Defunct Franchises

My original title for this post was going to be "20 for '20" because I counted all of the basketball cards in my COMC order and well.. there were 20. But then I realized something even more interesting about these cards:

A high percentage of the cards I ordered depict teams that no longer exist. Take this Tom Chambers card here. This is one of five Seattle Supersonics cards I picked up accidentally-on purpose. I didn't realize that one fourth of the basketball cards I bought were Sonics stars until I had them in-hand.

 

Here's a festive batch of shiny hoopers that put me in a Christmas mood. The Lillard Rainmakers insert (which kind of looks like tinsel) cost $1.20, while the Love Optic parallel (#d/85) was one of the cheapest Fast Break Red Prizms available at just $0.93. The color-matching Hakeem cost $0.71, and the Gary Payton Defensive Gems insert was the cheapest of the six at $0.65.

Payton and Chambers were in my original COMC order which I requested in July. I did not plan on buying any more singles until these arrived. However, a seller named The27guy disrupted those plans by posting a bunch of Immaculate singles at low prices - then adding a sale I couldn't resist.

Sonic BOOM! This X-Man patch is numbered to 10 and set me back $7.30, the second-most expensive basketball card I bought. Hall of Famer David Thompson's Shadowbox Signature (#d/99) cost $4.30.

One more Sonics relic, and a zombie Sonics card to go with it. Both of these Standard singles are numbered to 75. Ray Allen was $4.90, while Serge Ibaka was too cheap to pass up at $1.15.

More Immaculate bargains. Gerald Henderson wasn't a star - if he were, this 3-color patch #d to 10 would have cost a lot more than $3.10. The Christian Laettner relic is my least favorite design here, but I can overlook the odd swatch window placement for $1.62.

 

Point gods. I passed on this Stockton relic so many times I was certain someone else would snatch it up. But my patience paid off and I brought it home for $3.44 (the cheapest copies on the site now are over $6.00) The Nets aren't exactly a defunct franchise - they're alive and well in a different city. I probably should have tried to get to a game while they were here but I didn't know any NBA fans :/

I did get slightly excited when J-Kidd led the Nets to back-to-back Finals appearances - until realizing they had no chance of winning either series. This Franchise Foundations card ($0.85) reminds me of 2003, when a banner hung over Continental Arena declaring the home of the Nets and Devils to be the "Arena of Champions." I'm not the world's biggest CP3 fan but this Limited single was a nice pickup for four dimes.

Here's another Essential single. Talk about a point god.. they don't get much better than the big O. I added Oscar and Kareem to my Bucks collection for $1.45. 

 

There was one more Bucks card in this COMC shipment.. one I purchased in October of 2019 but couldn't bring it home until last week:

This was kind of an impulse buy. I searched Robertson autos one night, saw that the cheapest were sticker autos over $30, and didn't give it another thought -- until a seller posted a 50% off sale and I snagged this for $18.25. Yeah, it's a sticker auto, but it's an auto of an all-time great numbered to 25. It's also my best autographed basketball card by far.

Let's wrap up the basketball portion with some local oddballs. These are from a UConn Huskies set issued in 1991-92:

I lived in Connecticut for 24 years and I've never heard of Petro Pantry - or UConn Field House, which was the Huskies' home prior to Gampel Pavilion. I have heard of Walt Dropo though. The longtime major league 1st baseman was one of the greatest all-around athletes in state history. I actually saw him at a card shop once, though I didn't meet him. We were traveling upstate on the hunt for baseball card stores and I popped in when he happened to be signing autographs. I think I was about 10 years old at the time.

 

Some more Connecticut cards, including a pair of West Haven Yankees. I showed off these Whalers before, but here they are again. They are a defunct team, after all :*(

So are the Nordiques and North Stars. I'd like to pick up some sticker-sized Ultra Pro pages some day but Panini/Topps stickers aren't the same size from year to year. Minny was $0.70, Quebec was $0.74. The Whalers logo has been sold out for over a year. I'll have to pay a premium for that one if it ever pops up again. 

I didn't pick up any Atlanta Thrashers in this order but I did get a sharp looking Flames team card for just $0.67.

I'll show off most of my hockey and baseball card purchases next week. Until then, here's one more from a long-gone franchise:

Hall of Famer Harry Howell was one of the few stars the Seals had in the early 1970s. This 1970-71 Topps base card is the cleanest vintage hockey card I've seen in a while - and it only cost 86 cents!

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The PWE Swap Meet has been a huge success so far! Yesterday alone I received two stuffed bubble mailers and four envelopes. In the first week I've received cards from reader Ken, Bo, Elliptical Man, Night Owl, Nachos Grande, Nine Pockets, The Angels In Order, and three TCDB traders. My football box is overflowing already!

