New custom marks Don Maynard's CFL days

In my Feb. 2 entry, I presented my 1958 Topps-style "rookie card" of future Jets star receiver Don Maynard.


On the occasion of the unveiling of my second Maynard custom card, I'm going to reprint what I had to say about him from that earlier post . . .  


One of my favorite players on the World's Champion 1968 New York Jets was Joe Namath's favorite receiving target, Don Maynard.


In those pre-internet days, I didn't know too much about Maynard and it was only many years later that I became aware that he had begun his pro football career with the New York Giants of the NFL. They had made him a 5th round "future" pick in the 1957 draft.


The Giants used Maynard primarily as a kick returner. When the team's coaching staff moved on the following year, Maynard was cut in training camp by the new regime, who didn't think his West Texas look and personality fit the big city New York image. Maynard later said he could never understand why he had been let go, since he could run faster backward than most of the Giants' receivers could run forward.


I learned something else new about Maynard recentyly. He played the 1959 season for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League. That season Hamilton lost the Grey Cup to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. 


This custom card, my first in a Topps Canadian/O-Pee-Chee format, is my interpretation of what Maynard's card might have looked like if he had been included in that set.


Maynard joined his third professional league in three years when he became the first player signed by the New York Titans of the American Football League.


With the Titans/Jets, Maynard blossomed into a Hall of Fame (1987) receiver, leading the AFL with 14 touchdown catches in 1965 and 1,434 yards in 1966. In the 1968 AFL Championship game he teamed with Broadway Joe on six receptions for 118 yards and two touchdowns to beat the Oakland Raiders 27-23 and advance to the historic Super Bowl III against the Colts.


Rather than attempt an extensive review of Maynard's life and career, I'll refer you to a 2005 posting by Jim Sargent on The Coffin Corner web site: http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/27-01-1052.pdf

Note to family . . .

If you're going going to buy wood chips to use on the grill for seasoning, don't store the opened bag on the kitchen counter where the potato chips, Doritos, etc., are usually kept.


They're hard on the teeth and they taste awful.

Trucks was minor league no-hit master

Uncommon commons. Based on contemporary accounts from The Sporting News; tidbits that as a collector of baseball and football cards I found interesting because they help bring to life the faces on the cards I collected. I figure that if I found these items of interest, so would other vintage card collectors.I consider myself more than a casual baseball historian, especially of the era of my greatest baseball card interest, the 1950s.


Last time I relayed the story of Johnny Vander Meer's third no-hitter.


This time I'll tell you about another major league pitcher who had two no-hitters in one season . . . and four in the minor leagues.


In 1952, Detroit Tigers pitcher Virgil Trucks no-hit the Washington Senators on May 15, for a 1-0 win. On Aug. 25, he notched another no-hitter, a 1-0 victory over the N.Y. Yankees, to become only the third major league pitcher to throw two no-hitters in a season (Vander Meer in 1938, Allie Reynolds in 1951; they have since been joined b y Nolan Ryan in 1973 and Roy Halliday in 2010).


It is less well-known that Trucks almost became the only pitcher to have three no-hit games in a season. In between his gems, on July 22 he was again pitching against the Senators. Mickey Vernon led off the game with a single . . . the only hit he allowed in a 1-0 shutout he walked three).


In 1938, his first year of professional ball, while pitching for the Andalusia Bulldogs under questionable contract status in the Class D Alabama-Florida League Trucks also had two no-hitters. He was 25-6 that season, with a 1.25 ERA. He set a modern professional record with 418 strikeouts; that record stood for eight years.


With Beaumont in the Texas League in 1940, Trucks threw his third no-hitter.


Trucks' fourth minor league no-hitter came in 1941, with Buffalo of the International League. But he lost that game. Trucks had his gem going into the 10th inning when Montreal scored to win 1-0. Under the rules of that time, it still counted as a no-hit game. 


In 1991, MLB's Committee for Statistical Accuracy ruled that a "An official no-hit game occurs when a pitcher (or pitchers) allows no hits during the entire course of a game, which consists of at least nine innings." Technically, this would negate Trucks' fourth no-hit game.

Basketball cards for sale -- monster deal! SALE PENDING

When I left Krause/F+W Publications in 2006, I purchased from the company about a million sportscards.

