Cards At Work....Home Makeover Edition

I have always been interested in putting together an organized place to work on my hobby and display some of my collection.  Until we bought our current house, my collection was often spread throughout the house which is fine if you're single, but not if your spouse likes to keep the place free of clutter.  My stuff now has a place of its own, but the organization is lacking as you can see in the picture below.

I have an old library checkout desk that I call "card central".  Right now it is covered with boxes so there isn't much room to work.  I have my computer in the middle and my scanner/printer to the right.   A shelf above the desk displays some of my collection as well as keeping a place for items ready to be traded/shipped/sorted.  On the wall you can see a present my wife bought me on our honeymoon, a autographed George Brett print.

One of my goals (and my wife's goal) is to finish renovating our house we bought more than a few years ago.  My personal goal is to get my "baseball room" finished and get my collection organized.  Perhaps, my priority is a little out of line with her priority.  I will continue to post updates of my work in progress but I would be interested in seeing where you work on your collection and how you have some of it displayed.  Put up some posts of your workspace and I will be sure to link to it on my blog.  Just leave me a comment below.

2012 Trade Post #1 - Cards from the Quarry

Just got around to posting about my first trade of 2012.  Johnny at Cards from the Quarry contacted me and we worked out a great trade to start out the new year.  Cards that we both needed were exchanged, appreciation thrown around, nothing big.  However, getting to know Johnny and why he collects, made the trade a great one.  I enjoy getting to know a little bit about fellow bloggers and what interests them.  Did you know that a Tennessee quarterback turned first basemen can make a Kentuckian a big Colorado baseball fan?  Now you do.  Got to admire a baseball fan that can support a team from a great distance while living so close to numerous other teams.  Diehard!!!

Here is a little bit of what I received....

A few 2011 Topps base cards including Royals rookie Tim Collins, a bunch of cards to help continue to knockout my 2011 Heritage set, and a bunch of 2011 Year of Topps subset cards.  I usually don't collect subsets, but decided to add this one to my headaches and enjoyments of collecting.  The young Johnny Bench even looks like one of my World History students at school.  I think I will take it tomorrow and see if a 15 year old knows who Johnny Bench is???

Thanks Johnny for a great trade.  Glad to meet ya!

Royals unveil New Logo in the Year of the All Star Game

In honor of the 2012 All Star Game coming to Kansas City, I will be highlighting some Royals All Star trivia along with some trivia from the 1973 All Star Game, the only other game to be held in Kansas City.  Perhaps, I will even make this into some sort of contest....

Till then, I give you the new Royals marketing logo with the emphasis on our young players and hopefully winning ways (and hopefully, getting more than just the standard obligatory all star selection year in and year out).  Enjoy the video clip that explains more about "Our Time".

The Best Baseball Christmas Present Ever.....

So if you look at my blog you can guess that I am a big Kansas City Royals fan.  Been one forever.  Grew up about 3 hours from the stadium.  Always looked forward to getting the new schedule and sitting down with my dad and figuring out which games we were going to.  We usually made the trip a couple of times per year for at least  3-4 games.

Thought 1980 was the greatest year ever.  Followed George Brett's pursuit of .400 with a passion as well as their 1st World Series appearance.  Then thought 1985 was the greatest year ever.  The lone Kansas City World Series Championship.  Kept following them through high school and college.  Even kept a daily updated chart during Brett's pursuit of 3000 hits.

After Brett retired my interest really took a hit.  Not only was my favorite player gone, but the Royals were  bad, really bad, for a really long time.  Jump ahead to 2008, Royals still bad, but wife surprised me with a 13 game ticket package for the 2009 season.  Now, I will say this, I got lucky.  I married a baseball fan and someone that not only accepts my passion for baseball and card collecting but also participates as well.

Since both of us are teachers we share the same schedule, which is nice when planning what games we go to including our first ever trip to Spring Training in 2009.  We continued that ticket package in 2010 and 2011 and went back to Spring Training last year.  She says we can do Spring Training every other year!  I guess I can accept that :)

Then the Best Christmas Present Ever.....from the Greatest Wife Ever.....yes, I am biased.