I'll have those return PWEs mailed out this weekend, and I'll reveal a portion of the prize box here:

Frank "Home Run" Baker of the Philadelphia Athletics

The PWE Swap is open until December 28th. Send me those unwanted football cards!


 

Thanks for reading!




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Free Stuff Friday - NBA picks

I've been in a basketball mood lately. With no sports happening I need something on in the background while I sort cards or do COMC challenges. I've been listening to Bill Simmons podcasts partly because they're long and uninterrupted (there's one sponsor promo at the beginning and maybe one more halfway though. That's two brief ads in a two-hour show.) His NBA redraft discussions are filling in the 15-20 years of basketball I wasn't watching. 

Kerry offered to send out a few cards to anyone who asked. I can get Red Sox singles just about anywhere - and Kerry has tons of great basketball cards - so I requested some Milwaukee Bucks. This seven-card PWE arrived in the mail Tuesday. Since I'm hooked on redrafts, let's take a look at how these six Bucks compared to the rest of their draft class:

Michael Redd - Drafted 43rd overall in 2000. 4th-highest win shares in his class. Great pick. 

T.J. Ford - Drafted 8th overall in 2003. Ranks 23rd in his class in win shares - lower than their 2nd-round pick Keith Bogans(who they "traded" for cash on Draft Day anyhow.)

Brook Lopez - Drafted 10th overall by the Nets in 2008. Ranks 6th in his draft class in win shares. Great pick by New Jersey. 

Giannis Antetokounmpo - Drafted 15th overall in 2013. Has the highest WS total of any player in his draft class. Milwaukee knocked this pick out of the park. 

Eric Bledsoe - Drafted 18th overall by the Thunder in 2010. OKC traded him to the Clippers, but he didn't develop until a few years later in Phoenix. He's now 8th among 2010 draftees in win shares. 

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - Drafted 1st overall in 1969. NBA's All-Time Leading scorer and, not surprisingly, has the highest career win shares total of any player ever. I'm no NBA expert but I think the Bucks got this one right.

You probably know this already, but the Bucks picked an all-time great player 9th overall in 1998. He's a certain first-ballot Hall of Famer and has the most win shares of any '98 draftee...

 ..and they traded him for "Tractor" Traylor on draft night. This is why I love revisiting past drafts, in any sport. 

Anyway...you're here for free stuff, am I right? I don't have a lot of basketball cards to offer (and there aren't a lot of NBA fans on the blogs) but there are some stars in here, including Dirk. Please pick up to six cards. I'll have another batch available next week.

Let me know if you have any requests for certain sports, teams, or players and I'll do my best to offer them up in the next three weeks. 

Thanks for reading!


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Pucks n' Bucks

Thank you to everyone who entered my Stanley Cup Contest. More than half the slots were filled, which I'd consider a success. I'm a bit surprised that no one claimed the Bruins - but not nearly as surprised as I am that the Columbus Blue Jackets are dominating the Tampa Bay Lightning. It's still early (just ask last year's Capitals) but if the Jackets could win their first-ever postseason series and eliminate Tampa, that would blow the field wide open.

Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky is a free agent after this year, and I've heard rumblings that both Bob and star winger Artemi Panarin want out of Columbus (something related to John Tortorella I bet) While I'd love to see the Devils sign either one, I'm becoming a Bobrovsky fan and I'll be adding him to my expanded list of PC players this summer - unless he signs with a team I can't stand (*cough* Canes)

Jersey was once again far out of the playoffs, and they were slotted to select third in a draft that has two premium prospects - American center Jack Hughes and Finnish winger Kaapo Kakko. As luck would have it, the Devils won the NHL Draft lottery and will select first overall for the second time in three years. The Devils have actually won the lottery three times; in 2011 they selected Adam Larsson fourth overall - which was the highest they could move up under the old rules.

I'm really excited for the Devils rebuild to bear fruit, assuming they draft Hughes to pair with Nico Hischier up the middle. Mackenzie Blackwood has enough potential in net that the Devils probably won't even pursue Bobrovsky, last year's first rounder Ty Smith is ready to make the team and GM Ray Shero has four picks in the first two rounds to play with. 

As for the playoffs, I'm not pulling for one team in particular just yet. I'd be happy if the Capitals could repeat, and I'd be just as happy if the Predators won. But Joe Thornton and the Sharks have to win eventually...right?

I'm trying to watch more of the NBA playoffs this year, and I'll probably watch a game or two today. It's odd and a little refreshing to have a postseason without LeBron James; almost like the MLB playoffs without the Yankees. 

