Two More for the Mantle!

Hey guys, Drew back here! After a day and a half long adventure in upstate New York visiting a few colleges, I'm back here to complete my recap from last Sunday's card show! Meeting all of the old Pirates players was really awesome for me, but that wasn't the main reason I asked Dad to go to this show. I hadn't added to my Mickey Mantle multi-signed photo in a few months, so with two of his former teammates signing I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity!

First up was former All Star second baseman Bobby Richardson! Richardson was one of the best all around players in the league back in the late 50's and early 60's, so I was excited to add him to the photo! Known exclusively as the only player to ever win a World Series MVP on a losing team, Richardson also won 5 Gold Gloves and made 8 All Star teams. He happily signed the Mantle photo directly below the Chairman of the Board, becoming autograph #37 on the picture.

I felt bad because with my Pirates gear on, Bobby would never know I was a Yankee fan. Hopefully the signed Yankee photo spoke for my true allegiance, but he obviously assumed me to be a Bucs fan. However, it didn't take away from the experience, as he was a very nice guy and posed for a nice picture with me!

The 38th autograph on the photo went to former spot starter and reliever Jim Coates! Before the show, I'd never heard of Mr. Coates, but after researching a bit I learned that he was actually a pretty good pitcher! In 1960, Coates went 13-3 with a 4.28 ERA, and if it weren't for several injuries he could've had a much more successful career. He gladly signed right below Richardson, which would've upset me if he wasn't one of Mantle's teammates. The spot Richardson signed I wanted to reserve for Berra, but the likelihood of getting Berra is getting slimmer and slimmer by the day. I'm glad these 2 guys took those spots though.

Coates was also a very nice guy. He charged $20 for an autograph, so not many people took the plunge on him unless they needed him for a team signed item. His wife (I assume) was with him trying to sell his autobiography, and she almost convinced us to buy it but I knew I probably wouldn't have much time to read it. 

The autographs look pretty good (below Whitey Ford towards the bottom in the center), although they signed on angles like Ford did. I'm not sure how that will affect the rest of the signatures on there, but I'm sure if I load it with a lot of other signatures it won't matter in the slightest. A guy in line for one of the signers was talking to me about the piece, and suggested when it's done to save up for a Mantle cut autograph to mat below the photo. I thought it was a smart idea, but it won't be very cheap.

What do you guys think? Would it be worth doing? Thanks in advance, and also thanks again to Dad, JP's Sports, and all of the great signers!

See Ya!

Re-Experiencing Early Hobby Memories!

Hey guys, Drew back here! As I mentioned yesterday, I met a solid group of players at last weekend's JP's Sports March Madness card show! First of all, a big thank you and shoutout to the guys from JP's Sports for doing a great job as always! When I look back on my early days in the hobby there's no way I could ever forget my experiences meeting so many legendary players. Although I met 6 former players that day, I've shaken all but 3 of their hands in the past. I'll explain further in a minute. But, to kick things off, I jumped on the free signer's line early because those lines always seemed to grow quickly. Not many people seemed to be in attendance that day, as the show was relatively quiet. But nothing is worse than being stuck in lines for hours!

This show's free signer was former Orioles' Rookie of the Year Ron Hansen! Hansen battled injuries throughout his prime and later career, which severely impacted his opportunity for success in the big leagues. However, the 6'3 shortstop had a great rookie year, batting .255 with 22 home runs, 86 RBI in the lower half of the O's lineup. He made both All Star teams from the season, but never was the same player.

Hansen was a real nice guy, signing a ball for William for me, as well as a 1961 Topps for my collection! He assumed me to be a big Pirates fan, judging by my McCutchen jersey and Pittsburgh hat, so he asked me if I was excited to meet the Pittsburgh players signing. Of course, as you all know, the Pirates are my second favorite team but I don't love them nearly to the extent that I love the Yankees. Hansen posed for a picture and I was off on my way to meet some former Bucs. 

