Cards That Never Were By Tim D

I suppose myself and a handful of other bloggers have inspired others to make their own interpretations of missing or neglected cards. I, for one, think this turn of events is awesome! It just goes to show that you can't keep a good person down, if they want to see something badly enough.

The following cards were submitted to me by "Tim D". The first pair that showed up in my e-mail inbox showcased a grievous error by Topps. Rusty Staub did not appear in the 1972 Topps set.

Rusty, known as "Le Grand Orange" in Canada, was even denied an O-Pee-Chee card in 1972. I'm unsure as to why he was left out. He had played injured plenty of times and spent most of July and all of August 1972 out with a hand injury. Perhaps Topps felt that he would not make it back before the end of the season. Another theory may involve an unsigned contract for the 1972 season. These are all just speculation though.

Now, thanks to Tim D, we can see what those Rusty Staub cards might have looked like.
Rusty was traded from the Montreal Expos to the New York Mets on April 5, 1972, so Tim D included a regular issue Expos card and a Traded Mets card.

The next card isn't technically missing from Topps 1976 set, but an updated card was made.
Willie Randolph was featured on a four way rookie card in the regular set and had a Traded card in a Yankees uniform in 1976. This awesome update gives Willie a standalone card with a great smile included at no extra charge.

Thanks Tim D! You do great work!

RIP Sparky

The first manager to win the World Series in both leagues.

WSC Birth Years: Juan Uribe

Card #76 - Juan Uribe

Born: July 22, 1979

When Juan is in the lineup, good things usually happen. That's why Ozzie Guillen would find any way to get Uribe in the game. During his five seasons with the White Sox, Juan played at shortstop, second base, third base and designated hitter.

Although his average rarely reflected it, Uribe excelled in clutch hitting and power. He also provided above average defense when it counted. Juan's leap into the stands in the ninth inning of the fourth game of the 2005 World Series stands as one of many career highlights. With reckless abandonment, he helped preserve the one run lead in that game by snagging Chris Burke's foul ball in the seats, which brought the final out to the plate for the Astros.

Ten More Cards Checked Off The Want List

I think I may have found someone with a loftier White Sox goal than mine. Ted of the White Sox Autograph Projects has a goal of getting autographs of every White Sox player since 1959!

The scary thing is that Ted is pretty close to accomplishing that goal!

Out of the kindness of his heart, he offered me some cards from my want list, with no expectations of anything in return. I'll be keeping an eye out for autographs from his want list. It may take a long time, but I'm sure I'll eventually run into something on Ted's want list.

The project that I'm most looking forward to seeing completion is the 2005 Topps Commemorative World Series set. Fifty-five cards of the World Champions, with two already signed.

Ted's package arrived over the busy Halloween weekend. From the murky depths of the bubble mailer came ten cards, mostly vintage. All are appreciated!

Most of the cards came from the sixties, which I'm slowly getting completed. One from the fifties, one from the seventies and two from the eighties, which leaves only Richard Dotson to finish the 1983 Topps set.
Thanks, Ted! These cards are all great! I can't express how happy I am with your awesome selections!

Mailbox Joys: One Cent Sale

1988 Grenada Stamp - Harold Baines

You think you can't get much for one cent? Try oddball items on eBay! For one red cent, plus a low shipping cost, I found myself to be the winner of an unusual stamp of Harold Baines.

I'm not certain of the history behind the stamp, but as a White Sox collector and a Harold Baines collector, this was a no-brainer. All I'm sure of is that this was issued on November 28, 1988 from the island of Grenada as part of a set of Major League players past and present.

This is especially a treat, since one would have to be deceased a minimum of ten years to get a stamp in the United States, except for deceased U.S. presidents, who only have to wait one year. I'm still waiting on a John Belushi U.S. stamp. C'mon Rich Roeper, let's revive your B.L.U.E.S. campaign.

Anyway, I'm glad I was able to find such a unique item, that spans multiple collections, for such a low price.

Ozzie Speaks

Ozzie's blog

WARNING: May cause sensory overload with prolonged use.

Baseball Insights

This past weekend stretched my limits. It seemed that I was off to a million bars and parties over the weekend. In reality it was only a few, but it felt like I was being whipped around like a ping pong ball.

Unique highlights included a late night hayride through the Orland area (which was FREEZING!), watching a costume contest at a bar where my friend was having his birthday party and seeing someone dressed up as an oversized Gameboy with an actual working Super Mario Bros. game in the front of the costume at another bar. Everyone was as mesmerized by playing the game as when it first came out.

Yeah, it was a pretty busy weekend. I even did candy duty for the majority of the afternoon on Halloween, with Rocky Horror playing on the television, in the background. We gave out over 300 pieces of candy and still ran out early. It's not exactly fair when half the kids aren't from the neighborhood. So, that's my excuse for not posting over the weekend. I have no excuse for the other times that happened recently.

On Friday, a package arrived from Phil. It was filled with White Sox goodies! It felt like an early Halloween present!
A boat load of oddballs and cards from my want list poured out of the package. Seventies food issues, stamps, stickers, parallels vintage tiptons and TCMA goodness were all included.

Thanks, Phil! These were much appreciated! I will be working on a return package for you shortly.

Card Spotlight: 10-29-10

2005 Topps World Series Champions #8 - Aaron Rowand

As the Giants move to a two game advantage in the World Series, I am reminded of the last time the World Series visited Chicago. It was a long time ago. Way back in 2005. Players like Juan Uribe and Aaron Rowand provided thrills to the postseason.

Wait. That describes 2010 as well. Last night, Aaron Rowand delivered a two-run triple. Not bad for someone who was not in the starting lineup. This postseason has been deja vu for me and I'm sure some of the players too. This feels too much like the White Sox run, with former Sox players excelling in the spotlight.