I don't know enough about the Western teams to have a favorite (anyone but Golden State would be fine) but I'm pulling for the Milwaukee Bucks to come out of the East.

Kerry sent me some guilt-free basketball cards, which arrived Friday. Someone else claimed Ray Allen specifically, but I got plenty of current Bucks including the Greek Freak..

..Bledsoe, Brogdon, and my birthday bud Khris Middleton. Jack Sikma was finally elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame last week, along with former Buck Sidney Moncrief and Vlade Divac, among others. Guess it was a good year to clear out some backlogged players - but I'm surprised that Chris Webber and (to a lesser extent) Tim Hardaway still have to wait.

 

Speaking of the Hall, Kerry included a sweet Oscar Robertson Hall of Gold insert from Panini Gold Standard. The Jabari Parker holo parallel is my third from '15-16 Donruss.

A handful of '90s Bucks, featuring "Big Dog" Glenn Robinson.

Kerry also sent a couple Hakeem Olajuwon cards and a big Stack of Red Sox cards, which I'll show off in my next post. Thanks again for all the great cards!

I'm hoping to finish cataloging my baseball cards today, but my daughter has a soccer game this afternoon. The weather is just too perfect to stay inside anyhow.


Hope you're all enjoying your Sunday!


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Ten Bucks

I am not from Wisconsin. I've never been to Wisconsin, and I don't think I've ever met anyone from Wisconsin (my grandmother might have been born there. we're not sure.) That said, the lack of tangible ties to the badger state hasn't kept me from developing an affinity for their sports teams.

Robin Yount was one of my favorite players growing up. He signed this 8x10 for me at the East Coast National in White Plains, NY about ten years ago. 

I haven't finished - and in fact I've barely started - cataloging my baseball cards, but I know I have at least 100 different Yount cards. I'd be surprised if that's not the most cards I have of any player who never played for the Red Sox.

You all know I'm a Packer backer. I have nearly 2,500 Packers cards in my collection - though none of them were released before 1977. I've been spending my COMC challenge credit on Brett Favre inserts, Devils cards, and other cheap stuff, so when I spotted this 1961 Topps Jim Taylor I vowed not to buy anything else until I "earned" this first. Red background aside, this is what a football card should look like. 

It was high time I added a vintage Packer legend to my collection of Favres, Whites, Rodgerses and Mathewses. And this card was on sale for one day at the low, low price of..$9.07.

$9.07?? Then why is this post called "Ten Bucks?" Also...how was this card only $9.07?

COMC had the condition listed as Good to VG-EX. I couldn't see anything wrong with the front, so I assumed there must have been some writing or paper loss on the back:

Well..technically it's been scratched off, so I guess that counts as paper loss. But I don't mind. It's like the dealer at the Milford card show said to me - this is going in my PC.

I wanted to show this off now, since I don't plan to bring home any of my COMC purchases until after Black Friday. There are six other Packers sitting in my 'to be shipped' inventory..and one Milwaukee Bucks card:

This green Prizm parallel of the Big O is more typical of the cards I've been buying on COMC. Add the 51 cents this card cost to the $9.07 for the Taylor, and throw in another 42 cents for this Brett Favre..

..and you have an even ten dollars. But this isn't a COMC Blaster* post. This is a post about ten Bucks.
 *TM Shoebox Legends

When Kerry (Cards on Cards) rebooted his Guilt-Free Basketball Card Club I was excited to join in the fun, and swap some cards with a very generous trader. Only problem was..I didn't have a favorite basketball team. I'd hinted at maybe becoming a Bucks fan during the Milwaukee stop on my Sports Card Tour, but they were one of a handful of teams I could see myself rooting for. Small-market teams appeal to me, and I've grown tired of seeing the same two teams in the NBA Finals every year (at least Cleveland won't be back.)

I haven't watched enough games to call myself a fan, and I'd feel guilty about jumping on the bandwagon now, with the Bucks sitting atop the standings. But I do enjoy collecting Bucks cards more than most other NBA teams. Right now, the Bucks rank 6th in my NBA collection, due in part to a surprising amount of players I like to collect.

This is the oldest and best Bucks card in my collection, the highlight of my Secret Santa gift from Mark Hoyle. I would have loved to see these two titans of the game run the floor at the MECCA.

Jack Sikma was nearing the end of his career when I started collecting cards. He's one of many former Bucks in the "Hall of Very Good" along with Bob Dandridge, Marques Johnson, and Sidney Moncrief.

