Vintage Mailday from Paul at Wrigley Wax

Before I share this brilliant mailday from Paul at Wrigley Wax. I have to mention that I finally, after thinking about all last year, bought a subscription to MLB Gameday audio. It will mainly be the 1.05pm (being 6.05pm in the UK) and 3.05pm (9.05pm) games that I will be able to listen to and the odd 7.05pm (12.05pm)on the weekends.
At present I am listening to the Red Sox v Bay Rays bottom of the 8th. The Sox are being outclassed by the Bay Rays 12-4. The commentator from 1250WIN Rays Network seems more obssessed about the Sunburnt Red Sox fans than the game. For me it is very interesting to listening to the radio advertisments.
Onto the package that arrived in the week and what a surprise it was. If you read his blog Wrigley Wax, Paul talks about coming back to collecting after a 15 year lay off. I sent him a pile of Cubs cards for trade. Paul sent a magnificent selection of Red Sox from every year from 1969 to 1975.
The cards sent from Sturgis Michigan were:
1969 Topps #3 RBI leaders Ken Harrelson
1969 Topps #21 Jose Santiago
1969 Topps #52 Mike Andrews
1969 Topps #89 Russ Gibson
1969 Topps #109 Jim Lonborg
1969 Topps #148 Lee Strange
1969 Topps #189 Red Sox Rookies
1969 Topps #215 Rico Petrocelli
1969 Topps #287 Jose Tartabull
1969 Topps #498 Juan Pizarro
1969 Topps #521 George Thomas
1970 Topps #104 Gerry Moses
1970 Topps #144 Ray Culp
1970 Topps #163 Syd O'Brien
1970 Topps #251 John Scholfield
1970 Topps #340 Tony Conigliaro
1970 Topps #489 Eddie Kasko
1971 Topps #31 Eddie Kasko
1971 Topps #89 Ken Brett
1971 Topps #114 Billy Conigliaro
1971 Topps #473 Gary Wagner
1971 Topps #678 George Thomas
1972 Topps #2 Ray Culp
1972 Topps #30 Rico Petrocelli
1972 Topps #144 Marty Pattin
1972 Topps #314 Luis Aparicio
1973 Topps #592 Lew Krausse
1973 Topps #40 Carl Smith
1973 Topps #69 Phil Garliano
1973 Topps #96 Doug Griffin
1973 Topps #131 Red Sox Leaders
1973 Topps #165 Luis Aparicio
1973 Topps #365 Rico Petrocelli
1973 Topps #491 Bob Montgomery
1973 Topps #541 Bobby Bolin
1974 Topps #33 Don Newhauser
1974 Topps #113 Dick Drago
1974 Topps #118 Bill Lee
1974 Topps #204 Stolen Base Leaders
1974 Topps #219 Doug Griffin
1974 Topps #301 Bob Montgomery
1974 Topps #331 All Star Catchers
1974 Topps #427 Bobby Bolin
1974 Topps #495 Dick McAuliffe
1974 Topps #523 Cecil Cooper
1974 Topps #590 Rogelio Moret
1974 Topps Traded #151 Diego Segui
1974 Topps Traded #175 Reggie Cleveland
1974 Topps Traded #330 Juan Marichal
1975 Topps #8 Rogelio Moret
1975 Topps #80 Carlton Fisk
1975 Topps #489 Cecil Cooper
1975 Topps Mini #22 David Cash Phillies
1976 Topps #365 Carlton Fisk
1976 Topps #550 Hank Aaron Brewers
1977 Topps #430 Fergie Jenkins
2008 Allen + Ginter #US37 Jacoby Ellsbury

My first ever Hank Aaron card. Thanks Paul for the huge lot of Vintage -sorry- 1960's and 1970's cards. Brilliant!

