A Final Tribute to My Father

 

Roland Weymouth Hughes Jr.

May 10, 1953 - May 11, 2024

    To say that 2024 has been extremely challenging, would be an huge understatement.  This Father's Day is very bittersweet for me.  Losing both my Grandpa and Father to horrid diseases in the last 6 months has been really tough on me, my wife and kids, my sister and my stepmom.  I'm not afraid to say that I've shed an extreme amount of tears of grief and opened myself up emotionally to pretty anyone willing to listen.  

This is my Final Tribute to My Father.

My Dad had his 70th birthday luncheon last May on Saturday the 6th.  It was a beautiful day to drive out to rural Northumberland County where I grew up.  We had plans to meet at a local seafood restaurant called the Crazy Crab.  It was a wonderful gathering of close family and we even had the pleasure of eating food that my cousin prepared since he was the head chef at the restaurant that day.  My dad had been in a slow decline since he had a small stroke in March of 2016.  Sure, he wasn't getting around as well as he did and he tired a lot more easily but was in great spirits that day.  We ate, laughed, watched the boats come and go, and just enjoyed a rare opportunity for family to gather.  As the meal ended, my dad started to become a little irritable and was ready to leave. We really had to coax him to make the short 100 (or so) yard walk to a small hometown ice cream shop.  My kids and wife had ice cream, but my father and I did not.  He dared not send his borderline diabetes into system overload.  Instead, we sat out on the porch and just enjoyed the wonderfully beautiful day not really talking much but enjoying the time together.  That was the last time I saw him outside of a medical facility.

I can try to remember all of the details but honestly some of the details are a bit foggy.  The last year has been a blur.  Between all the trips to the hospital, doctor's appointments, and the nursing home, there's no way I've been able to remember quite everything.  I can not remember how many times my dad had been admitted and released to various medical facilities.  There's probably a medical paper trail on my dad that weighs a metric ton and is a couple miles long.

My father had a stroke back in early 2016 and that really slowed him down.  He had recovered enough to go (at my wife's behest) to Camden Yards to see the Orioles play the day before Father's Day.  Yovani Gallardo was decent enough to beat RA Dickey, Manny Machado went 2-4 and Jonathan Schoop homered that day.  The thing about that day that really stuck out in my mind was how my dad had such a hard time shuffling and scuffling from the parking lot (admittedly it was more of a walk than I'm leading on) to our seats.  Thank God we were not in the sun.  I had never had to stop and wait for my dad to catch up.  Dads are supposed to be the ones who wait for their sons to catch up, right?  How could this be?  Super Dad's gonna make a full recovery, right? I didn't really think much more about it at that point and I drove him home with him napping in the passenger's seat.

The only picture I took that day

His health had pretty much stayed the same up until last May.  

A few days after his birthday luncheon, my stepmom called and said that my father had passed out and fallen at the house, the rescue squad was on the way and they were headed to the hospital.  He ended up being admitted to the hospital for confusion (later we'd learn it was a Urinary Tract Infection mixed with dementia starting to take hold of his brain).  At first, I was told he'd be fine and he'd go home in the next few days. The few days turned into a few weeks.  He couldn't kick the UTI as quickly as was originally thought and the confusion just didn't go away.  I went to see him at the hospital to see him and he was a different person.  What a difference a week or two makes because he hardly knew who I was.  At the time, I just kinds shrugged it off and chalked it up to the UTI and an unfamiliar surroundings for the confusion.  There was no reason to believe this was the beginning of the end for him.  He's Super Dad, he'll be fine in a few days, right?  How could I be so naive?

Another week or 2 went by and he became to weak to go home, so he was released to a nursing home, just 'til he gets back on his feet.  This was just before Father's Day 2023.  I didn't go to see him on his last Father's Day.  Big Mistake on my part but I can't do anything about it now.  I did call and he seemed to be in good spirits and on the mend.   He spent a few more weeks at the nursing home and was released towards the end of July to go home.

The second week in August me, my wife and kids went on vacation. My dad have a minor outpatient surgery to fix an issue that had plagued him nearly his entire life.  A few days after the procedure and going home, he ended up back at the hospital for another UTI and the confusion that went along with it. Again, he didn't bounce back, spent more time at the hospital, was released back to the nursing home, and then home again.  This was early October.  The next day, he had another fall at home and was headed back to the hospital again.  This was the last time he was anywhere other than a medical facility.  He was a prisoner of his dementia and a wheelchair.  His mind became numb to the passage of time and depression set in.  His body let him down time and time again.  He got so mad at me and my stepmom every time we told him that he couldn't go home. We were trying to get a handle on the urinary tract infections but we kept missing appointments because of those recurrent infections.  You can see where this was going.  At this point, I started to take the situation more seriously because it had been a long while since he had been in good health.

