Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Mike O'Berry #538

This is an action photo that stands the test of time. Would look at home on any 2011 Topps card. The way he has his legs spread look painful. He gets kind of ripped on the back of his card.

Back Facts: Is considered an excellent defensive catcher, but has yet to prove he can hit major league pitching. (Batting averages the last 3 years .169, .208, .180 - .183 lifetime)

Paul Serna #567

One of those players who may have only appeared on one or two cards. I don't have any recollection of this player from 30 years ago. Just like most Mariners cards in the set, the photo is blurry.

Back Fact: Hit .325 in 59 games for Seatlle Bellingham farm in '80 and was put on loan to Nievo Laredo of the Mexican League in '81. Brought back after strike last year and worked his way in as Mariners No 1 shortstop.

Luis De Leon #588

Luis is giving an odd slighty side glance look. Not enough of the Cardinals powder Blue uniform's are showing in this shot. Background could be Busch Staduim. Nice big W on his glove. Back Facts: signed as an undrafted free agent in 1977. (he was born in 1958)

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Tom Seaver #148

 A very nice but shadowed photo of a smiling Tom Seaver. Seaver was probably one of the 4 or 5 most noticed baseball players from the 1970s, he was so well known that I can still remember that his wife’s name was Nancy.

Back Facts: A sure Hall of Famer on the first ballot. (That was true and in fact Tom received the highest pct of voting ever for any Hall of Famer).

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Football Card Price Guide History - 1976 Topps Walter Payton

Payton’s rookie card is probably the most expensive football rookie card (or any other football card) from the 1970s.  The funny thing though was that in the fall of 1982 according to Galasso’s price guide it was the same price as a 1972 Franco Harris rookie card – both going for $4.25. The fact that Payton broke Jim Brown’s rushing record a few years later and not Franco Harris, propelled this card.
                                                                                     Price

(Fall 1982) Renata Galasso                                           $4.25
10/1996 Sports Card Mag                                             $200.00
4/2005 Beckett Football                                                $125.00-250.00
Last week on Ebay (avg price)                                      $133.11 (63 sales)


Football Card Price Guide History - 1989 Score Barry Sanders

This is a big Surprise that Barry Sanders rookie card is going for twice as much as Franco Harris and Tony Dorsett. This card and 1989 Score set was hot back in 1989 and the early 1990s but it still surprises me that a card from the junk wax era is worth more than the rarer cards from the early 1970s.

10/1996 Sports Card Mag                                 $45.00
4/2005 Beckett Football                                     $15.00-40.00
Last week on Ebay (avg price)                          $39.01 (105 sales)

In 2005, this card’s value was less than Dorsett's and Harris's rookie cards.

Football Card Price Guide History - 1978 Topps Tony Dorsett


This is Tony Dorsett's Topps rookie card. Dorsett led the Cowboys to a Super Bowl victory the previous year. The 1978 Topps football set is not one of Topps best looking designs. Here is how the card has done  in value through the years:


(Fall 1982) Renata Galasso                       $2.50
10/1996 Sports Card Mag                                  $35.00
4/2005 Beckett Football                                      $25.00-40.00

Last week on Ebay (avg price)                          $18.02 (40 sales)
Dorsett's rookie card has values that are very similar to Franco Harris's rookie card. This card is not selling for what its price guide card value was in the last 5-15 years.

Football Card Price Guide History - 1973 Topps Franco Harris

This is almost a funny looking card of Franco wearing a Steeler Cap. Topps was not allowed to use NFL logos on this set but the cap makes sure you know it is the Steelers. Franco recently got fired from the Meadows for supporting Joe Paterno.  Here is how the card has done through the years in value:


(Fall 1982) Renata Galasso                       $4.25
10/1996 Sports Card Mag                                  $50.00
4/2005 Beckett Football                                      $25.00-50.00
Last week on Ebay (avg price)                          $21.71 (30 sales)
 
This rookie card has had a kind of up and down ride. I don't know if the Joe Paterno controversy has hurt the value of this card but it is worth 5 times what it was worth 30 years ago.
 