The first of three Pirates I visited that day was 4 time batting champ Bill Madlock! I've met Madlock along with the following two players at my first White Plains show back in the summer of 2009, and he was a fairly nice guy. I believe he signed for free that day, however Sunday he charged $15 with a free inscription. Last time the "Mad Dog" had a clean look to him, which was uncharacteristic for a 70's Bucco. This time around, he was sporting a beard and the New Era Pirates hat. He didn't say a whole lot, similar to the last time I met him, but he signed my ball and posed for a picture. 

I figured that I should take advantage of the free inscription, so I got him to add "Mad Dog" in between his first and last names. He has a clean signature, but it isn't exactly easy to read. In my ball display area, he'll be placed right next to the Crime Dog, Fred McGriff, to make for a pair of tough dogs you certainly wouldn't want to mess with during their primes.

 Next up was a player who ended up becoming one of my favorite old school players following the first experience I'd had with him, Mr. Dave Parker! Parker had all of the tools, but never really used them to the fullest extent that he could have. Unfortunately, drugs and hysteria got between Parker and the Hall of Fame, because most people knew he had the potential to reach the hall. Dave looked good today; it appeared that he lost some weight since last time, and he was really friendly as usual.

He signed my ball, and I asked him if he could put his "Cobra" nickname on it. He replied "how did you know about that nickname?", and I told him that I didn't know, and that I made it up. He laughed and then told me his trainer gave it to him because his batting stance was coiled. He started writing Cobra on the ball, and then below it he continued to inscribe it. I wasn't sure what he was doing until I looked at it a minute after I left him.

 Below Cobra, he wrote his number 39, with a cobra in the shape of a 9! I don't normally shop for his memorabilia on eBay, but I checked later on to see if it was a commonality or if I was lucky. There were no balls like that currently on eBay, so for now I'll go with me being lucky! I wouldn't sell it, but it is really cool to think of how few people may have what I have throughout the world. Thanks to the Cobra once again for making my day!

The final signer (for this installment of drewscards) was 2 time batting champion Al Oliver! Oliver was also a free signer back in 2009, but this time he was $15 per autograph with a free inscription, exactly like Madlock's. Oliver was friendly the first time and he didn't disappoint the second time, although he was shocked to see a New Yorker decked out in Pirates gear. "You a true Pirate fan, kid?" he asked me. "These jerseys aren't cheap Mr. Oliver," I replied, and he said "Now I hear ya on that man!" Always something interesting when Oliver is around.

Oliver went above and beyond on inscriptions as well, signing his nickname "Scoop" and writing 1971 WS Champs below his name, which may be disheartening to you Orioles fans, but it is what it is. All of the balls came out spectacular, and I'm glad I added them all to my ever growing signed baseball collection!

That's not all though! Stay tuned for the final two players I got to add to my Mantle photo! In the meantime, go Pirates!

See Ya!

March 24th White Plains Show Pickups

Hey guys, Drew back here! So, on Sunday, Dad and I took a quick trip down to White Plains! I didn't bring as much money as I usually do, but I still had a good time and got some nice deals. The main reason I wanted to go was because some personal favorites of mine were signing autographs, and I wanted to add them into my signed baseball collection. You'll get to see all of that tomorrow, but for now, take a look at what I was able to pick up!

A little while into the show, I found a younger guy selling a bunch of prospect and star autographs, which is usually what I look for at these shows. Over time, I've composed a list of my Top 100 favorite players, and my goal is to eventually have an autograph of all of them (I have 66 of the 100)! However, this Ty Hensley autograph from the new Bowman Sterling stood out first to me, since I had the refractor version already. He wanted $8 for the card, which was a bit much for this one for me, so I tried to see if he could work with me. 

I then saw this sweet Zack Greinke autograph from 2004 Topps, and decided to ask the price on it. He said it books between $20 and $30, but then said he'd give me the two cards for $20! I couldn't pass up that offer, as Greinke had been an autograph on my list for a while now. However, I decided to keep looking and make sure there weren't any other cards I wanted. 

