We Need a Little Retail...

Right this very minute...but you're not gonna find it here.

It's been awhile since I sat on Santa's lap, probably two or three years now. My needs are fairly simple: toilet paper, sanitizer and retail baseball cards. I have a home, my health and some of my sanity.  While not a hoarder, I have plenty of tp and sanitizer. I got no new baseball cards. None. It's pitiful. People are sick, many hungry and I have no packs to rip. It's time for self-reflection. Me. Me. Me. 

Collector pals have come to the rescue over the past few months. PWEs have been rolling in thanks to Pick Pocketers and mail ballots for the recently ended election season contest. 

Our fave Dimebox man, Nick sent this batch. The top card is a Turkey Red RP of Charles 'Boss' Schmidt.   A Tiger catcher who beat up on Ty Cobb?  How did I not know him?? Hangs head in shame.

Gold and red parallels, just in time for the holidays. 2020 Archives with a 74 design I kinda like but was 2002 necessary? I hated it then. It's likely responsible for me leaving the hobby in 2002. Blech. I needed the Miggy so am certainly glad to have this one. With white borders, I'd have been all over these cards.  No, that's a lie. I didn't appreciate white borders til 2012. 

Gary Sheffield is lucky he's in a Tiger uni on a great-looking 2007 Elements or he'd not be welcome in my house. These cards are super attractive in hand.

I like Prizm so this refractory, prizmatical 2019 card is more than welcome at House of Crack. Hmm, that sounded good before I put it down for all to read. Cracked House?  Moving on. Stewart is about out of time. Another touted Tiger rookie, he's 26 and has yet to impress me. I appreciate receiving shiny autographed cards of Tiger rookies because I won't buy them. I'll miss out on the big payoff one day when one of these fellows actually becomes a star player. 

Tommy Bridges, a Tiger who tipped his pitches, appears in the 1988 Sporting News World Wide Sports issue.  Reading the back of this card, I discovered the Yankees had a sign-stealing coach. How common was it to have an actual coach dedicated to sign theft? 

Envelopes like these are as good better than a pack rip. The contents are sure to contain a team, player or theme that fits your collection. I haven't missed retail all that much. Shelves emptied by flippers will remain so. These people are profiting so why should this change? I believe stocked retail is a thing of the past. New card  purchases interest me less all the time. Pals like Nick keep the new and sometimes odd coming my way which works great for me! 

That's been part of my goal too, with Pick Pockets. You fill the envelope with cards you like. The post office leaves them in your mailbox. You rip at your convenience. Heck - sometimes it takes me so long to get them in the mail, you've forgotten your choices. Surprise!

To my trade pals and regular readers, the Christmas edition of Pick Pockets has been updated. Cards picked the past week have been pulled for mailing. Holes left in the pages have been filled. Trade pals can pick again. Readers, it's open pickin' time! Hope you each find a little something to enjoy.

Prize Winning Envelopes!

I love sending PWEs to my blog pals as my PP page will confirm.  It's equally fine to be on the receiving end of these little paper wonders, packed with precious cardboard cargo!

Elliptical Man has been finding his way around the blogs; armed with witty commentary. On TCDB, he is Uncorrected Error. He's dropped a couple of PWEs in the mail featuring floating bats and dugout shots.

Have to say I like the Vlad. I had this card but gave it away not long ago. This copy stays with my collection. It may be one of my least favorite designs but the photo is a keeper. Bats seemingly have a life of their own - Raul taking one to the side of the head!  Wonder how he's holding up in the pen?


Another welcome ACB reader is Giant's fan, Fred Pike. He sends an envelope every couple of weeks, it seems. I have the Conlon B&W set but needed these Cobbs for the PC. Like a good dentist,  Fred's been filling the cavities in my collection. I have a few specific  Fleer stickers on my wantlists, Decade Greats too.