Sid Monge #620

Hair! Hair! Hair! Hair! That is the first thing you notice with this card. This looks like a partial Oscar Gamble do.  This looks like the photo was taken at old Cleveland Municipal Staduim on a cloudy day. The back of his card states his full name is ISIDRO PEDROZA MONGE

Ed Lynch #641

This is one odd looking photo, Ed's head and glove appear to be larger in proportion to the rest of his body. Love seeing the large upside W (Wilson) logo on the glove.  This is a spring training shot. It's funny I swore that Ed Lynch was pitching for the Mets this past year. Back of the card states the 6'5 Lynch played on the South Carolina Basketball Team

Rene Lachmann #600

While I liked the coaches cards in Donruss 1982, I don't think the manager cards stand out in this set. This card is an example. Rene looks young enough to be a player, like some late 30ish pitcher.  Then again maybe it is the pose or that Rene does not look like a manager.  I wish the set would have had little banner on the card to idenitify the manager. Though the Seattle logo looks cool on this card.

Luis Aguayo #622

One of the great action shots in the Donruss 1982 set and probably one of the best in the early 1980s in any baseball set. This photo has a definite 3-dimensional feel to it as Luis body seems to protrude from the solid green background on the outfield fence a Veterans Staduim. It almost looks like his body was photoshopped into the picture. You have him ready to make a throw with one foot in the air as a small clamp of dust surrounds his feet. This photo does seem odd for the fact as to what exactly cause the dust bowl at his feet, could it have been a windy day and also the photo does appear to be missing the guy who should be sliding into second as it appears Luis is touching the bag for the first out of a doubleplay. However it is just a great shot of a solo player in action.

Back Facts: Phillies like him in utility role.

Milt Wilcox #233

As I mentioned in my last post about a list of best ball teams, if Bill Stein would have been on the all ugly team then Milt Wilcox would have been on the all good looking team. Milt here looking like a young John Tesh is giving the classic pitcher pose to the cameraman. This is a definite spring training shot because it looks like there is a palm just left of his glove.

Back Facts: was originally signed by Cincinnati where he played for Sparky Anderson for parts of two seasons. 

Bill Stein #37

They used to have list for odd teams for baseball players. There would be a list for the all height team or all small team or all ugly team. I have nothing against Bill Stein but I think he would have made the all-ugly team if they had one back then. The all-time MVP in this category is Dick Mossi.

Back Facts: Set an AL record last year when he collected seven consecutive pinch hits.

Tom Brookens #202

A low field level shot of Brookens at (Fenway Park? ) at third base. This definitely seems to be an in-game shot as there is 3 balls and 2 Strikes on the Score Board.

Back Facts: Singled in his first major league at-bat 8/10/79.

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Breaking News: Love in the NBA. The NBA is Back.

There will be a 66 game season with the season starting on December 25th. Camps open on Dec 9th. The playoffs are pushed back a week and so are the finals. All Star game up in the air.

Joe Price #481

A decent spring training shot in the classic baseball cars sense though with a little too much shadow on the front of the card. Joe has a stoiac look on his face. Back Facts: Played collegiate baseball at both Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.

Manny Trillo #245

A decent tight cropped photo of Manny at the plate. This photo is a little too shadowy and blurry but the blueness of the Phillies uniform helps out the photo.

Back Facts: Has probably the strongest throwing arm of any second baseman in baseball.

Grant Jackson #518

While most of the Dodger cards were blurring, the Montreal Expos cards in Donruss 1982 never looked better. A lot of players were pictured in these reddish shirts and most of the photos were crystal clear, as this photo of Grant Jackson. Grant Jackson who I think was named after the former U.S. president and Union General. Grant is one of a few pitchers with at least 15 complete games and 15 saves.

Dave Goltz #604

This is one of those blurry and shadowy cards that seemed to plague the Dodger players in the Donruss 1982 set. Half of Dave's face is obscured by the shadow from the bill of his cap. But it is a nice shot that seems to be coming at you.

