Archives Autos Wrap up, or #3 in a Series of 3

I nearly forgot to finish this series on Topps Archives Autos that I started some time ago. Tewks’ was the 1990s Waino for the Redbirds. He was with the Birds from 1989-1994 and went 68 and 25 with a 3.55 ERA.  FFA-BT 2013 Topps Archives Fan Favorites.

I seemed to recall that rarely was Lee Smith ever not spoken of without the qualifier “Big” as in Big Lee Smith with the Cardinals for most 1990 and all of 1991 and 1992 he had 117 saves and led the NL in 1991 and 1992 before moving on to Toronto.  TRA-LS 2002 Topps Archives Reserve Autos.

Fernando Vina Fan Favorite? Sure why not, I know I am being a little rough and since I was living in Michigan from 1999-2005 and didn’t have MLB Game Day I missed his time with the Birds. With the Birds from 2000-2003 during which he had a BA of .281 and 570 hits-pretty solid numbers and I can understand why he is a fan favorite. Fernando in 2004 was with the Tigers and after that out of the Majors because of injuries. FFA-FVI 2015 Topps Archives Fan Favorites.

I was in Nacho Grande’s Archives group break last year and picked up this beauty. 90DP Kolten Wong 2015 Topps Archives #1 Draft Pick #096/199.

I nearly forgot about this guy-one of my favorite players-most certainly Ray’s favorite but such an ugly card. 2012 Topps Archives Fan favorites Ray Lankford. Who would I like to see with a Fan Favorite Auto as a Redbird? Andy Van Slyke, Tom Pagnozzi, Todd Zeile, Joe Magrane, Danny Cox, the Benes Brothers, and Gregg Jefferies.

These last two Fan Favorites I pulled out of two Hobby boxes a few years ago.

"Just watching the wheels going around"

When I was a young one, or yougin, I loved the fast food chain Burger Chef and

their Pizza Burgers still make my mouth water-though it has been 43 years or so since I had one, and it is doubtful they were all that good. Love this commercial.

I digress, I remember getting several Burger Chef premiums such as yo-yos,

Frisbees, and most important of all-those logo less round disk baseball cards with players whose hair and moustaches bring up immense amounts of envy.  We have all run across them, each region having versions differentiated slightly by the advertisement on the reverse. I thought I would go through the Sports Collector’s Digest Standard Catalogue of Vintage Baseball Cards (really just the vintage cards separated from the main catalogue-lesson learned) to see what Redbirds are available.

In 1975 Michael Schechter Associates produced a set of promo discs (For example this Catfish Hunter) licensed only by the Major league Players Association to be marketed to local restaurants, fast food restaurants, ice cream parlors, etc.

For 1976 the catalogue indicates there were issues for the following businesses Buckman, Carousel, Crane Potato Chips, Isaly's/Sweet William, Orbaker’s, Safelon, Michael Schechter Ass. (MSA), and Towne Club. With the exception of  the MSA issue all have unique reverses. The checklists were pretty consistent for the Redbirds through out the 1976 issues.  All of the above contained; Lou Brock, Al Hrabosky, Don Kessinger, Bake McBride (Best baseball name ever), Ted Simmons, Reggie Smith, and Mike Tyson.

In 1977, Burger Chef, Dairy Isle, Detroit Caesars, Holiday Inn, Pepsi-Cola, Saga, Michael Schechter Ass. Michael Schechter Ass. Customized, Wendy's, Wiffle Insert, and Zip's issued disc sets. The Burger Chef issue included several Redbirds not included in other sets and was issued as part of a tray. This checklist Redbirds included; Lou Brock, Al Hrabosky, Bake McBride, Ted Simmons, Reggie Smith, Mike Tyson, and Burger Chef included the regular checklist (except for Reggie Smith) John Denny, Pete Falcone, Keith and Hernandez. As with Crane in 1976 Holliday Inn and Pepsi-Cola have their names on the front of the disk as well. The Pepsi-Cola set was issued as punch outs inside a glove and were inserted in 6-packs and resemble bookmarks.

I could only find an issue for Saga in 1978 and none in 1979 or 1980. I am not going to go in to the 80’s discs now so to conclude this posting here is Lou Brock from the 1978 Saga issue.  I hope you enjoyed my trip through memory lane.

Early 2016 Nominees for A#$ Hat of the year

I don't know about you all but I despise custom card makers and reprinters on EBay who don't indicate on their cards they are not real or they are reprints. Then go on to give a description that is vague at best and misleading at worst. There is a special place in collector's hell for you my friends.

Ass Hat #1

 

aalop1 (EBay)

This guy, probably a guy, is selling "rare" and "unusual" cards that he has only vague information on, or at least he claims so. This vague description is probably enough to  cover over accusations of impropriety. First up,

 

Here is his description.

STAN MUSIAL 2015 ROOKIE CARDS LLC SAMPLE PRINT--STUDIO TEST RUN Very Rare!

This is about as strange and obscure an issue that you will find--if you can find it.  THIS ISSUE, a stunner, REVERSE SIDE SAYS "STUDIO CREATED SAMPLE." HIGH QUALITY. 

Perhaps a test run of his printer? Who knows.

