The Conclusion to My Summer- An Ending Providing the Biggest Bang.

Hey guys, Drew back here! After a nice weekend up in the Adirondacks, I'm feeling quite nice, so I think it's about time I share with you all the biggest part of my collection, which was given to me towards the end of my sophomore year at school! I've never mentioned it on the blog, but most of the people who know me personally would know what I'm referring to. I was always waiting for the right time to show this off, and well, I figured it was about time something I cherish so much finally got a little love.

My Grandpa Walt is getting up there in age, and is battling the struggles almost every older person could face. He's done it all and more, including growing up playing baseball with a man you guys may have heard of- Joe Torre. He's been very successful throughout his working years, and he decided to share some of his success with each of his grandchildren. He wanted to give all of us something to remember him by, something that we would never lose or get rid of, and something we would be happy to own. My sister was given a new bedroom set, my cousin some new tools and a toolbox. However, of the 8 of us grandchildren, I feel like I was given the most fitting and incredible gift. Behold...

The holy grail of the "drewscards" Collection, a framed autographed photograph of two of the greatest Yankees to ever put on the pinstripes. "The Yankee Clipper", Joe DiMaggio; and "The Commerce Comet", Mickey Mantle! A while back, I was in New York City with the family, and we stopped at a place called "Brigandi Coins & Collectibles". It was stockpiled with incredible pieces, like this, this, and this for example! However, when I saw this picture, I was in heaven, especially for the solid price it was being sold for! Not only could I own one of the greatest autographs in Yankee history, but two! 

The collector in me didn't allow me to let go of my new dream, and when my Grandpa asked me what I'd be interested in, this was what I thought of first. Besides for my obsession with the photo, a main reason I wanted this was because he took me to several Yankees games over the past couple of seasons. He grew up with legends like DiMaggio, Berra, Ford, and Mantle putting on the pinstripes, so what better way to remember a lifelong baseball fan then to own two of his childhood idol's autographs! He liked the idea enough to oblige, and my dad set up the purchase with Brigandi. Apparently, the photo lasted a few weeks going unnoticed in my basement, as it was in a box and I never came across it. Finally, my Dad brought it upstairs and gave it to me, and it couldn't have made me any happier!

The photo was taken at an Old Timer's Game, although I'm not fully aware about the full details of the photo. I have heard numerous stories in the past about how DiMaggio seemed very arrogant about his career and lifestyle, and that he would refuse to go to the Old Timer's Festivities if he wasn't the last name called. Also, if Mantle or any other Yankee had already signed the sweet spot of a baseball somebody asked him to sign, rarely did he ever sign the ball in any other spot. He had to be in the center of attention at all times, and for the most part it seemed like Mickey was ok with that, even stating that DiMaggio was a role model and he wasn't. Mantle endured a lot of hardships during his career, and this touching interview by Bob Costas really tells the story better than I ever could.

Both autographs are absolutely perfect, and are much better than any autograph you'd find from an athlete today (with the exception of a select few). I think the pretty penmanship they had just added to the aura of their autographs, which makes it an even more special piece.

The picture came with a Letter of Authenticity from PSA/DNA Authentication, which is one of the more renowned services worldwide for sports memorabilia. There's no doubting whether it's authentic or not, and it looks fantastic on my wall, without question! The gift wasn't even necessary, but I appreciate it so much. Undoubtedly, this is now my highlight of my collection, and I'm so glad I finally got to share it with everybody.

Thank you SO much Grandpa, you don't know how much a piece this special means to me, and I promise this will never, ever leave my home, wherever I am one day. I'll never forget the great times at Yankee Stadium, and the stories, and everything you had to share. It means a lot.

What do you all think? See Ya!

1000th POST CONTEST! Lots to Give Away!

Hey everyone, Drew back here for now the 1000th time in the history of this blog! Before I get to what I promised in the title, I just wanted to say a few quick things. First and foremost, I want to thank each and every one of you out there who has taken some of their time out from their day to give this website a look! I grew up always being a numbers guy, and seeing some of the numbers of page views and followers and comments and what not is just astounding to me. While in the past year this blog has been wildly inconsistent (similar to AJ Burnett), it doesn't mean I'm losing my passion for the sports memorabilia hobby, it's just been that I've had a lot going on. These teenage years always offer a lot of excitement and memories and I don't want to spend those moments behind the screen of a computer the entire time. However, when I get a chance, I absolutely love to throw a post up about how my collection is coming along, as well as reading all of your blogs! You all have built me a certain amount of confidence that I can't thank you enough for. I feel like I have fans when I get on here, even though some times in my real world life it may not seem that way as much. So, not only do I do this for me, but I do this most definitely for all of you as well.

