Trade with Martyn from Abitary Crap

I love the 1940 and 1941 PLAY BALL sets. If not just for the fact that it reminds me of 'The Natural', but also for the names of the players on the cards. Names like Blimp, Duke, Buck, Indian Bob, Gunboat Harry, Hot Potato, Vandy, Happy, Bronk, The Horse, Moe, Soupy and my favourite Stormy Weatherly. These are the names on the cards, not the back, right there on the front. One has to wonder how a player gets the nickname 'Hot Potato'. Hmmm.
The reprint above of 'Joe' Cronin, who spent a semi-glorious 11years with the Red Sox from 1935 to 1945, came in a nice stack of cards from Martyn at the brilliantly named blog Arbitary Crap.
Martyn is a fellow UK dweller adds to the growing band of UK baseball bloggers.
What a terrific selection of cards he sent my way. I scanned just a few. The Upper Deck Masterpiece relics are superb.

Big Papi looking rather pleased with himself on a 2005 Diamond Kings short print (34/40) . Don't let the smile fool you.

There was such a great variety from Martyn.
1955 Topps Hal Brown
1966 Topps Chuck Schilling
2010 Bowman blue border Dustin Pedroia 194/500
2011 Topps gold border Jed Lowrie 1175/2011
2011 Topps 60 memorabilia Daniel Bard
Just to hame a few and I could go on and on.
Thanks Martyn.

Trade with Mark from stats-on-the-back

Have you been reading about the serial giver?
Mark from Stats-on-the-back has been downsizing the collection. 'I have too many cards', he screamed. 'I must reduce my card collection.' Although I didn't think, having too many cards was possible. I have heard my wife say it but didn't think it was a real statement.
However I was on the receiving end of a generous 200 count(plus) of Red Sox cards. There are too many to list here but lets just say that a large hole has been filled in the Red Sox vacancy list.
Thank you Mark.
Good Luck reducing your collection.

Trade with Mark from stats-on-the-back

In a recent trade with Mark from stats-on-the-back he decided to 'go BIG and ODD.

'If you hate 'em , let me know,' he added.

I let Mark know that I didn't hate 'em at all, in fact quite the opposite. The set of Red Sox photographs from 1981 are 5 inches wide by 7 inches tall. The checklist is the who's who of Red Sox baseball. What I would like to know is if the players knew the photograph being taken would appear on a glossy 5x7. Some of the younger players posed batting or fielding but the 'Hey Dennis', 'What?'-snap photograph is an unfortunate one. But then, 'Hey Carl', 'What?' -snap that's is unforgiveable. What about the 'If you take my photo I will jam that camera..!' from Carlton Fisk. At least Frank made an effort, perhaps that hat just belongs to someone else.

They look as if they were taken at spring training, that is a palm tree I see in the background?

Are there many in New England? Along with these great cards, Mark added:

A big Carlos Quintana sticker
Two large 1985 Donruss cards #15 Dwight Evans, #27 Jim Rice

Three large Donruss Champions #4 Jim Rice, #10 Carl Yastrzemski, #16 Wade Boggs

1989 Bowman #32 Wade Boggs

1989 Bowman #36 Ellis Burks

Honestly Mark these are fantastic. Thank you. I love them.

Seriously Bob, these will go on a 5x7 glossy. Look at Dave at least he tried.

Trade with Stats on the Back

Mark, a Mets collector and writer of the impressive 'Stats on the Back' and I have exchanged in a trade.
http://stats-on-the-back.blogspot.com/2008/11/catching-up.html

This package arrived from Durham in North Carolina. Mark sent a wide variety of Boston Red Sox cards. Here's what was enclosed:

1969 Topps #189 Joe LaHoud & John Thibdeau
1970 Topps #39 Mike Nagy
1970 Topps #104 Gerry Moses
1973 Topps #143 John Curtis
1974 Topps Boston Checklist
1981 Fleer #230 Don Zimmer
1981 Fleer #232 Dwight Evans
1980 Topps #275 Dwight Evans
1982 Coca Cola #13 Bob Ojeda
1982 Coca Cola #21 John Tudor
1985 Drake's Bakeries #1 Tony Armas
1986 Donruss #11 Wade Boggs
1986 Donruss #13 Wade Boggs
1986 Sportsflics #41 Tom Seaver
1986 Topps Collectors Series #5 Bill Buckner
1987 Fleer Update #U37 Mike Greenwell
1987 Hygrade All-time greats #18 Jimmie Foxx
1987 Hygrade All-time greats #48 Ted Williams
1987 Topps Collector Series #5/33 Jim Rice
1987 Topps Collector Series #10/33 Wade Boggs
1987 Topps Mini #A Don Baylor
1988 Fleer #630 Greenwell/Burks/Benzinger
1988 Topps #493 Mike Greenwell
1988 Topps American baseball cards #22 Dwight Evans
1998 Topps Revco #24 Dwight Evans
1990 CMC Pawtucket #21 Phil Planter
1990 Donruss #14 Mike Greenwell
1990 Swell #96 Bobby Doerr
1992 Donruss #210 Wade Boggs
1994 UD Collectors Choice #322 Roger Clemens
1994 UD Collectors Choice #412 Andre Dawson
1995 Donruss #521 Willie McGee
1996 Bazooka #85 Mo Vaughn
1997 Donruss Elite #52 Jose Canseco
1998 Pacific Aurora #21 Mo Vaughn
1999 Victory #454 Wade Boggs
2000 Topps Certified Autographs #TTA13 Brad Baker
2003 Topps Opening Day #25 Cliff Floyd
2005 Topps Chrome #24 mark Bellhorn
2006 Fleer Tradition #149 Jason Varitek
2006 Upper Deck #335 Todd Walker
2007 Topps #475 Kevin Youkilis
2008 Topps #4 David Ortiz
2008 Topps #258 Ramirez and Youkilis
2008 UD Masterpiece #25 Carl Yastrzemski
2008 UD Masterpiece #90 Curt Schilling

Dover reprint 1887 Allen+Ginter Mike Kelly
Dover reprint 1909 T206 Piedmont Bill Carrigan
1 packet 1987 Donruss baseball cards
1 packet 1988 Donruss baseball cards

Wow a real spread form 1969 to 2008. Thanks Mark.