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Wednesday, October 27, 2021

World Series, Game 1- Soler Power

The Atlanta Braves defeated the Houston Astros in Game 1 of the World Series last night, 6-2


Jorge Soler hit the 3rd pitch of the Series from Framber Valdez  into the Crawford Boxes in left field, and the Braves never looked back.


πŸ‘‰ Jorge Soler Topps NOW card, available for 24 hours, on Topps.com.


Soler, traded to Atlanta from the Kansas City Royals this summer, started his career with the Chicago Cubs...



...was traded to KC, where he blasted his way to an American League leading 48 homers in 2019.


Game 2 of the World Series is tonight, with Braves LHP Max Fried facing off against Jose Urquidy of Houston. 



πŸ’—πŸ’— Fried is one of my favorite young pitchers, and the Astros definitely have a tough time ahead of them tonight.

πŸ€” Do you think the Astros bounce back in Game 2, or do you have the Braves going back home,  up 2 games to none.?


Enjoy the game, and have a terrific evening. 

Play BALL! ⚾️ 


Tuesday, October 26, 2021

Tigers Card Tuesday- Happy World Series Day!

Tonight the World Series begins, with the National League Champion Atlanta Braves playing the American League Champion Houston Astros, at Minute Maid Park.




This is, I believe gonna be a terrific Series, going the entire 7 games, with the Astros winning their 2nd Title. 

I've watched every World Series since 1968, no matter the team's playing, became, well, after all, it's our National Pastime. 




πŸ€” Are you watching the World Series?

πŸ‘‰ Who's your pick to win it all?


Have a great week, and, of course,  Play BALL! ⚾️

Sunday, October 24, 2021

Happy National Tight Ends Day!

Today is National Tight Ends Day., a day that always creeps up on me, even though it started during a Lions game.



🦁🏈 The Lions have one of the best young TEs in football, T.J. Hockenson, who, unfortunately, just doesn't get enough passes his way.


T.J. wears the number 88, a legendary  number in Detroit Lions history, because it was worn by my All-Time favorite TE, Charlie Sanders.



It's already late in October, 7 games into the football schedule, and, just one week of pink cards and a baseball season that's down to the best of 7 World Series between the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves.


πŸ€” Who's your favorite TE, both current, and of All-Time? 

πŸ€” Are you rooting for the Braves, the Astros, or, like me, just want a full 7 more games of baseball? 


Thanks, as always, for taking time out of your day to stop by and read this blog. 


Play BALL! ⚾️

Thursday, October 14, 2021

Card Corner- Ranking the Detroit Tigers Project 70 Cards

It's a love, don't love relationship when it comes to Topps Project 70 Cards, just as it was with the Project 2020 cards last year.


0️⃣ In 2022, not one Detroit player was represented, even thought there was certainly plenty of "Iconic" cards of Tigers players to choose from.



πŸ”΅πŸŸ  I humbly submit my rankings of the Tigers players featured so far in Project 70.

1) Tyrus Cobb, by Lauren Taylor.




πŸ† This is the latest card released of the great Cobb, and as soon as I saw it, it vaulted to #1 for me.

Lauren has blended all that is great about the HOFer, including the most famous slide into 3rd Base of All-Time. 

The detail, that famous Cobb signature, is why Lauren is easily one of my favorite Project 70 artists.



2) Miguel Cabrera,  by Blake Jamieson. 



5️⃣0️⃣0️⃣  I couldn't wait for 3rd party via eBay, so this was a direct from Topps purchase. 


Using the 1973 Topps design for this card was a terrific choice... MIGGY, DETROIT TIGERS,  and using the 1st Baseman logo that was used on one of my favorite sets of baseball cards.


It's all things Miggy 500th HR! 



3) Akil Baddoo, by Tyson Beck.





What's NOT to like about a baseball card of the exciting Baddoo, and those colorful Tigers stripes make the card jump out at you.





4) Ty Cobb, by JK 5.




🐯⚾️This is a very cool card of the "Genius in Spikes."

πŸ‘ Notice the nod to "The Georgia Peach." on Cobbs right uniform sleeve.

This card is wild, and I love it! 


 
5) Al Kaline, by POSE.




Mr. TIGER was the first of the Tigers to be featured in Project 70.

The art is a blend of three different Kaline cards, with the old Tigers logo from the early 1960s. 



6)  Ty Cobb,  by POSE.





This was the first art card of Cobb in the series, a colorful, complex look at a very complex player.

🐯 The old time Olde English D  ballcap  that Tyrus wore is terrific. 