Moncrief's Starting Lineup figure was one of those out-of-market pieces that I desperately wanted. (The Sikma SLU is far less appealing. Kenner made him look like a neanderthal) I never did get a Bucks SLU, but I'd like to get a Moncrief card from something other than NBA Hoops.

Hall of Famer Moses Malone succeeded Sikma at center for the Bucks. This card is in my collection, and it features that cartoonish deer I saw a million times in my card piles.

By the time Ray Allen arrived, the Bucks were wearing purple as a primary color. Allen is probably the greatest UConn alum in NBA history, and as such, is a primary reason why I claimed the Bucks in Kerry's trading club. 

Of course there's also the Greek Freak, Milwaukee's franchise star and potential NBA MVP. If he were the only Bucks player I was interested in collecting, chances are I wouldn't have claimed them.

The Bucks also boast Khris Middleton, who shares the same first name (almost) and birthday as yours truly. 

Matthew Dellavedova is another guy I collect. I have a few of his Cavaliers cards but none with Milwaukee. It's a shame that he was squeezed out of the Bucks' rotation just when they were getting good, but he sees to be embracing his role as a leader on the rebuilding Cavs. 

Finally, here's another look at one of the most recent additions to my Bucks card collection: 

I missed out on so many great cards like this Danny Manning during my nearly two decades years away from basketball card collecting.  Even if someone who isn't a regular reader and only comments for the free cards scoops up all the Greek Freak singles I'll be happy with whatever Bucks cards come my way.



So there you have it..ten Bucks. And I didn't even mention Eric Bledsoe, Malcolm Brogdon, Glenn Robinson, or Michael Redd. (perhaps I should have done a twenty Bucks post..lol.)


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Sports Card Tour Scavenger Hunt - Milwaukee

We're going to shake things up a little bit on the Sports Card Tour. Today we're in Milwaukee... for a Scavenger Hunt!

Milwaukee has two pro sports teams - the Brewers and the Bucks. The Brewers have reached the playoffs four times in their 49 MLB seasons; they won the American League pennant in 1982. The Bucks needed just three seasons to win their first championship, in 1971. They returned to the NBA Finals three years later, losing to the Celtics in 1974.

 The greatest player in Brewers history without a doubt is Robin Yount.

I have over 100 Yount items in my collection - including nearly a hundred cards, three autographs, three Starting Lineup figures, and the Danbury Mint figure pictured in my blog header.

Yount and Don Mattingly were my two favorite baseball players in the late 1980s-early 1990s.

Unfortunately I do not have an actual Robin Yount RC in my collection. His 1975 Topps card has passed through my collection but I've sold it at least twice. A PSA-graded copy was sold in hopes of upgrading to a Mint 9. However that auction ended at over $330; more than a college student could afford (in hindsight, I should have found a way - Yount 9s sell for three times that now!)

I bought an ungraded copy on COMC for about $20 - but when I got it in hand I found that it had been 'diamond cut'.

Robin was named American League MVP (twice) almost as many times as he was named an American League All-Star (three times) which seems preposterous given that every team must have one All-Star per season and Yount played two positions and the Brewers weren't exactly a juggernaut.

When he made an appearance at the East Coast National in White Plains a few years back, the ad specifically stated "Mr. Yount will not personalize any autographs The Kid or Rockin' Robin." I don't blame him.

Yount and Stan Ross* are the only players who collected their 3,000th hit in a Brewers uniform.

*see Corky's comment

Paul Molitor's 3,000th hit came as a member of the Minnesota Twins - the team he's now managing. You might see more Molly in my next SCT post. 

Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder powered the Brew Crew to the 2011 NLCS, where they lost to the Cardinals in their last playoff appearance. I've mentioned before that I initially believed Ryan Braun's PED denial - it seemed entirely plausible that the technician who admittedly held onto his sample too long had caused a false positive. But that was before Braun's ties to the Biogenesis lab came to light. 
 
Prince Fielder was one of the game's most durable players until he turned 30; a neck injury forced him to retire at age 32. I still keep his cards in my star player box - even though similar (if not better) first basemen like Mark Texiera and Carlos Delgado are in my commons binders.

The rest of my Brewers hits. I held onto the Plesac buyback because he's on the MLB Network (if Shane or Jon really needed it I might be persuaded to let it go) I remember thinking the Select Aces were a tough pull back in the day. Maybe I was just buying the wrong packs.

Matt LaPorta was a prospector's dream ten years ago (someone on SCF literally called him "God".) I pulled a LaPorta auto out of a jumbo pack of 2008 Bowman and sold it for over $100. You could probably buy one for $1 now. 