For the most part these cards had been sent to the company by the card manufacturers to preview new issues, provide samples for articles and catalogs,etc.

Sports staff editors and ad guys would get together when a box arrived from Topps, or Upper Deck, or Leaf, or Fleer, etc., etc., and rip the packs. Sets would be made for the company archives, and samples chosen for illustrations in books and magazines. 

The rest were put into 5,000-count boxes and eventually warehoused. While the really high-value cards had a way of disappearing before the cards went into cold storage, there remained a lot of goodies.

After buying the cards, I spent a lot of time over the next five years culling the mountain of cardboard. Complete sets were saved, along with what I perceived to be single cards with a premium value of more than $1. More than two tons of "common cards," three-ring albums and plastic sheets were sent to Goodwill over that period. 

Now I'm in the process of arranging the cards I gleaned for resale. My hope is to do this with as little labor as possible by selling in large volume.

I'm starting with one of the boxes of circa 1995-2001 basketball cards that I assembled. While I will be offering these in the buy/sell/trade sections of several sportscard collectors' forums that I frequent, I wanted to give my blog followers a chance at them, as well. 

Thus . . . 

Monster deal on 1995-2001 basketball monster box

Insert sets, premium brands, parallels, superstar singles . . .

Whether you are a shop, show or eBay dealer looking to add inventory, or a collector looking for a massive head start, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to acquire a huge, hand-picked collection at a fraction of “book” value.

This monster box contains nearly 5,000 premium basketball cards issued between 1995-2001. There are virtually no base cards here. Each card is from a high-priced premium brand, or is a high-value insert or parallel. There is also a handful of autographed and jersey cards.

There are cards printed on wood, metal, plastic, fabric and all types of card stock with holograms, metallic foil, die-cuts and other innovations that were high-tech at a time when competition reigned in the basketball card market.

These cards were picked from hundreds of boxes over the years and were only handled once to sort them and put them into the monster box and once during the recent weeks-long process of ascertaining values. Virtually every card here is in minimally Near Mint/Mint condition, with many Mint and Gem Mint cards.

All prices attributed on this list are from the 18^th edition 2010-2011 Beckett Basketball Card Price Guide annual. All represent the “low” price column of that standard reference catalog.

Thus, very conservatively, the retail value of this collection exceeds $4,250.

Be the first to snap up this amazing bargain and it will be yours for just

   $900, postpaid . . . only 21% of low Beckett!

Feel free to email any questions to scbcguy@yahoo.com

 Complete sets/insert sets

1993-94 Hoops Draft Redemption. Complete Set (11)                         15.00

1995 Pacific Prism Hakeem Olajuwon. Complete (12)                            4.00

1998-99 Fleer Brilliant. Complete (no SP) set (100)                 15.00

1998-99 Fleer Brilliant. Complete (no SP) set (100)                 15.00

1998-99 Fleer Brilliant Blue. Complete (no SP) set (100)                      30.00

1998-99 Fleer Ultra. Complete (no SP) set (100)                                 12.50  

1998-99 Fleer Ultra Gold. Complete (no SP) set (100)             17.50  

1998-99 Metal Universe Big Ups. Complete set (15)                                        10.00

1998-99 SkyBox Premium. Complete base set (no SP)(225)                            20.00

1998-99 SkyBox Premium B.P.O. Complete set (15)                             5.00

1998-99 UD Encore Rookie Encore. Complete set (10)                                   30.00

1999-00 Fleer Focus Focus Pocus. Complete set (10)                          15.00

1999-00 Fleer Focus Soar Subjects. Complete set (15)                                      6.00

1999-00 Hoops Calling Cards. Complete set (15)                                              5.00

1999-00 Hoops Decade Up Tempo. Complete set (15)                                      7.50

1999-00 Hoops Decade New Style. Complete set (15)                                      4.00

1999-00 SP Authentic SP Athletic. Complete set (12)                          12.50

1999-00 SP Authentic SP Athletic. Complete set (12)                          12.50

1999-00 SP Authentic SP First Class. Complete set (12)                                    7.50

1999-00 SP Authentic SP First Class. Complete set (12)                                    7.50

1999-00 SP Authentic SP Maximum Force. Complete set (15)                           5.00