Next up this beauty,

His description,

BROOKS ROBINSON Unique Edition-Spot the Winner GAME CARD MINI #5 Test Issue RARE

This is about as strange and obscure an issue that you will find--if you can find it.  This is an extremely rare and unusual game card of BROOKS ROBINSON, a stunner.  Nothing like it on Ebay. Rumored to be part of a test run. Date manufactured is unknown. Shine an ultra-violet light on the back of the card to see which target is the winner! Measures 2.75" by 1.5 ".  Only one on eBay?

Now this one,  good luck finding this tobacco company.

BEATLES 4 CARD SET MINI ONLY 3 SETS MADE THUOC LAO TOBACCO Each Card #'d 1/3

Then there are the Ass Hats that sell unmarked as such reprint cards.

Ass Hat  Nominee #2

homer07  (EBay)

This person sells so many reprints including these babies,

Here is his description,

RARE 1967 REPRINT ROGER MARIS YANKEES TRADED TO CARDINALS BLANK BACK +1968 last

REPRINTS NEXT BEST THING TO OWNING THE ORIGINALS AND A HECKAVA LOT CHEAPER

homer07 (32025 )

This is a 2-card reprint lot. Great history on the blank back. The 1968 turned out to be Roger's last card. Great additions to any baseball collection.

 1967 Topps proof card featuring #45 Roger Maris with the Yankees as opposed to the Cardinals. Maris was traded from the Yankees to the Cardinals prior to the 1967 season, but not before Topps had printed proof cards featuring him with the Yankees. A small quantity of these blank-backed proof cards were cut from sheets by the legendary Topps art director and hobby pioneer Woody Gelman for the benefit of collectors. In the early 1970s, Bruce Yeko's Card Collectors Company had a very small supply (probably a couple of dozen or fewer, all of which were almost certainly acquired from Woody Gelman) that he offered for the then-king's ransom of $1 each (which was a fortune for a 1967 Topps card in the early 1970s). For some reason virtually all 1967 Topps Maris-with-Yankees proof cards are very poorly centered.  SOLD FOR $1,645

Then there is this one,  not sure he is responsible for this one but wouldn't surprise me. Now I have to buy a high graded card to make sure it isn't a reprint.

 

Here is a link to an article on Cardboard Connection about Top Scams Scams. See # 2 and #5.

 

There you have it, 2 nominees for Ass Hat of the year.

Our Redbird Autograph Haves Updated

I finally got around to updating the Redbird Auto Have List which now stands at 186 autographs of 122 mostly Baseball Cardinals, a couple of STL Football Cardinals, and a few players who were Redbirds but auto is of them with another team.

Better than a Blaster Red State Blue State Edition

Do I have your attention? Good, this isn’t a Red/Blue State thing-but in a time of over the top politics in the middle of the over the top political season I thought I could use a good hook. Really, this is Better than a Blaster 1951 Topps Red/Blue Back Edition.

I haven’t been posting much since the end of the 2015 season so I have some catching up to do.  It isn’t often one can say they completed a 1950s team set, but alas I did-behold the 1951 Topps Redbird team set-yep just two cards, so not that exciting. In 1951, Cardinals outfielder Tommy Glaviano had 104 at bats in 54 games, 20 runs, 19 hits, 1 home run, 4 runs batted in, and a .183 average. While pitcher Howie Pollet started the year with the Birds he played most of the year with the Bucos. With the Birds in 1951 he made appearances in just 6 games, starting 2 of them, with 4 losses, 1 save, and no wins and a 4.38 ERA.  It should be noted he had an excellent career with the Birds beginning in 1941 and had 21 wins in 1946, and 20 in 1949. However, in 1951 he had his best years behind him.

I find the diminutive 1951 Topps Red Backs to be very attractive and approachable. Lucky for collectors, and not for hard-core investor, a find of boxes of Red Backs in 1980s has kept prices down and made them very affordable.  I haven’t been able to find the story behind the find but one of the fantasies I have is to be that person that finds some unopened vintage boxes.

The two 52 card Red and Blue Back issues were available in packs of two for a penny, which also included a piece of taffy, mmm… taffy. The Red Backs were also issued in hanging plastic “rack packs” of all 52 cards for a whopping 29 cents and because they were designed to be played as a game it came with a game board as well.

The Red Backs contained star power; Yogi Berra, Phil Rizzuto, Early Wynn, Roy Sievers, Ralph Kiner, Preacher Roe, Gus Bell RC, Jerry Coleman, Dom DiMaggio, Bob Feller, Ray Boone RC, Hank Bauer, Warren Spahn, Gil Hodges, Al Rosen, Duke Snider, Ted Kluszewski, Eddie Stanky, and Monte Irvin RC.

Here are two videos, one is from Antiques Roadshow on which a women has her grandfather’s 1951 Red/Blue Back Topps valuated and the other is a penny pack being busted, which is of particular interest as it relates to one of the subjects of this post.

Someday, perhaps I will find a stash of Blue Backs that would contain the big three Enos Slaughter, Red Schoendienst, and Stan the Man. The Blue Back Redbird checklist is Red Schoendienst, Gerry Staley, Red Munger, Billy Johnson,
Harry Brecheen, and Enos Slaughter.