My birthday came and went in early December.  It was a milestone birthday and I got all of the normal phone calls and cards from family and friends except from one person: My Dad.  At first, I was selfish, angry, and depressed that my dad had forgotten my birthday.  When I thought about it more, I let it go and considered the situation.  It hurt, but I let it go.

Christmas was coming and for some reason I was more excited about the holiday season that I had been since I was a kid.  We were able to have a family Christmas gathering at the nursing home with my dad on December 23rd.  He was in good spirits this day since he had to "get up for it".  Looking back, even though flawed and unordinary, it was great to spend one last, big, happy family Christmas together.

We visited my Grandfather afterward and I couldn't believe what I saw.  My Grandma passed in October of 2022 and she had kept the house in great shape over the years. Her health had been in steady decline too for about 5 years.  Covid did her no favors as dementia really took hold and the limited visits that I had during that time period really showed that her health was failing. The slow decline of dementia and a stroke on October 1, 2022 took her.  I couldn't believe I had let my dear Grandpa's house get in such terrible condition inside.  I was mad, sad, angry, and down right embarrassed.  I had to do something.  The Saturday after Christmas, my family and my sister's family descended upon the house and cleaned it from top to bottom. He also mentioned that he hadn't been feeling great and had been to the doctor just a few days prior. He looked a little worn out, and was winded quite easily.  

On January 2nd, I was summoned by my stepmom to come to the doctor's appointment with her and my Grandpa.  The Doctor broke the news that the illness my Grandpa had was stage 4 colon cancer.  For a 90 year old man, the treatment options are very limited.  We had an appointment with an oncologist the following week and had a plan to treat it with oral chemo therapy  We just had to get his buy in.  

He was done.  I get it.  But, the decision broke my heart.  He was the last one standing from his generation.  He was ready to go be with them.  In the wee hours of the morning of January 22nd, with me by his side, he went to be with them. 

My father was not in good enough health to be there. Having to tell my dad that his father had passed was frickin' tough. He didn't take it really well but at least he was able to understand that he was gone. Arrangements were made for my Grandpa's Funeral.  My dad got a respiratory infection and was not able to go to the funeral. Another heartbreaker. Nevertheless, I was able to stand up, and speak at the funeral to the small gathering of close friends and close family and tell them what a wonderfully genuine man my Grandpa was, about how they don't make them like that any more and that the family Rock was gone.

From the end of January 'til early May was a downward slope. We tried everything we could trying to get my dad in front of doctors that would see him but it was just too much for his mind and body.  I pushed him around in a wheelchair while he had no idea what was going on.  Having to tell him who I was over and over.  It all weighed on my mind like a ton of bricks.  His body had been constantly fighting infection after infection for nearly a year and we had to put him on hospice care in early May.

On May 9th, I had just finished my lunch at work and I got "The Call". The nursing home called and said something had changed overnight and I needed to get there as soon as I could.  I rushed out of work but not before my coworker gave me his rough, barely still together, beat up, copy of the New Testament. He said he read to his mom before she passed and told me that hearing was the last sense to go.  

I made it to the nursing home with Bible in hand.  I walked in and my dad was laying there in the bed.  Unable to speak, unable to really move.  His eyes were open but I don't know if he saw me or not.  I told him I was there and the only reaction I saw was his brow lower a bit.  My stepmom was there, in shambles, so I did my best to comfort her but I knew this was a battle Super Dad would not win.  The nursing staff came in and asked me to step out while they had to do some work on him.  I waited in the hall and decided to read some of the Bible that my coworker had given me.  It fell open in my hands and I laid eyes on Luke 6:43-45. 

    "For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit; for each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good man, out of his heart produces good, and the evil man produces evil.  For out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks."

My wife and sister arrived and we were all in shambles.  I gathered the family together and just read the Bible.  My wife left to go home and take care of our kids, my stepmom went home to rest, and my sister went the hotel right across the road.  I stayed vigil overnight and into the next day.  I was exhausted and finally went home to get some rest after being up for about 40 hours.  Friday, May 10th was my Dad's 71st birthday.  What a way to celebrate.  The next day was Saturday the 11th.  I had no mental energy or physical energy left.  My plan was to rest up as best I could and go back to see him Sunday.  It was not to be.  The phone rang at about 9:50 that night.  My dad passed at 9:40 on Saturday May 11th, 2024. I was not there but I believe that he wanted it that way. I believe that he waited until me, my sister, and stepmom were not around so we didn't have to see him pass to the other side. The Good Fruit Bearing tree of my family was gone from this world.  

