OT: Question for Zap

[RUich]

I think you are the only person on this board that can answer this with authority.
When the baseball cards are issued each season, do they give a certain number of the individual cards to the players?
As a kid who kept looking for those elusive Mantle, Mays, etc. cards with never a win, I'm thinking this should have happened as a part of the payment for using their images.

 

[zappaa]

I think you are the only person on this board that can answer this with authority.
When the baseball cards are issued each season, do they give a certain number of the individual cards to the players?
As a kid who kept looking for those elusive Mantle, Mays, etc. cards with never a win, I'm thinking this should have happened as a part of the payment for using their images.

No.
We got a catalog of gifts to choose from every year from all the different card companies.
We received no cards as a formality..
Look up Cy Berger from Topps.
Our relentless Pirate locker room busted his chops so bad in spring training every year, I felt bad for the guy.

 

[RUich]

No.
We got a catalog of gifts to choose from every year from all the different card companies.
We received no cards as a formality..
Look up Cy Berger from Topps.
Our relentless Pirate locker room busted his chops so bad in spring training every year, I felt bad for the guy.

Thanks. Can you imagine the Mantle family with a few of his rookie cards?

 

[zappaa]

Thanks. Can you imagine the Mantle family with a few of his rookie cards?

Pretty much no one saved and just as importantly preserved their cards.
The Mantle boys were just like us, we played with and threw away millions of dollars worth of cards and game used equipment.
We even played with my dads very rare John F Kennedy baseball in the back yard, it ended up in the sewer after my brother bounced his Dick Raditz curve ball in the dirt with it.

 

[BigWill]

I used all the baseball cards on the spokes of my bike and chewed the gum, or flipped them against another guy.

EXCEPT; Every Mickey Mantle card I saved in a shoe box. I had an entire shoe box saved. Somewhere in our moves around football jobs for my Dad, the box got misplaced.

 

[e5fdny]

Pretty much no one saved and just as importantly preserved their cards.
The Mantle boys were just like us, we played with and threw away millions of dollars worth of cards and game used equipment.
We even played with my dads very rare John F Kennedy baseball in the back yard, it ended up in the sewer after my brother bounced his Dick Raditz curve ball in the dirt with it.

I think I've told this story before but something similar happened to my Dad growing up. As a boy he worked at Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City and got a ball signed by 3 Hall of Famers (Mel Ott, Carl Hubbell, can't remember the third) and later on by Babe Ruth who looked at it and said, "Nice names ya got there, kid." when he signed. My Uncle, his older brother, gave it away when some kids in the neighborhood needed a ball to play with.

 

[yesrutgers01]

My Ex Wife got me a mint 1969 Seaver Topps card. Kept in a plastic case. She knew he had been my favorite player but also had no idea of the 1969 Mets. She told me the shop had a rookie card but she couldn’t afford it and this was the next best one to have. Or at least this is what the owner told her. I believe it may have been 1988 or so for a BD present. Paid $75
I believe it may be valued somewhere just under $1000 now.
Though, when I picked up the numerous boxes of cards after our divorce- noticed it was missing and she said she had idea what happened to it.
I wasn’t a huge collect. Was the only “single” card I had along with 2 topps boxsets of each year between 85-92...sold those a couple of years ago for almost nothing
Only other collectible was another she had gotten me. A plaque with the 86 Mets starters and all of the box scores of that series.
still have that one that hangs in the wine room.

 

[RUonBrain]

What is the best way to sell baseball cards, including many full sets?

Have thousands of cards from the 70’s and 80’s, mostly Topps.

They are at my dad’s house in NJ.

Thanks for any ideas of how folks have sold theirs or will in the future.

 

[zappaa]

My Ex Wife got me a mint 1969 Seaver Topps card. Kept in a plastic case. She knew he had been my favorite player but also had no idea of the 1969 Mets. She told me the shop had a rookie card but she couldn’t afford it and this was the next best one to have. Or at least this is what the owner told her. I believe it may have been 1988 or so for a BD present. Paid $75
I believe it may be valued somewhere just under $1000 now.
Though, when I picked up the numerous boxes of cards after our divorce- noticed it was missing and she said she had idea what happened to it.
I wasn’t a huge collect. Was the only “single” card I had along with 2 topps boxsets of each year between 85-92...sold those a couple of years ago for almost nothing
Only other collectible was another she had gotten me. A plaque with the 86 Mets starters and all of the box scores of that series.
still have that one that hangs in the wine room.