Back Facts: Is signed to a six year contract

Mike Jorgensen #224

This shot reminds me of shots Topps had in the 1960s for some cards. The player kneeling in front or on the side of the camera man. However, this photo is cropped tighter than what I remember from the 1960s Topps cards. Mike is an interesting player, he was a journeyman but I always thought of him as a very good journeyman.

Back Facts: Career was nearly ended when on 5/28/79, he was beaned by Red Sox Andy Hassler. Doctors later discovered a clot on his brain.

Friday, November 25, 2011

Mike Marshall #562

An awesome cameo by Tommy Lasorda on this card. This is definitely a spring training shot as you can see a very elderly crowd in the background. Marshall is one of the few players in the 1982 Donruss set born in the 1960s. The card does a dark shadow to it.

Back Fact: Dodgers almost traded him to Red Sox in the winter '80 when they were trying to get Fred Lynn.

Julio Gonzales #645

Julio looks about 62 years old in this photo when in fact he was about 28 years old when the photo was taken in 1981. At least the was according to the back of his baseball card which states he was born December 25, 1953. A great baseball name

Back Facts: Released by the Astros 3/27/81 and signed by the Cards as a free agent 4/3

Roy Lee Jackson #541

Another photo with a great big shot of the underbill of the players cap. As you can see the underbill is very white. Roy Lee also has a very strange look on his face as he is gazing upward and away.  I can't remember which stadium it is in the background but it is the one with the Phillips 76 sign

Dave Roberts #625

A very nondescript shot of one of Baseball Big Prospects in the early 1970s who never did make it big

Back Facts: Became a free agent after the '80 season and was selected by more teams than any other player in the Re-Entry draft. Signed a 5-year, $1.1 million contract with the Astros. Was the No. 1 selection in the June '72 amateur draft, taken by the Padres.  

Frank White #286

Akind of unusual photo with Frank's cap not sitting squarely on his round head. This shot shows more on the bottom bill of the cap than any card I can think of.

Back Facts: Is one of the few graduates from the Royals ill-fated academy of a few years ago.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

The 20 greatest Sports Card Blogs of all time - #1. Night Owl Cards

I don’t think this comes as a major surprise. This dude has like a million followers. He puts out long in-depth posts on an average of close to 2 a day. I even question whether if there is only one person behind the blog (sort of like Alfred and Robin donning the Batman costume) or if that person is even human (maybe a new hybrid human/owl creature has evolved on earth).

But what this dude does is look at sports cards every which way but loose (and he even does that). Night Owl has a unique talent to view /see cards (and write about cards) in a way that appears few people can.

Through 1988, I had owned every major Baseball, Hockey, Basketball and Football set from 1971 to 1988. My goal at the time was to own ever card set made each year (but I had no idea that few years later there would be 100 sets to collect each year). I have bought (or collected) sports cards every since year since 1972. That is right, I have bought cards each (and every) year for 41 consecutive years. There has not been one calendar year since 1971, that I have not purchased cards.  I thought I knew everything there was to know about cards. However, I know little when in comparison to Night Owl. Night Owl has a way of making the reader view cards in a way they one would not imagine.

There are too many features that he has written about for me to justify writing about. You just have to check out his own blog to see all the good things there. Though, one example, was his recent contest about identifying the fonts for numerous baseball sets. It was exhilarating and exhausting at the same time to figure out which fonts went with which baseball set. But this is an example of the power of the blog, he made me try to figure it out something, that first off that was incredibly fun and second, something I never really thought about on the cards. That what he does he makes cards FUN. FUN AGAIN, like when you were a kid.     

