Your top finds for 2011

[Scott Garner]

2011 has probably been my best year ever for pickups. It's tough to choose which I like best, but here are my favorites starting with early 2011:

1) Nolan Ryan 1973 All Star locker plate. 1973 was the first year that Ryan played in the Mid-Summer Classic, from what I believe was his career year! Purchased here on net54.

2) HOF Ted Lyons 1926 no-hitter ticket and scorebook. The beautifully scored games in the scorebook and ticket all originated from the estate of the original owner, George Tarallo who attended the game at age 15. Discovered in an antique shop in Caimbridge, Mass by a friend of a friend. Transaction completed over a smartphone. Awesome!!!

3) HB Dutch Leonard game used ball from his no-hitter game in 1916 at Fenway. This ball was passed down through one family and appeared in the hobby for the 1st time in 2011 almost 100 years later. The storyline behind the ball, the game, and the way that it displays makes this perhaps one of my favorite items in my collection, period. A great vintage centerpiece to my no-hitter collection. Purchased on eBay from an antique dealer in Rochester, NY.

4) Season pass to 1901 St. Louis Cardinals. The only known example of a pass or ticket to HOF Christy Mathewson's 1st no-hitter. This came to me as a gift. What a gift! Thanks Tony!

5) Season tickets to Gaylord Perry's and Ray Washburn's back-to-back no-hitters that they threw on Sept. 17th and 18th, 1968. Also see the complimentary wire photo that I just purchased from Perry congratulating Washburn in the locker after his historic encore. The newspaper caption on the back of the photo reads "Lightning Strikes Twice!". Indeed!

Happy Holidays to everyone on net54! I hope you all had a great year as well!