Now I’m going to spend the day wondering WTF happened to Yes’s 69 Seaver

 

[RUich]

My entire collection was in the top drawer of my dresser. When I went off to college, my parents sold the house and moved to our lake place. She tossed all of the cards in the garbage when they cleaned out the rooms.
Good thing was that I never really had any cards that were worth anything and I also never took care of them anyway. Always in a stack with a rubber band around them for trading, flipping against the walls and on my bike to make it sound like a Harley.

 

[yesrutgers01]

Now I’m going to spend the day wondering WTF happened to Yes’s 69 Seaver

Kinda have a feeling her 2nd husband got himself a nice BDay gift...

 

[zappaa]

My entire collection was in the top drawer of my dresser. When I went off to college, my parents sold the house and moved to our lake place. She tossed all of the cards in the garbage when they cleaned out the rooms.
Good thing was that I never really had any cards that were worth anything and I also never took care of them anyway. Always in a stack with a rubber band around them for trading, flipping against the walls and on my bike to make it sound like a Harley.

This story is the classic example of why surviving cards are worth so much.

FYI... 99 percent of the auction worthy cards worth thousands and millions are not saved, preserved cards opened by a kid and neatly put away.
They are found in un-opened boxes stored on shelves in basements and attics of old corner stores and homes.

 

[mdk02]

I used all the baseball cards on the spokes of my bike and chewed the gum, or flipped them against another guy.

EXCEPT; Every Mickey Mantle card I saved in a shoe box. I had an entire shoe box saved. Somewhere in our moves around football jobs for my Dad, the box got misplaced.

My entire collection was in the top drawer of my dresser. When I went off to college, my parents sold the house and moved to our lake place. She tossed all of the cards in the garbage when they cleaned out the rooms.
Good thing was that I never really had any cards that were worth anything and I also never took care of them anyway. Always in a stack with a rubber band around them for trading, flipping against the walls and on my bike to make it sound like a Harley.

I tell you, between moves and decluttering out parents cost us some big bucks. I feel your pain.

 

[R1766U_rivals]

What is the best way to sell baseball cards, including many full sets?

Have thousands of cards from the 70’s and 80’s, mostly Topps.

They are at my dad’s house in NJ.

Thanks for any ideas of how folks have sold theirs or will in the future.

Cards are SUPER hot again now. A lot of it has to do with Covid and people sorting through their old stuff and having plenty of time to look online for missing pieces of sets of cards that they always wanted.

You really need to do your due diligence in order to not get ripped off. Odds are, most of the sets, especially in the 80s are worthless, however, there might be a couple of cards within each set that collectors are looking for.

Your best bet is to use eBay as a price guide. Look at the sets you have and search them on eBay. Click on filters and SOLD. It will show you all of the sold listings and will give you an idea of the market price.

Most of the money for baseball cards are in the 50s/60s or certain rookies in the 70s or early 80s.

I would avoid selling cards on eBay. eBay has become a cesspool as of late for sellers. Especially with cards. Because eBay favors/protects the buyer, anything can be returned for any reason if the buyer is not satisfied. Great for the buyer, but unfortunately great for scammers as well. I have dealt with and heard of many people buying cards and switching them out for the same card in worse condition. Need to be very careful.

I would recommend doing your research, then selling to a local collector via Facebook marketplace. If you need help, let me know.

 

[RUonBrain]

Cards are SUPER hot again now. A lot of it has to do with Covid and people sorting through their old stuff and having plenty of time to look online for missing pieces of sets of cards that they always wanted.

You really need to do your due diligence in order to not get ripped off. Odds are, most of the sets, especially in the 80s are worthless, however, there might be a couple of cards within each set that collectors are looking for.

Your best bet is to use eBay as a price guide. Look at the sets you have and search them on eBay. Click on filters and SOLD. It will show you all of the sold listings and will give you an idea of the market price.

Most of the money for baseball cards are in the 50s/60s or certain rookies in the 70s or early 80s.

I would avoid selling cards on eBay. eBay has become a cesspool as of late for sellers. Especially with cards. Because eBay favors/protects the buyer, anything can be returned for any reason if the buyer is not satisfied. Great for the buyer, but unfortunately great for scammers as well. I have dealt with and heard of many people buying cards and switching them out for the same card in worse condition. Need to be very careful.

I would recommend doing your research, then selling to a local collector via Facebook marketplace. If you need help, let me know.

Thank you!

 

[BigWill]

There used to be a weekly sales catalogue where you could list sports stuff for sale.