The purpose of list of the top 20 Sports Card Blogs of All Time is not to offend anyone or disrespect anyone or that it was even perfect (in retrospect I should have had the The Baseball Card Blog somewhere on my list). In honor of THANKSGIVING, the purpose of the top 20 greatest Sports Card Blogs of all time list is to say THANK YOU to all the sports card bloggers out there. THANK YOU. You give me a chance to look at cards that I will never own and look at cards I own in ways that I would never imagined. HAPPY THANKSGIVING.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

The 20 greatest Sports Card Blogs of all time - #2 Wrigley Wax

Probably a surprising choice and I even surprised myself when I kept moving it up higher and higher as one of the all-time Sports Blogs. Could it be the Wrigley Banner on the top and the green ivy sides?  There is something intoxicating about the look of the blog.  It is the lite version of the number 1 all time sports card blog (you have figured it out which blog that will be, haven’t you). On a monthly basis,  It provides the monthly and yearly total selling price of all regular Topps baseball sets from 1969 to present on ebay. This in essence would be the first accurate price guide/true market value ever produced. This information provided is more accurate than what Beckett has ever provided in any magazine. 

It has been around since January of 2009, it constantly puts out at least 30 posts a month since then. The two months it did not reach 30 posting, Wrigley Wax posted 29 times. The post always seem to be short succinct and to the point, giving more information per word than any other blog. It is just an enjoyable read. It tends to go against one of my criteria (diversity) but it does what it does soooooo gooood! It is the Albert Pujols of blogs. It is slanted to the Cubbies (not necessarily a bad thing). but every post is a solid post about cards, cards and more cards.


Tuesday, November 22, 2011

The 20 greatest Sports Card Blogs of all time - #3. Cardboard Junkie

We are at the top 3 Sports Card blogs of all time and they tend to be somewhat similar in my mind. Cardboard Junkie goes way back blogging since 2006 but really getting going in July of 2007.  Cardboard Junkie  meets all the criteria of my original post about the top 20 greatest Sports Card Blogs of all time: Longevity, frequency (he is a manic poster), content and diversity (it is about cards and some pop culture, and this probably the most diverse sports card blog ever, mostly about baseball, he touches on all four major sports, vintage cards etc..), presentation (white print on black stands out and the word now is Cookie Rojas), originality and intangibles (I remember in 2008 going back and reading the posts from THE 792).  This blog would be the number one blog to put in a time capsule for sport card collectors to read about the early 21st century collecting and some other stuff a thousand years from now.

The 20 greatest Sports Card Blogs of all time - #4 The Topps Archives

The Topps Archives blog is what is says it is. What it does though is give more historical valuable information about cards and card collecting than any other blog presently.  It has been around since September 2008, and has changed its look over time but still gives out invaluable historical information about Topps and cards in particular.. Check out one of the early articles (Logo Wars), it is timeless. Yes, I said Article – that what this blog feels like articles that should go in magazines (if they were still being made). The Topps Archives is what the old Baseball Card Magazine from the early 1980s should have become, if it was still around today.

Monday, November 21, 2011

The 20 greatest Sports Card Blogs of all time - #5 30 year old Cardboard

 30 year old Cardboard has been posting since August 2008, about the time I began reading the sport card blogs. 30 year old Cardboard has a somewhat interesting banner across the top of the blog and a nice clean rectangular look to the blog. 30 year old Cardboard tends to post short but succinct blogs, but he maybe the most active poster of are time. He averages well over a 100 post a month to wet our appetites.  He does a little bit of everything mixing sports cards and sports such as player collections posts, did you know posts and  top ten list posts (plus a multitude of other categories/subject matters which are listed on the right side of his blog for readers to enjoy). An old war horse (or should I saw a Hawk) of a blog. He recently celebrated his 400,000 hit on his blog so there  many who really like this blog.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

The 20 greatest Sports Card Blogs of all time - #6 Waxaholic

  Waxaholic has been around since October 2008, a unique writing style were he may present 30-40 cards in one blog post and write a little quip about every single card (see his post from Sept 14, 2011). You have to see Waxaholic style, no one presents their blog the way he does. I would describe it as vertical like Kimball Cards that were the length of 1964 Topps Super. It is hard to put into words his blogs look.  He also uses the white on black presentation. He has some dry humor and very diversified posts, though he has been blogging a little less recently. He also throws some photos of hot babes into his post every once in a while(not a bad thing).

