Canadien Fort Duquesne thus starting the French and Indian War of 1754-1763.

Originally Posted by French and Indian War - Wikipedia

It began with a dispute over control of the confluence of the Allegheny River and Monongahela River called the Forks of the Ohio, and the site of the French Fort Duquesne at the location that later became Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The dispute erupted into violence in the Battle of Jumonville Glen in May 1754, during which Virginia militiamen under the command of 22-year-old George Washington ambushed a French patrol.

In 1755, six colonial governors met with General Edward Braddock, the newly arrived British Army commander, and planned a four-way attack on the French. None succeeded, and the main effort by Braddock proved a disaster; he lost the Battle of the Monongahela on July 9, 1755, and died a few days later. British operations failed in the frontier areas of the Province of Pennsylvania and the Province of New York during 1755–57 due to a combination of poor management, internal divisions, effective Canadien scouts, French regular forces, and Native warrior allies.

Canada ultimately lost the whole Ohio Valley and the entire Louisiana territory down to the Gulf of Mexico in the "peace" settlement that followed the war.



I haven't forgotten. So I hate that son-of-a-bitch George Washington and I wish only a pox on him and his descendants!



As a general principle though, keep in mind that there's an enormous gulf between idolizing a certain historical figure who might have accomplished something of lasting importance and idolizing a professional entertainer.

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by Balticfox

As a general principle though, keep in mind that there's an enormous gulf between idolizing a certain historical figure who might have accomplished something of lasting importance and idolizing a professional entertainer.

Too bad about Canada having half its territory cleaved off. Bummer for you.

In my world, collecting historical artifacts, including artifacts used and worn in action by athletes, does not logically lead to the conclusion that said collector is idolizing said athlete. Some of us just think historical stuff is neat.

I'd love to have, someday, a fossilized piece of dinosaur bone. Doesn't mean I'd idolize that once-living creature.

[Topps206]

Originally Posted by Mark17

Too bad about Canada having half its territory cleaved off. Bummer for you.

In my world, collecting historical artifacts, including artifacts used and worn in action by athletes, does not logically lead to the conclusion that said collector is idolizing said athlete. Some of us just think historical stuff is neat.

I'd love to have, someday, a fossilized piece of dinosaur bone. Doesn't mean I'd idolize that once-living creature.

To piggyback off this, not every athlete in my autograph collection has been a stellar human being in their lives. Just because I have their autograph doesn’t mean I worship them or condone any past misdeeds.

Also, even if people do worship/idolize, it’s none of my business if they do.

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by Topps206

To piggyback off this, not every athlete in my autograph collection has been a stellar human being in their lives. Just because I have their autograph doesn’t mean I worship them or condone any past misdeeds.

I'm with you on that point. I have zilch interest in players as human beings. To me they're just professional entertainers, no more and no less.

Originally Posted by Topps206

Also, even if people do worship/idolize, it’s none of my business if they do.

This though is a discussion forum. Meaning I'm free to snicker at the foibles of others. It's a right I've never been shy about exercising.

[Topps206]

Originally Posted by Balticfox

I'm with you on that point. I have zilch interest in players as human beings. To me they're just professional entertainers, no more and no less.



This though is a discussion forum. Meaning I'm free to snicker at the foibles of others. It's a right I've never been shy about exercising.

Okay, and you’ve seemed to insinuate in this thread how collecting has been financially ruinous for you. Should we be judgmental of you and snicker at you for such decisions?

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by Topps206

Okay, and you’ve seemed to insinuate in this thread how collecting has been financially ruinous for you. Should we be judgmental of you and snicker at you for such decisions?

Anytime! I'm certainly man enough to admit to my failings.

Keep in mind though that I will nevertheless bite back when my tail is pulled.

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by Mark17

Too bad about Canada having half its territory cleaved off. Bummer for you.

Yeah, it certainly was. And I see you fellows have been largely successful in wiping out the use of French in Louisiana. But I understand you're still dealing with the demographic consequences of having grabbed Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California from Mexico. I have to smile at the irony.

Originally Posted by Mark17

In my world, collecting historical artifacts, including artifacts used and worn in action by athletes, does not logically lead to the conclusion that said collector is idolizing said athlete. Some of us just think historical stuff is neat.

I'd love to have, someday, a fossilized piece of dinosaur bone. Doesn't mean I'd idolize that once-living creature.

You're right. It's not a logical certainty. But on the basis of empirical evidence it certainly looks as if hero worship plays a major part in most cases.

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by Balticfox

Yeah, it certainly was. And I see you fellows have been largely successful in wiping out the use of French in Louisiana. But I understand you're still dealing with the demographic consequences of having grabbed Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California from Mexico. I have to smile at the irony.

Had we not managed to grab those great states, our "demographic consequences" would simply exist farther north. Being far wealthier than a neighbor will inevitably result in such problems, wherever the national border is drawn.

I realize you're trying to find a reason to smile, but our historical national territorial acquisitions have worked out rather well.

To bring us back on topic, Sandy Koufax likes California and prefers speaking English to Spanish or French.

