MrMopar's New Dodgers Autograph Thread (and other interesting items on a slow mailday)

[mrmopar]

Another pretty good sized mail day, which means it'll get a little bleak for a bit.

Jeter Downs /50. I didn't think I'd win this and probably should not have bid. It'll probably be a $3 auto soon enough, knowing my luck. This is a dupe for me.

A beater 53T Bobby Morgan.

A 1987 minor League team set with several autos. A couple guys got to the majors and even with the Dodgers briefly. Highlights include jack Savage and pitching coach Dennis Lewallyn, a former Dodger himself.

Then I finally made an offer on this Rod Carew Team Issued (?) 8x10 photo. Had been watching it for a while and seller accepted! Oddball stuff....love it.

Usually don't feature (or even buy that much) in the way of non-sighed cards. I stumbled on this seller via the Morgan above and ended up with some 90s inserts and this Eddie Murray Rookie season Kelloggs. I stole this one for under $5 and amazed it went so cheap with people fighting to pay 5-10X that for his much easier to find Topps RC. Better for me!

I won't picture the other 4 singles (97 Fleer Zone Maddux & Bagwell, Night & Day M. Ramirez and Lumber Co Piazza), but I also nabbed a couple full sets...

94 Ultra RBI Kings (I absolutely loved these when they came out). and 95 Flair Hot Gloves. Not the best year for this set, but one of the better years.

 

[Therion]

I love the team-issued oddball stuff. Often, it's the only way to get some players in the right uniform.

 

[mrmopar]

Just got done updating my Dodger personnel spreadsheet for the 2022 season. I now have 2040 names on the list. This includes Brooklyn and LA and also includes non-players of significance, as decided by me. The list should be pretty conclusive for players, coaches, executives, ownership and a few other assorted people associated with the team based on my research, but I could have missed people too. I don't have a signature count for the entire list, but for the LA names, I am now back up to 4 needed (players mostly, not counting all the non-player names as I am missing several of those and will probably never get them). i am adding new GM Brandon Gomes to make 5, as he should be attainable.

Mookie Betts
Juston Bruihl
Freddie Freeman
Brandon Gomes (New GM)
Darien Nunez

There are a couple name son the 40 man roster I still need, but until they play a game, I don't count them. Too many roster players have come and gone before appearing in a game for me to chase all of those.

 

[mrmopar]

Today brings a few more presents. The first one is just such a reminder of my very early days of collecting cards before it became complex. This was just a pure fun time. The TCMA/Renata Galasso card is also a reminder of a different time. I was not old enough to have followed the Brooklyn Dodgers, but I learned about them through cards and books. Since Garvey was my favorite player at that time, the 6 on Furillo's uniform stood out. The action shot in front of the billboard fence. The cast on his right hand, yet he was right handed. Clearly this is a pose, but a cool one all the same. Furillo was blacklisted from baseball, according to his story. He fought again MLB, but if I recall, he ended up losing. That left him pretty bitter about the whole baseball thing. He ended up dying fairly young as well, in early 1989 at the age of 66. I could have 25 of these signed cards and still want another.

Terry Forster.

I actually sought this card out. I admit I like these types of miscuts. I won't pay a heavy premium, but if they are priced reasonably, I will buy the ones I like. This is a high series and Frank's only true Topps Dodger card.

Last item is a GU card. i've shared that the GU theme has lost it's shine for me. Too many cards have been made that they really are no longer all that special. Still, some of the old timers have limited cards, presumably because their GU material is in short supply. That is one factor that leads me to question the whole thing though...why have we cut up so many historic items for this purpose. This card itself even adds to the argument, with it's vague legalese on the back. "The enclosed game-used material is guaranteed by Panini America Inc". What does that mean? The material is game used apparently, but by who and when? Does it actually say anywhere on the card that this player used this item? NOPE! This bat chip could legally be from a little league game and the phrase on the back in true. After all that, I guess i am still enough of a sucker to buy it with the assumption that Panini isn't pulling a fast one and that this bat is in fact something used by the player in a game. This is exactly why I will never spend much on these cards though. I DON'T TRUST PANINI TO DO ANYTHING THAT ISN'T IN THEIR BEST INTEREST.

