Zack Greinke autographed minor league jersey

That's right, check out this bad boy:



First, I thought it was pretty great to have Greinke's
minor league Wichita Wranglers jersey. Sure, he wasn't
the only one to wear it, so it doesn't have his name on
it, but still, nice, right?



This weekend we were at the Royals FanFest in Kansas
City, and the youngest son was all too happy to wait in
the ponderously huge, snaking line of Greinke autograph
hounds waiting to see the latest Cy Young-er.



So, he had this signed in silver. What say you?

Pretty, yes?

the sweetest GI Joe I've ever seen!

First, he still talks.


Second, check out those knees--no cracks!!

If you haven't looked at about a million GI Joes, you
probably won't be impressed. I, however, was amazed.

Happy Thanksgiving!
:)trisha

1941 PLAY BALL Ted William

The Play Ball baseball cards were issued by Gum Inc.,
from 1939-1941. This is a 1941 Ted Williams--the 1941
set consisted of 72 cards, and were also the only year
Play Balls were printed in color.

The Ted Williams is one of the more expensive cards in the
set, along with Joe DiMaggio and the rookie Pee Wee Reese.

Any Play Ball cards are relatively rare, and if highly graded,

these cards can be pretty pricey.

1948 Leaf Joe DiMaggio

The 1948 Leaf set is simply beautiful. Clean design, vivid colors--

in fact, the first color set of the post World War II era. There are

98 baseball cards in the '48 Leaf set, but including the football and

boxing cards also issued, there are a total of 168 all together.

In addition to being such an attractive set, it's also one of the most

difficult to complete, as 49 of the 98 baseball cards are short prints.

(Short print--in reference to collectors' cards--simply means there

were fewer of those particular cards printed.)

Here is a 1948 Leaf Joe DiMaggio, who happens to be

card number one, and a fine example of the set's gorgeous colors.

DiMaggio was in his heyday at the time, and to this day holds his

record of 56 consecutive games with a hit, achieved in 1941. Other

significant cards in the 1948 Leaf set include Jackie Robinson, Stan

Musial, Phil Rizzuto (these cards are considered rookie cards), the ever

popular Satchel Paige card, as well as Ted Williams, Babe Ruth, and

even Honus Wagner.

If you are interested in seeing more 1948 Leaf cards, be sure to visit

Dan Austin's Virtual Card Collection for some great pics of the entire

baseball set.

T206 Ty Cobb and Walter Johnson

T206 cards were issued from 1909 through 1911 by the
American Tobacco Trust. With its white borders and
many back variations, this set is known among card
collectors as "The Monster." It is also one of the few card
sets recognized by those outside the hobby, due to the
large number of high dollar cards it contains (Honus
Wagner, anyone?)

Here is an example of the T206 Ty Cobb, who was an original
Hall of Fame inductee in 1936. (I'd recommend you go visit
it in our ebay store, however, Mr. Cobb has found a happy
home.) Ty Cobb held was the all time hit leader until Pete
Rose broke his record, not to mention a successful business
man.

Walter Johnson, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame
alongside Ty Cobb, was a pitcher for the Washington Senators
when his T206 card was issued.

You can find a gallery of T206 cards at The T206 Museum Gallery.

T205 Christy Mathewson

The T205 Gold Border set is considered by many collectors to be one of the most beautiful card sets ever issued. This set, issued in 1911 by the American Tobacco Company, uses vivid colors, attractive portraiture, plus an attractive (and, unfortunately, very condition sensitive) gold border.

Like the T201 Mecca Double Folders, also out in 1911, the T205s, or "Gold Borders," have player biographies and stats, setting a precedent for future sports cards. The Gold Borders depicted the American, National, and Minor leagues. American League cards have the player portrait surrounded by a baseball diamond. The National League cards, like the Christy Mathewson pictured, has one of the excellent portraits on a bright background, plus the first use of facsimile autographs ever on a sports card. There are twelve Minor League cards, which have more detailed borders, and the pictures are often "action shots" of the players.

Like most tobacco cards, the T 205 cards measure 1 1/2 by 2 5/8 inches. The Gold Borders were issued in eleven different brands of cigarettes, including Sweet Caporal, Hassan, Polar Bear, American Beauty, Cycle, Piedmont, Sovereign, Honest, Broadleaf, Hindu, and Drum. The T205's are subject to the chipping around the edges, making it difficult to find them at a very high grade--the Mathewson pictured here is PSA graded a 2--but they still remain a favorite among collectors, partly due to the number of early Hall of Famers included in the set.

If you'd like to see more 1911 Gold Borders, the T205 Gallery has a card set on display on-line.

1933 Goudey #127 Mel Ott

Here is a 1933 Goudey card of Hall of Fame player
Mel Ott (nice game face!) The 239 card set was issued
in Goudey bubble gum packs, each card measuring
2 3/8 by 2 7/8 inches.

Goudey was the first American company to issue baseball
cards with each stick of gum, though they had been available
with cigarettes and certain lines of candy for many years.

There are two series in the 1933 set, Mel being from
series two. The first series cards have a red band
across the bottom with the words "Big League
Chewing Gum." Interestingly, or oddly, enough, the
1938 set picked up in numbering where the 1933 set
left off.

Unfortunately, the 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth is a commonly
forged card: some estimate that over half of the 1933
Ruth Goudeys in circulation are counterfeits. There are
ways to spot the fakes, however.

If the 1933 you're looking at has a glossy finish on the front,
that's a bad sign--these cards should appear matte. Next,
check the text on the back of the card, looking at it under
magnification. If the printer's ink appears dotted rather than
solid, that's another sign of a reprint. Also, many cards have
been artificially aged, so don't let a few creases, a short dip in
a cup of tea, and some sandpapered edges fool you! I've
read that the 1933 Goudeys won't fluoresce under a black
light, but as most of us don't routinely carry one of those,
rely on your common sense when buying in person, and a
reputable grading company when buying on-line.