🐯🏟  TIGER STADIUM, by EFDOT. 





*️⃣ This isn't part of Project 70, but it's a "Stadium Series" issue by EFDOT.

I wanted to include this card, as it's one of my favorite cards of 2021.

That awesome Tiger of my youth, with the great ballpark of my youth, all front and center, with retired Tigers numbers, makes this such an special card.



πŸ—’  Well, that's it, that's my list.

Maybe we can get a Blog Bat Around going...what kind of list can you put together of the Project 70 cards of your favorite team, or player?


πŸ‘‰ Enjoy tonight's NLDS Game 5, Dodgers @ Giants, it should be a great baseball game.

Play BALL! ⚾️πŸ’™πŸ’œπŸ’šπŸ’—

Wednesday, October 13, 2021

Ray Fosse, 1947-2021

Former All-Star catcher Ray Fosse passed away on Thursday night, losing his 16 year battle with cancer. 




πŸ’š Fosse was one of the catchers of my youth, first with the Cleveland Indians, and then with the Oakland Athletics, where he was a member of back to back World Series Championships, in 1973 & 1974. 



Fosse, the Indians first found draft pick in 1965, finished up his career in Milwaukee, in 1979, having caught 889 games, with a fielding percentage of 985.


Ray was a terrific broadcaster, doing Oakland games since 1986.






Rest in Peace, Ray Fosse, give Bill Freehan a big hug from all of us. πŸ™



Tuesday, October 12, 2021

Tigers Card Tuesday- 2020 Topps Inception Tyler Alexander

The Detroit Tigers won 75 baseball games in 2021, far exceeding any projections by the know-it-all pundits.

One of the pitchers that helped the Tigers great improvement from the previous couple of seasons was LHP Tyler Alexander.





Alexander, 27, was drafted by Detroit in the 2nd Round in 2015, and the former TCU Horned Frog made his big league debut on July 3, 2019 vs the Chicago White Sox. 


Used primarily as a reliever who made spot starts, the Tigers leaned more heavily on Alexander after Matthew Boyd injured his elbow early on 2021.

Look at his final starts, and you'll see why we love Tyler and his future in the Motor. 



πŸ‘‰ Those last three starts for Alexander were pretty darn good, and, that August 20th start against the Blue Jays was really, really,  good.





πŸ‘‰ Hey, that's me, in Chicago, on October 3rd, watching Tyler start against the ChiSox.

It was so awesome to go to a Tigers game against the Southsiders and walk out a winner.


                   πŸŒˆ Rainbows are a beautiful sight.


🐯⚾️ Tyler pitched 6 innings, allowing just 4 hits, and 1 run, in a no-decision. 

2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣2️⃣ A 2022 starting Tigers rotation of Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal, Matt Manning, Wily Peralta, and Alexander seems pretty much set in stone, as  Spencer Turnbull had season ending Tommy John surgery and my guy Boyd had surgery on his elbow  and won't be back until June, at the earliest. 



πŸ’—πŸ’— I ordered this card of Tyler so I could post it in October as part of Save Second Base, supporting our friend, Collecting Cutch, and his annual blogging event to bring awareness to Breast Cancer. πŸŽ€ 


Make sure to post those pink baseball cards! 


πŸŽπŸŽ‚ Today's celebrity birthday is 1970s & '80s Sex Symbol Susan Anton.



Anton, 71, has had a terrific career in TV and movies, including 1984s Cannonball Run 2.


You can find Susan on Facebook


Here's hoping ya'll are enjoying your day, make it a good one, and, as always,  Play BALL! 

Monday, October 11, 2021

Monday Mopup, 10-11-21

Today is October 10th, and it's gonna be 80° here in the Portage/Kalamazoo area...where the normal high temperature at this time of year should get in the low, to mid, 60s.

πŸ”₯ Speaking of hot, Michigan, and Michigan State both won Big Ten football games on the road on Saturday, with my Wolverines coming out ahead in a crazy game, 32-29, over the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

7️⃣ Michigan is now ranked #7 in the coaches poll, with State at #9.

The Wolverines are off this weekend, and Sparty travels to play the Indiana Hoosiers. 


0️⃣- 4️⃣ My Detroit Lions, again, lost another gut wrenching game, 19-17, in Minnesota, on a 60+ yard FG as time expired.

If you're on Twitter, the very talented Annie Agar summed the loss up perfectly. 


🐦 Give her a follow, you'll be highly entertained. 