And it's about time I paid some of you back for all you've helped me through over the years! A while back, I promised to give away the contents of the Tri-Star OBAK football box I opened, and well, other plans got in the way. However, today, and for the next two weeks, you will all get an opportunity to win a piece of the break! I know my blog following is shifted much more towards baseball than football fans, however, some of these prizes are just too nice to pass up! I divided the contents of the box into five respective categories, each of which are fairly simple to enter. There are 3 autographs scattered within the groups they belong in, but the groups not containing autographs do have nice parallels and minis as well. So, without any further delay, I'll jump right into each group, one at a time, and I'll tell you how to enter for a chance to win the cards in the group! Let's Go!

GROUP A: The African American Innovator Collection
Throughout the past hundred years, exciting new talent has come along when professional sports opened the floodgates and let African American people play. Some of these athletes will go down as some of the most talented and best all around players of all time! To win the group of cards below, highlighted by a box topper numbered 1 of 25 featuring on one side, Emlen Tunnell, the first African American in the HOF, and on the other side Charles Follis, the first African American Pro Football player; as well as a green base parallel of Tunnell numbered 3 of 25, please name in the comments below your favorite African American Athlete of all time (any sport).

(click to enlarge photo)

GROUP B: Pioneers of the Game
For all of you history buffs out there, Tri-Star certainly hooked you up in this product! In it features so many cards of players/coaches/executives that don't often get much of a spotlight, although they may have had remarkable careers! In this lot of 23 cards plus a mini of the father of American football, you can not only take home some very nice cardboard but you can learn an awful lot about the game that you may not have known before. Since so many of these people were very smart, I would like to know, in order to win the lot below, what has been your smartest investment/purchase you have ever made (inside or outside of this hobby). 

Group C: Award Winners

Alright, here's where things start to kick it up a notch! I'm not saying not to put in for the first two groups, because A) they're easy to join and B) I'd love to read your answers, and C) you could win! Anyways, in this lot of 22, you will find cards with recipients of awards such as the Heisman Trophy, the Maxwell Award, the Bear Bryant Award, and the Doak Walker award, all of which are prestigious college football awards! Bo Jackson is featured twice in this lot, as well as 2 great autographs of former Heisman Trophy winners Charlie Ward (numbered out of 50) and Andre Ware (numbered out of 75)! Both had great college careers and would be nice additions to any fans collection! In order to take home this solid lot, please leave me a comment sharing one of your favorite stories having to do with this hobby! It can be anything, just make sure it's longer than a sentence as this is one of the better lots in the contest!

Group D: Legends of the Hall

Simply put, this lot is filled, and I mean filled with Hall of Famers- whether in the Pro Football Hall of Fame or the College Football Hall of Fame! How about 46 cards everyone, including an autograph numbered to 100 of Hall of Famer Jim Otto (famous for wearing #00), as well as 11 minis, one of which being a green parallel mini of legendary running back Earl Campbell, numbered only 23 of 25! For free? I would not pass this lot up if I were you guys, without a doubt. All you have to do to win this big chunk of cards is leave a comment stating one thing you love about the hobby today as well as one thing you hate about it. That's it. 

Group E: American Heroes/Best of the Rest

The final major group of cards you can take home is a bit of the miscellaneous stuff, but one big portion of this  43 card lot has to do with players who've been in the military during World War II and Vietnam, as well as 5 cards of former Presidents Reagan, Nixon, Kennedy, Ford, and Johnson (all of whom had a significant impact on the game at one point or another)! Besides those cards, you can find a green parallel of legendary kicker Morten Anderson numbered out of 25, and cards of many #1 Draft picks, NFL stars like Dante Hall, Kurt Warner, and Roger Craig, and many more! In order to take home this final lot, all you have to do is follow my blog and leave a comment saying that you did! 

 

A few quick extra notes for you guys:

- If you plug the contest and advertise it on your own respective blog or site, and put it in with your contest submission, you will receive TWO additional entries to each group you put in for! So instead of getting the one chance for entering, you can have 3 chances to win each group! (Note: You must enter at least one group to gain the additional 2 entries)

- If 50 or more people enter this contest, I will throw everyone's name into a hat and whoever I pull will win the big pull of the box, a 1/1 cut autograph of Pro Football Hall of Fame head coach Hank Stram! This card can sell anywhere between $100 and $200 from what I've seen, so if you really want a chance to win it, plug this contest up!

- If 75 or more people enter, I will do the same as I can do with the cut, and the winner will receive a mystery group of cards from my collection. You can bet that there will be some pretty nice stuff in there! I don't know if we can get this many entries, especially for a football contest, but keep in mind the more you plug this contest on your own blog the better chance you have to win some nice prizes!

Also, please put all of your entries in one comment, just to make things easier. So, this is my gift to you guys, and I really hope you take advantage of some of these prizes! I don't care what you do with them if you win, because you guys deserve every bit of this! Thank you once again to the good folks at Tri-Star for providing my blog the opportunity to review this product, and well, best of luck to every person who enters!

CONTEST CLOSES: SATURDAY, JULY 21ST AT 8:00 PM! DON'T MISS OUT! 

Thank you for every moment, and here's to another thousand! 

See Ya!