The last month has been extremely tough. I was able to get up and speak again at Dad's memorial service on Memorial Day weekend.  Another tough moment but I wanted to let everyone in attendance what a wonderful man my dad was.  They already knew how great he was, and that is why they were there, but I told them anyway.  Its been tough letting go but I now look back on  treasured memories of fishing trips, baseball practices, car rides, and more importantly, the lessons he taught me.  There are THREE major things that I gleaned from his book of knowledge. 

Hard Work can accomplish most anything.  He was the hardest worker I've ever known. He worked the counter at NAPA from the time I was born until I was about 14 or so. Standing on that concrete floor day in and day out.  He was Super Dad around the house, in the yard, and in the garage. When he wasn't at work, he was always keeping things running smoothly at home.  Our yard never grew out of control, the bushes were trimmed and the garden was always planted with care.  In the winter, he always cut firewood, split it by hand and fed that wood stove to keep our butts warm.  We never had a vehicle leave us on the side of the road.  There wasn't a thing he couldn't fix.  He never quit until the job was done and my work ethic definitely comes from him.

Sacrifice for your kids and Dedication to your family.  He'd do anything for me.  From the time I was born, there's pictures of him giving me a bath, feeding me, and just sitting in the chair with me in his arms.  He was my teeball coach and threw numerous rounds of batting practice to me as my love for the game of baseball grew.  He was my biggest fan through the travel ball and high school baseball years.  Took me anywhere I needed or wanted to go without complaining one bit.  He was my personal moving company. He moved me to college and back, to various apartments, and into my first house.  I learned that sacrificing oneself for another only gets paid forward.

Love is Unconditional but it is also not Free.  Nothing in Life is Free. Not even Love.  Grief is the price of Love.  I would not be here without my Father's love.  I will miss my dad until the day I die.  That is the price of Love. The wound will callous over time but I will grieve my dad until I am gone too.

Since I have become a father myself, I have had the pleasure of rearing and nurturing two energetic girls.  They couldn't be more different from each other but I love them the same and am proud of them both.  As of today, they are 9 and 4.  They have a long way to go and I can't wait to see them grow and prosper.  I had the best example of what it means to be a Father so I will honor him by being the best I can be for my girls.  

I could not have asked for a better Father.  The world is a worse place now that he is gone but I now fully understand the Hard Work, Sacrifice and Dedication, and the Unconditional Love that it takes to be a Father because of Him.

Thank You Dad, You did Good, You did Well.  I Miss You and Love You! 

TTM Success: Tom Dukes

   Grabbing TTM off the bottom of the pile, this nice return came from Tom Dukes.  He was a relief pitcher in the late 60's and early 70's for a couple of teams including the Orioles.  He didn't have a mainstream Orioles card released during his time in Charm City but was immortalized in the 1991 Crown Orioles set.  

    He was traded to the Orioles along with Pat Dobson in the 1970-71 offseason from the Padres.  He bounced around the league as a relief pitcher but was fortunate enough to be with the Orioles for their 1971 pennant run.  He pitched in two games in the '71 series against the Pirates, throwing four innings of 2-hit ball.                          

In addition to my card, he included a signed custom postcard of himself.

He also answered my question that I included on an index card:

I sent out on November 11, 2023 and got it back on November 27, 2023 for a 14-day TaT. Thank you very much Mr. Dukes!

2 blasters of 2023 Stadium Club

Even though I put these cards away a couple weeks ago, I wanted to show the spoils of my two blaster boxes of  2023 Stadium Club while they are are still somewhat fresh in my mind.  Stadium Club was quite late to the market this year but it's usually worth waiting for.  I heard that it was delayed because the printer actually printed the front of the card on both sides and the whole print run needed to be trashed and redone!  Anyways, I'll lead off with my favorite card of the break:

I've always been a fan of Stadium Club over the years.  Some of the cards of legends of the game, like the Babe Ruth above, have not necessarily shown them actually on the field.  I dig this Orange parallel of George Herman behind the wheel of his car. 

A couple of the inserts that I pulled. I've always enjoyed the INSERT version of Stadium Club Chrome but the base set Topps put out for a few years can suck my toes.  Hats off to my scanner that doesnt believe the bottom left of the Chrome Machado exists.

This was a Acuna insert hot box(es) even though these 2 particular inserts do nothing for me.  Stadium club inserts are quite polarizing.  There's great ones like Instavisions, Beam Teams, Never Compromise and Lone Star Signatures then theres crap like Virtuosos of Velocity and Chief Fantasy Professionals.  woof!

I got two black foils and they were pretty decent players.  I can't complain too much with these guys.

I'm quite happy with these 2 red foils.  Chipper is a guy I collect and the Larkin might be of interest to a certain collector that has a Grande sized collection.  Also, its pretty cool that these are "color match" parallels.  Do you get into color match cards?