1999-00 SP Authentic SP Maximum Force. Complete set (15)               5.00

1999-00 SP Authentic SP Supremacy. Complete set (9)                                     8.00

1999-00 SP Authentic SP Supremacy. Complete set (9)                                     8.00

1998-99 Topps Stadium Club Triumvirate. Complete set (48)               40.00

1998-99 Topps Stadium Club Never Compromise. Complete set (20)  20.00  

1998-99 Topps Stadium Club Royal Court. Complete set (15)             25.00

1998-99 Topps Stadium Club Statliners. Complete set (20)                              20.00

1998-99 Topps Stadium Club Wing Men. Complete set (20)                15.00

1998-99 UD Choice Starquest Blue. Complete set (30)                                      3.00

1998-99 UD Choice Starquest Green. Complete set (30)                                   5.00

1998-99 UD Choice Starquest Red. Complete set (30)                                    12.00

1998-99 Upper Deck Aerodynamics. Complete set (30)                                  30.00

1998-99 Upper Deck Intensity. Complete set (30)                                            20.00

1998-99 Upper Deck Next Wave. Complete set (30)                                       15.00

1998-99 Upper Deck Super Powers. Complete set (30)                                   25.00

1998-99 Upper Deck Encore Driving Forces. Complete set (15)                      30.00

1998-99 Upper Deck Encore Intensity. Complete set (30)                                20.00

1998-99 Upper Deck Encore Intensity. Complete set (30)                                20.00

1998-99 Upper Deck Encore MJ23. Complete set (20)                                   30.00

1999-00 Topps Classic Collection. Complete set (10)                            5.00              

1999-00 Topps Classic Collection. Complete set (10)                            5.00

1999-00 Topps East/West. Complete set (20)                                      40.00

1999-00 Topps Kick Start. Complete set (15)                                      15.00

1999-00 Topps Season’s Best. Complete set (30)                                            15.00

1999-00 Topps Patriarchs. Complete set  (15)                                     12.50

1999-00 Topps Stadium Club Chrome. Complete set (40)                                37.50

1999-00 Topps Stadium Club Picture Ending. Complete (10)                 2.50

1999-00 Topps Stadium Club Onyx Extreme. Complete (10)                 4.00

1999-00 Upper Deck Star Surge. Complete set (15)                                        30.00

1999-00 Upper Deck Biographics. Complete set (30)                          12.50

1999-00 Upper Deck Biographics. Complete set (30)                          12.50

1999-00 Upper Deck High Definition. Complete set (20)                                  30.00

1999-00 Upper Deck High Definition. Complete set (20)                                  30.00

2002-03 Upper Deck Hardcourt. Complete set (No SP)(90)                            20.00

1999-00 Upper Deck MVP Dynamics. Complete set (6)                                  12.50

1999-00 Upper Deck MVP  Electrifying. Complete set (15)                               4.00

1999-00 Upper Deck MVP Jam Time. Complete set (14)                                  3.00

1999-00 Upper Deck MVP Theatre. Complete set (15)                                     5.00

1999-00 Upper Deck MVP  21^st Century NBA. Complete set (10)                    4.00

2000 UD Century Legends History’s Heroes. Complete set (9)               6.00

2000 UD Century Legends History’s Heroes. Complete set (9)               6.00

2000 UD Century Legends NBA Originals. Complete set (6)                  5.00

2000 UD Century Legends NBA Originals. Complete set (6)                  5.00

2000 UD Century Legends Players of the Century. Complete set (20)   10.00

2000 UD Century Legends Players of the Century. Complete set (20)   10.00

2000 UD Century Legends Recollections. Complete Set (7)                                8.00

2000 UD Century Legends Recollections. Complete Set (7)                                8.00

2000-01 Fleer Courting History. Complete set (10)                                          10.00

2000-01 Fleer Sharp Shooters. Complete set (20)                                              7.50

2000-01 UD eCard 2. Complete set (6)                                                             7.50

2000-01 Upper Deck All Star Class. Complete set (10)                                   12.50

2000-01 Upper Deck All Star Class. Complete set (10)                                   12.50

2000-01 Upper Deck Highlight Zone. Complete set (10)                                    8.00

2000-01 Upper Deck Pure Basketball. Complete set (8)                                    2.50

2000-01 Upper Deck Pure Basketball. Complete set (8)                                    2.50

2000-01 Upper Deck Touch the Sky. Complete set (9)                                      3.00  

2000-01 Upper Deck Touch the Sky. Complete set (9)                                      3.00

2002-03 Fleer Premium. Complete set (no SP)(110)                                        15.00

Total                                                                                                              $1,020.

