Christmas Gift From James

My buddy, James, sent me a nice Christmas package that had this Moose Skowron auto that I can add to my IP/TTM album.  James told me that he picked it up from his LCS for a good price.  The auto looks legit, so I'm fine with it not having a COA.  The card is a 1979 TCMA and is definitely one I would have sent TTM if Skowron were still alive.

Skowron (b. 1930 - d. 2012) played in the majors from 1954 to 1967 for the Yankees, Dodgers, Senators, White Sox and Angels.  He had 1,566 hits, 211 home runs and a .282 batting average.  He was a 6-time All Star and finished as high as 9th in the AL MVP voting (1960).  He won the World Series with the Yankees in 1956, 1958, 1961 and 1962.  He also won with the Dodgers in 1963.  He appeared in 8 World Series in his career.

James also sent me this nice Albert Almora relic from 2013 Panini Team USA.  Almora is a great up and coming ball player, and I am glad James thought to send me this card.

Thank you so much for the awesome gifts, James!  I really appreciate it!

TTM Success - Bob Harrison

I was going through my Orioles box and found this one lonely 1979 TCMA among the cards of past Orioles.  A check to sportscollectors.net showed that the guy depicted on the card, Bob Harrison had a great return rate via TTM, so I figured I would put the card to use.  I mailed the card out on November 7 and the card came back on November 15, for an 8-day TAT.

Harrison (b. 1930) played in the majors in 1955 and 1956 for the Orioles.  He only appeared in two games total in his time in the Majors, pitching to an ERA of 12.27.  He didn't pick up a win or loss, leaving him with a 0-0 record.  Also, he only pitched in 3.2 innings.

Harrison was signed by the New York Giants prior to the 1949 season, then was picked up by the St. Louis Browns via the minor league draft in 1950.  He remained in the Browns/Orioles system until he received his call-up to the Majors.  His minor league stats are incomplete, as most older players like that are known to be.  His baseball-reference page shows that he also spent a season in Cleveland's system.  From the stats that hey have, Harrison had a mnor league record of 66-85.  His ERA stats are incomplete.

I'm glad I sent off this card for a TTM autograph.  Otherwise, I would have never known that this former Oriole ever made it to the big club.  Now, I have his autograph and can put it with the rest of my former Orioles.

COMC Pickup - 1979 TCMA Virgil Trucks

It has been a while since I have picked up a new Virgil Trucks card for the PC.  When I was doing my Black Friday shopping, I grabbed this 1979 TCMA Virgil Trucks since it was really cheap.  I wish he was one of those guys that Topps would include here and there in some of their products.  Trucks might not have been a superstar, but the hardcore card collectors would get a kick out of pulling a piece of game used jersey or memorabilia of Trucks from a pack.  I know I would.

He was one of a kind.  To think, it has been over 5 years since I first "discovered" Mr. Trucks.  All because my buddy Drew was helping me figure out which players were good at TTM signing.

I still wish I had taken him up on his offer of paying him a visit in Alabama.  That would have been really cool, but probably still awkward.  I ended up doing a trip like it, meeting someone with old ties to the game, and had a blast.

I wonder if an opportunity like that will ever pop up again.  If it does, I know I will jump at the opportunity without any hesitation.

Instagram Trade WIth Tud - TCMA Hall of Famers

I completed a trade with a guy on Instagram named Tud (yep, that's his name.  As far as I know it's not short for anything) who uses the Instagram handle muffin_sports_cards.  He is a Texan, and one of the nicest people I've met on there.  Just a genuinely nice guy.  It was really easy to trade with him.  I sent him a few vintage cards, and in return, I got a stack of 18 TCMA Hall of Famers ranging from 1977 to 1980.

Quite a few of them will go into my PCs, like the Bob Feller you saw above, or this Jimmie Foxx.  I grabbed a few more of them to send as freebies in some care packages to a couple friends as well.

This set is pretty nice, as it is an opportunity to own a card of a Hall of Famer who might not have too many regular issue cards, like Joe Sewell.  I have his 1922 American Caramel, but there isn't a whole lot else out there of him.  I was glad I was able to complete this deal with Tud and by talking to him, I know we will do a bunch of deals in the future.  He's a real good guy.