Look out, it's contest time!

I'm closing in on a few milestones here, both on the blog and in my everyday life as well.

For one, I'm nearly done with my spring semester at college. I've got two finals tomorrow and one on Tuesday. Then summer vacation, here I come!

Also, I'm nearing the 20,000 views mark on the blog. I find it amazing that I've even gotten anywhere close to that.

But lastly, and most importantly, tomorrow will be the five-month anniversary of "Dime Boxes".

I've said it before, but I'll say it again. Starting a blog was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I've met tons of great collectors who have numerous different ways of attacking their respective collections. The generosity of the blogosphere has been amazing, as I've already made 24 trades with other bloggers and readers, many of whom went above and beyond any trade I'd ever experienced before.

I can't thank the great people in the blogosphere enough.

In honor of all these recent milestones, I'm going to hold a contest. It's my little way of giving back to a community which has already given me so much.

The prize is something I hope people will enjoy. The winner will receive a couple snap cases full of cards you might find from a "virtual dime box". I'll include cards of your favorite player(s) and/or team(s), but I'll also send you some cool, interesting, or simply funny cards that most collectors should like, such as the above Tony Kubek. There will also be a few "bargain" cards inside, representing the steals that can be found inside almost any dime box.

To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post saying, "I love dime boxes!", or something to that extent.

The deadline to enter will be this Tuesday at 5:00 central time. (At which time I will be all done with school.) I'll put everyone's names into a randomizer and randomize it niiiiiiiinnnnne times, in honor of one of my favorite scenes from "Ferris Bueller's Day Off".

I'll post the winner that night.

While I've learned a bit more in the two months since I made this post, my general message to the blogosphere hasn't changed.

Thank you.

A trip to the card shop, quarter style

Afternoons don't get much better than the one I experienced yesterday.

My dad and I usually grab lunch on the weekends, but he had a great suggestion for how we could spend the day.

"Why don't we go to the card shop?"

"Sounds great!", I said.

One of the few brick-and-mortar card shops that has survived the nationwide "shop plague" is a place called "Tim's Baseball Card Shop", about a half-hour bus ride from where I live, near the lake. (Lake Michigan, for you non-Chicagoans.)

Last year, his shop was featured on a Super Bowl commercial that promoted the support of small businesses.

It's a relatively small store, as most card shops seem to be nowadays. Most of the "glass case" cards are fairly overpriced, as are the Chicago-related items he has available. (But that's true for any Chicagoland card shop.)

The owner, Tim, has always been nice and accommodating every time my dad and I have gone there, so I try to go there every so often. If there's one business I want to support, it's a local card shop. My dad and I hadn't gone there in over a year before yesterday, so this trip was long overdue.

While the "glass case" cards may be overpriced, the shop has a fantastic selection of quarter boxes. And I can't resist quarter boxes, as many of you know.

Since I hadn't been there in a while, there was a nice chunk of new quarter cards to pick through.

As you'll soon see, the quarter boxes were a definite success.

Perhaps the best quarter card I found yesterday was the above Nolan Ryan card. A fantastic shot of the Astrodome roof hovering above the "Ryan Express".

Upper Deck was undoubtedly a step ahead with their card designs in the early '90s.

I feel like these should belong to an art museum instead of a quarter box.

The first of the many cards I dug through yesterday was a pile of 1993 Flair, a great set that is often overlooked due to the drab state the hobby was in at the time.

Plus, I love any card of Trevor Hoffman as a Marlin.

The shop had some other rarely-seen '90s cards, including these from the 1994 Donruss Elite set.

Jim Abbott is and always will be one of my favorite players. I get a rush every time I manage to nab a new card of his, more so than almost any other guy I can think of.

I was never much of a fan of the "Ring of Honor" inserts Topps issued a few years back, but I'll never be able to turn down new cards of Duke Snider or Lou Piniella.

Not bad for a quarter a piece.

I'm a huge fan of these, on the other hand.

I've always had an affection for any Donruss Champions set, although I'm not altogether sure why. The '05 Champions set is still the only product I've ever bought more than one box of. (I was big into game-used and autos then, and the boxes guaranteed eight per box. How could I resist?)

