Another TTM Success From Joe Morgan

Back in 2017, I got a TTM success in from former Manager, Joe Morgan.  He signed a 1960 Topps and a 1990 Topps.  Since then, I found this 1989 Topps and decided to finally send it out.  This card turned out great.  I'm glad I got it sent out.

I mailed to Morgan on August 10 and got the card back on August 22, for a 12-day TAT. 

TTM Success - Joe Morgan

I received a TTM success from Joe Morgan (not the Hall of Famer, Joe Morgan - more on him later) recently on a couple nice cards.  The above 1960 Topps was in my vintage box, and turned out pretty nice.  You can see that the photo was taken at Yankee Stadium.  The old Yankee Stadium, that is.

This 1990 Topps is also pretty cool, 30 years after the 1960.  Funny how much the cards changed.  By this time, Morgan was a manager for the Red Sox.

Morgan (b. 1930) played in the majors from 1959 to 1961 and 1964 for the Braves (Milwaukee), A's (Kansas City), Phillies, Indians and Cardinals.  He had 36 hits, 2 home runs and a .193 batting average.

He managed in the majors from 1988 to 1991 for the Red Sox.  His career managerial record was 301-262 (.535 winning %).

I mailed to Morgan on May 4 and got the cards back on May 12, for an 8-day TAT.

That Joe Morgan is not to be confused with this Joe Morgan, the Hall of Fame second baseman for the Big Red Machine.  I did send a photo to the Hall of Fame a while back and got it signed for Chris.  I need to get it in a frame for him, but I figured now was as good a time as any to post it here.

Final Mailday From Sean - Saying Goodbye to a Scammer

It's funny that I finally got around to posting some cards that I got from Sean from Instagram today.  These got here randomly in mid-February, right when Sean disappeared from Kik/Instagram again (for something like the third time or so).  When we first met, we were pretty cool, then I started to see a lot of people posting that he had scammed them out of cards.  He disappeared soon after, then reappeared in October with a new screen name, and a new Kik ID.  Sean, then, befriended my buddy, Ben, and worked out a trade.  Ben is a really awesome kid that I talk to every day.  He asked me what I thought of Sean, and I told him honestly that Sean was always good to me, but had a really bad reputation, after having scammed a few people.  Ben was really skeptical of making a trade with him, but went through with it.

Unfortunately, Ben never received his cards, after Sean messaged him to tell him that he got what Ben sent.  So, after the two of them went back and forth about Sean sending Ben back his cards (which Sean never did), Sean disappeared again.  I held off posting this mailday from Sean, out of respect to Ben because I hoped that Sean would do the right thing and replace Ben's stuff.

Today, out of the blue, Sean messaged me and right off the bat told me how disappointed he was that I never messaged him on his birthday back in April.  This kind of stuff frustrates me.

I try to be a good trade partner, and a lot of times, I make friends in the process.  I hardly ever have a bad experience with people, but with all of the drama that has surrounded Sean in the past, I pretty much told him that I didn't want to do any more trading, especially since he hasn't made things right with the other folks who he had apparently scammed.

You all who read my blog regularly, know how much I enjoy Instagram as a vehicle to make and complete trades.  There are a ton of good people on there, adults and kids alike.  I generally give folks the benefit of the doubt, and I am always giving folks second and third chances.  While I appreciate these cards, I won't be dealing with Sean or his friends any more.  They all have done ok by me, but they each have scammed others.  The trading community doesn't need a bunch of scammers around scaring off the actual good folks in the community.

So, I apologize for the negative tone of this post, but I felt that it might be inappropriate id I tried to paint Sean in a good light when he hasn't been legit with others.  Maybe one day, he will work on bettering himself, but in the meantime, I think I will be better off if I sever ties.

Instagram Trade With Blaine

I completed a trade with my friend, Blaine, on Instagram last week when he made me an offer I couldn't refuse for my 1962 Topps Mickey Mantle.  I initially wasn't interested in moving the Mantle at all, but Blaine persisted and we finally struck a deal.

I got a god bit of cash, and also this nice 1960 Topps Sandy Koufax.  I like the 1960 set, almost as much as I like the '62 set.  So, this was a main component to the deal.

Once we had an agreement on the amount of money and the Koufax in place, Blaine helped sweeten the deal by adding this nice Joe Morgan relic to the pile.  Since Chris and I met Morgan a few years ago at the National, I have been picking up some of his cards here and there, so I was happy to add this one.

The final piece that sealed the deal was this Triple Threads relic/auto of Kevin Gausman.  I really liked how this card looked and when I got it in person, I liked it even more.  It has a matte finish to it, that I think really works well.

