cold in Dixie...time to sort some baseball cards

[GADawg]

no golf this weekend so today it was time to put the 1973 topps set into a binder so that I can look at them now and again.

I'm not much of a reader so I have to rely on occasions like these to learn....

-ever notice how many players from the 60's and 70's became managers? Bob Boone, Davey Lopes(eventually), Peter Edward, Hal McRae, the Dusty, Davey Johnson, Doug Rader, Bob Watson, all the Alou's, Larry Dierker, Bill Russell, Cito, Jim Fregosi, Bowa, Torre, Don Baylor, Johnny Oates, Buddy Bell, Bobby V., Mr. Frank Robinson, Torborg, sweet Lou, etc..etc..and countless coaches(Dave Duncan, Gullett, etc..etc..)and announcers(steve stone(barely), Soup Campbell, little Joe, etc..etc.. I just mention this because I'm wondering in the upcoming years how many of our stars that have made a ton we'll see actually go on to be coaches

-1972 Billy Williams was an awesome billy Williams....if not for Johnny Bench(and 1 less dinger from Nate Colbert)'ole Billy would've had a triple crown....his numbers that year .333, 37, 122 would've won the triple crown in the AL

-interesting looking through the teams that while the yankees had some big names for the most part it was a pretty unimpressive list of people that you might remember....unless of course you're related to the immortal John Callison or Fred Beene

-Steve Garvey came up as a 3rd basemen?? Rennie Stennett played LF?

-the '73 set had the cards that listed the all-time leaders and it's funny to look lists like that and not see Pete anywhere on the all-time hits list or Nolan Ryan on the strikeout list

-Zimmer was the manager of Padres? didn't remember that one and of course Yogi switched allegiances for a spell and oh yeah Billy Martin was in Motown

-Gary Nolan had an ERA under 2.00 for '72 and there were 4 pitchers who did that season

yep I'm that bored....maybe I'll do 1976 next

-

[Tony Cloninger]

I miss having those cards. Had tons from 1974-1979. Sold them in 1985 for about $700. Kept some from 1969-192...mainly Reds, if not all.


Collected football ones too from 1972-1982 but never understood why they did not show the logo on the helmet....which to me...cheapened the card.

[cumberlandreds]

That is a great set. 1971 is my favorite. I have all the 1970's sets complete except for the 1970 Nolan Ryan card. Just can't afford that one. Even in bad shape it's pretty expensive.
Steve Garvey did come up as a 3rd baseman. The Dodgers had Wes Parker well entrenched at 1st base at the time. Garvey didn't become a full time 1st baseman until 1974,IIRC. Rennie Stennet played everywhere it seems at first. Then finally settled in at 2nd base. Didn't he had some sort of really bad injury that derailed his career?
Zimmer managed or coached just about everywhere in his career. The Reds were probably one of the few places he didn't do either.
If you look at the back of Johnny Callison's card you will find he was a pretty good player in the 60's for the Phillies and then the Cubs. As for Fred Beene,he just should just feel lucky to have ever been on a baseball card. :)

[westofyou]

Zimmer managed or coached just about everywhere in his career. The Reds were probably one of the few places he didn't do either.:)

Zimm did manage a Reds affiliate in the 60's though.

[BuckeyeRedleg]

That is a great set. 1971 is my favorite. I have all the 1970's sets complete except for the 1970 Nolan Ryan card. Just can't afford that one. Even in bad shape it's pretty expensive.

Here's one on Ebay going for $11 with a day left. Creased, but maybe a nice filler for that set (until you can upgrade someday).

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-YORK-METS-NOLAN-RYAN_W0QQitemZ140372206068QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Ba seball?hash=item20aed5e1f4

I'm probably half-way from completing 70-77 (in really good condition). I'd love to finish these sets with my boys someday when they get older. I have 1978 and 1979 and the last I checked, my '78 set is ranked in the top 25 on the PSA registry.

[redsmetz]

Just a quick correction. Buddy Bell didn't play in the 60's. He graduated from Moeller in the Class of 1969. Well, OK, he started at Rookie Ball in the summer of 1969, but you know what I mean.

[RedlegNation]

1973...great set.

A couple of years ago, I started a project with my kids to get every Red from every Topps regular issue set of my lifetime. 1973 was the first.

We are up to date, but the kids have a blast opening packs every year and trying to get Reds. Fun stuff.

[Topcat]

Just want to add I freakin love these threads on baseball cards. I sold my collection off and although they sat never looked at i always smile whenever i see pictures of players even the John Lowenstein's of the game.

[redsfandan]

Zimmer managed or coached just about everywhere in his career. The Reds were probably one of the few places he didn't do either.

Zimm did manage a Reds affiliate in the 60's though.
He also was the qb for Western Hills in the late 40's. (I know that's completely unrelated to baseball but what the heck)

[cumberlandreds]

Here's one on Ebay going for $11 with a day left. Creased, but maybe a nice filler for that set (until you can upgrade someday).

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-YORK-METS-NOLAN-RYAN_W0QQitemZ140372206068QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Ba seball?hash=item20aed5e1f4

I'm probably half-way from completing 70-77 (in really good condition). I'd love to finish these sets with my boys someday when they get older. I have 1978 and 1979 and the last I checked, my '78 set is ranked in the top 25 on the PSA registry.

Thanks! I bid on it but was outbid. Someone probably has a pretty high bid set.

[GADawg]

Just want to add I freakin love these threads on baseball cards. I sold my collection off and although they sat never looked at i always smile whenever i see pictures of players even the John Lowenstein's of the game.

isn't it funny that if you spent enough time looking at these cards growing up that even the most obscure players become etched in your minds eye....funny I was sorting through the '76 set last night(yes I'm still a little bored) and came across that Kurt Bevacqua bubble blowing contest card...always one of my favorites growing up

[bucksfan]

1973 was my first real year of "collecting" as well so I too have a particular fondness for this set. I remember my 1st Red to get in a pack was Joe Hague. I never got the '73 Rose or Bench cards from the packs. I remember thinking that getting them in a pack would be an almost unimaginable stroke of good luck! But I do remember getting Davey, Doggie, et al... I remember those larger cellophane packs where you could actually see who was on the top & bottom of the pack and going thru' tons of them at the store to try to get someone good. It seemed there was never a Red on the top or bottom of the stack!