But Donruss Champions or not, I love any card of Reggie in a "Swingin' A's" uniform.

Nothing says "quality control issues" quite like Topps Chrome.

I found a handful of 2009 Topps Chrome refractors inside the shop's quarter box, all of which had some ink blot-like marks on them. (You can see the marks on the right of the Lincecum, and on either side of the Fielder.)

I'm guessing the owner got a condition-marred box of Topps Chrome and just threw them in the quarter box, hoping for someone to come along and take them.

That's where I come in.

Since I collect both Lincecum and Fielder, I bought them. The blots make them "unique", at least from my standpoint.

I found a big stack of the "This Day in History" inserts from 2010 A&G inside one of the quarter boxes.

A great insert set, in my opinion, since I'm a fan of American history as well. (If you consider "The Heidi Game" a piece of history.)

I feel that I have a pretty good photographic memory, at least when it comes to baseball cards. Freakishly good, if you ask my parents.

It's all the better when it comes to dime and quarter boxes, as I can remember which cards I have and don't have out of thousands upon thousands of cards in my collection. (Although I still come back with a few doubles at every card show.)

For some reason, I had a hard time remembering which ones I had and didn't have out of these inserts. I ended up with seven or eight doubles out of the cards I brought home. (More trade bait, I guess.)

Thankfully, the Braun wasn't one of them.

I've been back in the baseball card hobby for about seven years now, but I still come across cards I've never seen before all the time.

Case in point, the above Todd Hollandsworth card, a surprisingly awesome "New Age" insert from the 1995 Summit set. How have these managed to slip through the cracks?

This was easily one of yesterday's best quarter box finds.

Thanks to his appearances on "Seinfeld", I've been looking to pick up a few more Danny Tartabull cards lately.

I can't imagine he has a greater card than the above "Spirit of the Game" insert. Perhaps even better than the catch itself are Tartabull's multiple shadows on the wall behind him. It almost looks like something out of a horror movie.

Even the back of the card...

...is better than most card fronts I've seen.

A great end to some great quarter boxes.

The owner even threw in a free hobby pack of 2007 Topps with the purchase, from which I pulled...

Drumroll please...

Gotcha! A Chris Shelton base card.

However, you might remember that I collect Mr. Shelton, and I somehow didn't already own this card. So while the pack consisted of cards of the likes of Randy Johnson, Johan Santana, and Mike Mussina, the Shelton was my favorite from the 10 cards I pulled.

I guess that kind of defines my collection as a whole.

As I mentioned before, the "glass case" cards at the shop are a bit overpriced.

However, the owner has always been great to me and my dad anytime we stop in, which is thankfully different from a lot of the card shop horror stories I've heard over the years.

This is a card shop I want to support.

So I picked out a few of the reasonably overpriced cards (if that makes any sense), anything I could do to help.

The above '59 Topps Nellie Fox was ten bucks. Sure, a bit overpriced.

But truthfully, you probably won't find this card a whole lot cheaper in my area, since it's a Chicago-themed card.

A very welcome addition to my collection.

This is actually the first card I own from the 1970 Kellogg's set.

Perhaps a bit of a pricey buy at six bucks, but it's worth that in awesomeness to me. The Marichal was my favorite pickup of the day.

Anything I can do to help support a great card shop.

But the biggest surprise of the day was that my dad picked up the tab for all of yesterday's finds. He originally said he'd get the Fox and Marichal cards for me, but he ended up paying for all the quarter cards, which I was more than willing to pay for out of my own money. Thanks, Dad!

After all that, we still had a fantastic lunch together.

A cheeseburger, cheese fries, a bag of baseball cards, and some quality time with my dad were all the ingredients I needed for a perfect afternoon.

I'm a geek

It's funny how things work out sometimes.

I'm glad to see that my "Why We Write" post was well-received by the blogging community. Mr. Night Owl himself even did a post that elaborated on the topic a whole lot more. His post made me think about other reasons why I blog, besides the cards. In a cyclical manner, I guess my post did the same for him, in a way.