Trade with Steve from The Easy Life

Well just have a look at this impressive white Topps Co-signers cards that recently arrived on my doorstep. It came from Steve, a Mets fan, at The Easy Life. In the middle of a move and writing about the 'body count' on 24, we had time for a trade. Steve not only sent along this Jacoby Ellsbury loveliness but these as well:

1986 O-Pee-Chee #320 Jim Rice

1988 Topps #1 Roger Clemens

1988 Topps#614 Roger Clemens

1989 Topps #188 Dennis Lamp

1989 Topps Cap'n Crunch #18/22 Roger Clemens
1990 Topps #375 Dwight Evans
1990 Wonder Stars #2/20 Roger Clemens
1991 Donruss Diamond Kings#9 Roger Clemens
1991 Donruss #55 Wade Boggs
1991 Donruss #178 Wade Boggs
1991 Fleer #88 Tom Brunansky
1991 Fleer #90 Roger Clemens
1991 Score Superstar #5 Jeff Reardon
1991 Score Superstar #83 Ellis Burks
1991 Upper Deck #43 Mike Greenwell
1992 Topps #113 Mike Greenwell
1992 Topps #156 Manny Ramirez RC
1992 Upper Deck #252 Tony Pena
1992 Upper Deck #275 Mike Greenwell

1993 Donruss #44 Eric Wedge

1993 Fleer Ultra #154 Tony Pena

1993 Topps #187 John Dopson
1999 SP Top Prospects #98 Juan Pena
2007 Topps #116 Tim Wakefield
2007 Topps #142 Trot Nixon
2008 Allen + Ginter #US2 Curt Schilling
2008 Baseball Heroes #22 Manny Ramirez
2008 Baseball Heroes #29 Clay Buchholz
2008 Topps #OTG7 David Ortiz
2008 Topps #TCP19 Manny Ramirez
2008 Topps #122 Jason Varitek Gold 0156/2008
2008 Topps #174 Julian Tavarez gold
2008 Topps #550 Curt Schilling Gold 0902/2008
2008 Topps Heritage #RP12 Justin Masterson
2008 Topps Co-signers #1 Jacoby Ellsbury
2008 Topps Trading Card History #TCH3 Daisuke Matsuzaka
2008 Upper Deck #DW99 David Wells Game Jersey

Wow, great selection of cards Steve. Thank you. I love the oddball cards. Was Cap'n Crunch a breakfast cereal? What about Wonder Stars? Biscuits? Cheese?

Trade with Steven from wait 'til next year

In search of new blog material, I trawled through some baseball blogs to find trading partners. In the meantime an e-mail from Steven, a Cubs fan, about a possible trade involving my pursuit of 1980 Topps was very welcomed. That's how I found the ever optimistic blog wait 'til next year. Have a read of his fantastic blog about baseball in the 1960's and 1970's. An era when baseball card collecting was definitely simpler.
We negotiated a trade, you can find my side of the trade here and here.
The cards that arrived from Sarasota Florida were:
1968 Topps #460 Jim Lonborg
1975 Topps #622 Fred Lynn
1980 Topps #77 Dave Stieb Blue Jays
1980 Topps #270 Mike Schmidt Phillies
1987 Topps #121 Kevin Romine
1987 Topps #449 Pat Dodson
1988 Donruss #339 Mike Greenwell
1989 Score #623 Carlos Quintana
1991 Topps #70 Ellis Burks
1991 Topps #155 Dwight Evans
1992 Score #750 Mo Vaughn

Steven is a person who looked after his cards. The 1968 Jim Lonborg card looked as if it was printed yesterday. Thanks Steven. We will, I hope, trade again.

Trade with James from BDJ610

A big package arrived on Saturday from Des Plaines, Illinois. It was from James at bdj610 Topps Blog and it contained not only cards but 9 packs as well, Topps naturally. I will open the packs on the other side at Pursuit of Red Sox, however here are the cards James included:

1981 Topps #63 Steve Renko
1986 Fleer #346 Steve Crawford
1987 Topps #449 Pat Dodson
1987 Topps #452 Dave Henderson
1987 Topps #507 Dave Stapleton
1987 Topps #535 Tony Armas
1987 Topps #610 Jim Rice
1988 Donruss #14 Bruce Hurst
1988 Donruss #623 Edgardo Romero
1988 Topps #269 Ellis Burks
1988 Topps #377 Sam Horn
1988 Topps #573 Bob Stanley
1988 Topps #784 Joe Sambito
1989 Fleer #82 Oil Can Boyd
1989 Fleer #83 Ellis Burks
1989 Fleer #92 Dennis Lamp
1989 Fleer #97 Jim Rice
1989 Topps #2 Wade Boggs
1989 Topps #630 Mike Greenwell
1989 Topps #734 Jody Reed
1990 Bowman #21 Mike Boddicker
1990 Bowman #24 John Dopson
1990 Bowman #36 Ellis Burks
1990 Panini Stickers #24 Roger Clemens
1990 Topps #245 Roger Clemens
1991 Donruss #235 Ellis Burks
1991 Donruss #395 Roger Clemens
1991 Donruss #496 Scott Cooper
1991 Donruss #609 Tom Bolton
1991 Donruss #721 Jeff Edwards
1993 Topps #655 Scott Cooper
1994 Upper Deck CC #550 Roger Clemens
1994 Upper Deck CC #579 Otis Nixon
1994 Upper Deck CC #583 Jeff Russell
1998 Topps Opening Day #12 Mo Vaughn
1998 Topps Opening Day #162 Nomar Garciaparra
2000 Topps Traded #67 Shea Hillenbrand
2000 Topps Traded #174 Israel Alcantara
2001 Topps #271 Tim Wakefield
2001 Topps #471 Kevin Millar
2003 Topps #WSCF Carlton Fisk
2004 Topps Chrome #T60 Curt Schilling
2004 Topps Chrome #T156 Charlie Zink
2005 Topps Hot Button #76 Tim Wakefield
2005 Topps Hot Button #81 David Wells
2005 Topps Hot Button #85 Johnny Damon
2005 Topps Hot Button #89 David Ortiz
2005 Topps Hot Button #90 Manny Ramirez
2006 Allen+Ginter Dick Perez #4/30 David Ortiz
2006 Allen+Ginter #54 David Ortiz
2006 Allen+Ginter #113 Coco Crisp
2006 Allen+Ginter #229 Jonathan Papelbon
2006 Topps Opening Day #OD-RR Red Sox

2006 Topps Wal-Mart #2 Ted Williams

2006 Upper Deck #UD9 David Ortiz

2007 Topps #DS25 Ted Williams
2007 Topps #DS26 Winston Churchill

2007 Topps #HP14 Manny Ramirez
2007 Topps #OTG12 David Ortiz

2008 Allen+Ginter #10 Manny Ramirez

2008 Topps #AR110 Scott Hattenberg

2008 Topps #TCP19 Manny Ramirez

2008 Topps #TS15 David Ortiz

2008 Topps #WMDP14 Josh Beckett

2008 Topps #YR113 Jon Lester

2008 Topps Trading Card History #57 Mike Lowell

2008 Topps U&H #15 Kevin Cash 0668/2008

2008 Topps U&H #150 Jon Lester Gold

2008 Topps U&H#216 Jason Bay Gold

Time to take a breath and thank James for the huge load of Red Sox and the packs. Some cards that are new to me as well as some great inserts and numbered cards.

loved these 'Hot Button' cards and must find out more about them. Is it a game? James sent along 5 and I will be searching for more.

Trade with James from BDJ610

I like to keep a track of the packages that go out to different collectors. When I made the decision to trade away my cards, I don't know what I was getting into. Trying not to sound too pathetic - I felt a little isolated over here in the UK and for many years I think I was a lone collector of baseball cards, excluding expats who were here from the US because of a short stay company transfer or in the forces. I have met a few other card collectors along the way, usually ice hockey and basketball, many football (soccer) collectors. But still baseball collecting was unique. Then I found White Sox Cards and Thorzul will Rule !

I found a package sent to James way back in November on his interestingly named blog bdj610bbcblog. How did I miss it?
Here is the contents (link).

And yes besides the Red Sox, an unopened pack wouldn't go amiss.