Probably the best hit of the box was this Photographer's Proof of Dansby Swanson.  These are hella rare, having a print run of 25.  They aren't numbered so of course nobody looks twice.  I've actually found a JD Martinez Photographer's Proof card in a dime box.  It still languishes on my COMC account to this day.

I didn't get any Orioles cards in either box.  It would be nice to pull cards of the team I actually collect but that's just the way it goes. I'm actually quite pleased otherwise.

Colonial Heights Card Show: Value?

    Value can mean many different things to different people. I am, through and through, a bargain hunter.  Some may call me cheap, but I know what hard work is and the value of a dollar.  When I go to card shows, I like to take my time and go through all of the dime and quarter boxes that time allows and I've been rewarded by finding some either undervalued or simply misplaced great cards.  It can be mind-numbing for some with a short attention span and the "pelican case mafia" has given me a lot of sideways looks over the last few years.  To each his own... I personally don't put value in what opinions that people may have on my cards.

I went to a smaller card show 2 weeks ago that is about a 20ish minute drive from my house.  I hadn't originally planned on going but at the last minute I decided to go.  In the past, its been a smaller show because of space constraints and this time it was only about 12 or so tables set up in half of the Moose Lodge.  Initially disappointed, I was able to find a couple boxes to dig through.

The first table right inside the door was where I spent most of  my time.  There was a 5000 count box of penny sleeved cards that the dealer said was 50 cents a piece.  I got down to business.  I don't keep a close eye on Topps' website or subscribe to their Brooklyn Club (or whatever its called) so I miss out on all of the online exclusive sets.  No worries, I can buy their tears for a fraction of what they paid.  I was able to grab a handful of Topps Chrome Cosmic from the past 2 years for myself (O's above) and a couple of non-Orioles for other people I know.

My assault on the box continued and I was able to pick out some neat-o inserts of the bigger names of the hobby today.  Its funny to look at the Corbin Carroll card and see that he was ranked as low as he was by the "Bowman Scouts".  I found out that guy is awesome at baseball during the playoffs this past year!

I don't do as much prospecting as a I used to but picking up rookie cards of promising young guns of the game is something I have done more of the last few years.  It makes it better that each of these is a parallel so that adds a little value IMO.  Royce Lewis is also great at baseball in case you hadn't heard and this silver foil parallel now resides in my "good rookie card" box.  I picked up the Logan Gilbert and George Kirby parallels because they are good young pitchers and I think they would look great as Orioles.  There were rumors earlier in the offseason that the Orioles and Mariners talked about them. The Mariners need infield help and the Orioles have (had?) an excess even after trading for Corbin Burnes.  I'm a sucker for the Mojo Refractors and it doesn't hurt that Pasquantino is a local kid.  He played high school ball about 20 minutes in the opposite direction from where this show was held.  Hopefully he turns in a fully healthy season this year.

When I picked up this Cal Ripken, I didn't think I had it already.  I got home and looked in my album and I already did.  Topps has done some confusing SH!T with Stadium Club the last few years so I had screwed up my want and have lists because of it. .  I love Chrome, I really do.  I love getting Stadium Club Chrome INSERTS from regular Stadium Club packs.  I do not love a whole Stadium Club Chrome base set especially when the numbering is all FUDGED up.  There is no consistency between the releases the last few years.  I haven't seen anything about a 2023 Stadium Club Chrome set so maybe Topps came to their senses and stopped with the confusion (wishful thinking?)

Any ways, I finished up with this particular dealer for 8 bucks for 20 cards.  I didn't show all of the cards but they were all epic, trust me!

I moved onto another table with a bunch of boxes sorted by sport and team.  I love it when they do that!  For another buck, I was able to get a green parallel of underrated Dean Kremer from Gypsy Queen and a Topps <shudders> Holiday card of Oriole short-timer Shintaro Fujinami.  I mostly love Gypsy Queen even after they ditched the minis but I could really care less about Topps Holiday.  Its just not a product I can get behind.  In 2023 Topps gave the ax to Gypsy Queen, Opening Day, Fire, and Gallery, bastardized Big League, did not introduce anything new but kept the Holiday collection. Let... that... sink.... in.

So on the whole, I spent less than 10 bucks and was home around noon.  Both huge wins in my book!

A Tribute to the Best Baseball Player I Knew

     It's been a bit of a rough start to 2024 for my family and I.  The last half of 2023 was no cakewalk because of my father's ongoing health struggle.  Getting him in front of the correct doctors and the correct care he needs while living a couple hours drive and raising a young family has taken put me into survival mode.  In all of the absurdity of real life things happening, I chose to bring this blog out of mothballs and also start sending out TTMs by the boatload.  I will also just briefly mention the subject of career fulfillment and maybe elaborate on it in the future.