I also got a surprise when I opened the package from Blaine.  He was just a little short on the cash that we agreed to, so he added this Schoop auto from Stadium Club.  I didn't mind getting this instead, so I appreciated the gesture.

So, thanks for the deal, Blaine.  I guess the old saying is true, everything has a price!  I figured to upgrade that Mantle at some point, anyway.  It was on the lower end of the grading scale, and I wanted to try to find another one at the price I paid, in better condition, and I feel like I can do that.

Instagram Trade With Sean

I saw the above 2014 Topps Nolan Reimold parallel on an Instagram page right after Series 2 came out.  I messaged the guy telling him that I wanted it and we got to chatting.  After several weeks of chatting, the guy, Sean, and I became pretty good friends.  At least as good as you can anonymously over the internet and apps and what not.  Sean is a really good guy and a Cubs collector.  He originally wanted a few Jake Arrieta rookie cards (which I have plenty of) in exchange for the Reimold.  After one of our conversations where Sean lamented that he didn't have a whole lot of good Cubs vintage cards, namely Ernie Banks and Billy Williams, I took to Ebay to see if I could lend a hand.

I found Sean, for the price (shipped) of $10.50, a 1961 Topps Billy Williams RC.  Sean gave up on the Arrieta rookies and gave me the red Reimold and the below Joe Morgan rookie cup manufactured patch.

This patch card is really cool and will look nice in my growing Morgan PC.  I have already helped Sean with a few more things for his collection and I hope that we can keep some trades coming in.

It's tough finding good Cubs to send him, since my good friend, Kalib, is also a Cubs guy, but I think there is a little bit of room for more Cubs guys.  A lot easier than Yankees guys, that's for sure.

Thanks for the trade, Sean!  I hope you like the next batch of stuff headed your way!

June 21, 2014 Raleigh Card Show Part 4 - Vintage PC Pickups

I got some amazing deals on some non-set needs, starting with this 1962 Topps Brooks Robinson All Star card that I have been needing for a long time.  I'm a real big fan of the 1962 set.  Some folks love it or hate it.  I love it.  I wish Topps would do another "out there" border like this one or something other than white.  That isn't too much to ask, is it?  Also, check out the awesome Orioles patch on Brooks's sleeve.  I want to find a patch card of one of those!

My Joe Morgan Topps PC is growing nicely.  I picked up a few more of his cards (at $1 each, mind you) to add to the PC.  Not bad, right?

Check out the awesome shooting star Astros jersey.  If I were an Astros fan, I would want one of these throwbacks for sure.  I completed the 1970 set a while back and never noticed this jersey.  It's pretty awesome, though, and I'm glad I noticed it finally.

Ok, so, check back in a sec for the final installment from the card show where I show off my pickups of more recent Orioles.

Some Vintage Pickups From This Weekend

While I was visiting my parents this weekend, I stopped by the new card shop in Winston-Salem (actually, Clemmons) and picked up quite a few vintage cards for my sets.  I also got the above 1967 Topps Joe Morgan for my now-growing Morgan PC.

The '67 is in pretty good shape and I didn't spend a whole lot on it, so I'm happy.

I was even happier to knock off two Hall of Famers out of my 1969 set.  I got the above Clemente and below Kaline for a combined total of $20 plus tax, so that was really nice.  I got those two, the Morgan and a 1966 Bob Gibson for a total of $30, so I think their prices are really fair.

I'm happy to be knocking out some bigger cards from my 1969 set.  Maybe I'll be able to finish it sometime soon, so I can move onto another 60's set sooner rather than later.

More Pickups From The Matthews Card Shop

Not only did I get a few set needs and my Larry Doby signed baseball from AAA Collectibles in Matthews, NC this past weekend, I also got this awesome Joe Morgan rookie card.  The card is from 1965 Topps and set me back only $20.  Not bad at all!

I think it is really cool to read the back of a future Hall of Famer's rookie card to kind of see what the scouting report was.

Sonny Jackson must enjoy sharing his RC with Morgan.  Jackson played in the majors in parts of 12 seasons but obviously never gained the star power that Morgan had.

So, I guess I wasn't kidding when I said that I was going to do a PC of Morgan's base cards.  Ive got a few, now, and I think I will be adding some more soon.  I know I love this RC and am really happy that I got it for as cheap as I did.

But wait, there's more.  For an additional $10, I got this 2014 Topps Tribute Chris Davis relic.  I think at $10, this was an absolute steal.  Davis has gotten off to quite the slow start so far this season, but I have faith in him that he will get red hot and still hit 35-40 homers this year.  We'll see though.