Robert, author of "$30 A Week Habit" (easily one of my favorite blogs), also addressed the topic of why he writes in a recent post, accompanied with a fantastic story involving his co-workers and baseball cards.

In one of the last sentences of Robert's post, he writes, "Because I'm a geek, and I'm damn proud of it", an answer to why he collects and blogs so fervently.

That sentence actually inspired me a bit, and brought about the idea for this post. (It also made me want to watch "Revenge of the Nerds" again, although I'm not sure if Robert meant to quote from that movie or not.)

There's that cyclical thing again.

I realize that I have a lot to learn in life. While I know there's a lot more waiting for me outside of school, playing basketball with some friends on a summer day, and collecting baseball cards, I'm intrigued, yet a little worried, about what exactly that might encompass.

However, one of the few truths I have learned is something I've been fascinated by ever since I first realized it. While I've never been embarrassed by my obsession over baseball cards, it's made me feel better about this sometimes-quirky hobby at times.

It is my firm belief that everyone is a "geek", one way or another.

The "geek" in me comes from baseball cards. (Although you could make a case for music being an equally "geeky" realm of my life...but that's for another post.)

I'm sure most of us know that the above Boog Powell comes from the 1975 set. It's pretty much an automatic thought once you see that famous design.

From that one card, I can also tell anyone who wants to listen that the 660-card 1975 set begins and ends with Hank Aaron, once as a Brave, and once as a Brewer. "Boog" Powell's actual first name is John, and this is his final card as an Oriole. His final card comes from the 1977 Topps set, by which time he was a Cleveland Indian.

All that from one, simple card.

Sure, if anyone asks, I'd be happy to tell them even more about it. But no one ever asks.

I guess that's what a being a "geek" means. Knowing way too much about a subject no one would ever inquire about.

I've mentioned before how glad I was to learn that my group of friends actually play a card game. They know what it means to collect. They were rattling off terms and phrases that sounded foreign to me, phrases that probably wouldn't serve much of a purpose anywhere else.

So I guess they're "geeks", too.

I've hung out with people that couldn't stop talking about cars. We'd be driving down the street, and they'd instantly be able to say, "Hey, see that car over there? That's a 1982 Honda 5000 Hatchback with rear wheel driving. Nice car." (Disclaimer: I know absolutely nothing about cars, as you can probably tell.)

At the same time, I'm thinking, "How the heck do they know that?" But then I realize that they'd probably be wondering the same thing if I went sputtering off about baseball cards.

Yes, even you car people are "geeks".

As you can probably tell by now, I don't think of the word "geek" in its traditional negative way.

If you're not a "geek", then you probably don't have any hobbies or interests. And that's no way to go through life, son. 

The possibilities are endless. I know people who are movie "geeks". I've met math "geeks". I myself hope to be a psychology "geek" one day. 

For now, I'll settle for being a baseball card "geek", and I sure am proud of it. Step right up if you'd like to learn more about Boog Powell.

I'm planning something special on the blog in honor of our collective "geekdom" (and the fact that my summer vacation is almost here), so stay tuned. 

In the meantime, take solace in the fact that we're all "geeks".

It's a good thing.

Brother, can you spare a few hundred grand?

Last night, I found out that Dmitri Young is selling his baseball card collection.

It's a collection that features "Gem Mint 10" graded rookies of the likes of Al Kaline, Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente, and many others. (He even has a copy of the '52 Topps Hoyt Wilhelm rookie I so desperately want to own one day.)

If I was a multi-millionare that collected baseball cards, this would be the type of collection I'd chase. I could care less about the whole "grading" aspect of the hobby, but it would be cool to own the only "Gem Mint 10" copy of Clemente's rookie card in the world(as the one in Young's collection is).

The article was a great read, but two things grabbed my attention. One positive, one negative.

I guess we'll start with the positive, specifically the story of how Young's massive collection got started. Apparently, he and then-Reds relief pitcher Danny Graves were a couple of the autograph guests at a card show. Young got taken in by the entire card atmosphere, and the guy that ran the show happened to have a graded Pete Rose rookie card for sale. (It was graded an 8, if anyone cares.)