Diamond Jesters blogger Matt, sent these needed Altuves. Jester Jose won't be as much fun to watch this year. Baseball in general - for me - hasn't been fun. I'm of the opinion a 60 game season is a joke.  It's the grind of the full season I find exciting; overcoming injuries, bad pitching, poor management and still making a run for the pennant. If we do have a 'world series' in 2020, I hope a team like the Marlins pulls off the win. Even a Tiger World Series title would not be great cause for celebration. Although it would likely be the only WS they'd win in my lifetime!

Padrographs' Rod sent 71s from my wantlist and a nifty decal featuring his logo. Cleans 71s are tough. These are nice copies, upgrades for the Tiger pc.  I appreciate Rod reaching out for our first trade! He picked my pockets awhile back.

There's one from the bloody blogspot, Card Hemorrhage. Jay reached out for a first trade, blind but fun! New Heritage and old Archives, and an excellent Ripken from a set I'd never heard of. Cal is from 1992 American Sports #/1600. The blue foil borders look nice in hand.

Nick sent a couple of envelopes. One featured some freebie Astros in their domed glory. He also sent a Fydrich I didn't own, Hostess and vintage. The 73 is a beauty. I want this set. I want a lot of things but take time to appreciate what I have. The second pwe landed in my mailbox July 5th, making it an official mail-in ballot! Dimebox voting!

There are more pwes but only so much space within one post to share. I'll save these for another round. I share these PWEs not only to thank the gentlemen senders but to remind YOU - all PWEs and mailers could net you a mail-in vote in the Cracked Bat Ballot Box contest. Every one received in my mailbox containing an eligible trade between July 5th and Election Day counts as an additional vote.

Easy to see how a pwe can become a Prize Winning Envelope! Every time I go for the mail, gotta hold myself down! Queue Katrina.

Our second round of balloting wrapped up on Wednesday morning. I apologize for taking so long to post the results. Oh the busy-ness of life, keeping me from the fun of hobby-life! Another round of voting surprises!  Participation was down this time. Perhaps due to the balloting found within the post and not announced in the title. [Readers should be rewarded with a voting opportunity.]  Last time we had 34 votes. Only 23 peeps took time to choose between 80 cards in 1988 Score Young Superstars 1 & 2 with 12 votes, and 3 years of Topps Mini Leaders at 11 votes.  I thought the minis would take it!  Once again we had one vote for each from our foreign operators.  Your glossy winners will be added to the Ballot Box!

The next round will be up shortly, a battle between 2020 football sets. We should have something new in the Ballot Box. Remember, even if you don't care for the candidates, your vote matters. The more often you vote, the more times your name will be added to the Great Randomizer in November!

I wrapped another round of Pickpockets this week too. Not sure where all my pickers went this time but cards will be in the mail soon. I'm waiting for another order of stamps whose delivery has been delayed yet again. The next PP edition will be for trade pals only. Lots of shine to be found so watch for those to appear the weekend of Aug 22. 

Summer is fading which always makes me a little sad. I love fall and have learned to tolerate winter but these warm days make me feel so much younger.  I've spent more time outside which has pulled me away from the blogs. You can't be rid of me so easily. No long absence in the foreseeable future planned but for now, the sunshine beckons...

Nick's Book Nook and Card Shop

I hardly know where to begin with this particular share. If I were to save the best for last, you would skip right to the bottom of this post. I'm not catering to you.  And who has the final say of what's best?  Me. I'm the decider.

Nick (do not ask 'Nick, who?' ) sent an oversized package my way mid-February. This package could not have been more well-timed. A month later, Nick was laid-off from his job. Sometimes you ask for something so off the wall, well, there's just no way your wish will be fulfilled.  Did you ask Nick who? Nick might as well be Santa Claus.

He packed in the usual assortment of cardboard surprises which he has such a knack for doing.
How about a 75 Kaline? Check.

1971 O-Pee-Chee? Of course.

One card needed to finish your 2018 Fire set? No problem ma'am.

Pristine 2001 Topps Reserve in their refractory finest? Have two:

Magazine oddball - required.

       

 1993 UD Glowing Darren Daulton.  Happy to oblige!

A case of the 'no baseball blues'? Please, take one Champ Summers.