On to the card now. It's from Panini, as mentioned and is /25. Arky Vaughan is an interesting case. He is a member of the HOF, but you almost never hear anyone speak of him. His career numbers are not immortal-like, but he was a 9X AS and could hit for average, with one batting title at .385 and a lifetime .318. He is one of many really good players who ended up enshrined before we decided that the HOF had to be ultra elite. Vaughan came up with some other future HOFers in Pittsburgh (Waner Bros & Pie Traynor), but ended up in Brooklyn in 1942 via a trade. He was still playing at his prime level for the Dodgers, moving to 3rd while Reese was the starting SS in 42, but back to short in 1943 when Reese went off to the Navy. However, he lost 3 full years due to a conflict with Leo Durocher (not sure what that was about, will need to go back and dig deeper - why didn't he play somewhere else unless he was contractually blocked?) and returned after Durocher left the team in 1947. He was an effective utility back-up in 47, less so in 48 and retired from a stacked Brooklyn team after that season.

Then tragedy struck the 40 year old in 1950. Vaughan, just 2 years removed from baseball, was fishing with a friend in a lake near his home in California. A sudden storm lead to his boat capsizing. I didn't do extensive research here, but a few sources indicate the water was cold and that his friend could not swim, and Vaughan tried to save the friend. Both men would drown that day.

 

[Dodgerfan74]

I'm curious as to why Carl Furillo was blacklisted from Baseball. I'm a big Dodger fan and Garvey fan, actually fan of "The Infield"-Garvey, Lopes,Cey, and Russell whom I grew up with watching the Dodgers.

 

[mrmopar]

It had to do with an injury and the Dodgers ultimately releasing him. He claimed something like the Dodgers were making it hard for anyone to sign him. I may have that a bit garbled, but something close to it.

Actually, here is a paragraph from the always 100% correct Wikipedia...

Release and controversy[edit]​

The Dodgers released Furillo in May 1960 while he was injured with a torn calf muscle; he sued the team, claiming they released him to avoid both the higher pension due a 15-year player and medical expenses, eventually collecting $21,000. He would later maintain that he was blackballed as a result and was unable to find a job within the sport – a charge denied by Commissioner Ford Frick.

 

[Dodgerfan74]

Thanks. I wonder who's decision it was to release him. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Furillo one of "The Boys of Summer" which was a terrific book

 

[mrmopar]

A pair of Will Smith cards.

This one is a bit of a stretch, but it counts! Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss, both former tennis players, became minority owners in the Dodgers in 2018. Ilana Kloss certified auto card. . On the lookout for a cheap King auto too, but not interested in spending a lot. I think this Kloss was about $12 plus s/h. Dodger ownership has been a pretty exclusive group and I have a number of them, but will never have them all, so dumping a lot of $ into that part isn't worthwhile.

 

[mrmopar]

Not as cool as discovering a membership card or application I didn't already have, and not quite the same as the Jr Clubs, this is a program for the Pepsi Skills program. Betting there can't be a ton of these around. Never seen one before. I have seen the medals they gave out though in small quantity and even won one of them.

What you see is it, 4 pages. Was hoping there was more, maybe a stealth Garvey appearance, but no such luck. Still very cool item.



Here is one of the medals, currently on ebay. Seller wants $83. Cool, but not that cool.

 

[dano7]

Not as cool as discovering a membership card or application I didn't already have, and not quite the same as the Jr Clubs, this is a program for the Pepsi Skills program. Betting there can't be a ton of these around. Never seen one before. I have seen the medals they gave out though in small quantity and even won one of them.

What you see is it, 4 pages. Was hoping there was more, maybe a stealth Garvey appearance, but no such luck. Still very cool item.

View attachment 332098View attachment 332099View attachment 332100

Here is one of the medals, currently on ebay. Seller wants $83. Cool, but not that cool.

View attachment 332101View attachment 332102

Definitely a cool item!!!!!

 

[mrmopar]

One signature in today worth a quick mention...only because I like the set. Already have half a billion Loduca autos.

Loduca/100

I love this set and bought some more boxes.

 

[mrmopar]

Wasn't going to show this, then decided maybe with everything slowing down, I may go back to ALL Dodger autos.

This is from Absolute. I have seen a few of these online that have faded. I think the one or two I bought back in 2001 are fine. Benn stashed away in a box ever since. This one looked decent and ended up winning it for $5or so, plus the shipping. Not bad at all.

 

[mrmopar]

The big hit, possibly for the year. I thought the Panini card(s) would satisfy me, until I saw these. Had to have one. I don't like forking over triple figures for new autographs, but this was a rare exception.