Saturday, November 19, 2011

The 20 greatest Sports Card Blogs of all time - #7. Sports Card Uncensored

When this blog first appeared on the scene with its white on black look, it may have been the number 1 blog around. In 2009, at the height of Upper Deck’s failure to get a MLB license for Baseball Cards, This blog was wild, provocative, fast and furious. The debates that raged on in this blog set the blogging world on fire. This extremely opinionated blog was the talk of the blog a sphere. At some point though a little later, the look of the blog changed and it seemed to become a little more corporate, a little more toned down and stayed mostly football set oriented. However, it still gives you the most opinionated view of the hobby but to a lesser extent. Heck, I haven’t even mentioned anything about his scammer alerts that are invaluable.

P.S. Check out his articles/posts from the week of November 6 (and also November 16th), that reminded me of the old SCU of a few years ago. These were some amazing posts that give you insight into the hobby and asks questions no one else does. Sometimes when SCU subject matter goes beyond examining football cards sets and hits it is almost like investigated journalism attuned to what you would find on 60 Minutes.

Friday, November 18, 2011

The 20 greatest Sports Card Blogs of all time - #8. 88 Topps Cards

In BJD610’s Sports Card Blog Hall of Fame and I can’t complain. One of the first blogs I ever discovered in 2008. It like the Soprano’s it had a being and an end(not a great analogy but). The blog basically reviewed all 792 cards throughout 2008. It made me appreciate the 1988 Topps set in ways I never imagined that I could. The set has a more of a hold on me now then it did when I first collected it. This blog also made me appreciate how much posting a photo of a baseball card can give that card new life. What we once felt as junk (wax) now becomes Iconic. Other blogs (including my own) have tried to emulate this blog but this is the KING OF THE KINGS of specific set card blogs.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

The 20 greatest Sports Card Blogs of all time - #9 voice of the collector – the Anti Beckett


VOTC has been blogging since January of 2008. This populist blog challenged Sports Card Uncensored for the top blog through 2009. Has been posting a lot less since 2009( over 700 post in 2009, 70 in 2011). Probably one of the best title ever for a blog. Is this highly rated based on  mostly past reputation but oh what a reputation, part of the wild and thrilling blogging of 2009. Remember this is an all-time list.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

The 20 greatest Sports Card Blogs of all time - #10. A Cardboard Problem

A Cardboard Problem has been around since January of 2007 but really started up and rolling in 2008. This blog presents great reviews and pack/box breaks of the new stuff and churns out stuff every day. It covers the newly issued cards thoroughly and gives collectors a decent overview to help them decide if they wanted to collect certain sets. A must read every day if you want to know what is currently going on in the card world. I am pretty sure the look of the blog has changed, it now has a classy white lettering on gray background. The right side uses mostly a gold/yellow lettering on a black background. This blog is very easy on the eyes.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

The 20 greatest Sports Card Blogs of all time - #11. Wax Heaven

(Mario’s Version) This was probably one of the top blog when I started reading the sports card blogs. Though I have to admit, I can’t remember the complete details or exact time frame the number of posts started to decrease in 2008 or 2009. And then Mario had to shut down his blog. I can’t remember the exact reason why he shut down the blog(it was heart beaking though-and I did not even know the guy), but I do remember that there was an outpouring of sympathy from the blog a sphere. There was an outpouring of emotion written in the comments section about ending of this blog. Because Wax Heaven was ending, it evoked an emotion form me, sadness. I really felt bad because the blog was ending. I don't know why I felt that way but I did. 


I remember, I collected comic books for a short time in the mid 1990s. In 1995, I picked up ASM #400, the issue with the death of Aunt May. I knew the story of Aunt May in the Spider Man Mythos and I am a big Spiderman fan and of that storyline, her death, invoked sadness in me, a real emotion. It was almost like a member of my family actually passed away. To this day I can not figure out why. It was a comic book character.
 

That is the same thing that happened to me when Mario shut down Wax Heaven.  I was actually emotionally sad (and again, I did not even know the guy) and so were a lot of other blog readers. Even though there was a person itself behind the writing of the blog, the blog itself almost became a life of its own (sort of like a TV or comic book character). This can show you the POWER of a blog and how they can ultimately affect peoples lives.