He took the Rose rookie in lieu of his promised $2,000 payment for the day. It's one of the better "hobby entry" stories I've ever heard.

Now for the negative, an issue which has really bothered me ever since I read this book. (A must-read for any card collector.)

I'll quote straight from the article:

"Willie Horton, former Tigers star outfielder and longtime special assistant to the team's owner, had taken Young under his wing. So when Horton's [rookie] PSA 9 card popped up on Ebay for $400, buying it was a no-brainer. Young sent it to PSA three times, asking that they bump it up to a 10. The third time they did."


Please tell me I'm not the only one who sees the contradiction here.

Did the card somehow magically change in condition the third time it was sent in to PSA? If not, then I have to assume they made two mistakes in a row, or that someone "doctored" the card. It's a double-edged sword.

In terms of the hobby, I guess I am a "purist". I get the biggest kick out of vintage and simple base cards, for the most part. While I enjoy a good game-used or autograph card here and there, I've pretty much gotten my fill of them by now.

I have received a couple graded cards in my collecting career, and I've cracked them all open and put the cards in my binders along with all the others. When I was younger, I got one of those 100-card repack things that came with a "Gem Mint 10" graded card. (The card was actually a great pickup, and I still own it to this day.)

I had a friend run over the PSA case with his bike, because I just couldn't pry the darn thing open. It worked, and the card came out fine. (True story.)

That just about sums up my feelings toward that part of the hobby.

But all that aside, I'm glad to see baseball cards back in the news for a brief period of time. Dmitri Young always seemed like one of the good guys, even if he fell into a bit of trouble near the end of his Tigers days.

Plus, the money will go towards a children's foundation and will help build a few baseball schools.

On that note, does anyone have some extra money I could borrow?

I only need a few hundred thousand bucks.

Dime Box Heroes: Condition tolerant

2006 Greats of the Game "Decade Greats" #DEC-RC Roberto Clemente

I realize that I may be a bit more lenient than most other collectors in terms of condition.

Heck, just look at these. Or these. Or maybe even a couple of these.

While I may take it to the extreme with my "condition threshold", I've found that a card doesn't have to look like it's been through three fires and a hurricane in order for you to get a good deal on it.

Take the above Roberto Clemente card, for example.

On a quick side note, the Clemente comes from the 2006 Greats of the Game set. Or as I like to call it, the set that made me realize buying singles is a better option than boxes most of the time. At a card show from my youth, my dad said he'd treat to either a box of cards, or just give me extra cash for individual cards.

In one of the worst card-related decisions of my life, I chose the box of 2006 GOTG. I think the big hit from it was a Dusty Baker autograph or something.

A similar situation presented itself at a recent card show. I made the right choice this time around, needless to say.

Anyways, back to the Clemente card, which I nabbed from one of the first card shows I can remember going to.

I was just starting to realize the greatness of dime boxes when I came across this particular card. You could tell that the dealer had gone through this particular box beforehand. While I did find some great cards, they were more of guys like Alan Embree, the more obscure guys I collect. 

It made it all the more shocking to find a Roberto Clemente card inside.

Best I can tell, the only reason the card was marked down so low is because of a slight bend in the top-right corner. 

It's so small that it doesn't even show up in the scan. 

I understand why people might not want cards that look like this. But a card doesn't have to be creased, written on, or hole-punched for dealers to deem them unworthy.

The slightest bit of tolerance can pay huge dividends in this hobby.

Why we write

Maybe it's just me.

I've noticed a slight dip in readership and commenting in the last couple weeks or so. I don't know whether the entire blogosphere has hit a lull, or if it's just my blog. I admit, my desire to blog has slightly dipped in the last few days due to the fact that finals week is almost here.

But finals or not, I can't resist churning out a post or two each day. At the least, it helps me relax.

But like I said, maybe it's just me.