    Finding beauty and peace in life has not always come easy.  I had a somewhat rocky upbringing and I believe that it is only by God's hand that I have been able to turn out as decent as I have.  (Taking credit or self-praise also something that is not easy for me to do either)  I still search for answers and ask daily for the purpose of why I have succeeded in life to the degree I have.

    There have been few constants in my entire life.  Baseball cards have been always been around.  They will be here long after I am gone.  

    My father has been around for my 40 years of existence. I don't know how much longer he's going to be around. It's a struggle every time I go to see him.  The drive is long and boring.  It is very tough to carry on meaningful conversation with him even when he remembers who I am. There are only so many pictures on my phone I can show him and ask what he had for lunch.  We will watch whatever football game is on that particular Sunday but he couldn't even tell me what the score is.  Its tough seeing "Super Dad" in such a lowly state.

    The third and final constant was my Grandpa.  As I type this, it was exactly one week ago I was having one of the toughest moments of my life.  I had to make the choice with the doctors at the hospital to only provide comfort care for my grandfather.  The plan was to wait for Monday morning and come up with a plan to get him home where he could pass into eternal rest on his own terms.  It was not to be.  In the wee hours of the morning on January 22nd, 2024, my Grandpa passed into the afterlife with me by his side.  It was quick, and I pray that it was painless.  He sat up in the bed and I asked him "Are you OK, Grandpa?" He replied "I don't know." I rushed out of the room to get the nurse and when we returned ten seconds later, he was gone.  It is the only time I had ever heard my Grandpa say that he didn't know.

    That was the great man my Grandpa was.  He was the most genuine person I'd ever known.  He was the rock of our family and never wavered or changed until he padded.  He lived 90 full years of life and was a farmer right up until he was 85.  The only reason he quit is because my grandmother needed care during her terminal battle with dementia.  To me, it always seemed he  knew exactly what he was doing and exactly how he was going to do it.  It's funny that he became a farmer. I can assure that if he had chosen to be an astronaut or a police officer, he would have been the best around.  He had the drive and determination to be the best.  He was the best farmer around.  He always had the straightest rows, the healthiest crops, and the highest yields.  I will always treasure the countless times I rode with him in the the tractor, combine, or grain truck.  Even as I got into my teens and was able to help him stack seed bags, he could still out work me.  

    Our many fishing trips out on the Potomac River will always have a place in my heart because it always seemed to turn into "catching" instead of just fishing.  It was on one of these trips where I witnessed the only time he ever showed the slightest bit of frustration.  Somehow, while casting is line out, he lost his grip and accidently casted his whole rod into the drink!  He waved his hands toward the water in disgust and sat down on one of the chairs in the boat.  Luckily, after a few casts of my rod, I was able to somehow catch is gear and pull it back into the boat.  The only time in 40 years I experienced my Grandpa get upset.

    So, in going through some of his belongings late last week, I came across a baseball.  I had never seen it before, nor had it ever been brought up in conversation.  See for yourself:

    Its a bit beat up, but you can see it says "Homerun Ball, Reedville, April 14, 1949."  That was his Senior (or maybe Junior) year of high school.  Since it is in his possession and the only known one in existence, I believe this ball is more valuable than even a Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, or Stan Musial homerun ball. There are plenty of baseballs from fancy major leaguers floating around in various collections across the globe but there is only one Weymouth Hughes homerun ball, and I have it.  That is the definition of priceless.

Take a look at the other side of this ball:

    I think since the ball is missing this section of rawhide, when he hit it, the cover actually came off of it.  Nobody has told me otherwise, so that's the story I'm going to go with.  My dad told me stories of how he was told how great of a baseball player Grandpa was during his youth and as a young adult.  There was a league in eastern Virginia called the Chesapeake league that he played in.  He was named pitcher of the year a few times and was also an awesome hitter.  He later played in the men's fastpitch softball league that was huge in the Northern Neck and Middle peninsula area of Virginia in the 60's, 70's and 80's.  He had hung up the spikes by the time I was born in 1983.  While I never got to see him play,  I have no doubt that he was the best baseball player I ever knew.

    It is a testament to his legacy that so many people showed up to pay their respects today at his funeral. In a small town everybody knows everybody and everybody knew my Grandpa.  I even reconnected with folks I knew when I was growing up that I didn't even know I was related to today. It was an absolute honor to stand in front of them today and tell them what he meant to me.  At the same time, it was one of the toughest things I had ever done and one of the easiest things I had ever done. It was wonderful to hear each and every person I spoke with today told me how great of a guy he was.  We will all miss him.

