2024 National Paid Signer - Ozzie Smith

The next paid signer from the 2024 National that I'll show is Ozzie Smith.  I hadn't met Smith before, and I wanted to get the above 2016 Topps Perspectives insert signed. The card turned out great.

Smith was really nice, as was expected.  He showed the card off to the handler at the table with him.  I don't think Smith had seen the card before. 

Smith's price has increased quite a bit over the last few years, but meeting him and getting my card signed was still worth it. 

TTM Success - Ozzie Smith

This was probably my worst experience with a private signing since I started using them earlier this year, but the cards I sent off finally came back.  Supposedly, the guy who ran this signing is one of the best, but I never felt like I was a "valued" customer.  I answered the private signing when I saw that I could get Ozzie Smith at a reasonable rate.  Since he was on these two cards, I figured I would try to go ahead and get these done at $35 a pop.

Smith is also on the 1987 Topps Cardinals Team Leaders card, but I'm not overly concerned about adding him to that one at the moment.  I'm just glad these came back.  The signing was for four players, actually, and I spent a good amount of money for it, but several emails and a long wait finally paid off.

Smith (b. 1954) played in the majors from 1978 to 1991 for the Padres and Cardinals.  He had 2.460 hits, 28 home runs and a .262 batting average.  He was a 15-time All Star (1981 to 1992 and 1994 to 1996) and a 13-time Gold Glove Award winner (1980 to 1992).  His best MVP finish was 2nd in 1987.  He won the World Series with the Cardinals in 1982 and was the 1985 NLCS MVP.

Smith was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2002 (first ballot) when he was named on 91.7% of the ballot.

I sent to the private signing on March 3 and got the cards back on August 29, for a 179-day TAT.  The cards were supposed to come back at the end of March.

Care Package From David

Back in February, I posted part of an awesome surprise care package that I got from blog reader, David.  He helped me complete my 2014 Topps Chrome set, which was really appreciated.  You can read that post here.

Along with the chrome cards that I needed, David also added a bunch of Orioles that I needed in my collection.  The above Eddie Murray 2014 Topps manufactured World Series Ring card was something I truly wasn't expecting.  The card looks awesome, and I can never have enough Murray stuff.  Also, who doesn't love those sideburns?

David also joins the rare club of someone who was able to find a Cal Ripken card that I didn't have in my collection.  This All Star scratch-off card came from 1993 Upper Deck.  I don't know how this one escaped me for so long.  Doesn't matter now, because I have it!

Finally, David included this 2014 Stadium Club Jonathan Schoop on card auto.  I already had one, but was happy to get another.  I look for Schoop to have a breakout year, this year.  His defense is really good; his bat just needs to catch up!

Thank you for the care package, David!  If I can ever help your collection out, please let me know!

Hall of Fame Signed Baseball - Ozzie Smith

I got my 46th Hall of Fame signed baseball in the mail today from my awesome friend Drew.  He went to the White Plains Card Show recently and met Ozzie Smith.  I mailed a ball to Drew and a check for Ozzie's signing fee and Drew was nice enough to take care of me.  You can read about his trip to the show here.

I'm really happy to be able to add Ozzie Smith to my autograph collection.  I watched him while I was growing up as the NL counterpart to my favorite player, Cal Ripken.  Ozzie may not have had the offensive numbers of some other shortstops, but The Wizard was exactly that, a wizard, with the glove.  Thanks for hooking me up, Drew.

Oh, by the way, this wasn't all Drew sent me.  I'll be posting more in the coming days about what else was in the box he sent...

Snow Day!

So, we walked down the road to the Sheetz station this morning to get some coffee and hot chocolate. I've had just about enough snow I can handle. I remember being in school and loving it when it snows. My brothers, sister and I would play outside in it from the time we got up until well after it got dark. Nowadays, not so much.

So, I'm stuck inside with not much to do. I paid bills, cleaned up a little, took a nap, watched some TV, talked to some people on facebook and now, I'm about to begin partaking of some adult beverages and find a good movie to watch. Long story short? I'm effing bored, haha. So, let's catch up on a blog why don't we?