Well, there was one more, this sweet 2006 Upper Deck F/X Matt Cain autograph! Again, I inquired on the card, and he said it books around $30, but he'd give it to me for $10! I hadn't seen a Matt Cain autograph for around $10 in ages, so I pounced at the 3 for $30 offer he gave me! Cain and Greinke were two of the top pitchers I've wanted, so it was awesome to knock them both off in one swing. I don't believe that Greinke is deserving of the fattest contract for a right handed pitcher ever, but I guess he showed up to free agency at the right time.

Then, Dad & I went to a table ran by two girls that usually have the nicest new cards in the building. They have all sorts of rare 1/1's, printing plates, and parallels of prospects, you know; the stuff all out of my price range. However, they also had some mid-end stuff, including this beautiful Tyler Austin Bowman Chrome autograph! Austin's prices have skyrocketed since he became the Yankees 2nd best prospect according to many lists, so I've had a hard time getting a hold of this one for a solid price. Fortunately, I paid $30 for this one, which is certainly fair according to eBay value. The last time I spent $30 on a prospect autograph it was of Manny Banuelos, who proceeded to get injured directly after the purchase, crushing his stock. Hopefully that doesn't happen this go round.

My Dad decided to treat me to a sweet card also from the same girls, this 2006 Topps Finest Robinson Cano autograph! I can never add enough autographs of my favorite semi-affordable player, and Dad understood that by helping me out here. Now the 9th Cano autograph in my collection, this one is up there as one of the shiniest (go grammar!) of his that I own. However, this is already an old autograph in my Cano collection... and you'll see what I mean in a few days. 

Before Dad and I left the show we also picked up a jumbo pack of 2013 Topps! I haven't gotten to open any of it yet but made it a priority to do so at the show. I really like the design, and I think a lot of them would look great signed TTM. I counted about 8 cards in the 50 card pack that will probably be going out in the mail once the season starts, so hopefully I'll get a few of those back as well. It's amazing to see how clear and visually appealing Topps' flagship products have gotten over the years. I'm definitely impressed, even though I'm not exactly a huge Topps fan thanks to their poor customer service.

Fortunately, I did awesome on the inserts, although I didn't get a hit in the pack. I don't think I'd trade any of these, except for the Lowe emerald which will probably go towards William's set chase. By the way, if anyone has any of those emeralds laying around, be sure to go check out his blog and see if you can help with his daunting task! Final thoughts: the Calling Cards seem pretty pointless but I love the die-cuts and '72 minis! I tried the Million Dollar Chase and it is pretty lame. If anyone wants Desmond Jennings (who went undrafted in my 8 team fantasy draft) for their Topps team let me know.

Thanks again to Dad for taking me to the show and for the Cano! I've got a whole lot of awesome things to come; be on the lookout! See Ya!

March 24th White Plains Card Show Recap! Meeting Two HOF'ers!

Hey guys, Drew back here to finally wrap up the White Plains Card Show Review. Many bloggers seem to be able to pound out a whole show review within a few posts, but I prefer to go into depth on my pickups because it's not like I leave with a whole lot of money in my pocket, if any at all. The other day I thought about what my collection would be like without discovering these shows that take less than an hour to get to from here, and I couldn't even begin to tell you how much weaker it would be. I'm fortunate that I heard about them a few years back though, as I've gotten chances to meet players such as Don Mattingly, Dave Winfield, Ernie Banks, and even the whole Jets defensive line known as "The Sack Exchange"! 

At this show, I was able to add two more legends to the list of people I've met, both of which have been enshrined into Cooperstown within the past ten years. I had an opportunity to meet recent inductee Roberto Alomar as well, but the price for an autograph wasn't very favorable to my show budget. Instead, I met a guy with over 3,000 hits on the back of his baseball card, and a guy who was one of the most feared power hitters of his era. 