He also had the second coolest card logo (next to Fuji) ever, based on the 2009 Topps.

Monday, November 14, 2011

The 20 greatest Sports Card Blogs of all time - #12. Condition Poor

 Condition Poor has been around since July of 2009. Condition Poor’s posts touch on a wide variety of card subjects with a tint towards vintage cards. He has a category listing on the right side of his blog which give readers an ideal of where to look for a particular subject. He presents his blog in a narrow vertical format, which works well with his writing style. What is unique about his posts how he sometimes intermittently uses written words and then the sports cards to complete a thought. Condition Poor ran some blog posts during the recent World Series between the Cards and Rangers. Check it out and you will understand what I mean.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

The 20 greatest Sports Card Blogs of all time - #13. Cards on Cards

 Cards on Cards has a sweet super looking banner that runs at the top of the blog. The Cardinal in this logo has never looked better. The blog obviously has a St. Louis Cardinal focus. Air Brush Fridays may be the single most unique weekly feature that any sports card blog has ever created. It is a fun way of looking at baseball cards. This blog started in June 2008 and Cards on Cards has been a very consistent blogger/poster since then. While mostly concentrating on Baseball cards you will find football and basketball occasionally touched upon in this blog.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

The 20 greatest Sports Card Blogs of all time - #14. Stale Gum

 Because this blog is so funny I decided to make it the second number 14th rated blog. (Get it, A top 20 countdown or list with two number 14s, now that is funny.). Chris no longer puts out many blogs post anymore but when he does what is written is usually funny. It appears he has been blogging since 2001. (wow!). However, it is his video box breaks that are must see box breaks over the last few years, funnier than anything on television right now. It is like John Madden and Jerry Stiller’s character from Seinfeld doing box breaks.  Chris has impeccable dry humor that is a gift. So here’s too the inventor of Chutley and Captain Cheeseburger.

The 20 greatest Sports Card Blogs of all time - #14. The Chronicles of Fuji

 The Chronicles of Fuji probably has the most single identifiable blog  presentation logo/moniker ever created. His use of the 2008 Topps design and cartoon graphic to provide his moniker for his blog is an iconic identity. His blog also has the cool, white lettering on black background blog presentation look with other colors used intermittently on different words. His blog posts tend to be in greater length than other bloggers posts and at the end of the blog post he usually presents the reader with a chance to answer a question pertaining to collecting or sports. Thus, he seeks much interaction with his readers. He tends to give some focus to the junk wax era  and he has features about cards which covers the gambit of all four major sports and non sports issues. This blog is one of the most diversified about cards out there.   He presents a sports card blog with topic matters and a look that is uniquely situated.

Friday, November 11, 2011

The 20 greatest Sports Card Blogs of all time - #15. Mint Condition

Mint Condition has been blogging since February of 2009. Mint Condition gives you solid in-depth well rounded and inquiring posts about sport cards. Mint Condition probably has the best name of any Sports Card Blog (or at least tied with Hand Collated, which I give a mention to and probably should have included as an honorable mention). Short sweet and to the point.  While I can not pin point any particular posting themes that he does on a consistent basis his outstanding custom cards are interesting and authentic looking. Just a workman like poster who is going to give you solid posts practically every day, sort of like a Derek Jeter who gives you a three hundred average ever year. 

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

The 20 greatest Sports Card Blogs of all time - #16. Bdj610’s Topps Baseball Card Blog

 Well, Big Daddy J obviously is the driving force of the Baseball Card Blogroll, which that in itself makes his blog famous. While he tends to be more towards sports focus, he applies that focus to cards. For example, his blogs about guessing who is going to be pick to Topps All-Rookie team are thought provoking.  He used to have the random Topps card of the day (an awesome feature) but BJD seems to be posting a little less recently. Has been around since May of 2008.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

The 20 greatest Sports Card Blogs of all time - #17. The Phillies Room

This blog has been around since March of 2009, though it is team specific and thus potentially limited, this blog just puts out some interesting post that are obviously totally Phillie oriented. It is the best at what it does. The posting and IN DEPTH analysis about the Topps Phillie team sets for example are just great and interesting reads.  It probably helps that the Phillies have been baseball overall best team for the last 4-5 years, thus giving the blog more importance.

