Free diamonds! Kinda...

At the card show this past weekend, as soon as I walked in the door, two of the sellers called out my name and beckoned me over.

It's nice to be wanted.

Both had cards saved for me that they knew I would want. I'll show off the lone baseball card I managed to pick up over the weekend now.

I love me some Chippah!

This is one of those Hope Diamond things from Topps. Or is this the Blue Hope Diamond? Did they have other colours? Did the liquorfractors count?

Whatever. This one just happens to be numbered JerseyNumber/60

Yeah baby! 10/60. Ebay 1/1! Woot!

*cough*

Even better than acquiring this beauty was the price. Yeah. Free. All I had to do was answer a trivia question ... "What was Chipper's jersey number?"

BOOM!

I love this hobby.

Thanks for coming out! Here's a prize...

 the past couple of trade nights at one of the local shops have brought more than just trades or disappointing box busts... they've brought freebies!

now you know how much I like free. If it's free, it's me.

The shop keep likes to hide little gems under the desk for his patrons, and I was the lucky recipient of a goodie each of the last two trade nights.

In September, I got this....

 inside of it, this was hiding...

 BMac! And a sad Dee Gordon sad that he hasn`t lived up to the hype that Topps put on him.

Here`s the back for posterity. Weird that we`ve got the back of Justin Verlander`s card instead of John Jaso.... but Jaso never rang Kate Upton`s bell, so there`s that.

This past week brought another treasure. A Jason Heyward Studio card form some sort of Panini pack giveaway that I knew nothing about. This doesn`t surprise me as I tend to not notice things like this.

and why on Earth would they reproduce this Studio set??? One of the worst sets of all time! Leave it to Panini I guess.

Oh, and there was also this parallel of the Jason Heyward card.

Great googly moogly. What is that?

I have no idea.... but in the Heyward binder it goes.

Thanks Darren!

a few friendly freebies.

I've been the recipient of a few gifts recently. Time to start showing off some of them.

Fellow blogger bamlinden recently opened up a box of 2013 Panini Cooperstown while at trade night at one of the local shops.
He pulled some sweet cards, and saved the box topper for last. Peeling back the silver foil revealed...

a Warren Spahn HOF pennant. It's about 3 1/2" x 5" made from blue felt. It's now mine. Thanks Brett!
Although I have no idea how to store it, or display it.

Speaking of the local shops, I went around to them earlier in the year looking for Panini's 2013 Golden Age baseball release.
None of them had brought any in.
I guess I'm not surprised.... Panini anything doesn't really sell well around here.
Fast forward to the recently, and Fuji held a contest on his blog. Somehow I ended up being one of the winners and received these six cards as my prize.

Really, those are pretty much the only cards I wanted from Golden Age, so everything worked out in the end. Thanks Fuji.

I also just received a small box from gcrl. The box was small, but it weighed about 15 pounds. In it was stacks of junk era hockey cards that I've just started sorting through... and a few Braves just because.
Among the outnumbered baseball cards was a smiling Dale Murphy insert. Dale is reacting to someone telling him that idiot voters will keep a two time MVP out of the Hall of Fame.

There was some new modern shiny!

Here`s the dude responsible for Brian McCann wearing Yankee pinstripes next year. Apparently he`s the number one catching prospect in baseball.

And you can`t just have shiny without balancing it with vintage.

First a sweet `59 Frank Torre. I already have one in my team set, but this one will replace it. This card is sharp! Amazing condition. If I were a lesser collector, this one would go to grading.

 

And another awesome vintage card, from the 1974 Topps set. Hank Aaron is on cards #1-6.

This is card #2. And it is NOT sharp. But it is fantastic. AND I needed it for my team set. Always feels good to slide a card into an empty spot in the page. I now have #'s 1 and 2... still need 3,4,5,6.

One day.

Thanks Jim!

Contest winners!

Time to announce the winners of the contest for a FREE Zinio ezine subscription.

