Set Complete - 1969 Topps

It has been a while since I have completed a set, let alone a vintage one, but I finally can cross 1969 Topps off of the list.  I know I have been saying for the last several years that I needed to go ahead and complete the 1969 Topps set.  I went to the National Sports Collectors Convention in Cleveland this year with that goal in mind.  The best part was, I met that goal during the first day of the show.

I walked around the show with my good friend, Nate, and he helped me find the last eight cards for the set.  The above World Series highlights card was the last card I needed to finish off the set.

While I was slowly working on this set, I started three new vintage sets: 1955 Bowman, 1967 Topps and 1972 Topps.  I feel like 1967 Topps will take me a while.  Nate actually helped me knock a huge chunk out of 1972, which I am grateful.  I also have a bunch of 1955 Bowman already, and I feel like that one will be fairly easy, since I knocked out most of the tough cards already.

TTM Success - Mickey Lolich

Its always good when I can add a big name to my TTM successes, and Mickey Lolich is a pretty good one.  I also was able to get him on a 1967 Topps, of which I don't have many signed.  The card turned out really nice, I think.

Lolich signs for a fee of $20/card, so I could only afford to send one to be signed, even though I had a couple cards to choose from.  In the end, the '67 was chosen because I thought it looked the best, and it had been a while since I had a '67 added to the autograph album.

Lolich (b. 1940) played in the majors from 1963 to 1976, 1978 and 1979 for the Tigers, Mets and Padres.  He had a career record of 217-191 with 2,832 strike outs and a 3.44 ERA.  He led the AL in wins with 25 in 1971, and had 22 wins the following season.  He finished second in the AL Cy Young Award voting in 71 and 3rd in '72., losing to Vida Blue ('71) and Gaylord Perry ('72).  Lolich was a 3-time All Star and his best finish in the AL MVP voting was 5th ('71).  He won the World Series with the Tigers in 1968; he was the World Series MVP that year.  During that World Series, Lolich threw three complete games, allowing 5 runs and striking out 21.

I mailed to Lolich on February 28 and got the card back, along with a signed price list and signed note on March 23, for a 23-day TAT.