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by Mark17

To bring us back on topic, Sandy Koufax likes California and prefers speaking English to Spanish or French.

Ho, hum. Just like so many others. I'd be much more impressed if he spoke at least passable Latin.

Cutting to the chase though, I have Sandy Koufax's 1962 Canadian Post Cereal card, his 1962 Shirriff Baseball coin, his 1963 Salada Baseball coin and his 1964 Topps Baseball coins but I have only this single Koufax Topps card:



I'd like more of Sandy Koufax's Topps cards from 1957-65 to get further along toward completing those sets.

His autograph though? I'll pass on that. I'll also leave his sweaty old jerseys to others.

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by Balticfox

Cutting to the chase though, I have Sandy Koufax's 1962 Topps card, his 1962 Canadian Post Cereal card, his 1962 Shirriff Baseball coin, his 1963 Salada Baseball coin and his 1964 Topps Baseball coins. Moreover I'd like more of Sandy Koufax's Topps cards from 1957-65 to get further along toward completing those sets.

Sounds like you idolize him, despite his linguistic shortcomings.

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by Mark17

Sounds like you idolize him, despite his linguistic shortcomings.

I have complete or near complete sets of all those issues I listed with the exception of the 1962 Topps. But his 1963 and 1965 Topps cards are indeed fairly high on my Want List since they're particularly nice looking.

I never really liked Sandy Koufax as a pitcher though. As a kid I was more a fan of Juan Marichal and Milt Pappas. These days my favourite pitchers from Koufax's era are Warren Spahn, Hoyt Wilhelm and Jim Bunning.



And he still has time to crack open a Latin textbook or two....

[gonefishin]

[QUOTE=Balticfox;2490538]No, no, never would I buy such a thing at any price! I'm a Canadian and that bastard George Washington was our implacable enemy. Washington led his Virginia (British) militiamen in a raid against the Canadien Fort Duquesne thus starting the French and Indian War of 1754-1763.

Mr. Baltifox, I just saw a For Sale listing in the want ads that might interest you;

"For sale: Original Canadian 1763 Military C14 Timberwolf rifle, like new, never fired – dropped once."

You might be able to get it pretty cheap - there are plenty available in the United States.

[Balticfox]

The Canadiens actually gave a good account of themselves during the French and Indian War:

Originally Posted by French and Indian War - Wikipedia

At the start of the war, the French colonies had a population of roughly 60,000 settlers, compared with 2 million in the British colonies.

But George Washington? Not so much:

Originally Posted by Fort Duquesne - Wikipedia

(George) Washington, who was lieutenant colonel in the newly created Virginia Regiment (My Note: At the tender age of 22! ), set out on April 2, 1754, with a small force to build a road to, and then defend, Fort Prince George. Washington was at Wills Creek in north central Maryland when he received news of the fort's surrender. On May 28, Washington encountered a Canadian scouting party near a place now known as Jumonville Glen (several miles east of present-day Uniontown). Washington attacked the French Canadians, killing 10 in the early morning hours, and took 21 prisoners, of whom many were ritually killed by the Native American allies of the British. On May 31, Washington replaced Colonel Joshua Fry as commander of the Virginia Regiment after Colonel Fry died en route to Wills Creek.

The Battle of Jumonville Glen is widely considered the formal start of the French and Indian War, the North American front of the Seven Years' War.

Washington ordered construction of Fort Necessity at a large clearing known as the Great Meadows. On 3 July 1754, the counterattacking French and Canadians forced Washington to surrender Fort Necessity. After disarming them, they released Washington and his men to return home.

Although Fort Duquesne's location at the forks looked strong on a map—controlling the confluence of three rivers—the reality was rather different. The site was low, swampy, and prone to flooding. In addition, the position was dominated by highlands across the Monongahela River, which would allow an enemy to bombard the fort with ease. Pécaudy de Contrecœur was preparing to abandon the fort in the face of Braddock's advance in 1755. He was able to retain it due to the advancing British force being annihilated (see below). When the Forbes expedition approached in 1758, the French had initial success in the Battle of Fort Duquesne against the English vanguard, but were forced to abandon the fort in the face of the much superior size of Forbes' main force.

The French held the fort successfully early in the war, turning back the expedition led by General Edward Braddock during the 1755 Battle of the Monongahela. George Washington served as one of General Braddock's aides. A smaller attack by James Grant in September 1758 was repulsed with heavy losses.

Two months later, on November 25, 1758, the Forbes Expedition under the Scotsman General John Forbes took possession Fort Duquesne after the French destroyed and abandoned the site.

So the French Canadiens let the Virginian Brit aristocrat go after capturing him. Unbelievable! Certainly not what the bastard deserved.

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by Balticfox

So the French Canadiens let the Virginian Brit aristocrat go after capturing him. Unbelievable! Certainly not what the bastard deserved.

And George later reciprocated by teaming with the French to defeat the Brits at Yorktown.

I'll rely on Lafayette's opinion of Washington over that of a disgruntled French-Canadian who collects pictures of men who threw baseballs effectively with their left hand.