Aside from the 7 winners from the Premier League year long contest, I had three extra slots to give away.

Those three people are...

 

Fan of Reds
Mark Aubrey
Bamlinden

to go along with the 7 previous winners

me!
dayf
dawgbones
commishbob
jackplumstead
Kazi
Chuck's Used Cards

for the three of you who did not get back to me in time to choose your free title.... I chose for you.

You're welcome. I hope you like it. It was tempting to send you Justin Bieber's Fan Club Monthly... but I didn't.
You're welcome.

Expect to see your first issue in your email within the next week.

a few nice additions... the easy way.

I'd open up with something witty about not posting much lately.... but what are you gonna do? Fire me? Pfft...

to continue the theme week from my other blog, today we're concentrating on the word of the day.
Generosity.

At the last trade night, I got a baseball card given to me gratis. Nothing unusual about that, except this is no ordinary card.

Oh yeah.

Dale Murphy. M.V.P.

a little story behind it.... someone pulled it from a pack. Of course those who were gathered around at the time saw this and started Ooohing and Aaahing and calling my name.

At certain times of the evening, that's a good thing.

At trade night with a bunch of dudes.... not so much.

It only means someone pulled a card I want that I probably can't afford.

Anyways, the card was brought over for me to see by a buddy of mine.... after drooling I announceed to the room in general (as I had no idea who pulled it) that I would DEFINATELY want to trade for it.

Ten minutes later someone brought the card back and handed it to me.

Turns out they had a trade going with the person who pulled it,and had them throw in the card in the deal. They then gave it to me, gratis.

That was a pretty good way to start out trade night.

Apparently there is also a Chipper just like this one that I need to track down. I betcha that one won't be gratis.

Ah well..... it's all in the chase.


My pal Jamie also pulled a card for me. Rather than fling it across the room in anger, he gives me his Cowboy pulls.

This from last trade night....

this one from the one before ...

bittersweet as I believe Felix has fumbled his last carry for Dallas. Good luck whereveer you end up Felix.

Thanks guys!

One week left!

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What do I get out of this? Well, there's a 99.9% chance I'll get nothing. The site is giving away free autographs, but the chance of me winning one is negligible.

So why do it? Well, when I first started out, I didn't know what to do or where to write. I finally found this website and it changed everything. So if I can help someone new to the hobby, I'll do it.

Here's how to get access.....

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Free Baseball Cards????

You mean they just gave them away???

All a kid had to do in 1978 was eat junkfood* and they gave you free baseball cards???

Where's my time machine???

*NO WAY in heck would my mom have ever bought those for me anyways... but I can dream...

Local Freebies...

 When I was at my local card shop the other day buying packs, the owner handed me two cards from under the desk.
A 2011 Bowman Gold Fabulous Freddie Freeman and a 2011 Bowman Platinum J-Hey.

I'm ashamed to say I didn't ask if it was the shop's donation, or another customer leaving me cards. Either way, I'm very grateful.
Another two great cards to the collection.

Trade Night at the LCS - Freebie Edition.

This past Wednesday night was the monthly trade night at the card shop I go to. He had closed down his shop the week before, but it was only to move to a much larger location. Exciting news. So trade night was also opening night. I think it is safe to say that all went well. It's been awhile since I remember that many people still there at 9:30pm. It's been awhile since I've been there at 9:30pm.

Anyways, on with the cards. I got some freebies during the night. Remember Mike? The dude who pulled not one, not two, but three Bryce Harper autos? Well he gave me this sweet '77 Rob Belloir for my team set in progress.

He then proceeded to buy two 1982 Fleer cello packs and pull a Cal Ripken rookie card. A $6 Call Ripken rookie card.

I need mike to buy my lottery tickets. Or pick out my packs at least.

 Darren the owner handed me a few base cards for '08 Legendary Cuts, which included this sweet Dodger card.
Night Owl, if you need it for your PC, you get first dibs :)

I then got two more Braves from a guy whose name completely escapes me at the moment. I feel shame.