It gets better though, she just didn't agree to get 2 Tickets to the All Star Game in 2012, the first in Kansas City since 1973.  (**My parents went to this and left me at home.  I guess, me being 2 months old at the time had something to do with their poor decision!**).  She also agreed to up our ticket package so we are guaranteed to get All Star Tickets.  We are now the proud owners of 2 Half-Season Tickets to see the 2012 Kansas City Royals.  Fortunately, the Royals are currently in the midst of a successful rebuilding stint that has seen many draft picks make it to the big leagues.  With players like Hosmer and Moustakas leading the way, I can only hope that a future season in Kansas City will end like 1985.  Thanks to the Best Wife in the World!

1st eTopps Card

2005 eTopps CE5 - Tarred Home Run

I acquired my first eTopps card for my George Brett collection this week, a 2005 Classic Events card of the Pine Tar Home Run against the Yankees.  I was able to pick this up on eBay over the holiday break very cheap.  I have never paid much attention to eTopps.  I know some people love them and some people hate them because of the Topps customer service experience.  For me, it is a great card to add to my collection as a Christmas present to myself.  If anybody know of a good site (non-Topps) that has more information about the eTopps program, please let me know.  For example, will the serial number on the back tell me anything about the card and if so, where can I find out that information?

Goodbye to 2011, Hello to 2012

Now that the new year is here, it is time to offer some reflection on 2011 and set some goals for 2012.  Keeping up with this blog was better, but not exactly like I had planned at the beginning of 2011.  I hope that I can continue to keep posting throughout the year, although my school and coaching schedule often dictate my posting (or lack thereof).  I started my EMAW series (for those Kansas State fans) and I hope to continue that this year.  Like everything else, I just need to dedicate some time to get the posts done.

One thing that I did do more of in 2011 was making trades with some great bloggers.  I have thoroughly enjoyed the cards we have exchanged and that made quite a dent into many of my needs.  I hope to continue that but on a much more frequent basis.

I started my first vintage set last year which happens to be my birth year, 1973.  Besides a few random cards I already had in my collection, I have made some pickups via card shows, trades, the Topps Giveaway, and eBay.  I now have 43.5% of the set, and you can see my 1973 Topps Want List here.  If you have read any of my posts, I am not concerned too much with the condition of my vintage sets so I will consider most conditions of cards.  I personally think it is just cool to have the older cards in my possession.

My first year of collecting cards was in 1980, and it became the inspiration for 26 Cent Summer.  I was able to finish that set through various sources, but it was my first set completed since starting this blog and I have many of you to thank for it.  After finishing the 1980 Topps set, I switched to 1983.  I am currently down to 13 cards left to completion that you can see on my 1983 Topps Want List here.  Again, condition is not really a priority here.

Finally, I worked on the last few years of Topps sets.  I could have these done if I were more active in trading, and I really don't go buy boxes of the stuff.  I usually just pick up a few random packs and blasters here and there.   In the recent past I have focused mainly on just the Topps Base set but I did venture into Heritage territory this year.  I still have quite a few cards to go there especially with all the SP's.  Again, here is my Want List page here.  I really don't go after all of the subsets so you can check out my Items for Trade here.

So what is in store for 2012.  I list for you my goals that I hope to see to completion by the end of the year (in order of importance to me).

1.  Complete the 1973 Topps Set.  43.5% Complete.

2.  Complete the 1983 Topps Set.  98.4% Complete.

3.  Complete the 2000 Topps HD Set.  76% Complete.

4.  Complete the 2009-2012 Topps Base Sets.  2009 was when I really got back into collecting somewhat seriously (to me anyway) so I would like to get these finished off.  

5.  Start working on 1 set per decade beginning with the 1970s.  Of course, I have 1973 and 1983 started.  I don't know what set I wills start with in the 1990s and 2000s.  I will probably survey what I have before choosing one.  I do know that upon completion of my 1973 and 1983 sets, I will move on to  1975 (George Brett rookie, check) and 1981 (the Hat set).

Good luck to all of you with your 2012 Collecting Goals.  May you, your families, and your collections have a wonderful 2012.

Trade Post w/ Jason @ Hobbs' Knights

A big thank you goes out to Jason at Hobbs' Knights for sending me some great cards in a number of different sets that I am working on!

He was able to knock out a few more of my 2011 Topps needs including one of the great young players in our game, Starlin Castro.  Being a Cubs fan from the time that cable TV first came to our living room, I am hopeful that Castro will be the building block behind a Cubs resurrection rather than a trade piece to rebuild their depleted minor league system.  Jason aslo included some 1973 Topps on top of what we agreed to.  This has been a set that I recently started on and will be my first vintage set (when completed).