After waiting 2 hours in line for the free guys, I heard an announcement, saying it was the last call to meet one of the Hall of Famers I bought a ticket to meet. Dad had to take a few photos of the people in front and behind us in line with our camera because he had offered, since they didn't have cameras, and so following getting my Shantz and White autographs, he stayed there for a few moments getting their emails to send the pictures too. In the meantime, I took a mad dash through the show to try and make it before my player left, and fortunately enough by the time I got in the room, both Hall of Famers had absolutely NO line! 

With Dad and the camera not being present at the time, it gave me a few extra moments to talk with third baseman Wade Boggs as he signed my photograph for me! Boggs wasn't just one of the best third basemen to ever live, but he was also the third baseman that helped bring my Yankees to the World Series in 1996- the year that I was born. "The Chicken Man" made 12 All Star teams, while nabbing a few gold gloves in his illustrious career, which resulted in 3,010 career hits and a .328 lifetime batting average! He was wearing his 1996 ring, which I complimented, and I also said thanks to him for helping bring New York Yankee baseball back on the map. He was grateful and kind, and signed my 16x20 photograph beautifully with one of the nicer inscriptions I own. 

I couldn't come across any Boggs photo any more iconic than the one I was able to get signed, of him riding a horse after winning the World Series in 96'! The autograph came out beautiful, and the inscription reads: "To Drew, Best Wishes, Wade Boggs, '96' WS Champs, HOF 05". I just asked him to write it out to Drew, and then include whatever else he wished to include, and this went far beyond expectations. What an awesome experience.

Dad ran into the side room where Boggs and I were a few minutes later, and was able to meet him and take this great picture of me with the 5 time batting title winner himself! After I met the next player, I went and got my picture certified for $6 from JSA, since they run discounts on the players signing at the shows. I can't wait to frame it up on the wall, especially because the picture was from my birth year!

The two of us then scurried through the Alomar line to meet another Hall of Famer with absolutely no line- Expos/Cubs great Andre Dawson! "The Hawk" charged the same price as Boggs, and while he was a little quieter, it was still well worth it. Dawson was elected into the Hall of Fame in 2010, in his 9th year of eligibility. With a career average of .279, with 2,774 hits and 438 home runs, this guy was by far one of the better all around players of his time. To add to his list of accolades, he also won the 1977 NL Rookie of the Year, as well as the 1987 NL MVP, to go along with 8 gold gloves and 8 All Star selections. So, to say he wasn't Cooperstown worthy is a tad bit ridiculous in my opinion.

I had him sign a Hall of Fame custom for my set, which came out nice as always. He has one of the best signatures around, even though I don't necessarily understand why his 'd' in Andre drops down so low. Nonetheless, it looks really cool! The neat part about it, however, was that he signed the card sideways, and still managed a beautiful looking autograph! I've never seen anyone sign like that before, so I thought it was pretty cool.

Dawson seemed like a very nice guy, and I was able to get this picture with him, which came out really good in my opinion. Dad is getting better at pictures every time, so I gotta give him props for that!

That will just about conclude my Card Show review post series. We didn't come home with any door prizes this time around, because we didn't necessarily see any need for the prizes, and we figured we would let someone else win this time! Dad and I had an awesome time without a doubt, and I just want to once again thank him for taking me and treating me with so many awesome cards to add to my sets! You're the best!

See Ya!

March 24th White Plains Card Show Recap! Meeting Bobby Shantz and Roy White!

Hey everyone, Drew back here. For some odd reason baseball was cancelled today, perhaps because it got to be too nice out? Oh well, anyway, since I'm stuck here in my office room, I might as well continue on the card show review! We're now moving on to Part 4 of 6, dedicated to my experiences getting to meet two former players! Both of these players were free autograph signers for the day with paid admission into the show, and had by far the longest line I've ever seen at the County Center. I'm still stumped as to why, because both players weren't necessarily stars, but a free autograph is a free autograph without a doubt.