The Best item I ever saw was the First Base Glove and Baseball Cletes used by Bill Bruckner and Autographed by him in the game the Mets Won the World Series after he made that error at First Base.

 

[zappaa]

Dad would bring home his game used jerseys once in a while after the season if he needed it for a commercial, photo shoot or promotion.
My brothers and I would end up with them, the material of the home jersey was excellent for cleaning our Lionel Trains.
Did I mention the game used Mantle and Maris bats we broke and hammered into the ground

 

[DJ Spanky]

the material of the home jersey was excellent for cleaning our Lionel Trains.

Damn, I could really use some of those!

 

[e5fdny]

Dad would bring home his game used jerseys once in a while after the season if he needed it for a commercial, photo shoot or promotion.
My brothers and I would end up with them, the material of the home jersey was excellent for cleaning our Lionel Trains.
Did I mention the game used Mantle and Maris bats we broke and hammered into the ground

My cousins and siblings put on a "show" for our parents and the stage we used was my Grandma's steamer trunk she brought across the Atlantic from Ireland. Needless to say my Dad and Aunt were not too happy about it. LOL

 

[NickRU714]

@zappaa

1. It's super cool to have a legit professional athlete and expert to ask questions.

2. Have catchers ever considered special cleats with a raised heal?
Similar to a pair of weightlifting shoes to make sitting in a squat easier?

Not sure how it would effect throwing though.

 

[zappaa]

@zappaa

1. It's super cool to have a legit professional athlete and expert to ask questions.

2. Have catchers ever considered special cleats with a raised heal?
Similar to a pair of weightlifting shoes to make sitting in a squat easier?

Not sure how it would effect throwing though.

Catchers have to have lightning quick reflexes, and ability to jump on slow rollers, bunts and blocked balls in the dirt.
Being more comfortable in their squat would not allow them to bounce around.
You don’t see it, but on a ground ball to the infield and no one on, the catcher is in a full sprint to first base, he is the back up man on an over throw to the 1st basemen.
Can’t be doing that with a raised heel shoe i Don’t think

 

[e5fdny]

Asked this in another thread but got buried or posted over...

favorite bus ride/destination (place to play) in the minors and the worst?

 

[tom1944]

Catchers have to have lightning quick reflexes, and ability to jump on slow rollers, bunts and blocked balls in the dirt.
Being more comfortable in their squat would not allow them to bounce around.
You don’t see it, but on a ground ball to the infield and no one on, the catcher is in a full sprint to first base, he is the back up man on an over throw to the 1st basemen.
Can’t be doing that with a raised heel shoe i Don’t think

I beat a runner to first base once doing that and caught the throw as the first baseman tripped returning to the bag. The runner rounded first before he realized I was there and I tagged him out as he dove back to first

 

[BigWill]

Catchers have to have lightning quick reflexes, and ability to jump on slow rollers, bunts and blocked balls in the dirt.
Being more comfortable in their squat would not allow them to bounce around.
You don’t see it, but on a ground ball to the infield and no one on, the catcher is in a full sprint to first base, he is the back up man on an over throw to the 1st basemen.
Can’t be doing that with a raised heel shoe i Don’t think

I used to love running alongside the runner and telling him to 'run faster, you're too slow'....

 

[ponyfoot19]

Since I graduated from high school as well as college in the sixties I go back aways. I had a substantial baseball card collection dating back when U started collecting them in the fifties. The y were augmented when a neighborhood kid several years older than me gave me his collection. I wouldn't say they were all pristine, but most were in good shape and stored in shoeboxes. To add onto Dale's comments above, my parents threw them out when I went off to college, and my Lionel trains were given to a relative. I would love to have the cards and the trains today.

 

[zappaa]

I beat a runner to first base once doing that and caught the throw as the first baseman tripped returning to the bag. The runner rounded first before he realized I was there and I tagged him out as he dove back to first

So funny you say that, the play works best with an “over hustle” guys who think it’s cool to get way out there and make a big turn.
right fielder throws a bullet to you waiting on top of the bag, at the expense of a shocked base runner.
Yer Out...see ya!
High level baseball you gotta learn to run the bases, they’re always backed up and there’s always someone there to tag you out

 

[zappaa]

Asked this in another thread but got buried or posted over...

favorite bus ride/destination (place to play) in the minors and the worst?

