(I am vacationing this week, which usually means more time for blog posts. But all that extra time makes me feel like avoiding blog posts. Why is that? It's time for Cardboard Appreciation, but it's going to be a short one. This is the 338th in a series):
I received a two-card envelope from The Collective Mind a short time ago. Both cards were Dodgers of the vintage type, both former want list material.
I did own the 1961 Post Maury Wills card already but this one is unmarked, whereas the other one I received 12 years ago had some updates.
At the time of receiving the "updated" card, I mentioned that I appreciated this kind of an update. Wills had an exceptional 1962 season and whoever owned this card absolutely had to get that season down in writing and where better than on the man's own card.
It's all there in ballpoint pen -- games played, at-bats, hits, home runs, RBIs and batting average -- from the fabled 1962 season (nothing about his then-record 104 stolen bases though). And his position is specified, too, instead of the vague "infielder."
Now, I like the update but I have never been someone who could handle writing on cards. Even as a kid I never did that stuff. There's just something I don't like about it, I don't know if I could tell you what it was. The other day in that indoor flea market, I walked past a bunch of old albums. Staring back at me was a photo of Loretta Lynn but her eyes had been erased and drawn in with pen. I instinctively recoiled in horror inside.
So, no, I've never been a graffiti artist. And I like my cards unmarked if at all possible. I'll take pen marks over stains or something with corners cut off but it's usually a deal breaker, unless the mark is on the back or super faint.
So, I was in the market for another '61 Post Wills.
The other card from Greg is this 1955 Odbert "Bert" Hamric card, not exactly one of the 1955 Dodgers you hear about over and over, but it's part of the set, dammit!
It's a nice, super-sharp specimen, too, seems almost unnatural for a mid-1950s card.
I'm down to needing three Dodgers to finish the '55 set -- all high-numbers, of course, and two are Hall of Famers. I should make finishing this set a priority.
But I might have to resort to settling for cards with writing on them.
(P.S.: Since people seemed to be interested in the ducks and pigs, here's a pig photo from the weekend:
Comments
How are you doing overall on the 1961 to 63 Dodgers Post cards. I have some.
Is your 1979 topps fb list up to date. I have a few to close the gap.
Finally. Do you have the 2022 Topps CHROME version of Cody B. Card SMLBC-48 star of mlb. Pulled that from a 40 card pack that was clearance at our Meijer for all of 4 bucks per pack.
Enjoy the rest of vacation!
My '79 Football want list is up to date, I haven't done much with it in more than six months.
For '61 Post, I just need Charlie Neal. For '62 I need Spencer, Drysdale, Sherry, Larker and Snider. For '63 I need Willie Davis and Koufax.
I think I do need that Bellinger.
P.S. Thanks for sharing the pigs picture.
I still have many of the much loved and handled Post cards, although I have never tried to collect the set.
My main memory is that I learned how to read as a 4 year old using the Post Cereal cards. At breakfast every morning, I would pester my Dad to help me with words and names I couldn't read. Until by the end of the summer and start of kindergarden I could read.
Fond memories.
He was sold to Detroit for 1959. I once had a 1959 Baseball Digest that had hot rookies for 1959 that had Sparky Anderson on the cover. When I read about the tigers, one of the featured rookies was Wills. Detroit sold him back to the Dodgers at the end of spring training and then he had a huge WS in win over White Sox.
His first full Topps card was 1967 high number as a Pirate. It took me years to find that card and buy it. I never heard the full story why it took so long for Topps to sign him. He had a cameo as 1981 Mariners team card (short-lived disastrous manager tenure) and again in 1987 Turn back the clock for his 1962 season. Happily he got himself off drugs and resurrected his career as a Dodger rep.
I remember being at a Cubs game in Wrigley in 1982 and he was at 2B while Ryne Sandberg was at 3B. They benched Wills to move Ryno over to 2B by the end of the season.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hamribe01.shtml
Great picture of cute pigs!