Sunday, March 23, 2014

First Dime Box Card Show: Reminiscing in Blue

So here we are, just now at the halfway point in our look at the results of one of the best ideas I've ever had: asking the King of the Dime Boxes, Nick, to be my Card Show proxy shopper. And the early report is in from Nick that the Second Dime Box Card Show yielded more fab cardboard dividends yesterday. Add in the two Dodger wins Down Under, a vacation day for me to watch my girls' high school softball season open tomorrow, and the fact that I just won a contest over at Once A Cub, and this is shaping up to be a pretty sweet weekend! On with the show...

Last time we looked at Dodgers whose careers spanned my attention as a fan, which began when I was ten years old, in 1980. Today we'll look at players of a more vintage vintage.

2002 Topps American Pie Maury Wills LAD #29
2001 Topps American Pie Reggie Smith LAD #68


Nick seemed to instinctively understand that I would absolutely love these retro sets. I'll even forgive him for putting the song American Pie into my head every time I look at these (although in my head I'm singing Bye-Bye, Celebrations With Pie).

2001 Upper Deck Decade 1970's Steve Garvey LAD #61
2001 Upper Deck Decade 1970's Ron Cey LAD #64


Fortunately, I had the enjoyment of seeing these guys toward the end of their time as Dodgers, when they finally got their revenge on the Yankees. But the heart of their careers took place in the 1970s, as these cards evoke. In fact, it's something very specific that these bring to mind: 1975 Topps. Nick didn't just get these modern retro cards. In fact, he didn't get just any 1975 Topps cards either. He got... take it away, Nick...


1975 Topps Mini Bill Russell LAD #23
1975 Topps Mini Joe Ferguson LAD #115
1975 Topps Mini Mike Marshall LAD #330
1975 Topps Mini Von Joshua LAD #547
1975 Topps Mini Ken McMullen LAD #473




MINIS!!!!!!, indeed! Between what the Vintage Virtuoso, Mark "Harry" Hoyle, has sent me recently, and this Dime Box Card Show haul, I'm well on my way to having the Dodgers team set, which is MAXI cool!

1979 TCMA The 50's Dodger Braintrust: Jake Pitler/Walt Alston/Joe Becker/Billy Herman BRO #187


Nick wisely threw some Brooklyn Dodgers into the Card Show shopping cart as well, including this absolute gem from TCMA's 50's set. This is another set (to add to a list of thousands) that I'd love to complete someday.

1979 TCMA The 50's Jim Gilliam BRO #290
1993 Ted Williams Card Co. Roy Campanella BRO #9


Until then, Nick's added a few nice pieces to that work in progress. Although I don't think I've ever mentioned it to him, he also seemed to instinctively understand that I have tons of 1994 Ted Williams, and very little from the 1993 set, from which this Campy hails.

1994 Upper Deck All-Time Heroes Carl Erskine BRO #187
1989 Swell Baseball Legends Joe Black BRO #177


Carl Erskine is a real favorite of mine, and this is a fantastic action shot, from yet another set that I have ambitions of completing someday. Then there's Joe Black, from the 1989 Swell set, which I also one day... well, I think you get the point.

2009 Topps Ring of Honor Don Zimmer BRO #RH15
2001 Upper Deck SP Legendary Cuts Gil Hodges BRO #28


A coupla future managers, who were no strangers to the post season. If only I could have been born about thirty years earlier...

1965 Topps Jim Brewer LAD #416


Hey, does this look familiar? Nick used his special powers (he has them, I guarantee it) to locate vintage Dodgers for mere pennies. Even if I may have had one or two of them already, you never want to pass up an opportunity like this. Any Dodgers collectors out there want a well-loved '65 Jim Brewer? I'll give it to you for a 1993 Topps George Brett (or somesuch).

1960 Topps Wally Moon LAD #5


Same goes for Wally Moonshot, here, and his magical brow...

1955 Topps Johnny Podres BRO #25


But ain't nobody gettin' their hands on this! A 1955 Topps card of the hero of the 1955 World Series, the only championship for Brooklyn. How sweet is that!? I sent Nick to a card show with a few bucks and he comes back with a gazillion cards... and a 1955 Johnny Podres!

And that is so not all. So stay tuned. You don't want to miss the trip that lies ahead.

3 comments:

  1. The '55 Podres was actually the last card I bought at this show and it turned out to be one of the better steals of the day. I absolutely love that TCMA coaches card, I have a copy of it in my collection as well.

    Plus, you can never go wrong with The Unibrowed One.

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  2. Nick you done good. You really hooked Ethan up. I too love the TCMA cards. Very cool

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    1. Don't think I didn't note the '75 Mini Russell that you sent with Banta, Mark. Thanks. If that hypothetical Dodger collector who's gonna snag Brewer and Moon is out there reading, there's also a '75 Mini Russell on the block. Maybe you've got something Red Sox related for me to send back Mark's way..?

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