I also pulled a Jimmy Nelson 2013 Bowman Chrome purple refractor autograph numbered to 10 - from a blaster box, believe it or not. It was a very cool looking card, but I immediately sold it because I figured his ceiling was a fourth starter for the Brewers. How valuable could that be? I soon found out; the guy who bought it from me on eBay (for about $65) got it graded and flipped the now-gem mint copy for about $400.

I pulled a third Brewers auto out of a jumbo box of 2015 Topps - and this one is still in my collection. 

Jason Rogers had about as much big league success as LaPorta. This card is absolutely available, if anyone wants to send me an equivalent Red Sox auto (Will Middlebrooks?)

 One last Brewers thing I wanted to share...

When I went to Cooperstown with my then-girlfriend we were about to leave town and running out of money. I spotted a Teddy Higuera Starting Lineup figure in a memorabilia store and planned to buy it - until she spotted a used Duran Duran cd and asked to borrow the $5 I would have spent on the Higuera. And it wasn't even a good Duran album, either. It was Big Thing, ffs.

My Atlanta post mistakenly included a couple modern Milwaukee Braves cards. Luckily I saved the vintage Braves for this post. The Braves were only in Milwaukee for 13 seasons, but they won back-to-back NL crowns including the 1957 World Series, defeating the Yankees in seven games.
 

Of course the Yanks had to get the last word, winning the rematch in 1958. 

I have eight Braves from the 1956 Topps set. Four of them are ungraded...

...and four of them are graded, including Ernie Johnson - father of broadcaster and NBA on TNT host Ernie Johnson.

And Frank Torre - brother of Hall of Fame manager Joe Torre.

This Warren Spahn was one of the two cards I bought after I sold the Aaron Judge auto.

My 1956 Topps set build (un)officially began with this card, as I noted in my second-ever post on this blog.

Ed/Eddie Mathews is the most recent addition to my 1956 set. eBay had a special May The Fourth coupon code - which I didn't see until I got home from my mother-in-law's that night. By the time I was able to use it the promo code was about to expire. With only a half hour to find something over $50 to buy - and a very slow internet connection stressing me out - I grabbed this card with one minute to spare. 

I don't have a Hank Aaron card from 1956...but I do have a vintage Aaron in my collection:

This 1962 Topps card was the one Aaron card I've always wanted (other than '55 and now '56.) I bought it on COMC after selling my Carlos Correa Heritage auto. 

It was a huge gamble for me, at a price of $82.73 it was the most I've ever paid for a non-graded vintage card. Any fears I had about finding a hidden flaw were put to rest when it arrived. I'm very happy with my purchase.

I could see myself becoming a Milwaukee Bucks fan. I like their slogan and their court layout. And they have a legit superstar in Giannis Antetokounmpo (plus my guy Delly.)

Unfortunately the only Giannis base card I have is part of my 2015-16 Donruss set. 

Last night I finished organizing all of my basketball cards - and I counted them in three categories: commons, star base cards, and inserts/parallels/decent RCs. These are all of the Bucks stars in my collection.

My best Bucks card is this Jack Sikma jersey/auto - which didn't even cost me two bucks. I was able to snatch it up on COMC for just $1.45 due to dings on the bottom corners.

One last Bucks note..I've sort-of started collecting 1988-89 Fleer because it was the first basketball set I remember. Now I can't recall if I bought one pack as a kid or eight, or if I picked the packs or my dad brought them home for me. But I am certain that Randy Breuer was in the first pack.

I don't have this card in my collection at the moment - but I'll get it back eventually.


Now let's get to the Scavenger Hunt!

As part of my Sports Card Tour giveaway contest draft thingy I'm awarding points for each comment on my posts. The more points you earn, the higher your draft position will be. 

I've thought of another way for you to earn points - if you are participating in the contest. (If you haven't signed up yet, leave a comment here confirming you want to play.)

Within these Sports Card Tour posts I've been sprinkling in some pop culture references. Some of them are very direct - like a picture of an actress I like. Others are more subtle.

This one doesn't count, sorry.

Your mission (should you choose to accept it) is to identify as many pop culture references as you can - and post your findings in the comments. Include the city/post name in your comment. For example, the Stan Ross card above would be Stan Ross card, Mr. 3000, Milwaukee 

I will award one draft point for every pop culture reference you find - but only to the first person who correctly identifies each specific reference. I may even award extra points for more obscure/difficult ones. This game will end in seven days. Happy hunting!


Favorite Brewers player (all-time) : Robin Yount
Favorite Brewers player (current) : None really, but I'm glad they added Yelich and Cain.

Favorite Bucks player (all-time) : Ray Allen
Favorite Bucks player (current) : Giannis

Next tour stop: Minneapolis-St. Paul


Thanks for reading!


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