Monday, November 7, 2011

The 20 greatest Sports Card Blogs of all time - #18 My 2008 Topps Set Blog

A unique blog, in such that it presents basically, every 2008 Topps baseball card (a personal favorite set of mine) that the blogger has gotten autographed. The blog is nearing the 50 percent mark of cards autographed, though I don’t ever think it will reach the hundred percent mark(it may come very close).  It has been around since about February of 2009.  My 2008 Topps Set Blog gives you a different take on how to look at a card set.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

The 20 greatest Sports Card Blogs of all time - #19. Mojo and Beardy fantastic card blog

 They have been around since February of 2010, this three headed monster of a blog puts out some funny irreverent posts. Enjoyable reading. Another manic poster, their recent posts about great Hockey cards designs and the Topps Jeter 3000 hit card, are why I read the blogs. They also have a great banner across the top of the blog.

The 20 greatest Sports Card Blogs of all time - #20. Crinkly Wrapper/This Card is Cool (tie)

 I have been reading Sports Card Blogs every day now religiously for a little over three years (particularly the Sports Card Blog Roll). That means two things:

First, that qualifies me as an Expert.
Second, since over three years has passed, this qualifies as a long time and enough time to do an All Time List.

Besides:

Third, the NBA is locked out and people need a diversion.

The criteria for the list is based on a few things including longevity, frequency of posting, the contents of the post (it has to be about cards, by cards, of cards), presentation of the blog (how the blog looks, i.e. the physical look and feel of the blog), trend setting, originality and intangibles (does the blog make you look at cards in the way you never did before). I plan to write a little blurb about each blog on the list. First up a tie for number 20.


Crinkly Wrappers uses the awesome T206 cards as a banner and it gives you that great white print on black background look.  We get constant posts from CW and we get blog post about what we want cards, cards and more cards (I loved the recent 2010 Topps legends variations posts) . CW is relatively new as it has been around since June of 2010.

This Card is Cool blog is the only blog in the top 20 that started in 2011. Though he recently changed his banner, his old banner based on the 1974 design was breath taking. A manic poster, he puts out the blog posts at a rate sometimes over 70 a month. Thus, This Card is Cool is able to cover a wide variety about cards.

Honorable Mention: garvey cey russell lopes; Lost Collector; Dinged Corners; Bad Wax; Too Many Grandersons; Jongey's Beat











Dan Spillner #411

 Dan appears to be having a bad hair day as the back of his hair on the right is sticking out. There appears to be a Winston Cigarette Ad in the background on the right. Also the big hand is on the 2 on the clock in the outfield.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Alex Trevino #350

 I present to you the 1982 Donruss baseball card of Alex Trevino. There is not much that I can say about this card other than the fact Alex was from Mexico so he crossed the border.

Al Woods #180

 Another intimate close up shot – Woods seems to have a gap in his front teeth. This photo was definitely taken at the same time as Barry Bonnell Donruss card as the back grounds on both are similar.

Back Facts: Homered in his first major league at-bat, Opening Day 1977 to tie a record.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Wayne Gross #139

One of those players that got their break in the 1977, because of the gutted A’s roster. This is another great shot the A’s green and yellow uni’s that really work with the 1982 Donruss Set.

Back Facts: Made the ’77 All Star Team as a rookie.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Barry Bonnell #432

 A very intimate close up head shot of Barry Bonnell. Barry was a former Brave prospect who was acquired 12/5/79 from Braves with Joey McLaughlin for 1B Chris Chambliss and Luis Gomez.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Terry Puhl #370

 Terry is at the plate in this action shot, I can’t tell if this is a spring training shot or regular season action.

Back Facts: Hit .526 against the Phillies in the ’80 NL Championship series and set a playoff record for most base hits (10)