The 2009 Topps American Heritage set is one that I enjoy because of the historical topic.  Being a history teacher and a baseball fan, I have appreciated Topps trying to put both of my interests into a few sets over the years.  From Mr. Common Sense to Broadway Joe, I enjoy the backs of the cards as much as the fronts.  Does anyone recall what major court case Thurgood Marshall won prior to being named to the Supreme Court bench?  Hint:  It centers around a Kansas case.  Answer below.

Finally, some more of my 2011 Topps Heritage needs get erased with a couple of cards from players that I am currently watching as I type (although you are reading this a few days later!).  Josh Hamilton and Mike Napoli are trying to get the Rangers into the World Series.  The score is 2-0 in the top of the 2nd of game 2.  And finally, for my good friend and diehard Twins fan Wayne.  I give you the Twin Terrors in most years, but probably more terrifying to Twins fans this year as both battled injuries throughout a long season.  At least they let my Royals get out of the cellar!

Trivia Answer......Brown v. Topeka Board of Education, 1954.

Care Package from Potch - I MUST KILL THE QUEEN!

I got a message the other day from Darren over at PotchWheelerCards stating that I would be receiving a little care package.  It was anything but little and fulfilled a number of my needs and gave me a number of Royals to add to the collection.

Ever since I saw Reggie Jackson in The Naked Gun:  From the Files of Police Squad!, I have equated Reggie's Angels days with that movie.  Darren sent me over the 1983 Topps All Start card of Jackson to fulfill one of my needs from the 1983 Topps set.  I am now down to 13 cards to finish it up.  Enjoy the clip below.

He also included some 2010 and 2011 Topps plus a whole pile of Royals including some of my favorites like Willie Wilson, Kevin Seitzer, Kevin Appier, and Bret Saberhagen.  Thanks again for the care package.  It was just what I needed.

Trade Post

I have been behind in my posting recently so I am working on getting caught up.  First off is a trade post with blog reader Steve.  This was our second trade and one in which I was able to fill quite a few of my needs from 2009, 2010, and 2011 Topps sets.

Included in the trade were a number of wants as well as some former and current Royals.  The first couple of scans are from players that have had some playoff implications this year.  The first is David Murphy of the Rangers.  The second is a former Brewer so you might say what does he have to do with this year's playoffs.  Lorenzo Cain was one piece of the trade that brought Zack Grienke to the Brewers from the Royals.  We know what Grienke has done for the Brewers this year, and we know where the Royals finished this year (NOT in last as usual though!).  Cain, however, did not see any time in Kansas City until the last week of the season.  However, he did put up some very good numbers this year in AAA Omaha - .312/.380/.497 - 16 HR - 81 RBI - 16 SB.  He will either be a piece of the Royals next year or may be used as trade bait for some starting pitching.

The other two may only be remembered by Royals fans and some my wonder why Ryan Braun is pictured on a Royals card....completely different Ryan Braun!  However, Emil Brown will resonate some feelings by Royals fans albeit ones that I hope are now in the past.  Emil was what Royals fan have been accustomed to, a average player brought in to fill gaps, on an otherwise terrible team.  A place for average free agents to go to resurrect their career before moving on.  I hope that is starting to change as the Royals minor league system has been built and we are now seeing the benefits of those high draft picks.

Royals - World Series Champions - 2014......let me dream!

1983 Topps Set Want List - Down to 14 Cards

I am down to 14 cards on my 1983 Want List.  If anyone has any of these and they would like to trade please let me know because I would love to work something out with you.  Most of my remaining cards are mainly commons with three exceptions, one being the Boggs rookie.  I could have swore I had that in my possession but it is M.I.A.  Within the last year I have finished off my 1980 Topps set so I am hoping to finish this one off before Christmas.

1983 Topps Want List


21 Orioles Leaders
117 Alan Knicely
181 Terry Felton
186 Whitey Herzog Mgr
284 Jeff Lahti
379 Guy Sularz
390 Reggie Jackson (All Star)
498 Wade Boggs
526 Checklist
642 Checklist
651 Angels Leaders (Carew/Witt)
680 Andre Dawson
704 Stolen Base Leaders
735 Tommy John