SINGLES $.50-.75

(each card carries Beckett “low” value of $.50. $.60 or $.75)

Charles Barkley                        10

Kobe Bryant                            40

Kevin Carter                            10

Tim Duncan                              15

Patrick Ewing                           10

Kevin Garnett                           22

Anfernee Hardaway                  12

Grant Hill                                    3

Allen Iverson                            10

Michael Jordan               4

Jason Kidd                                 3

Shawn Kemp                             3

Karl Malone                             20

Stephon Marbury                     26

Tracy McGrady                          9

Alonzo Mourning                        9

Steve Nash                                 4

Dirk Nowitzki                             3

Hakeem Olajuwon                    21

Shaquille O’Neal                      16

Paul Pierce                                 5

Scottie Pippen                            9

Dennis Rodman                        15

Damon Stoudemire                     7

Misc. 1-2 of each player           40

Total cards                             325

Minimum est. value               $180       

SINGLES $1-7.50

(each card carries Beckett “low” value of $1.00-7.50)

Shareef Abdur-Rahim                 4

Ray Allen                                 11

Vin Baker                                   3

Charles Barkley                        35

Kobe Bryant                            50

Marcus Camby               8

Vince Carter                             35

Clyde Drexler                             7

Tim Duncan                              54

Patrick Ewing                           24

Kevin Garnett                           72

Anfernee Hardaway                  45

Tim Hardaway                3

Grant Hill                                  12

Juwan Howard               8

Allen Iversen                            75

Michael Jordan             48

Shawn Kemp                           13

Jason Kidd                               10

Karl Malone                             41

Stephon Marbury                     35

Antonio McDyess                       4

Alonzo Mourning                      15

Tracy McGrady                        31

Ron Mercer                                7

Reggie Miller                              5

Steve Nash                                 5

Dirk Nowitzki                           13

Hakeem Olajuwon                    43

Shaquille O’Neal                      97

Gary Payton                               7

Paul Pierce                                 3

Scottie Pippen                          63

David Robinson                        10

Glenn Robinson                          3

Dennis Rodman                        12

John Stockton                            5

Jerry Stackhouse                      15

Amare Stoudemire                      3

Damon Stoudemire                   17

Keith Van Horn                          3

Antoine Walker                          4

Bonzi Wells                                4

Yao Ming                                   3

Misc. 1-2 of each player           82

Misc. autographs, jerseys          11

Total cards                          1,055

Minimum est. value            $2,375.

SINGLES $8+

1996 Topps Stars Reprints (1:9)

            8  Bird- Erving- Johnson                       12.50

8  Bird- Erving- Johnson                       12.50

22 Bird- Erving-Johnson                       12.50

1996-97 Metal Decade of Excellence (1:100)

            M4 Michael Jordan                              12.50

1996-97 Metal Slammin’ (1:72)

            8 Shaquille O’Neal                                 8.00

1996-97 Metal Maximum Metal (1:180)

            1 Charles Barkley                                   8.00

            5 Jason Kidd                                        10.00

1996-97 SkyBox E-XL A Cut Above (1:130)

            1 Scottie Pippen                                     8.00

            7 Shaquille O’Neal                               12.50

1996-97 SkyBox Premium Rookie Revue (1:54)

R9 Allen Iverson                                     8.00

1996-97 SkyBox Premium Standouts (1:180)

            SO7 Scottie Pippen                              12.50

1996-97 SkyBox Z Force Slam Cam (1:240)

SC2 Michael Finley                              10.00

SC3 Anfernee Hardaway                        8.00

SC7 Karl Malone                                   8.00

SC9 Shaquille O’Neal                          20.00

1997 SPx Holoview Heroes (1:75)

            H15 Shaquille O’Neal                          15.00

1997-98 Bowman’s Best Mirror Image (1:48)