The first player I was able to meet was former All Star pitcher Bobby Shantz! Shantz is one of those old school players who is now in his upper 80's, but the coolest part about him was that he not only was a very good pitcher, but he had opportunities to face some players us fans idolize today, in Mantle, Mays, and Jackie Robinson. He was an 8 time Gold Glove winner, which really is a hard accomplishment to achieve in baseball for a pitcher. Also, adding to his remarkable list of accomplishments, he also won the 1952 American League MVP after winning 24 games! With a career record of 119-99, he was certainly one of the better pitchers of his era. I actually already got his autograph from a past TTM success, but with a chance to meet him for practically no cost was something I didn't want to pass up.

Unfortunately, I was stuck in line for an hour and a half, and that's just being nice. However, the wait was definitely worth it, as I was able to finally meet Shantz and have him sign a few things for me. I don't quite remember how it came up, but I was able to thank him for signing for me through the mail, and how appreciative I was of that. He seemed like a really nice man, without question.

He first signed this very nice 1988 Pacific Baseball Legends card, from the same set I recently got a Roy Sievers autograph from. I discovered that I had quite a few of these cards laying around in my basement, so I decided to try and get some of them autographed, because they always seem to come out great. This was certainly no exception to that. Shantz has by far one of the nicest all around signatures I've seen. 

For the other free ticket Dad and I had on us, I decided to do something pretty neat, at least from what I think. I bought a cheap 8x10 off of my favorite photo dealer at the show, and I paid the JP's Sports guys for an inscription. I asked Mr. Shantz if he could write a little something about the photo on it, and he went right ahead and did that for me, which was awesome. I thought it came out pretty darn good. 

Yes, the photograph is from the 1952 All Star Game, where Shantz showed off in his MVP season, striking out three batters in a row- Whitey Lockman, Jackie Robinson, and Stan 'The Man' Musial! It shows Jackie swinging at the pitch in the at bat he struck out in, which was really something neat. It's rare to get a chance to meet someone who pitched against one of the biggest American icons, so I always wanted to remember the opportunity I had to meet him. I asked Shantz how difficult Jackie was to face, and he said that he was a very tough hitter, but he was able to get him in that at bat. 

Without a doubt meeting Bobby was something I probably won't ever forget, and I'm glad I took advantage of the opportunity I was given. He was a class act, and I was able to take home some pretty darn awesome autographs! On a side note, he looks very good for 87 years old. God bless him. 

Immediately following my encounter with the 1952 AL MVP, I moved right along to the next free signer, former Yankee Roy White. This wasn't the first time I met White, or even the second. This was the third time I've met him! I've always thought he was a class act guy and a good autograph to have, so I've taken advantage of getting to meet him in the past. In fact, back in 2006, he became the first Major League athlete I ever met. So, with this time around, besides picking up a nice autograph for Connor to give as a gift, I decided to do something special. The night before I met him, I decided not to have him sign my Mantle autographed photo just yet, because I had another idea in mind. 

It came out a little smeared on the right side, but nobody has really noticed it too much until I point it out. The picture was absolutely fine until he signed it, so maybe his hands were greasy or something because there was a thumbprint on the side. Or I was just being stupid. Who knows. Anyways, I now own a signed photograph of my first encounter with a professional athlete, which was something I always thought about doing. He inscribed it out "To Drew, Best Wishes Again, Roy White #6". I have five or six of his autographs already, but this one shot right up to number one. 

White seemed a little out of it that day, but he was still nice enough to add a nice personalization and what not. He's a good guy, but I'm sure he was sick of signing by that point, especially with the line that still awaited AFTER I was done waiting over an hour for them. 

So, these two experiences already had made my day, but it only got better as I proceeded to meet 2 Hall of Famers! I'll post those signings tomorrow!

See Ya!

March 24th White Plains Card Show Recap! Yankee Prospect Auto!