So, I think I had a productive trip to the Matthews shop.  I hope that if any of you are in the Charlotte area, that you would go by and check it out.  The folks who own/run it are amazing and you'll find some sweet deals!

Another From Dana - 2013 Topps Triple Threads Joe Morgan

One of the coolest cards I got in my latest package from Dana was this Joe Morgan 2013 Topps Triple Threads relic.  The card is amazing and is numbered 15/27.

Since we had met Morgan twice, and that he was really cool to us, I decided I wanted to do a kind of PC of him.  Maybe not all of his inserts (for now at least), but I want his RC and definitely some relics and stuff.  I also will probably get all of his Topps base cards as well.

I love this Triple Threads card.  Again, thanks so much for the trade, Dana.  This card is amazing!

COMC Pickup - 1981 Topps Traded Joe Morgan

Another of the cards I picked up from COMC recently was this Joe Morgan card from 1981 Topps Traded.

Morgan would spend 2 seasons in San Francisco, collecting 208 hits, 22 home runs and hitting .270 over 224 games with the Giants.

We met Morgan twice now and each time he was really cool.  I am looking to grab a few more of his cards and do a PC.  I plan on picking up his RC at some point soon.  Again, I really like the design of the 1981 Topps offering.  This one doesn't have nearly the bold colors of the Stargell I showed recently, but Morgan is rocking a retro-looking Giants jersey.

Some Card Shop Purchases

Last week, I went to my LCS for a few supplies and went through some of the boxes of old cards.  In one of them, I picked up some cheap vintage for my son, Chris, and I also got some cards for a couple fellow bloggers.  I did manage to get one card out of the vintage for myself.  The above Joe Morgan 1985 Fleer jumped out at me because I completely forgot that Morgan played for the A's at the end of his career.  He looks so funny in that green and yellow jersey.

I've met Joe Morgan twice now and was impressed with him both times.  Because of that, I may start a PC of him pretty soon.  I'm seriously considering it.  As for the Fleer card itself, I really like it in its simplicity.  The early to mid 80's Fleer offerings were pretty basic, but don't mistake that for a lack of quality.  Some of those cards are pretty sharp-looking.  Case in point, above.

Here is a card of a guy who I have a PC of.  A very small PC, but a PC nonetheless.  Brandon Snyder is another player whom I've met a few times.  He is a really nice guy.  I was happy to see him get a ring for being on the 2013 Red Sox part of the season.  I'm assuming he's going to get a ring.  Anyway, he doesn't have too many cards so, I was happy to find one in a bargain bin that I didn't already own.

Here is another guy who I am considering starting a PC of.  I have heard quite a bit about Alex Murphy and so far, it has all been good.  He is a local product (local as in he is from Baltimore).  I love the 'Wave' refractors in Bowman Chrome.  I just learned that there are black, red and silver versions as well.  I'm smelling a rainbow.  I'd say I was tasting a rainbow but I don't have any skittles.

Finally, here is a 2013 Panini Prizm Kevin Gausman RC.  Gausman is someone I started a PC of last year and have been slowly adding to it ever since.  In a perfect world, Gausman starts the year in AAA Norfolk (meaning the O's signed a decent starting pitcher so Gausman isn't needed in the rotation at the beginning of the year).

So, there you have it, some PC stuff of guys not named Chris Davis.  I know one fellow blogger who will appreciate that.

1969 Topps Pickups From The Antique Shop

I finally was able to sit down and scan some 1969 Topps cards I got from the antique shop in Columbia last weekend.  I picked up 29 cards total and several of them were higher end cards.  I picked up this really cool Bobby Cox rookie.  Someone at the card shop in Winston-Salem had asked me to look for one for them, but they never were willing to pay to get it.  So, I never picked one up for them and completely forgot it was in this set.  Anyway, I'm happy to have it and it is in really good condition.

I saw this Earl Weaver (look how young he is!) and had to add it, too.  He began managing the Orioles halfway through the 1968 season, so this is also his rookie card.  Not bad!

I was especially happy about this card.  Ernie was on the tail end of his career here, but he still looks like he is happy to be playing ball.  I seriously would consider starting an Ernie Banks PC.  Off of the top of my head, I can think of some awesome cards that he has.  The fact that I was also able to get him to sign for free TTM is just a bonus.  Quick trivia question: What do Ernie Banks and I have in common?  Answer: We both attended a Pearl Jam concert in 2013.

Rounding out the Hall of Famers I picked up, I got this nice Joe Morgan.  The card is really sharp.  Morgan is a super nice guy and was amazing to Chris the few times he has met him.  I'll never forget that and I'm sure Chris never will either.