I Love You Grandpa

https://welchfuneralhomeva.com/book-of-memories/5367835/Hughes-Roland/index.php

TTM Success: Wes Stock

 These two returns came in from Wes Stock recently.  Both of these cards are a bit beat up but they still look great signed. I've noticed on the inside of most of the return envelopes that there ends up being a bit of the ink from the cards rubbing off. causing the paper loss you can see on the 1961 Topps just below.

It seems that this is unavoidable.  I could risk putting the cards in soft sleeves, top loaders, or even card savers but there's been some collectors having horror stories that the protection ends up getting signed instead of the cards.  I started out using index cards as protection and the results have been mixed.  I've just gone to leaving the cards loose in the envelope and hoping for the best.  That's mostly the name of the game for chasing TTMs anyways.

I Sent these two cards out on October 28th, 2023 and got them back on November 24th, 2023 for a 27 day TAT.  Thank You Mr. Stock!

TTM Success: Dyar Miller

 This was a nice return I got back just before Thanksgiving.  Dyar Miller is known as a very gracious signer and will write a note back to you.  Looking back, it made me smile the day I got it back and it made me smile again when I just looked at it.  He thanked me for being a baseball fan and especially for being an O's fan.  He wrote in the letter that he still follows them closely and was pretty happy the way the season went.  He then wished me and my family to stay safe and healthy and to have a great holiday season. What a class act.

I Sent these cards out on November 6th 2023 and got them back on November 24th 2023 for an 18day TAT. Thank You Mr. Miller!

TTM Success: Paul Mitchell

This TTM was a pretty quick and easy affair.  Paul Mitchell didn't play for the Orioles for a very long because he was shipped to the Athletics in the trade that brought Reggie Jackson to Charm City.  Mr. Mitchell has a nice signature that I wish I had gotten him to also put on an Orioles Crown card.  Beginner's stupidity has led me to make a comedy of errors in sending cards through the mail to get autographed.  You live, you learn that you're a dumbass.

I sent to this 1976 Topps out on November 7th 2023 and got it back on November 21st 2023 for a tidy 14 day TAT. Thank You Mr. Mitchell!

TTM Success: Fred Beene

 This Orioles Crown return was a quick one from former Orioles pitcher Fred Beene.  He also pitched for the Yankees and Indians during his career. He had a respectable 3.63 ERA mostly as a bullpen arm, but seemed to walk too many batters.  I'm mainly focusing on Orioles autographs so I only sent this one card.  He shared his rookie card with another former Orioles star, Terry Crowley. I tend to shy away from getting duo and triple player cards signed through the mail so I decided against sending it to him.  

A fun fact about Fred Beene is that after his playing days were over, he was a Brewers scout for 20 years. On of his most notable signings was Jim Morris when he was originally drafted.  If you remember Jim Morris's story was the subject of the baseball movie, "The Rookie".  Jim Morris had several arm issues, retired and then made his MLB debut 16 years after originally being drafted.

This was one of my first couple of requests that I sent out with an index card question: 

I love that he name dropped Thurman Munson in his response. I appreciate his time to write a well thought out response.

I sent my card and index card question on November 10th 2023 and got them back on November 20th 2023 for a 10 day TAT.  Thank You Mr. Beene!

Midlothian Card Show Pickups: Workmanlike

I was able to hit up my semi-monthly hotel ballroom card show this morning and if I had to  characterize it, I would sum it up in one word: workmanlike.  I was up to my usual dumpster diving behavior for a good portion of the show but I did make my first and only big purchase of the show right off the bat. Behold:

 

I've been after a Vlad Daddy rookie card for good while now and I'm happy to be able to finally get one that fit into my collection.  Right price, right condition.  I walked into the show with a clear goal for the day but for some reason, I stopped off at a random table with random boxes and happened upon this card. At first, I thought it may be a reprint but its legit.  For one Andrew Jackson, this card will have a permanent spot in my collection.

My original goal for this show was to dive deep into a certain vendor's quarter boxes.  He regularly streams on Whatnot under the username rva_sports_cards.  I got into his boxes at the tail end of the Tuckahoe show a few weeks ago and only got a sampling of what he had.  My one big purchase from him was the above Dean Kremer Chrome Gold Refractor.  Kremer is underrated in my opinion so I'd love to see a breakout this season from him.  

My workmanlike behavior landed me a good variety of cards.  I had my water bottle, a couple of snacks, a chair to sit in and my good buddy Scott and his son Austin to start the digging. I methodically dug through box after box of quarter goodness.  No really crazy finds today, just value. I found a handful of rookie cards from the last few years with some decent color match parallels of those guys.  I haven't really made up my mind on collecting the pictured insert sets above.  Curiously, I did not find any cards from any of the other insert sets haunting my wantlists.  

