The way all "relic" cards should be made

This isn't a post about card design. It's not about some grey swatch versus white swatch versus patch argument. It's about something the card companies could have, and should have, been doing all along. Telling the collector something specific about the "relic" on the card.

Here is example #1.

I'm not as awed by the relic card as I was when they first appeared on the scene. Of course, they are much easier to pull than they used to be and that has jaded my opinion of them to a degree. However, over the years, I've tried to hold onto anything that isn't the normal white swatch or plain old type of "relic". This 2001 Fleer E/X Scott Rolen Wall of Fame game used wall fits that bill. I've got one of these for a football player too (floating around somewhere). The thing I like about this card is the "rubber-like" blue swatch of wall material. That and the reason for this post. The back looks like this:

Do you see what it says just above the legal mumbo jumbo? Here is the blown up version.

It says "Game Dated: 05/17/00-2 Hits, 2 HR, 2 RBI". I looked it up and Scott Rolen did have those stats on that day in a Phillies home game against St. Louis. Now, does that mean that blue wall piece was purchased by Fleer that day? I don't know for sure, but I think it's implied.

Example #2 is much more explicit in the description of events surrounding the relic.

Here we have a 2001 Leaf Rookies and Stars Carlos Delgado Statistical Standouts Game Used On-Deck Circle card. That's pretty cool and the only one of these on-deck circle cards I've ever seen. The best part is on the back.

Here is the blown up version of the back of the card. It says "The enclosed piece of On-Deck Circle was cut from an Authentic On-Deck Circle used in an official Major League Baseball Game on April 9, 2001 featuring the Blue Jays vs. Devil Rays." You can't get much more specific than that. They give you the game score (Jays 8, Rays 1) and tell you that Delgado had 1 RBI. Now, I'm not sure how 1 RBI ranks as a "statistical standout", but the point is they tell you exactly what your holding in your hand.

That, my friend and more importantly, TOPPS, is how you make a relic card. I want to know that the bat chip in my Joe Mauer card is from the bat he hit his 58th career homerun with, who he hit it off of and the results of the game. I want to know the lame Carl Crawford white swatch I just pulled was worn in a game where CC stole 5 bases including home plate. These are just examples of course, but I'm willing to pay a premium for that (or at least be a little more excited when I pull it) and it's something you CAN do. You can, if you want the collectors to care about your little relic cards.

I understand you can't always verify a historical relic from the likes of Ty Cobb or Babe Ruth, but for goodness sakes man, you shouldn't be cutting that stuff up anyways!

Now, will someone help me put away my soapbox. I hurt my back playing baseball in the park.

Don't let this happen to you...

It's sad how a lack of knowledge can hurt you. Maybe it's not knowing the speed limit is about to drop from 65 to 40 and there's a cop sitting over the next hill just waiting to get you. Maybe it's not realizing you're the most famous golfer in the world and messing around with over a dozen women IS eventually going to become public knowledge.

Or maybe it's not knowing that card companies will replace damaged cards. That's what happened to me. I was going through some cards looking for stuff to trade and found this monstrosity:

It's a hideous sticker auto of Carlos Zambrano from 2002 Donruss Elite. It's got a low number (3) but a high print run (1500). The autograph is terrible. I think I'll enter this as a candidate in Drewscards bad auto contest. The worst part is the damage at the bottom.




When I pulled this from a pack, I had no idea who Carlos Zambrano was and didn't really care. All I knew was the the foil was peeled up between the O in "OF" and the C in "CENTURY". It was pulled up and twisted, but still attached. I taped the piece down just to keep from losing it. If only I had known that I could request some sort of replacement from Donruss I wouldn't have to look at this hideous creature.

Don't let this happen to you. Of course, if you pull something damaged from Upper Deck...you'll probably be in the same boat as me. You know the one. The USS Out. Of. Luck.

The Hits Just Keep on Coming

So the Texas Rangers are in LAST PLACE! So what. Really, so what. No, not so what, it's not ok with me, but when your team is in last place and you just got swept by the Yankees (and people wonder why fans of other teams hate the Yankees) you look for the positive. I found the positive from this weekend's series with the *^&^&Kees.