            MI1 Jordan, Mercer, Marbury,

                        Payton                                      10.00

            MI4 Pippen, Van Horn, Bryant,

                        Ceballos                                   10.00  

 

1997-98 Finest

            165 Shareef Abdur-Rahium G  10.00

321 Scottie Pippen G                           10.00

1997-98 Ultra Court Masters (1:144)

            4  Shaquille O’Neal                              25.00

19 Keith Van Horn                               40.00

1998-99 Metal Universe Linchpins (1:360)

            1  Shaquille O’Neal                              20.00

5  Shawn Kemp                                     8.00

            6  Keith Van Horn                                  8.00

1998-99 SkyBox Premium 3D (1:96)

            15 Shaquille O’Neal                             10.00

1998-99 SkyBox Premium Slam Funk (1:360)

            4 Shaquille O’Neal                               10.00

1998-99 SkyBox Premium Soul of the Game (1:18)

            1  Michael Jordan                                 10.00

1998-99 SkyBox Premium That’s Jam (1:96)

            4 Shaquille O’Neal                                 8.00

1998-99 SkyBox Thunder Flight School (1:96)

            2  Kobe Bryant                                    15.00

            4  Kevin Garnett                                     8.00

            7  Allen Iverson                                      8.00

1998-99 SkyBox Thunder Noyz Boyz (1:300)

            2  Ray Allen                                         15.00

6  Anfernee Hardaway              20.00

            8  Allen Iverson                                    12.50

            11 Shaquille O’Neal                             30.00

12 Scottie Pippen                                 20.00

            13 Dennis Rodman                               15.00

1998-99 Topps Chrome Preview (1:36)

            77 Michael Jordan                                10.00

1998-99 UD Ionix Skyonix (1:53)

            S7 Shaquille O’Neal                               8.00

1998-99 Upper Deck Forces (1:23)

1  Michael Jordan                                 10.00

1998-99 Upper Deck Ovation Jordan Rules Tier 2 (1:45)

            J6  Michael Jordan                               10.00

            J7  Michael Jordan                               10.00

            J8  Michael Jordan                               10.00

            J9  Michael Jordan                               10.00

            J10  Michael Jordan                             10.00

1999-00 Hoops Dunk Mob (1:144)

            DM1 Shaquille O’Neal               8.00

1999-00 Stadium Club 3x3 Luminous (1:108)

            4A Kobe Bryant                                     8.00

1999-00 Topps Gallery Exhibits (1:24)

            GE22 Kobe Bryant                                8.00

1999-00 UD NBA Legends Legendary Signatures

HG Hal Greer                                       30.00

1999-00 Upper Deck Star Surge (1:23)

            S1 Michael Jordan                                  8.00

1999-00 Upper Deck Wild (1:23)

            W15 Michael Jordan                              8.00

            W15 Michael Jordan                              8.00

Total                                                            $658.50

Act now, this amazing deal won’t last long.

Johnny Vander Meer's third no-hitter

Uncommon commons. Based on contemporary accounts from The Sporting News; tidbits that as a collector of baseball and football cards I found interesting because they help bring to life the faces on the cards I collected. I figure that if I found these items of interest, so would other vintage card collectors.I consider myself more than a casual baseball historian, especially of the era of my greatest baseball card interest, the 1950s.


That's why I was surprised to learn that the only pitcher of back-to-back major league no-hitters had a third no-hitter . . . 14 years later after he had returned to the minor leagues.


Cincinnati Reds pitcher Johnny Vander Meer is justly famous for having thrown no-hitters on June 11, 1938, against the Boston Braves, 3-0, then in his next game, June 15, the very first night game ever played in Ebbets Field, no-hitting the Dodgers in a 6-0 win.


In 1952, the Dutch Master had been out of the major leagues for a year, and was pitching for the Reds' Class AA Texas League farm club in Tulsa.


On July 15, against Beaumont, Vander Meer threw his third professional no-hit game, a 12-0 win that brought his season's record to 6-7.


Only five Roughneck batters reached base in the game, three on walks, one on an error and one hit batsman.


There were only 335 paid admissions at Beaumont that night to witness that bit of baseball history.