A couple weeks ago I bought a pack of UD Icons and Topps 206. I do not pack search, even though it would be quite easy to do so. I ended up getting two awesome GU Jersey cards out of the two packs I opened.
First up, UD Icons Legendary Icons Ozzie Smith. I really wasn't a big Icons fan this year. I really didn't feel that the cards were worth $11.00 a pack. I was very happy with this pull, however. You can never go wrong with an Ozzie jersey.

Next up, the 206 Polar Bear Albert Pujols GU Jersey. Wow, I just realized, I pulled jerseys of two Cardinals icons. Not bad. I'm a big fan of the 206 relic frames. I blogged the sweeet Nick the STICK jersey I got last month. Not bad, not bad. What do you guys think? Stay warm!!!

First Taste of 2010 Topps

Much like last year, someone brought me in a few Target packs of Flagship Topps the week before my Jumbo boxes were set to come in. Last year, it was P.A. bringing the cards in; this year, that honor went to Pete. I opened 8 Target retail packs and, so far, was pretty pleased with what I saw...

First off, the design is pretty cool. I really liked last year's design, and this year is right up there for me. I'm one of those people who kind of get tired of the white bordered cards, and it is always nice when they throw in a change-up, but the last 2 years have been really nice. I like the above card for one reason only. It shows one of my best friends favorite players (Russell Martin) without it being Martin's actual card. I always thought it was fun identifying the unnamed players on other cards, and this one was no exception.

Hooray. Topps. Town. Has. Returned. I. Can't. Contain. My. Excitement. I like that they have players on these, otherwise, I'd throw them in the trash...

I got a good many of the Red Back inserts. I was going to scan the Mantle I got, but I figured all 5 billion Yankee fans on the blogs would do that, so I scanned ole double X. Jimmie Foxx. Man, he was awesome. That'd be a sweet cut auto to get sometime... hats another blog for another day, lol.

Which brings me to 'The Cards Your Mom Threw Out...'

I pulled two of them, the 1977 Topps Reggie reprint:

Here is the reverse of the card: And here is the 1976 Mike Schmidt. Now, I had no idea, but apparently the ones with the actual card backs on them are short printed or something, and since this was the first of these I pulled, I had no idea until Pete caught a glimpse of the back.

See, I wasn't lying, stats on the back. Cool, huh? Anyone else know about this variation??
Now, I thought this next one was pretty cool, I am reading the book (off and on) called After Many a Summer, which talks about the move of the Dodgers and Giants from New York to California. Yes, I got the book to familiarize myself with my best bud's favorite team, but it really is a good read, and I always like to read about the history of the game.

So, I opened 8 packs of 2010 Topps and got only one Oriole. Freaking Ty Wigginton. Really? I mean, hes an ok player, but why couldn't I have pulled Roberts (who I think wont be in until series II), STICK, Reimold, Wieters, etc etc.

I really like the next Tales of The Game card of the Wizard doing one of his trademark flips. Really nice ptoto!

Speaking of nice photos, I like this POV show of Jose Valverde. I'm so glad Topps has taken initiative lately to have some great shots for their cards. I think the hobby got away from that for a while, its nice to see some of what has come out between last year and this upcoming year.

Prince Fielder must have thought Ryan Braun was Guillermo Mota for a minute...

Ahh, pulled a Lincecum. Can't go wrong there. Nice card of him.

So, after all this, man I can't wait until I get the call from Blake saying 'Your box is here!' I ordered a case + 1 box so I will get 3 boxes, Pete gets 2 and Max gets 2. It sucks Max probably won't be there for our box busting party, but when he gets here to open his, it will be just as nice. I'm just glad that after everything, he still enjoys doing this kind of thing with me!

I also really want to thank Pete for bringing the packs in last night. I hate that P.A. was watching George Strait and couldn't make it, but he hopefully will be there when we bust the case... I really can't wait, I hope I get some sweet pulls and have stuff to blog for a while haha.