Card Show Report: Valley Forge 2016 02 27

Just a couple of highlights from this weekend's Card Show at Valley Forge.

1951 Bowman Eddie Waitkus

Card collecting wasn't dead at the Valley Forge convention center this weekend. It was very alive - or at least Autograph Chasing was. Much of the large crowd was likely due to Brian Dawkins being at the show, but I would like to think that while there some of the patrons took a look at some cards and other memorabilia

For a year or two I sponsered Eddie Waitkus' Baseball-Ref page. He is better known as the subject the story Malumud's "the Natural" was based. 

1961 Topps MVP Ernie Banks

Slowly working on putting together the 1961 MVP Subber. The above Banks card was an upgrade $7.

1962 Topps LL Ws Whitey Ford, Frank Larry, Steve Barber, Jim Bunning

I picked up a LOT of HoF League Leader Cards. This is thee earliest of the bunch. All went for $1 or $2, I think this was from the Dueces.
 
1967 Topps

1967 Topps Duos Twin Terrors Bob Allison and Harmon Killebrew

Our research into the 2016 Heritage/1967 Topps led us into a couple of purchases of the original cards. Mostly Hall of Famers and Subset cards like the Special of the Killer above.

1967 Topps #103 Checker Mickey Mantle 

The 1967T bounty included this Checker for $2. Little steep for a Checklist except this one features a floating head of MICKEY MANTLE - and it is UNCHECKED.

1954 Topps Johnny Podres 

I have been working on 1954T at the last couple of shows. Checked about a half dozen commons on Saturday, plus this semi-star. Podres went for $5. I also picked up a more significant 1954 Card of one of a fellow Dodger teammates, which I am teasing here for a future post.

1971 Topps Johnny Briggs, Rick Wise, Jim Lonborg, Dick Drago

There was a dealer that had 1971 Topps for a dime a pop. I picked up 40 of them. The selection was solid and included HI NUMBERS, Dick Drago in the bottom right is card #752 which is the last card in the set.

1956 Topps Mickey Vernon

Local Hero and Gentleman Mickey Vernon. Just one of the many pickups I made while thumbing through cheap bins $2.

1976 OPC #500 Reggie Jackson

This is for an upcoming Phungo Pheature $2.

 2015 Topps JJ Hardy

I spent a record almost no time in dime bins for current cards, We will return to this card at a future post.

1974 Topps Washington Padres

2 Bucks for a team card of club that never existed.

Phun Cards 1952 Topps #158 Eddie Waitkus

What would you pay for a vintage baseball card of the player that inspired Bernard Malamud's classic novel "The Natural"?  What would that card be worth to you if it was from the classic 1952 Topps set?

1952 Topps #158 Eddie Waitkus


Without much effort you can get this card for under $10.  Unfortunately this particular card has a huge TW stamped on the back, but it has a fine looking front and minimal wear.  Really it is a beauty for any 1952 card, but this is a 52 Topps of a noteworthy player.


Yes, Eddie Waitkus is the inspiration for "The Natural".  The novel was of course turned into the classic film by Robert Redford who also starred in the titular role.


Check the back of the card, which goes into a lot more detail about Waitkus then a contemporary card likely would (click to enlarge):

1952 Topps #158 Eddie Waitkus (b-side - Image swiped from Baseball Card Database)




There it is the Eddie Waitkus story.  Really not the entire story that we know from "The Natural", but the crazy woman and the shooting is all there. There is also the mention of Waitkus' military service.


Near as I can tell Waitkus career didn't have a Knock out the Lights moment.  He was a member of the 1950 Whiz Kids and did get to represent the NL in the World Series.  Waitkus played 11 seasons in the majors.  During his tenure he collected 1214 hits of which only 24 were homers.

Finally
And Yes, I finally did it, I sponsored a Baseball-Reference page.  I figured for the amount of enjoyment and information  that I have gotten from the site, I was overdue for a sponsership.  

Only 2 people like the Eddie Waitkus Baseball-Reference Page.  That is ridiculous.  Go and Like his page.

Phun Cards - The Essential Collection

Phun Cards is basically my version Cardboard Appreciation.  For all the reasons documented above, I deem the 1952 Topps #158 Eddie Waitkus card a member of the Phun Cards Essential Collection.   

Philly Card Show Report - 2010 03 13 - Vintage Phillies

Extremely busy with work, catching up on trades, and enjoying the first weekend of the Madness.

During the latest edition of the Philly Show, I pretty much focused on vintage. Including admission I threw down $81 - I will hit the highlights over the next week or so.

First off is the Phils

1950 Bowman #30 Eddie Waitkus

Anytime you get a bargain Eddie Waitkus card you pick it up. I will dedicate an entire post to Mr Waitkus at some point - but for now I will just mention that this card went for $3 and I was happy to have picked it up.

1957

1957 Topps #214 Phillies Team
1957 Topps #15 Robin Roberts

It must be Robin Roberts week here at Phungo, this is the 2nd consecutive post to feature a Roberts Card. The Team Card went for a dollar. Roberts was $5, a little bent up, but looks good otherwise. I doubt I a anywhere near finishing the Robin Roberts Phils Topps Run, but this card makes me one closer.

60s High Numbers and Other Stars

1965 Topps #310 Johnny Callison
1964 Topps #482 Phillies Rookies (John Briggs, Danny Cater)

I also picked up a bunch of 60s era Phillies High Numbers and Star Cards. Both of these came out of the three for a buck bin.

Other than the Phils, I picked up about a dozen cards for my Topps '59 set and a bunch of Vintage HOF cards. In the three for a buck bin I found about 25 Star cards and High Numbers from 1957-1974. For between $1-$8 each I added a handful of 1952-1962 cards of commons, stars and Hall of Famers.

I will try and feature some of the other cards in the coming weeks.