On Saturday, Michael Young passed Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez as the Rangers All-Time Leader in multi-hit games. Michael Young now has 491 (492 after Sunday) multi-hit games. Young did it in only 1362 games, while it took Pudge 1504 games to get his 490 multi-hit games. Young's multi-hit games break down this way:

2-hit games---330

3-hit games---144

4-hit games---14

5-hit games---4

Michael Young has really solid career numbers after 10 seasons. He has 1,662 hits, 137 homers, 819 runs and 720 RBIs. His career batting average is .302. He has had 5 200+ hit seasons, including 221 in 2005. He's only 33, but he missed a few games last year due to injuries. It was the first time since his second year that he's missed any time.

Michael ranks in the top 5 All-Time Rangers in more than 10 hitting categories and will probably own the top spot in many of those if he stays with the Rangers. His next category to take the top spot in should be triples as he is one behind Ruben Sierra with 43.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Michael Young is the type of player fans, teammates and owners love. He plays hard, he's switched from second to short to third to accomodate the team bringing in other players and he's a good all-around guy. Oh yea, he's a pretty decent player too. He also just happens to be my favorite current Ranger.

Congratulations Michael!

Calling Jonathan from RGB cards

I'm taking extreme measures to reach you Jonathan....I can't comment on your Blog and can't find an email.

Use my profile and shoot an email.

Thanks!

Updated Contest Numbers

I've updated the win totals and the records for the two Opening Day Contests that are posted on the sidebar.


I must say I'm a little surprised we have 4 guys with 3 wins already. I'm also a little shocked King Felix isn't one of them.


On the Managers side, I think the biggest surprise among the guys listed has to be the Pirates. I know it's only 7-5, but hey, it's the Pirates for goodness sakes. Don't worry though, if they happen to have any talented guys, I'm sure they'll trade them before the deadline. Lord knows my Rangers could use some help.

Play at the Plate 13: Special Edition Jackie Robinson

In honor of Jackie Robinson Day, which was April 15th, we have a Jackie Robinson play at the plate. Jackie Robinson stole home 19 times in his career. That's a far cry from the 54 times Ty Cobb did it, but is still enough to earn Robinson a tie for 9th All-Time with Frankie Frisch.

I don't know the catcher who shares this card with Jackie Robinson, nor do I know the team based on the uniform. I'm sure some astute blogger/reader out there probably does know, so if you're that person, let me know who the catcher is and I can give the right guy the credit for letting Jackie score.

I believe I owe the Collective Troll thanks for this card. So thanks!

Cards from the Old Man Part 14: Bob Gibson

This is the fourteenth in a series of posts about cards I received from the old collector in our town who had library catalogs full of cards from the 1950's-1970's. You can see those original posts here and here if you missed them.

This is the last of the '71 Topps cards. This is another card the Old Man picked out for me. He had numerous Cardinals duplicates because that was his favorite team. I didn't have a clue about who this guy was until some time after I got the card.

"Bob Gibson is the luckiest pitcher I ever saw. He always pitches when the other team doesn't score any runs." - Former Cardinal Catcher Tim McCarver

I never saw Bob Gibson pitch, but looking at his career numbers, it's easy to see why McCarver made that comment.

Bob Gibson pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals for 17 years. In 528 career games, Gibson went 251-174 and even managed 6 saves. The amazing thing to me is the 255 complete games. He also posted 56 shutouts and an ERA of 2.91. With that many complete games it's not hard to believe he pitched 3,884.1 innings, striking out 3,117. He also hit 24 homers in his career.

Gibson was a 6 time All-Star and pitched in 3 World Series. His Cards won it all in 1964 and 1967 and lost to Detroit in 1968. His World Series numbers are amazing. He pitched in 9 games, going 7-2 with a 1.89 ERA. Oh yea, 8 of the games were of the "complete" variety. In 1967 he won all 3 of his W.S. starts. He even managed to hit 2 W.S. homers. He won World Series MVP honors in '64 and '67.

He also won the N.L. MVP in 1968, posting some of the most dominant numbers ever. He went 22-9 with an unreal 1.12 ERA, 28 complete games and 13 shutouts. Toss in the 268 Ks and you get the MVP and the first of his two Cy Young awards. He would also win it in 1970, the year featured on this card back. I don't know if you can read the back, but it's pretty amazing that you can post a 3.12 ERA and it raises your career ERA.

Gibson helped his own cause in the field, winning 9 Gold Gloves. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1981 with 84.04% of the vote. This is the only Gibson in my collection....so far.