But not enough to not show off this sweet horizontal Chipper Jones. Love that swing.

 and my very first Fabulous Freddie Freeman card!!!

His walk up music needs to be Freebird. Just sayin'.

You've heard of Seal Team Six...

well this has nothing to do with them. But it does have to do with an insert set called Team Six from 2005 Absolute Playoff Baseball. A couple of weeks ago the owner of my local card shop went to the Expo in Toronto. I talk like I know what the Expo is, but I have no idea. All I know is that the card manufacturers are there as well as a whole mess o' dealers. So it's basically a big card show on steroids. I think.

Anyways.... Darren came back with little gifts for all of his best customers. And for some reason he brought me something too.

Here we have the best top 3 pitching rotation in baseball. Damn I miss these guys.

 but that's not all.... look at the back! Andruw Jones!!! and ... and... two other guys!!

 And here it gets even better. How's this for a 3-4-5 in the batting order? Chipper, Murph, and Andruw. Awesome.

 but that's not all! Look at the back! The Big Cat! Raffy! and.... and.... some other guy!

Really cool cards from an era when I wasn't collecting. Even if I was, I would have never pulled these....

But here's where it gets complicated. Do I put these cards in my Chipper box? My Glavine box? My Smoltzie box? My Andruw box? My Maddux box? Seriously. I have monster boxes devoted to each of these guys.

Suggestions?

I'm gonna need some sharp scissors.

Thanks Darren!

Who wants free box of cards? Shiny cards!

Well don't look here for them......

Go HERE

tell 'em Canuck sent you for a bonus point.

Mailed Stats

So I haven't posted anything since Tuesday. Anything happen while I was gone? Any news? Anything worth chatting about? No? Didn't think so.
What we have today is the latest offerings from Stats on the Back. A lot of you signed up for the great giveaway Mark had going on... let's see what he sent.
First, there was a note apologizing that his package was so small.
Knowing that quite a few kids read this blog, I'm just going to let that slide and leave it at that.
He also made a comment about the Braves, but again, I won't repeat that here. Use your imagination.

Star cards! I love minor league team sets. Unfortunately, where I live, these are super scarce.
A couple cards from 1988...

and into 1989...

I don't think any of these guys except one made it to the show.

all Brian had to do was beat out Jody Davis or Damon Berryhill.... doesn't say a lot about Brian, does it?

I wonder if Paul ever met Candy?

Al made it to the bigs.... it must've been the glasses.

if you had asked me who Therron Todd played for, I would've said the Red Wings.


Mark also sent some '70's goodness.

My very first 1974 cards!

love these uni's!

I wondr what that stain is on Roric?

and I love these multi dude rookie cards. I know a lot of you don't. I do. My blog. My rules.

Apparently, Mark knew I was working on my 1972 Braves team set...

now I have my first double. (trade bait!)

But he added a card I needed!

Awesome. I wonder when photographers learned about back lighting and overexposure?

Was that in '76?
And finally we have Bob Didier.

LOVE that All Star Rookie Cup/Trophy!

Thanks Mark!

Sooz - alicious

After the new year, Sooz from A Cardboard Problem felt the itch and picked up a blaster of '08 Upper Deck Documentary.
Needless to say, it went over like Chipper hitting a walk off at Shea. But her loss is my gain. In my mailbox today, I found the 8 Braves that she found in her blaster. Instead of complaining at what a fustercluck this set is, or how great it could have been..... I'm going to revel in the best thing that is this hobby. Free cards from a friend.
Chipper !

Return of the Money Grubber #1

Chipper!

Money Grubber #2

Money Grubber #1 again...

Kelly Johnson. I'm glad we didn't trade him................................. yet....

Money Grubber #3

Jo Jo! (love that name...)

Love these! I didn't have any of them and the price was right.....

Thanks Sooz!!!!!!!!!!