Hey guys, Drew back here! This is a bit of a quick post, especially since it's been so difficult to post on school nights, but I did want to share my final card I bought at the show, before I get into who I met and my experiences with them! I paid a decent amount of money for this card, but hopefully it will be well worth it in a few years. Take a look:

Out of 2011 Bowman Chrome, I picked up this beautiful Manny Banuelos chrome rookie autograph! I got a fairly solid deal on the card, and I've been meaning to add his autograph to my collection. Banuelos is the Yankees current top pitching prospect, and is the 13th best prospect in all of baseball according to the Scouting Book. He isn't a big guy by any means, but his fastball has consistently been at 93-94 mph while he has the ability to hit 97 as well. He may not be a household name for a few years, but with risk comes reward, and I was more than willing to take a chance on this guy for my Yankees collection.

What do you guys think of Banuelos? Good/Bad Buy as of Now? It won't offend me one bit if you disagree!

See Ya!

March 24th White Plains Card Show Recap! 2011 Tier One Relics!

Hey guys, Drew back here! So not only did Dad and I go after quite a few 1961 Topps cards for our set, but we also went crazy with some 2011 Topps Tier One relic cards! Obviously, most of you know I suddenly received an urge back at the end of last year to try for the whole relic set, and you all thought I was crazy I'm sure. However, after this show, I feel confident that I could have the set complete by the end of the year if I really put a lot of effort in on it! One reason for this confidence is that one of my favorite vendors, Rich, was able to pick up the entire set for a discounted price, so he's been able to make us some great, great deals. Take a look at the cards he was able to help me add for a great price:

The first of many was of Red Sox outfielder Carl Crawford. I used to like Carl a lot while he was a Ray, but now it's awfully hard to continue to like him as he gears up in Boston every day. Well, when he's not injured.

How can you not like Chipper Jones? I haven't gotten to watch a lot of Braves games over the years, but it's obvious to baseball fans throughout our country that he is one of the most respectable men to ever play the game. It was sad to hear that 2012 will be his final season, as he announced a few days ago. Without a doubt he'll be in Cooperstown one day. 

Speaking of the Braves, here is a pretty nice Brian McCann relic. McCann is one of the more underrated players in baseball today, and if I had to start a team today I would want him to be behind the plate. He's undoubtedly the best all around catcher in the big leagues, with Yadier Molina close on his tail. 

Am I the only person here that thinks Jered Weaver is going to have another Cy Young caliber season this year? I doubt it. He's been one of the best in the American League over the past few years, and with a revamped lineup containing Albert Pujols, I can see an awful lot of wins in his future.

Aramis Ramirez was one of many players to switch teams over the offseason, landing a deal with the Milwaukee Brewers. I think he's bound for a nice year following his great 2011 season, due to the fact that he's in a very good lineup, even though he's no Prince Fielder. I like this card quite a bit because of the nice pinstripe from his Cubs jersey is almost going down the middle of the card. 

I really question the abilities of Ubaldo Jimenez. I feel like his 2010 season is going to be his best season, and that his move to the American League is only going to hurt him. He's a solid #3 pitcher in my book, but I think Cleveland surrendered too much for him last season. But what do I know. This card also has a pinstripe sneak into the corner, and although I'm not a big Jimenez fan, this is also one of my favorites in the bunch. 

There's B.J. Upton, Kevin Youkilis, Jonathan Papelbon, and Carlos Zambrano, among many others in the game today. But, above all, Dustin Pedroia is my least favorite player in all of baseball. It's nothing against his work ethic, ability, and talent, but it's the fact that he is an annoying batter to face on the most annoying team (in my opinion) in baseball. Sox fans, I wish I could trade this to you, but I can't since it's part of the set. Oh well. 

Ian Kinsler is one of those guys who I think benefits greatly from being in a very good lineup. He's a good all around player with the capability of being a 30-30 guy without question. In fact, he was one last year. Can he keep up this season? We'll have to wait a few months and see. 