It may not end up like the 2005 World Series, but it has captured my interest. I know many fans of the Phillies and the Yankees, but with all due respect, it's been so much more entertaining with two new teams as participants. I'm very much looking forward to seeing the first Rangers home game in the World Series. There are only two current teams that have never participated in the World Series, in any form. Eventually, they will make it too.

A History Lesson For Baseball Reference

I tried to go through the proper channels, but I'm afraid that has ultimately failed, so as a last resort, I'm just going public with this information.

This is Roy Schalk's baseball reference page. He is not Ray Schalk, even though the picture shown is actually of Ray Schalk. To my knowledge, these two players aren't even related. Ray Schalk was a Hall of Fame catcher who played from 1912 until 1929. The first seventeen of those years were with the White Sox. The last year was spent with the New York Giants.

Roy Schalk played with the New York Yankees in 1932. His next shot at the majors came with the White Sox in 1944 and 1945. Roy Schalk was a second baseman and occasional shortstop.

This 1936 card of Roy Schalk is an error. You can even see (Ray) listed under Roy's name in the PSA description. The card was actually supposed to be Ray Schalk, but was misspelled "Roy". Therein lies decades of confusion.

Below is an actual picture of Roy Schalk, with the White Sox in either 1944 or 1945. These two players could not look any different.

I e-mailed baseball-reference.com and got a basic reply saying that it would be looked into. Nothing has happened in several months, so I took it upon myself to point out the correction. It may not mean much to the average visitor to the site, but that doesn't mean that it should go uncorrected. Every player deserves the same type of treatment, whether he played one game or thousands.

If it seems like I'm stepping on toes, I'm not trying to. I'm a stickler for detail when it comes to baseball related items. I would expect that website would be the epitome of stickler-ish detail.

Now you know. And yes, knowing is half the battle.

WSC Birth Years: Nick Swisher

Card # 75 - Nick Swisher

Born: November 25, 1980

Nick started off his only season with the White Sox in grand style. He provided offense when the rest of the team was struggling and brought much needed comic relief after a less than stellar team start.

Swisher's antics wore thin quickly and he soon found himself in Ozzie Guillen's doghouse. Although never identified on the record, Nick has been rumored to be the instigator behind an infamous prank involving blow up dolls and bats. This, coupled with his slump shortly after, made some question his integrity. His reaction to less starting time after his offense disappeared caused disdain among his teammates and fans alike. Instead of supporting his team on the bench, Swisher decided to pout and withdraw. Nick's 2008 season can only be described as memorably substandard with a career worst .219 average.

One Big Happy

It's Been Five Years Already?

Happy fifth anniversary 2005 World Champion Chicago White Sox!

It's been five years, yet some things remain the same. Juan Uribe and Aaron Rowand will be celebrating by preparing for the start of the 2010 World Series.

The fifth anniversary gift is wood. How about some potent bats during the offseason?

Card Spotlight: 10-22-10

1991 Toys R Us #25 - Scott Radinsky

I'm not really in a writing mood today, so we'll get the short-short version. Do you? Do you? Good. You're married. Kiss her.

Wait. Wrong thing. Druish princess I knew once finally got married that way. The less said the better. After the honeymoon things got too animated and childish.

Speaking of childish things, does anyone remember when Toys R Us actually made and distributed their own cards? No? Well, there just happens to be ancient evidence of a family of giraffes, named Geoffrey, Gigi, Baby Gee and Junior, making and distributing cards of MLB players for years before the ASPCA came in and discovered that the giraffes were luring small children into stores specifically to add specimens to a "People Zoo" by tantalizing them with shiny objects and promises of MLB rookies. The children were saved, but most could not be fully rehabilitated. Those who could not be given a full recovery work in a comatose state, making duvet covers for the Martha Stewart Collection at the princely sum of two dollars a cover.

Scott Radinsky is shown on his card rocking out to please the giraffe overlords. In reality, he was sending coded messages to the Coast Guard, who relayed the information to a mute ninja, who had an "in" with a Cajun man that had a penchant for wearing unbuttoned baby blue vests without an undershirt. This mustachioed ragin' Cajun gave this information to a wannabe rapper from Biloxi, who in turn translated the code into a recipe and gave it to his uncle, who is in the restaurant game. This uncle made meals that were picked up by unruly types with cycles and ray guns, who delivered the meals to twin brothers that owned the giraffes favorite hangout. A low level employee then served the specially prepared meals to the family of giraffes. Three of the four giraffes died from the deadly meal. The fourth, Geoffrey, hid underground after the attack. His plans for a human zoo were foiled, but the danger still persists.

Scott Radinsky was an unsung hero. The world was saved from takeover by psychologically disturbed ruminants. Baseball card production by Toys R Us was halted after the incident. But we still have these artifacts to preserve the memory and serve as a reminder not to entrust the sanctity of corporate logos to animals.

A Birthday Gift To Myself

All vintage cards won at auction for under a dollar each. All filled a hole in my collection.

Happy birthday to me!

WSC Birth Years: Toby Hall

Card #74 - Toby Hall

Born: October 21, 1975

Toby played for the White Sox in the 2007 and 2008 seasons. Hall played in the reserve catcher role behind A.J. Pierzynski. A dislocated right shoulder, suffered while playing first base during Spring Training in 2007, contributed to his under par performances with the ChiSox.

Even with the injury, the pitching staff, with Toby behind the plate, compiles a 3.68 ERA. He also sported a .377 batting average against left-handers in his limited role. There was speculation that Hall could have been brought back for the 2009 season, but the White Sox picked up Corky Miller as a backup catcher instead.