Crazy enough to build 2003 Topps Retired from one card? Here's your second. You're gonna need the help.

One scoop or two? Please, have four.

Holy smokes! It was a difficult narrowing down the scans to share only a handful of the 100 or so cards Nick sent.  [Are you still asking, 'Nick who'?]  I could ramble on at length about each card here but decided to save it for this lot. If there were 'best' cards in this package, lordy it must be these.  1961 Nu-Card Scoops should be found at the top of my vintage oddball want-list. Scoops are a delightful addition to the Tiger collection. I love the news headline design. Throughout all of my card show binges, I've only ever found one Nu-Scoop card, Mickey Cochrane card 419. This set would look fantastic in a binder. I have five cards. Anyone care to send the rest?

GO FUND ME

As much as I love this 80 card set, it isn't in the boo-jay - that's French for budget.  Perhaps when I have a few hundred to splurge, I can find a clean and complete set. Scoops are numbered 401-480. My best guess is numbering continued from previous sets although I've found only one: 1960 Nu-Card Highlights. However, it's numbered 1-72. If any of you have more info than this, please share in the comments.

IMAGE COURTESY OF TCDB

If you are still asking Nick who then I must ask you- have you been social-distancing on another planet?  He began blogging at the end of 2011. Dime Boxes should be on your required reading list.    

And if Nick's taking any suggestions, this post's title is a big ole hint!!! I'll join you Nick, and run the cafe. Nick may be laid off but when he's not, he's working for my favorite bookstore chain, Half Price Books. Books, records, magazines, games and some collectibles - I've never walked out of one empty handed. I was a regular customer - every weekend - at the flagship store in Dallas Tx. It's H-U-G-E! Before vinyl became a 'thing' again these past few years, I was quietly stocking up. I had no trouble finding most 60s & 70s albums in like new/nearly new condition for $5.99 or less. I'm talkin' Beatles for cheap!

I'm also a book junkie: history, memoirs, biographies, positive thinking...and baseball. All hold treasured space on my bookshelves. Nick asked if there were any books I might be looking for.  I mentioned one that had been on my Amazon list for a long time. A book out of print since 1991, originally published in 1973. There was no way he'd find a nearly new copy, ever.  A worn copy maybe, eventually.

Nick's reply?  This book came in just this past week!!  He happens to manage the sports section of the store.  I could not believe this good luck.  The hardbacks are simply unaffordable and a high quality paperback can run $30+ on the secondary market.  Beggars shouldn't be choosy but I am when it comes to books.  My own paperbacks are in like new condition: no tears, bends, and no broken spines, even after several readings! How is it that this 30 year old copy could meet my criteria?

The authors Boyd and Harris both worked for a bookstore. A customer inquired regarding books about baseball cards but these were yet to be written. They took it upon themselves to pen one.  After going through their childhood collection of cards from the 50s and 60s, the men chose an eclectic group of players as fodder for their prose. Most of the players represented are the lesser knowns, the fellas you always manage to pull from a wax pack four or five times - in four or five trips to the drugstore.

It was a fun read. I forced myself to put it down overnight and finish the second day. Not wanting to break the spine, I wasn't able to scan any of the contents to share.  Please accept my apologies for the phone pics.  Here's a peek into the thoughts of two collector pals in 1973:

At least Rip has some 'best' years.

The umpire heckled him.

What a juvenile prank.

What's up, Albie?

Know any good kneck kneck jokes?

Someday there will be nostalgia for the 70s, indeed.

Nick, I hardly know how to thank you. The cards were fantastic, with many new additions to the stash. The book however, was over the top. It will be treasured for many years to come.

I consider myself fortunate to have fallen in with our blogging community. My collection has grown immensely due to the generosities of bloggers like Nick.  With the extra hours afforded during the MI Stay At Home Order, I've had the opportunity to assess my collection. My next post will be an update on the new direction my cardboard hoarding has taken. What's old is new, so it seems. Until then, be well.

And for Pete's sake, read Nick's blog!