Category Archives: baseball cards
Goodbye, Marie Fredriksson
(May 30, 1958 – December 9, 2019)
Singer and songwriter Marie Fredriksson, best known for her work with the 1980s pop duo Roxette, died yesterday in Sweden from complications from a brain tumor. She was 61 years old.
Roxette’s debut album, Pearls of Passion, was released in 1986, but it was 1988’s Look Sharp! that put the group in the spotlight, selling 9 million copies across the globe. The follow-up, Joyride, was released in 1991 and sold 11 million worldwide. They scored four #1 hits in the US: “The Look,” “Listen To Your Heart,” “It Must Have Been Love,” and “Joyride.” One of my personal favorites, however, failed to reach the top spot…
Time goes by so quickly. It’s not that long ago we spent days+nights in my tiny apartment sharing impossible dreams. And what a dream we eventually got to share! I’m honoured to have met your talent+generosity. All my love goes to you+your family. Things will never be the same. pic.twitter.com/CTegAUGrXG
— Per Gessle (@PartyPleaser) December 10, 2019
Roxette is still in my song playlist and I so admire Marie and her love of life! David Hasselhoff #MarieFredriksson #Roxette https://t.co/nHsrQARvhX
— David Hasselhoff (@DavidHasselhoff) December 10, 2019
After a 17-year-long battle with cancer, the singer for Swedish pop rock duo @TheRealRoxette has passed away, leaving us a grand musical legacy. https://t.co/gJlHqL8WDP
— Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) December 11, 2019
Fun Cards: 2020 Baseball Immortals Ted Simmons and Marvin Miller
I was excited about the “Modern Era” ballot. So many fantastic players, and I was looking forward to seeing some of these larger-than-life personalities get their just due in Cooperstown.
Then Ted Simmons and Marvin Miller were selected.
Both are solid choices, sure, but neither is particularly exciting. I’m still against the practice of putting non-players on the same ballot anyway, so I was opposed to Miller’s very inclusion on the ballot. Why should he (or any other non-playing person) take votes away from the guys on the field?
Oh well. Maybe Dale Murphy, Dave Parker, and Lou Whitaker will receive the support they deserve next time.
In the meantime, here are a couple of “Baseball Immortals” cards for the newest Hall of Famers…
Regrets…I’ve had a few
Redfest is quickly approaching. I won’t be going this year (for the third or fourth year in a row). I’m more interested in getting alumni autographs than current players, and while there are a couple of names on the list that have not been at the past 20 events, there aren’t enough to make me want to go. Besides that, I’ll be out of town that weekend.
Back in 2008, I attended one of my first Redsfests. And I experienced one of my biggest baseball card-related regrets. I even documented it on the blog…
That Joey Votto card that I didn’t buy for $3 is difficult to come by these days. Last time I searched for it, I couldn’t even find it on eBay. There are a couple listed right now; the cheapest is $23.99 plus shipping, and that’s more than I generally pay for single cards.
I could have had the Votto for $3.
The Johnny Cueto? A couple bucks plus shipping on COMC.
Insert sad face emoji.
Christmas gift ideas for the baseball historians in your life
It’s that time of year. Get your shopping done early and don’t wait until the last minute to wrap them. Here’s the first installment of TWJ’s “Christmas gift ideas” 2019.
I love baseball history more than I like modern baseball. The Houston Astros will always be a National League team to me. Hank Aaron will always be the all-time home run king. And baseball card sets should have either 660 or 792 cards, released in one series, with an update set at the end of the year. I miss subsets and despise insert sets, just like Night Owl. I’m living in the past and I know it. And I’m perfectly fine with that.
Here are some ideas for baseball fans in your life that are older than forty, that long for the purity of the pre-steroid era.
Books. Some of these books are old and some are new, so check your friend’s bookshelf before placing an order.
- Baseball Revolutionaries: How the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings Rocked the Country and Made Baseball Famous by Greg Rhodes, John Erardi, and Greg Gajus
- Game Faces: Early Baseball Cards from the Library of Congress by Peter Devereaux
- The Cooperstown Casebook by Jay Jaffe
- Electric October by Kevin Cook
- The Year of the Pitcher by Sridhar Pappu
Apparel. You can’t go wrong with a good baseball cap or jersey.
- New Era Replica Core Classic Twill 9TWENTY Adjustable Hat (use the drop-down box to change teams)
- Amazon has several different jerseys available
- T-shirts are less expensive than jerseys
Baseball Cards. Did you know Amazon sells baseball cards?
Fun Cards: 1988 Topps Reggie White (NFL, baseball-style)
Reggie White should never have worn any uniform other than a Philadelphia Eagles uniform.
Fun Cards: 1988 Topps Herschel Walker (NFL, baseball-style)
The Dallas Cowboys trade of Herschel Walker to the Vikings was one of the first non-Bengals NFL stories I recall. It was a big deal, but it paid off in the end for America’s Team.
Fun Cards: 1988 Topps Rod Woodson (NFL, baseball-style)
Rod Woodson was the 10th overall pick in the 1987 Draft. Drafted ahead of the Hall of Famer were such NFL luminaries as Mike Junkin, Kelly Stouffer, and Reggie Rogers.
Fun Cards: 1988 Topps Roy Green (NFL, baseball-style)
Roy Green was a 2-time Pro Bowler for the St. Louis Cardinals and was the 16th member inducted into the Arizona Cardinals Ring of Honor in 2016.
Fun Cards: 1988 Topps Neil Lomax (NFL, baseball-style)
The Cardinals moved from St. Louis to Phoenix in 1988, and 2-time Pro Bowler Neil Lomax played his last season in the NFL.
Fun Cards: 1988 Topps Kellen Winslow (NFL, baseball-style)
Another career-capper, Kellen Winslow retired in 1987. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995.