I found a couple of PC cards like this Mussina,

and an O-Pee-Chee Eddie Murray.  Awesome cards that will now be stashed in my binders of the respective players.  

On the way out, I had some money left in my pocket.  The only true vintage table on the floor was from an older gentleman.  He was sitting behind the table working in his notebook.  Very workmanlike. I backfilled a few cards from my Orioles wantlists.  A few of the cards these are replacing got scribbled on over the last few months and some are out on tour through the mail system.

I was able to spend some time on a Sunday afternoon looking through cards with a good friend I hadn't seen in a while and was able to snag a few nice cards for my collection. unfortunately, I wasn't able to find any new Cal Ripken cards I didn't have.  I'm sure they were there, I just ran out of time and money to search for them.  Either way,  I call this card show a solid win.

TTM Success: Chuck Estrada

 This TTM from Chuck Estrada came back shortly before Thanksgiving.  I have since already been to a card show and was able to backfill my 1962 Orioles team set with this beauty of a card. '62 Topps has grown on me over the years. Out of the decade of the '60s, it comes in 2nd place to....

1965 Topps.  I'll eventually get around to getting a list put together for what I need to complete it one of these days.

I'm very happy to have these 2 awesome cards autographed and in my collection.  I sent these out on Halloween, October 31st, 2023, and got them back on November 20th, 2023 for a 20 day TAT. Thank You Mr. Estrada!

TTM Success: Charlie Maxwell

 Here's another TTM that came back just before Thanksgiving.  Charlie Maxwell is currently the 8th oldest baseball player at 96 years young.  I've always been a fan of the old school Bowman cards so I'm very glad I could get Mr. Maxwell to sign this one for me.  He only played in 4 games for the Orioles to start off the 1955 season before he was traded to the Tigers.

I sent this one out on November 7, 2023 and it returned signed beautifully on November 20th 2023 for a 13 day TAT.  I paid his requested signing fee of $10.  Thank You Mr. Maxwell!

TTM Success: Paul Gilliford

 This success came back to me a few days before Thanksgiving.  The TTMs have really been rolling in since I started putting real effort into mailing Orioles cards out to the gentlemen that played for them.  This return from Paul Gilliford was the first time I tried a little something different. He never had an official card released to the masses so my options were limited in selecting something to send.  Once again, I'm saved by the cursed blessing, 1991 Crown/Coke Orioles SGA set.  I'm thankful for this set of cards because I have a chance to connect with a handful of nearly forgotten Orioles.  While I was writing my letter of request to Mr. Gilliford, I read that he attended and played baseball at Randolph Macon College in Ashland, Virginia.  Randy Mac as its known around the area, is about a 35 to 40 minute drive up I-95 from where I live.  Its a very small college that is not well known for its sports endeavors.  

I had a bright idea that day to send a question on an index card in an effort to interact a bit more with him.  Since that day I've included an index card question to each of the players I've sent autograph requests to.  

A bit of a look into the future from this request, the results have  made me smile and chuckle a bit at some of the responses.  Hopefully, the readers of this blog will enjoy the responses as much as I have.  Don't get me wrong, I still love the autographs I've gotten!

Here's my first (of many) index card questions: 

I sent out my card and question on November 10th 2023, and got both back on November 20th 2023, for a speedy 10 day TAT.  Thank you Mr. Gilliford!

TTM Success: Darold Knowles

Darold Knowles was one of the first 1991 Crown Orioles to come back that I had sent out. This is his only single Orioles card.  He has 3 different his "Rookie Stars" cards over 3 separate years. He shares  1964 with Les "Buster" Narum, 1965 with Richie Scheinblum, and Don Buschhorn, and 1966 with Andy Etchebarren.  I don't think I remember seeing a player other than Knowles have 3 straight years of Rookie Stars cards like he had.  Cracking the Orioles rotation or bullpen during the mid 60's was really tough so he played a ton in the minors before he got his shot at the majors.  He only pitched a handful of games in Baltimore before he was dealt to Philadelphia before the 1966 season.  He was a bit of a journeyman around the league during his career but always had good numbers except for one year in 1975 with the Cubs.  He also had 14 losses during the 1970 season but carried a 2.04 ERA. That seems tough to do.

I sent this 1991 Orioles Crown card out on November 10th, 2023 and got it back signed on November 18th, 2023 for an eight day TAT.  Thank You Mr. Knowles!
 