It always disappoints me a little bit to not get a comment or two on my posts. I put a good deal of time into each one, and I try to make them relatable. But it's nothing major. After all, it would take a lot more than that to stop me from blogging.

I'm sure we all like to get comments on our posts. Our blogs don't revolve around them, but they sure are fun to read. I love checking my email and seeing that I have a new comment waiting for me on one of my posts.

Anyways, after noticing I've been on a bit of a cold streak with comments on my posts, I asked myself a question that I'm sure we've all asked ourselves at one point or another.

Why do we write? I mean, blogging isn't a biological need or anything.

While it may not be a physical necessity, I've found that I really do need to blog on at least a semi-regular basis. It's become an emotional need, something to do with my free time besides sitting on the couch and going through the channels for the fiftieth time. (On a quick side note, I've found that it also helps polish my writing skills, since I didn't take an English class this semester for the first time in my school career. Another great, yet unexpected, benefit of blogging.)

It would pain me to be without blogging for more than a few days or so, a week at the most. I'm sure a lot of other bloggers feel the same way.

We all have our specific reasons for blogging on a fairly regular basis.

For one thing, I love sharing the "hidden gems" that make dime boxes so great. I love sharing the history behind each card I post, whether it's the history of how I obtained it, or simply the history of the player featured on the card. I love looking at baseball cards at a slightly different perspective than I did before, which is what blogging has forced me to do.

Just think, that Steve Kline card could have been lost forever within the dime box depths. But luckily I found it and gave it a good home. Now, it's across the entire internet for everyone to see.

It beats having it sit in some guy's garage for who knows how long.

A lot of our motivation to blog seems so different. But yet, the basis for all our blogs is the same.

We all love baseball cards. (Or football, basketball, or hockey cards, if that's your thing.)

We still get a kick out of those simple-looking rectangular pieces of cardboard. I'm sure some of the bloggers out there have collected for twice as long as I've been collecting. Yet we all still love the hobby through the good and bad, no matter where it takes us.

That's why we write.

Zero-Year Cards, Part 30

2002 Fleer Tradition Update #U268 Bud Smith (Phillies)

This is the second time I've mentioned Bud Smith on this blog.

That's got to be some sort of record.

Smith is one of the more obscure guys I collect. For a while, though, he was anything but. 

On September 3, 2001, he tossed a no-hitter against the San Diego Padres. I have to believe that it was one of the more unlikely no-nos in baseball history, given the fact that Smith was a "Quadruple A" player for the Cardinals that season, constantly going back and forth between the minors and majors that year.

While I don't actually remember the day that Smith threw the no-hitter (I was only nine), I have to believe that Smith became a sensation around the baseball world afterwards. It's like that any time a no-hitter occurs, especially when a rookie tosses one. 

No-hitter aside, Smith had a pretty good season in '01, going 6-3 with a 3.83 ERA, good for fourth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting.

That's where the fairy tale ends.

After the last time I mentioned Bud Smith, I did a little research on him. I don't know that a career has ever had a quicker and painful downturn in baseball history.

Smith began to have labrum problems after the '01 season. He went just 1-5 with an awful 6.94 ERA in 10 starts in 2002. He'd make his final appearance with the Cardinals on July 19 of that year, in a start against the Pirates.

It would be the last time he'd pitch in the majors, less than a year after he shocked the baseball world.

He was dealt to the Phillies in July of '02 in the deal that brought Scott Rolen to St. Louis. He toiled in the Phillies' and Twins' minor league systems during the next few years without reaching the majors, hence his "zero-year" card above.

Smith retired in 2007, after playing a couple years with an independent league team.

Guys like Bud Smith who had that one brief moment of glory interest me much more than a Derek Jeter or Albert Pujols sometimes. We hear names like Roy Halladay or Matt Kemp on an everyday basis, which is fine. Players with that kind of talent deserve to be recognized.

But let's not forget the likes of Bobo Holloman or Juan Nieves. They'll always have their place in the baseball record books. They had that one great moment of glory that their grandkids will hear about, or have probably already heard about, in the case of Holloman.

Let's not forget about guys like Bud Smith.