Card Of The Week: Ken Griffey Jr.

I love bubble gum cards. Not only that, I love Baseball cards with large bubbles being blown in them.

Above is Ken Griffey, Jr.'s 1995 Pinnacle Baseball card. It features one of the largest bubbles I've ever seen. Unfortunately, it is as fake as Barry Bonds records. In order to blow a bubble that large you would need a giant gob of Big League Chew and jaw muscles strong enough to to snap steel. Regardless of the poor photoshop work, though, I've added this card to my collection of players chewing gum and blowing bubbles.

I tend to have a wide variety of collection interest. One the most fun is the chase for cards with weird and usual photos, like bubble blowing ballplayers. Other favorites are players signing autographs or just plain funny pictures.

Collection: 1984 Union Oil Most Memorable Moments: Jerry Reuss & Bill Singer

There have been 6 no-hitters in LA Dodgers history up to 1984. Sandy Koufax recorded 4 of them- one in four consecutive seasons. The other two no-hitters were thrown by Bill Singer and Jerry Reuss. The above 1984 Union Oil Most Memorable Moments sheet celebrates their accomplishment.

On July 20, 1970, Bill Singer pitched his no-no against the Philadelphia Phillies. He struck out 10, walked none and hit 2 batters- well, actually he hit Oscar Gamble twice. The Dodgers won 5 to 0.

Jerry Reuss, on June 27, 1980, pitched his no-hitter against the hated Giants. He had 2 strike outs, 0 walks and faced only 28 batters- just one over the minimum. The only person to get on base was Jack Clark in the first inning courtesy of an error by Bill Russell. The Dodgers decimated the Giants that night 8 to 0.

Artwork by Merv Corning.

Check out the rest of the set here in my photoalbum.

Historic Auctions: Banners and Mats

This is the first time I've run into this auction house. So, I do not know much about them, but they do have a couple of modern Dodger memorabilia items I thought was worth showing.

Below is a banner celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Dodger organization. I'm pretty sure these hung around the stadium in 1990. If you happen to know for sure please let me know.

Auction Link: 100th Anniversary Dodger Banner:

This is pretty cool. Below is a actual game-used batting circle mat used on April 15, 2007 during Jackie Robinson Day at Dodger Stadium. It is authenticated by both MLB and Steiner Sports.

Auction Link: 2007 Game-Used Batting Circle:

Collection: 1984 Union Oil Most Memorable Moments: Fernando Valenzuela

Here is another installment of 1984 Union Oil Most Memorable Moments. These sheets have beautiful artwork that capture the majesty of these great Dodger events. This time we highlight the incredible 1981 season of Fernando Valenzuela.

This young 20 year old Mexican phenom blazed through Los Angeles like a bull. He captured our hearts and minds, and spawned a sensation that would forever be known as Fernandomania. No one can ever equal the craziness that surrounded him. Not even the current Mannywood hoopla comes close to the psychosis evident in 1981. We were hooked. We cheered loudly. We went out of our minds.

Artwork is by Paul Kratter.

Check out the rest of the set here in my photoalbum.

REA: Now the True Rarities

No REA auction would be complete without some rarities. So without further adieu...

Below is one of only two known 1915 Crack Jack advertising posters known to exist. It is easily the most attractive of all vintage Baseball advertising displays around.

The 1915 Cracker Jack baseball cards are universally recognized as one of the most classic and highly regarded baseball card sets ever produced. This poster was created by Cracker Jack and distributed for display in candy stores to advertise Cracker Jack, and to create interest in the new and exciting card set. If you went to the candy store in 1915, you might have seen the Cracker Jack poster hanging on the wall, or on the shelf behind the candy counter. It was made to be eye-catching and made to be displayed. The poster is printed on very high quality sturdy cardboard stock, almost like a giant baseball card, and was created with the same uncompromising attention to quality production and design as the Cracker Jack baseball card set. The poster was designed to hang by a string attached at the two holes at the top, or to lean against anything, even a tower of Cracker Jack boxes, standing on its own due to its firm quality construction.

Players Ty Cobb, Eddie Collins, Tris Speaker, Honus Wagner, Joe Jackson, Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers, Stuffy McInnis, Vic Saier, Rabbit Maranville, and George Mullen are featured.

Auction Link: 1915 Cracker Jack Advertising Poster:

What else can I write about the below card that hasn't already been said? Oh, I know. This T206 Honus Wagner, the famous of all Baseball cards, once resided at the All-Star Cafe in New York and was stolen in 1998.

The workers at the All Star Café, naturally, had access to the restaurant after hours. In 1998, two All Star Café chefs and one of the managers devised a plot to steal the Wagner. The plan was to remove the card from its display case, replace it with a color copy so that no one would notice, and then to sell the original. The plan worked, at least for a while. A color copy viewed from afar in a display case can look very much like an original. The nephew of the executive chef was enlisted to sell the card for cash to famous New Jersey dealer Al Rosen, claiming the card had been saved and given to him by his grandfather.

It was eventually recovered by the FBI. Also, it was once owned by actor Charlie Sheen. This low condition card is already at $280,000.00 and I suspect it will go for much more.

Auction Link: All Star Cafe T206 Honus Wagner:

Here is a true minor league rookie card of the fabled Babe Ruth. It is a 1914 Baltimore News card produced when he played for the Baltimore Orioles of the International League.

Auction Link: 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth:

Now you can be just like David Wells. Here is a actual game-used cap worn by Babe Ruth in 1932.

This is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, a New York Yankees cap worn by Babe Ruth and it is accompanied by an impeccable and fully documented line of provenance, having originated as a gift directly from the personal collection of Yankees Hall of Fame manager Joe McCarthy.

Auction Link: 1932 Game-Used Babe Ruth Cap:

Collection: 1984 Union Oil Most Memorable Moments: Manny Mota

When you think of Manny Mota it is hard not to immediately associate him with the Dodgers. He has become such an integral part of the team and its history since he first came to LA in 1969.

The above pic is of his 1984 Union Oil Most Memorable Moments sheet that celebrates his record setting 145th pinch hit on September 2, 1979. He would eventually finish his career with 150 pinch hits.

Something I didn't know was that Manny came to the Dodgers via a trade with Montreal- possibly one of the Dodgers greatest trades. We sent away Ron Fairly and Paul Popovich and received Manny and Maury Wills in return. That's a steal!

Artwork by James Zar.

Check out the rest of the Union Oil set here in my photoalbum.

I took the below photo during a Spring Training trip to Florida in 2007.