Card Show Pickups - Clay Enjoys Building Miniature Race Cars - VROOM!!

While in Kansas City this weekend for some disappointing Royals baseball, I was able to find something good in the Independence Mall Card Show.  After going to the show for the 2nd time in the last year, the dealers were pretty much the same, even the same locations in the mall.

My main goal was to get as many 1973 cards for my set.  I went with about $25 in my pocket hoping that would get me something good considering that I am mainly down to mostly star or high # cards.  If I would have had $5 more dollars I could have walked away with the crown jewel of the set, the Mike Schmidt rookie.  While that would have been nice, the condition wasn't quite what I wanted to put into my set so I had to pass.  Now even though I had the extra $5, and condition has never been a main focus for me in collecting this set, the 2 choices were very subpar.  Instead I spent at total of $14 and got the following....

First, the horizontal cards, a Willie Stargell and some Rookie Pitchers.  One of the things about the 1973 set is their quality action photography.  Granted technology has improved, but I can just envision some guy sitting in the 8th row taking this photo with his Kodachrome Instamatic camera.

Next, we have some of the vertical cards including some of my stars that I needed.  Jim Palmer, Juan Marichal, Al Kaline, and Thurman Munson.  Lesson learned on the Munson card...never quit looking for a card just because you found it already.  I found the Munson card for a price I was willing to pay, but then when browsing through some other 73s from the same dealer, I found a card in better condition for $2 less than the original.  I think he may have been a little miffed that he lost out on that extra $2.  My gain!

I was able to find three "All-Time" leader subset cards that I needed.  Any day that I can add Hank Aaron, Cy Young, and Walter Johnson to my collection is a good day.

And finally, to the reason for the title of the blog post.  Too many times, I often forget to take some time and read the backs of the cards that I buy.  I guess it is the "rush" to get them put in their rightful spot in the binder.  It's like I think they can't wait to get to their new home.  Anyway, one back caught my way and that was of the Clay Kirby card and the Topps cartoons.  "Clay enjoys building miniature racing cars."  I can see Mr Kirby sitting in his home in December with one of those magnifying lamps painting one of his prized cars, and saying "VROOM!" when he realizes he has built another masterpiece.

Kirby would play for three different major league teams, the Padres, the Reds, and the Expos.  His career win-loss record was 75-104.  He led the NL with 20 losses in 1969.  He would then die at the young age of 43 in 1991.  Here's to Mr. Kirby.  He probably never thought he would be the inspiration to a blog post.  Kirby had a big hand in Padres lore as he almost pitched a no-hitter.  Unfortunately, a pinch hitter would be used in the 9th for Kirby as the Padres were trailing 1-0 (he had given up 5 walks but no hits). For more on this interesting Padre story, which is a MUST READ, see this article.

These 12 cards bring my 1973 want list down to 36 cards!