TTM Success: Gary Roenicke

Today, this post is 100%  brought to you by people that have at birthday on December 5.  Gary Roenicke is has the same birthday as me (different years '54 vs '83).  Other baseball players who share our birthday include Cliff Floyd, Justin Smoak, Christian Yelich, and Hayden Wesneski.  

Gary had his best years as an Oriole where he was the platoon partner for John Lowenstein.  He won the World Series in 1983 and is enshrined in the Orioles Hall of Fame.  

Both of these cards turned out great.  I sent to him on December 17th, 2014 and got the cards back on January 3rd, 2015 for a 17 day TAT.  Thank You Mr. Roenicke!

TTM Success: John O'Donoghue, Sr.

Another TTM success came back the other day.  This one is from John O'Donoghue, Sr.  He was a relief pitcher for the 1968 Orioles and was awarded by his teammates in the Kangaroo Court "the John O'Donoghue Memorial Long Ball Award".  He won the award by giving up the longest home run at Memorial Stadium that season.  His trophy: a tattered, ragged-out baseball.

John came over from Cleveland in trade after the 1967 season and had previously been with the KC Athletics to start his career.  He made the All-Star team in 1965.  

His son also pitched for the Orioles in the mid 90's....

I sent to John on November 4th, 2023 and received it back on November 13th, 2023 for a 9 day TAT.  Thank You Mr. O'Donoghue!

Trade with Tom of The Angels, in Order

We're mixing it up a little bit today with a trade package from Tom of The Angels, in Order blog.  Tom has been a great blogger for a long time and has always been a good trade partner of mine.  I was happy to have him reach out on one of my recent posts saying that he had some cards for me.  A trade was agreed upon and here are the highlights of my end of the bargain: 

The lone Orioles card of the package was this 2023 Topps Update of James McCann.  I think Mike Elias is a bit of genius because he was able to get the Mets to basically pay McCann to play for the Orioles this and next year.  He's a very good backup catcher that was sometimes miscast as a DH early in the season.  He'll likely move on after his contract is up next fall and give way to Maverick Handley, Silas Ardoin, or Samuel Basallo.

I can't imagine why Tom had these Nolan Ryan cards laying around. I love this Coke set for a variety of reasons.  Nolan is one of my favorite all time players.  The gold border does wonders to help with the divisive 1992 Donruss Design. Probably most of all, I remember when I was a little boy getting some of these out of packs of Coke with my Grandma and Grandpa.  My Grandma passed away last fall after a battle with dementia.  My Grandpa is still alive and well and just turned 90 on October 25th.  I love that he hangs out at the Walmart near his house on Friday mornings and helps the old folks shop for groceries.  You just can't hold an old farmer down.  He just gave up farming about 4 years ago to help care for my Grandma.  He still gets on the old John Deere and mows the ditches around the family farm.

Here's some of the highlights of the highlights of Nolan's career set from Pacific. I know there is a hub bub about Randy Johnson's 1989 Fleer having a Marlboro sign in the background.  I've never seen anything about this card.  I've also never felt more of an urge to smoke than I do now that I've seen this card.  

Its that time of year again.... Time to bring out the menorahs.... Is that OJ Simpson? Hall of Famer Rod Carew?  All Three Stooges?

Thanks Tom for your generosity and I look forward to our next trade!

TTM Success: Ben McDonald

Here's yet another success that I had in my draft folder since 2014.  I think with Ben I happened to send at the right time.  To me, it looks like 2014 and 2015 were the best years to send to him and then he tailed off and there has been very spotty success since 2018.  I'm very happy to have these 2 cards signed.

1994 Pinnacle

1994 Fleer Ultra

Ben McDonald was the 1st overall pick in the 1989 Draft out of LSU.  Shortly after the draft a column was written in The Sporting News about Big Ben and how he and his buddies liked to go out in the swamps of Louisiana hunting alligators after dark. Supposedly, you sneak up on them and jump out of the boat right on top of them, Crocodile Hunter style.  Seems crazy to me but to each his own.

I sent these out on December 17th, 2014 and got this return on Boxing Day, December 26th, 2014 for a 9 day TAT.  Thank You Mr. McDonald!

TTM Success: Whitey Herzog

Another one of my recent TTM returns is this 1962 Topps Whitey Herzog.  He is mostly not known as an Oriole but here is photographic proof that he did play for the team in 1961 and 1962.  He'd go onto finish his career in Detroit during the 1963 season and then get into scouting then player development.  He'd work his way up to be manager of the A's in 1973, the Angels in 1974, the Royals from 75 to 79 and then the most famous stretch with the Cardinals from 1980 thru 1990.

I sent to him on October 28th, 2023 and it returned November 13th 2023 for a 16 day TAT. I paid the $5 fee he charges per card.

 

TTM Success: Stu Miller

Personally, this one is a bit tough to post.  I'm really happy to have this card in my collection.  Not only is it an Orioles autograph, it very well might be the last autograph that he signed.  I sent to him on December 17th, 2014 and got it back on December 26th, 2014.  Stu passed away on January 4th, 2015.

I really appreciate him taking time out during the holiday season to return my card signed.

Stu was another one of the relief aces that the Orioles had during their heyday in the mid '60s.  He pitched in 297 games for the O's and had a sparkling 2.37 ERA to show for it.  

Thanks You and RIP Stu 

TTM Success: Jim Marshall

This is one of my newest successes that I was thrilled to get back.  I've been bitten (really hard) by the TTM bug again.  Thanks to William for releasing the bug at my house when we went up to the Chantilly show.

Jim Marshall was short time Oriole.  He was a rookie 1st baseman for the Orioles in 1958 and played in 85 games.  By August of that year, he had been claimed by the Cubs on the waiver wire.  Interestingly enough, he was traded with Larry Doby (among others from the White Sox in December 1957) who never played for the Orioles as he was traded before the '58 season began.

Once in the Minor Leagues, Jim hit a homerun and won. 1000 bucks because he hit a sign for the laundromat across the street from the ballpark in which he was playing.

Jim also played in Japan for a couple years for the Chunichi Dragons with other former Orioles Bob Nieman, and Billy Klaus.

Back stateside, he was the manager for the Cubs and then the A's.

Quite and interesting baseball career to say the least!

I sent to Mr. Marshall on October 27th, 2023 and got it back on November 13th, 2023 for a 17 day TAT.  Thanks Mr. Marshall!

TTM Success: Ed Watt

Another TTM that was languishing in my draft folder for nearly 9 years.  I sent this extra '74 Topps card of him and he signed it in thin blue Sharpie.

Ed Watt was a relief ace for the Orioles during their golden years from '66 thru '73.  He never started a game in the majors after his rookie year in '66 and his Orioles ERA was a tidy 2.74 over 363 appearances. He also wasn't a terrible batter (for a pitcher) when he got the chance.  Nearly half of is at-bats were in the aforementioned '66 season.  He carried a .190 batting average for his career.  

Its notable that he has shown up at many of the Orioles on-field special celebrations over the years. 

I sent to Mr. Watt on December 17th, 2014 and got it back on December 28th, 2014 for an 11 day TAT.