Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Mail Call and a Free Card Offer

I received a package in the mail that I really appreciate. I would have really loved to have it here last week, though, because a couple things would have fit in so well then. I'll explain:

A trading buddy (who is not another blogger) sent along these cards in exchange for a 1941 Play Ball card:


They're not pretty, but every step closer toward the 1952 Topps set is a positive direction. But there was a significance to this package: these four cards took my wantlist for the set down to 202 needed. These cards moved me past the halfway point, which is huge. I do realize that the set is beginning to get an awful lot harder to add to (I still have 95 high-number cards and a lot of Hall of Famers to pick up), but I'll keep looking to get more when I can.

The card at the left features Leo Kiely of the Red Sox. Last week, I mentioned him as the first American-born player who wasn't ethnically Asian to play professional baseball in Japan. That card would have been a great image to place in the blog entry.

Ryan also sent this card along as a surprise:

It's a business-card sized reproduction of a book cover, signed by former player Lou Brissie (also a player in the 1952 Topps set). If you aren't familiar with Brissie's story, it's an interesting one. He was one of many baseball players from all levels who served in the military during World War 2. In December 1944 he was serving with the Army's 88th Infantry division in Italy. One night, his unit came under fire from German artillery. One of the shells shattered his tibia and shinbone.

Brissie was evacuated on a stretcher and sent to a field hospital, where the doctors considered amputating his leg. Somehow, Brissie managed to convince them to save it during the operation. It took two years and 23 operations, but he regained enough strength to play baseball again. He was signed by the Philadelphia A's and made the big leagues in 1947.

Had I been able to get this last week, this could have been a great thing to show on Veteran's Day. Overcoming that kind of an obstacle is a story that's worth being told. If this has interested you in the book, here's a link to check it out on Amazon:


And many thanks to Ryan for sending this stuff my way.

And...while we're on the subject of trades...Here's an offer that ties into Monday's post about my oldest card.

A while back, I had a post showing some of the gems I have in my duplicates box. Here's the picture from that post:


Two 1952 Topps and one 1953 Topps, which have been given an after-market adjustment by a young owner and a pair of scissors. I'm looking to find some good homes for them. These are open -- for free -- to anybody who wants one. I'm not even asking for anything in return for these.

There's a catch, though: this must be the oldest card you own when you get it.

Simply leave a comment indicating which one you want. It there are three comments (or only one for any particular card), I go in order of the first post. If there are more than one people claiming any of these cards, I will use another time-honored method involving paper, scissors and a hat (and let my daughter do the honors).


Additionally, I'll even give one extra chance to any blogger who lets me know he's listed a link to this giveaway in their blog (leave a comment about it or send me an email so I know, and tell me which card you want). And since this blog isn't always the first thing anybody reads, I'll give this a few days to run. The cutoff is 6:00 P.M. Eastern time on Sunday, November 21. I'll announce the winners on Monday.

11 comments:

  1. Sweet mother of all that is vintage. Put me down for the Kluttz please. The oldest card I currently have is from 1954. I do have a 52 in the Topps Million Card Giveaway but it's not in my possession.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love the idea of giving one of these cards away to someone so it can be their oldest card. I will also check that book out as it looks like a very good read.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Okay, I can't lie and say that it would be my oldest... Although it would be my oldest Topps card if that counts for anything... I have one 1951 Bowman which is my oldest baseball card. I have a few 1887 Allen and Ginters, but no baseball. Anyway, I LOVE altered cards and I am a big fan of Hank Thompson, so I felt the need to comment and try and plead my case cuz I would LOVE to own that Thompson and have it be my oldest Topps card... My current oldest Topps cards are from 1956 where I have 4 - Robin Roberts, Virgil Trucks, Larry Doby and Lew Burdette. I am actually having a contest on my page in a few weeks and the '56 Roberts will be a prize. Great post and great cards! I love the Brissie story. I have that book on my Christmas list... Cheers! troll

    ReplyDelete
  4. I would love a chance at the Bob Kuzava Yankee card. It would become the oldest card in my collection, plus being a Yankees collector after my first love of Mets cards, it would certainly have a special place in my collection. I had an older Goudy card at one point (it's in the picture on my blog heading) but I recently gave it to a collector who needed it for a set. I had no personal attachment to it as I got it in a lot on ebay where I was interested in the other cards more so I figured let somebody who appreciated it more then I did give it a good home. I hope you consider me for the Kuzava, I will surely give it a good home in my Yankees collection.

    ReplyDelete
  5. The oldest card I have is a 1954 Topps card. I'd love to have any of the cards that you are offering. I'm partial to the Hank Thompson card as he's an OKC guy. I'll put a link to you post on my blog. Thanks for having such a generous contest.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I would love a chance at a 52,but the oldest card I have now is a 1912 imperial tobacco card of Sailor Stroud,well I will when it arrives.Great blog though,glad to have found you.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Darn the bad luck. I just acquired a '52 Bowman (Solly Hemus) in a trade, so I am not eligible for the free giveaway. But I do have a question for you. I see that you have a link to OBC on your blog. Are you a member? I'm interested joining. I'll shoot you an email to follow up on this. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  8. @82RedBirds...yes, I am an OBC member. And if you have a '52 Bowman as your oldest card, I'll allow it. Which one do you want to the chance to have.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Gave you a mention on my blog All About Cards. http://booboosue.blogspot.com/2010/11/contest-on-another-blog-for-1952-and.html

    With apologies to BA Benny, I would be interested in the Bob Kuzava. Any pitcher who can go 8 and 2/3 innings of a perfect game and blow it by beaning the potential last out deserves consideration.

    This would be the oldest card in my collection. Curently that is shared by a 1954 Topps of Billy Martin and a 1954 Bowman of Dale Mitchell

    ReplyDelete
  10. The oldest card I have is a 1958 I also received in the million card give away. I'll take the Kuzava if I get the chance.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Ill take either of the 52's if possible. My oldest card is a 1956 Topps card so Im eligible.

    ReplyDelete