Tuckahoe Card Show Pickups: I am a Trash Collecting Hypocrite

    Happy New Year everyone.  Christmas hoopla is in the rearview mirror and 2023 is done and dusted.  I was able to finish out 2023 by goint to a midsize card show that is held at an indoor baseball training facility at one of the Little Leagues in town.  I like this show because the floor is made out of field turf so its easier on the knees and legs to stand and look through cards than the concrete and berber carpet of the other local show at a hotel.  I don't usually end up standing that much because I'm a bit of a trash panda at shows and vendors usually end up offering me a chair while I search their dime and quarter boxes.

    Each card featured in this post I either paid only a single dime or a quarter. I had my nephew with me and he's a football collector.  He came in real handy while dumpster dime box diving.  He picked out Orioles cards for me and I searched for Bears and Justin Fields cards for him.  He's even pickier than I am when digging through 5000 count boxes.  I've taught the kid well.

 I'm pretty happy about this find.  I've been collecting Diamond Kings and Pro-Visions cards for the last year or so.  Most come from junk wax sets. Pro-Visions for example, 

'91: one every couple of packs or a full set in the factory set

'92: it was a subset of the base set and not hard to obtain, 

'94 and '95: pretty affordable inserts that can be had for less that a buck

1993 is a whole different story.  These babies are pretty frickin' rare and to find one in a quarter box, It mind as well been Christmas miracle. Its cartoon Cecil Freaking Fielder holding a katana with a geisha looking on in front of the Miami(!?!) beachfront. I love the early 90's.

I'm not a fan of the gimmicky stuff Topps puts out like the Holiday mega boxes, the horribly conceived 2023 Big League debacle, or the 2022 Topps Chrome Platinum abominations.  But I love old Diamond Kings and Fleer Pro-Visions.  I'm such a hypocrite!

I hit nearly every player collection I have going at the moment.  Speaking of the 2022 Topps Chrome Anniversary I grabbed a near Orioles team set of them and these particular Moose and Eddie will reside in their own albums.  I kept the streak alive of finding at least one Ripken I need at each show I go to. The Hays is a refractor and would look great with his scribble on it. Especially with the yellow background.

Speaking of gimmicks and hypocrisy, I fell in love with the All Aces set from this year's Topps flagship.  I'm working on the entire series 1, 2, and Update sets.  The look like playing cards and are gimmicky as hell but I love 'em.  Don't ask me to even spit in the direction of baseball playing cards or the Showdown game from the early 2000s.  Such a hypocrite.  Gypsy Queen Tarot cards. Gimmick, but still collecting 'em.  This year's Bowman Platinum New Money inserts: Gimmick, love it.  Check my set wantlist to help me out. It's a bit of a blood bath on that list right now but I'm trying to collect one of every single insert card ever made (kidding! maybe..)

I didn't hit my actually set wantlists that hard.  I only got this one from 1998 UD3.  I remember busting blaster boxes with my childhood buddy in the car.  Good Times!  I don't think I whipped out my phone to look at my lists at all during the show. This show really allows the vendors to spread out their wares and bring a bunch of product to set out so there were plenty of dime and quarter boxes to sort through. Its a refreshing change from the Chantilly show that has showcase after showcase of slabbed cards I could give a crap about.

I'm in the official "I Despise Every Panini Product except Stars and Stripes cuz 'merica, because they are a Waste of Paper" club.  Sometimes I have to put my membership card in my back pocket when I need a guy that pitched 6 games for your favorite team and I need his card for my "One Card of Every Oriole" binder.  Topps doesn't think this guy actually exists but I have proof he does.  Anybody have a card of Louis Head they are willing to trade me?

These vintage card were in a quarter box.  No way I could leave them behind.  The image I always associate Jack McKeon with is his 1990 Topps card.  This poorly scanned 1973 card proves he is not actually Groucho Marx.

Both of these cards are quite random additions to my various stacks of cheap finds.  The Hershiser is from back when refractors were more or less box hits and the Bay Chrome rookie is a gold refractor.  Refractors are quite watered down these days and barely worth a quarter but I still can't resist their shiny charm.  

So this card of Zach Neto was just chillin in a pile of regular old Bowman Platinum from this year... for a quarter.... Notice in the top right corner under the logo there is foil stamping that says 9/10.  It almost seemed to be too good to be true when I found it.  I'm not a 100% sure what I'm going to do with it yet.  The last time I held onto some truly valuable cardboard to appreciate in value, that particular player decided he liked "childish" things and is currently waiting arraignment in a foreign country....

I've never showed this on the blog because I pulled it right as Bowman came out in Spring of '22. For all the good feelings I had when pulling this card from a pack, I feel like a damn fool for not selling it now. Feast/Avert your eyes: 

The pain is real

So, the Tuckahoe card show was really awesome this time.  I got to spend some time looking through cards with my nephew, I found a lot of interesting cards to add to my collection and I didn't even spend half of my budget what I had self-imposed.