The last of today's players is perhaps the best of the bunch, in Reds superstar first baseman Joey Votto! Votto is one of those some what underrated but very likable guys in baseball, that does his job at a high level every single day. He's a great fantasy baseball pick if you're a fan of consistency, and has a good chance at bringing the Reds towards the top of the NL Central this year (if the Ryan Madson injury doesn't affect them too much). 

Dad surprised me with two Yankees Tier One relics I needed to end the show, and this was one of them. Nothing like a jersey card of "The Warrior", Paul O'Neill. I'm not all that sure why he fits in with all of the Hall of Famers in the set, but it doesn't necessarily matter to me, because I like him a lot. He's certainly better than some of the players in this set though, so I don't think it's much of an issue having him included. 

I really like this card, perhaps the most of any of the cards Dad and I acquired. It's a red Twins relic of Paul Molitor! Sure, Molitor isn't well known for his days as a Twin compared to his Brewers days, but any opportunity you get for a red relic needs to be taken advantage of. It really pops out compared to the other cards in the set. 

Speaking of rare relic colors, here is a black relic of a White Sox player! I bet you don't hear that everyday! The card is of Carlton Fisk in one of those interesting White Sox jerseys from the 80's. Gotta love it. My favorite part about this is that he isn't pictured as a Red Sox player, even though you can argue he was more well known for that portion of his career. A great catcher without question. 

William, be jealous. Next is a bat relic of one of the best Orioles that ever lived, in Eddie Murray! Murray was often overlooked throughout his career compared to others from his time, but he wasn't overlooked when Cooperstown called his name. The only negative about this card is that his snazzy sideburns were gone by the time this picture was taken. Bummer.

Now we're really talking, as next is a relic of Hall of Fame shortstop Pee Wee Reese. Reese was part of the dynamic Dodgers middle infield, sharing it with the beloved Jackie Robinson. He was known for always trying to help and support Jackie even though he had it rough in the beginning of his major league career. He's certainly one of the cooler names in the set, along with the next guy below. 

Former Cardinal, Giant, and Yankee Johnny Mize! When looking at Mize's career stat line: .312 lifetime batting average, 359 home runs, 10 time all star, I discovered that he was a complete player for his time. I drew a comparison to today's Joey Votto (if he keeps up for the rest of his young career), or maybe Todd Helton. But nobody knew how to win like Mize, who was a part of the Yankees pennant run in the late 40's and early 50's. This is really a beautiful card. 

Next is a member of the 500 Home Run club, Mr. Willie McCovey! He is one of the most underrated players in the Hall of Fame in my opinion, mainly because he was second to Willie Mays through most of his career over in San Francisco. However, his 521 home runs, 6 All Star selections, and numerous other accolades make him one of the best to ever play. 

The final card was more expensive than all of the others, but fittingly so. The relic is of former Yankees great Thurman Munson, who will always be a part of my heart. I didn't grow up in the 1970's, but through watching a lot of old film and games, I realized that if you want to describe a perfect ballplayer, this guy was your guy. No, he didn't smack home runs out of the park every time he hit, but the guy worked his butt off every day and hustled in everything he did. Since the day I knew of Thurman Munson for the first time, I modeled my career after his in a respect. I'm not a catcher, but I realized it's okay to get dirty, and to run as hard as you can. It shows how much you love the game. Thurman's plaque would be in the Hall of Fame today had it not been for the tragic day of August 2nd, 1979, when his plane crashed and killed him. After that day, Yankees fans realized that if anyone was indeed "the straw that stirred the drink", it was him. R.I.P. Thurman, forever and always.

On a lighter note, these 17 relics bring me all the way up to 30 in total that I now have, out of the 50 card set. I'm still looking for three more dual relics, in Aaron; Mantle; and Ruth; but I'm very content being 60% of the way done already. It's coming around to being a beautiful set!

If anyone owns any of the cards that I don't have pictured on this page and is interested in trading me one to help me out with my set, please feel free to send me an email to yanks1996wsc@gmail.com! Thanks so much to everyone who read this, and once again to Dad for the tremendous help! 

See Ya!