Favorite minor league Bus ride and town:
Carolina League, Asheville NC 1976....friggen awesome town and ball park.
Worst minor league town:
Can’t really think of one, maybe Batavia NY...New York Penn league

 

[e5fdny]

Favorite minor league Bus ride and town:
Carolina League, Asheville NC 1976....friggen awesome town and ball park.
Worst minor league town:
Can’t really think of one, maybe Batavia NY...New York Penn league

Bull Durham-esq?

And thank you for answering

 

[mdk02]

Favorite minor league Bus ride and town:
Carolina League, Asheville NC 1976....friggen awesome town and ball park.
Worst minor league town:
Can’t really think of one, maybe Batavia NY...New York Penn league

Heard that if you want to leave NJ when you retire and don't want the heat and humidity of Florida Ashville is a required visit.

 

[e5fdny]

Heard that if you want to leave NJ when you retire and don't want the heat and humidity of Florida Ashville is a required visit.

Been hearing lately Greenville, SC might be a spot too.

 

[RUScrew85]

I used all the baseball cards on the spokes of my bike and chewed the gum, or flipped them against another guy.

EXCEPT; Every Mickey Mantle card I saved in a shoe box. I had an entire shoe box saved. Somewhere in our moves around football jobs for my Dad, the box got misplaced.

Mom threw it out when you weren't looking.

 

[RUScrew85]

Dad would bring home his game used jerseys once in a while after the season if he needed it for a commercial, photo shoot or promotion.
My brothers and I would end up with them, the material of the home jersey was excellent for cleaning our Lionel Trains.
Did I mention the game used Mantle and Maris bats we broke and hammered into the ground

OMG.

 

[RUScrew85]

@zappaa

1. It's super cool to have a legit professional athlete and expert to ask questions.

2. Have catchers ever considered special cleats with a raised heal?
Similar to a pair of weightlifting shoes to make sitting in a squat easier?

Not sure how it would effect throwing though.

You saying Zappa's dad wore heels?

 

[Retired711]

You don’t see it, but on a ground ball to the infield and no one on, the catcher is in a full sprint to first base, he is the back up man on an over throw to the 1st basemen.
Can’t be doing that with a raised heel shoe i Don’t think

I learned catchers did that by reading a fictional account of a young catcher trying to make the majors. Another player made fun of him for not backing up first. (Funny what you can learn from books!) Sometimes I see it on TV on a replay from the center field camera of a ground out to the right side.

Catching requires incredibly difficult skills, as well as the willingness to get hurt by errant pitches and foul tips. And good catchers have sharp minds, even though there are teams today where the manager calls all the pitches. Casey Stengel would call "Mr. Berra" "my assistant manager." And catchers are almost always expected to be above-average hitters with some pop. Not an easy position to play!

 

[mollie24]

My mother threw out shoe boxes full of cards, but I have several large boxes of Lionel trains
from the 50s & 60s, are they worth anything?

 

[yesrutgers01]

I learned catchers did that by reading a fictional account of a young catcher trying to make the majors. Another player made fun of him for not backing up first. (Funny what you can learn from books!) Sometimes I see it on TV on a replay from the center field camera of a ground out to the right side.

Catching requires incredibly difficult skills, as well as the willingness to get hurt by errant pitches and foul tips. And good catchers have sharp minds, even though there are teams today where the manager calls all the pitches. Casey Stengel would call "Mr. Berra" "my assistant manager." And catchers are almost always expected to be above-average hitters with some pop. Not an easy position to play!

The hitting with pop has become more of a thing of late. I always expected that SS, C, 2B were the 3 spots back in the day where defense was always more important than hitting.

 

[yesrutgers01]

I used to love running alongside the runner and telling him to 'run faster, you're too slow'....

I think this helped you more that hurt or insulted the runner. I can’t remember a time running to 1B that I heard anything except breathing, background noise and 1B coach...

 

[Retired711]

The hitting with pop has become more of a thing of late. I always expected that SS, C, 2B were the 3 spots back in the day where defense was always more important than hitting.

Can you give examples of catchers in the past with no pop? Even in the 50s, successful catchers had pop. Keep in mind that catchers tend to be very strong -- they have to be -- and so catchers often hit for power.

 

[Ronnie_B]

@zappaa where would you say your dad got his power from in regards to hitting? Something tells me wrist and forearms.

 

[zappaa]

@zappaa where would you say your dad got his power from in regards to hitting? Something tells me wrist and forearms.

Massive forearms and wrists, heavy hands and fingers...his pinky was the size of my thumb, with calves the size of a regulation football.
In short he was built like a Gorilla when he was young.
My brothers and I were scared to death of his physicality which he never exerted against us, but we knew it was there