Some other notable cards I got were Orioles: Boog Powell and Elrod Hendricks; rookie cards: Graig Nettles and Amos Otis; and other notable names such as Tommie Aaron, Mayo Smith, Roy White (whom my buddy Drew has met) and Ken 'Hawk' Harrelson.

I think I did really well with these 1969s.  I definitely enjoy this set and can't wait to add more to my collection.

Some Vintage Cards From My Brother John

I went to my parents' house several weeks ago and while I was in town, I went across the street to visit my brother, John.  He had some Orioles cards for me, like always and this time, he had a few vintage cards.

I like the design of 1958 Topps.  It is eerily reminiscent of the 1954 design, except on a smaller piece of cardboard.  Qualters only pitched in parts of 3 seasons in the majors (1953, 1957 and 1958) for the Phillies and White Sox.

This is not the Hall of Famer, Joe Morgan, but this Morgan was also a manager in the majors for a few seasons.  Funny that both Morgans were second basemen.  I also enjoy the 1960 set.  It has a nice unique look to it and in my opinion is one of the classic sets in Topps' portfolio.

Finally, here is the 1966 Floyd Robinson card that my brother gave me.  John thought that this guy might be related to Frank Robinson, but I haven't seen any evidence of such.  The 1966 design is very minimal.  It isn't one of my favorites, it is more of a 'mehhh' set.  It is a key set for me in that it contains the Jim Palmer rookie car.

So, thank John for these really cool vintage cards.  It has been a little while since I have picked up some vintage, so anytime I can get them is a good time.

Hall of Fame Signed Baseball - Joe Morgan

The second Hall of Famer we met (after exchanging our Ralph Kiner tickets) was Joe Morgan.  He was really friendly and pulled Chris to his side of the table for a photo.  He smiled real big when Chris put his arm around him for the photo.

He signed the ball on the sweet spot for the both of us.  My ball is now Tristar authenticated, since Julie (from Things are Funner Here) was nice enough to give me a voucher for authentication.

Morgan is my 72nd Hall of Famer on a ball.  He (born in 1943) played in the majors from 1963 to 1984 for the Colt 45's/Astros, Reds, Giants, Phillies and A's.  He won the World Series twice (1975-76) and won the NL MVP Award both of those years as well.  He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1990 with 81.8% of the vote on his first ballot.

Day 2 of the National

Well, the National is over and I left with $30 left out of my budget.  I got a ton of stuff and saw a lot of things.  I only knocked off two cards from my want list, but found so many other things I had thought about for a while.  First, we met Joe Morgan this morning.  He was really nice and when I went to take Chris' picture, he motioned for him to come to his side of the table for the photo.

Chris and I got baseballs sighed by Mr. Morgan, which I will show in another post.  He was stationed between Mike Tyson and Fergie Jenkins.

Jenkins' line went really quick.  He looked pretty bored while we were waiting on the Tristar guys to call our number for Morgan.

We were able to get close to Pete Rose and Mike Tyson.  It was pretty cool to be able to be so close to living legends.

After the signing I got my ball authenticated by Tristar (thanks to Julie)/.  Then, I walked around and picked up some odds and ends.  I also took a look at a ton of cool stuff like the below jerseys.

So, my haul was significant.  I ended up with 4 Hall of Fame baseballs, one ball signed by an Oriole legend, one signed by a former member of the AAGPBL.  I got a complete set of 1992 Conlon Collection, a ton of Orioles cards/inserts and two bobbleheads.  I now have plenty of things to blog about for a long time.

In the end, I had an awesome time at my first National.  I would love to be able to go again.  Next year's show is in Chicago.  My wife wants to go, so we might head that way next year.    Stay tuned for a deeper look into the stuff I was ale to pick up.

Trip to the Card Shop - 2011 Topps Lineage

When Babe and I went to the card shop this weekend, I picked up two packs of 2011 Topps Lineage.  I have already posted lineage before, but I really like the product so I thought I'd show what I got out of the two packs.

I pulled a Brooks!  I like his old jersey.  I think, based on the hat that Brooks is wearing, that this photo is from 1956-1962.  The hat is really old school, too.

I love the old All Star Rookie logo.  Much better than the pewter cup they have now.

I pulled a mini Mike Schmidt.  I have always liked the freakiness of the 1975 set (one of my favorite sets that I built).

Finally, I pulled a Tim Lincecum for my son.  I'll probably end up with it in my collection, but he did like the card.    I can't wait until he is older and knows how to take care of his cards.  That will definitely be the start of some good times, for sure.