Makes my other pick-up seem quite insignificant. Billy Buckner, a dupe for me.

 

[Dilferules]

That's a great card, you can't beat that for a Pujols Dodgers auto.

 

[mrmopar]

Just one non-auto in today. However, even after the big news of yesterday, I have some goodies coming in soon. Stay tuned.

Today, it's just a bat card (book) of Carl Furillo. Lots of cardboard for a tiny sliver of wood, but it was cheap enough to say "Why not?"

 

[mrmopar]

Big mail day of little stuff. includes a couple from yesterday I didn't have time to post.

Gonsolin.

Hatten.

Hermanski.

McKinstry.

Muncy /75.

Stripling.

Jackson.

I hope to add this guy to the Dodger tally soon. he is on the 40 man roster now and felt it was worth picking one up, just in case. Leonard. Not the best card or autograph, but a cheap hole filled if he makes the roster.

Then there is Finley, not pictured as a Dodger. He does have a cert Dodger auto that I know of. Maybe a future Archives buyback? This is the silver /99 version.

Last "Dodger" pick up pairs with the Kloss I just bought. Would prefer a card, but not going to spend much. got lucky and landed a Billie Jean King for cheap! 4x6 photo, personalized, but I am literally checking off a box here with this one. Plus, she had a heck of a tennis career as well, so there is that.

That puts me at 10 scans, the post max. But, I have one more to share, although not Dodger related...

 

[mrmopar]

The card didn't scan well at all in the original listing, but this is the "foil board" /10 version of the Fan favorites/Archives Autograph. It looks a lot like a refractor in hand. Bob Feller. Got sucked in my the low print run and might have set a record for price paid for a Feller autograph. Just kidding, at least I hope so, but this was a fun pick up.

 

[Dilferules]

I think it's mandatory that every collector has to have at least one or two (or thirty or forty) Feller autographs, no matter what they actually collect. I have a 2000 Greats of the Game autograph as well as this one:

 

[mrmopar]

That is a nice triple. i like those quite a bit (multiplayer), when done right.

Well, after a bit of whining about being priced out, I went in a different direction than expected and have been landing more cards than expected. I also opened up the wallet a bit and went after a couple biggies. Pujols already arrived, but one of the better Garvey cards I have landed in quite some time showed up today. Dynasty 3/5. This went for WAY more than I would have expected or wanted, but after seeing a dozen of these sell without me getting close, I decided it was time. I feel like i am back in 2005 though.

Somewhat of a continuation from yesterday, a smaller slew of lesser cards after this one, that was mid range. I have only seen a couple of these offered, so guessing they are a bit harder to find than the regular Archive cards. it's not numbered, but like I said, I think this was only the 3rd one I have noticed listed on ebay. it was the first that was not ridiculously priced and I got it for a higher than I think it should have gone for, but not outrageous price for a deceased HOF who has no shortage of autographs in the market.

A pair of Jacksons. I think I just need the Red /25, unless there is a 1/1 and there probably is. Gold is /50, Black is /199.

A couple more obscure Dodger TTM/IPs. Jose Cruz Jr and Paul Quantrill.

Can't ever have enough Al Oliver I always say...this one is OPC /11.

Like yesterday, the last card is a bit of a splurge for me, outside of my normal collecting interests, aside from the fact that I love ALL autographed cards. This is a throwback to 1993, when these would have been a near impossible pull from the massive classic offering. Numbered to 4300 copies, this is the kind of card that is like an early Donruss elite. Print run not that limited in todays collecting world, but impossible to find back then and maintaining a decent value. Arod is one of the all time greats, despite his roid connection. Excellent full rookie era signature.

 

[mrmopar]

Got to check one o. f the list today. I have been less patient than normal lately, which can be good and bad. We'll start with the Dodger uniform cards, because my new pick up is not.

Gary Sheffield. Not much of a picture, but it is a Dodger card

Ken Lehman

And my big new pick up is Freddie Freeman. Not the best auto and assume he'll have some Dodger card eventually, so will hopefully add a Dodger card later as well. At his prices, I won't probably dd anything else in the meantime. this leaves me needing 4, with Hanser Alberto being the only 2022 addition so far.



I also attended another card show. It's been a bit since the last one. Was bargain hunting, so not much exciting to add other than 25 cent cards. Won't show it here, but maybe the April P/U thread.