The feat was of special interest to Beaumont manager Harry Craft. Craft was in center field behind Vandy on June 15, 1938, in Brooklyn, and caught Leo Durocher's fly ball for the last out.


Later in the 1952 season, Vander Meer ran up a string of 22 scoreless innings, but his pitching heroics were not enough to get the Oilers above 6th place in the league that year. The 37-year-old lefty finished the season with an 11-10 record.


In 1953, Vander Meer began a decade-long run managing for Reds farm clubs in Class B and D leagues, occasionally taking a turn on the mound as late as 1955.


Next time I'll tell you about another major league pitcher with two no-hitters in a season who topped Vander Meer by having four no-hitters in the minors.

Where are King Faisal's balls?

This LIFE magazine photo shows Iraq's King Faisal in the Brooklyn dugout
between manager Chuck Dressen and Jackie Robinson, holding a team-autographed baseball. 

In arranging a visit to the United States in 1952, the 17-year-old King Faisal II of Iraq expressed an interest in seeing a Brooklyn Dodgers game and meeting Jackie Robinson. The scion of the Hashemite Dynasty is said to have become a fan of American baseball while attending school in England during World War II.


That request was accommodated on Aug. 13, when the boy king was the guest of Dodgers' president Walter O'Malley in his box at Ebbets Field for a doubleheader against the N.Y. Giants. 


A reporter said Faisal "proved to be a calm, somewhat confused. baseball fan as O'Malley explained plays to him." Faisal was reported to have been impressed with a Bobby Thomson home run in the opening game, which the Dodgers lost 5-4.


In a pre-game photo op, the king visited the Dodgers' dugout, where Robinson presented him with a team-autographed baseball. The reporter noted that Faisal "was pleased when Manager Chuck Dressen planted a Dodger cap on the royal noggin . . . but his uncle (Prince 'Abd al-llah), the regent, scowled and took the cap off."


Following the game, Faisal was also presented with an autographed ball from the Giants.


The collector in me wonders where those souvenir balls are today. 


Did they survive the July 14, 1958, coup d'etat in which a faction of the Iraqi army lined up the king, members of his family and servants in a palace courtyard and machine-gunned them? Did they survive the Saddam Hussein rule?


Or perhaps the balls returned to the U.S. in the dufflebag of an Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran who "found" them in the palace, museum or archives in Baghdad?

Adding Larkin, Clark to '85T Olympics subset

Dairy Queen sort of stole my thunder on these back in 1992, but when the original images crossed my path on the internet a while back, I decided to "add" Barry Larkin and Will Clark to the Olympics subset that was part of the 1985 Topps set.


You'd think that with all the fuss that was made over the '85 Topps Mark McGwire card in the late 1990s, that it would be common hobby knowledge when and where the photos of the Team USA players were snapped. But I only learned recently, after posting these images on one of the baseball card forums that I frequent, that the pictures were taken July 20, 1984, at Cleveland's Municipal Stadium. The occasion was an appearance on the Team USA pre-Olympics summer schedule of exhibitions. In Cleveland they faced a team of "local all-stars."


Besides the DQ cards, there has been a "broder" (unauthorized collector issue) card of Clark in his blue Olympics uniform circulating in the hobby for at least 15 years. 


If your baseball memory doesn't go back 25+ years, you might not realize that baseball was only a demonstration sport in the 1984 Games in Los Angeles. The U.S. won the silver medal, being defeated by Japan in the finals. Chinese Taipei beat South Korea for the bronze. There's no telling how the medal order might have changed in Cuba had participated, but they sat out the '84 Games in solidarity with the U.S.S.R., which called for a Soviet-bloc boycott in retaliation for the U.S. having boycotted the Moscow Olympics in 1980.  


Larkin and Clark were among the players on that Team USA squad that did not appear in the Topps set because they were still amateurs. Both opted to enter the June, 1985 MLB draft, but by then the presses had rolled. 


Both had been drafted in 1982, out of high school. Larkin was the second-round pick of his hometown Cincinnati Reds, while Clark was a fourth-round selection by the Kansas City Royals. Larkin turned down a $50,000 signing bonus to take a football scholarship at Michigan, while Clark spurned the Royals' $35,000 offer to attend Mississippi State.


The rest, as they say, is baseball history.