⚾️πŸŽ‚πŸŽ Happy Baseball Birthday! wishes go out to Detroit Tigers catcher Grayson Greiner, who's turning 29 today.


Grayson, the former South Carolina Gamecock, spent the majority of the 2021 season injured.

πŸ’—πŸ’— Remember to post those pink baseball cards each time you post in October, and please go check out our friend, Collecting Cutch, each day, as he continues to bring awareness to Breast Cancer. 


πŸ’—πŸŽπŸŽ‚πŸ’— In other Birthday newsthe beautiful, Claudia Black, most famous for a couple of Sci-Fi shows, is 49 today.


I'm not much for these TV shows, but, honestly, I'm gonna have to check a couple of episodes out.

Claudia was born in Sydney, Australia, and is most famously known for her roles in Stargate SG-1, Farscape, and in animation, as Cheetah, the arch- nemesis of Wonder Woman.





⚾️ The big league playoffs are well underway, with all teams having won at least one game.

The Red Sox are up 2-1 over the Rays after a walk off win last night.

The Kevin Kiermaier "ground rule" double was something that I hadn't seen in my 54 years of watching baseball, but that's what makes it so great, you just the never know what's gonna happen in October. 



πŸ‘‰ Here's the Rule that kept the Rays from taking the lead, courtesy of Jeff Passan, on Twitter. 




πŸ‘€ There were four (4) games scheduled today, but the Astros/White Sox game had been postponed, due to inclement weather, and will be made up tomorrow afternoon at 1 pm.

That bad weather is headed right here in the Kazoo area, sometime after 6pm.


Someone on Twitter asked baseball fans to post the Cy Young Award Winner(s) from the year we were born. 

In 1960 there was only ONE Cy Young Award Winner, and that pitcher was Vern Law of the Pittsburgh Pirates. 

Law, 91 years old, was a member of the World Champion Pirates in 1960, and played his entire career in the "Steel City." 


πŸ† 110 years ago today, in 1911,


 the ChalmersAward for MVP of the American and National Leagues was first awarded.

🐯⚾️ Ty Cobb of the Tigers was the A.L. winner, with Frank Schulte of the Chicago Cubs winning the award in the Senior Circuit. 



πŸ€” Who won the Cy Young Award the year you were born?

What do you think about that Kiermaier hit?

Do you watch Stargate, SG-1, Farscape,  or Cheetah? 


As always, thanks for stopping by and reading ye Olde baseball blog.


Have a great week. 


Play BALL! ⚾️

Thursday, October 7, 2021

Card Corner- 2020 Sport Kings Gum- Jerry Grote

I love baseball catchers, and baseball cards of catchers. 

Since I was a little kid playing and watching the game, it's the catchers position that always drew my eye, starting with my hero, Bill Freehan. 

A year after Freehan and the Tigers won the World Series, a young group of New York Mets players came out of nowhere, winning their first N.L. Pennant and the teams first World Series Championship, in 1969.


Catchers are the teams leader, the player who's in on every pitch of the game.


6️⃣9️⃣ The 1969 Mets were led on the field by Jerry Grote, the 27 year old backstop from San Antonio, Texas.

        2020 Sport Kings Gum #84, Jerry Grote 

     ( I came across this card looking for a PINK Baseball card to post.)


Grote played 12 of his 16 years in the big leagues for the Mets, and is still 5th All-Time in games played in franchisehistory, with 1,235.

Grote retired with a marvelous fielding percentage of .991, still good enough for 86th All-Time, some 40 years after he retired. 

πŸ‘‰ Mr. Grote has a Facebook page.


πŸ’—πŸ’— Make sure you head over to see today's Save Second post by the man himself,  Collecting Cutch. 



πŸ‘‰ This card was sent to me from a collector from a Sunday morning thread on Twitter, where cards are sent for FREE, and collectors can trade with each other. 

Absolutely NO selling happens, so, if your on tge tweets, cone by and have some fun.

πŸ€” Who's your favorite big league catcher? 


Many thanks to everyone who took time out of their busy day to stop by a check out ye Olde Baseball. 

Have a terrific weekend, and,always remember, PLAY BALL! ⚾️πŸ’—πŸ’—

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Happy Baseball Birthday- Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd

Today we send out Happy Baseball Birthday! best wishes to Dennis  "Oil Can " Boyd, who's turning 62 years young.

πŸ‘‰Dennis Ray Boyd was born in Meridian, Mississippi, on October 6,1959, played college baseball at Jackson State University, and was drafted in the 16th round of the 1980 Big League player draft by the Boston Red Sox. 

πŸ₯«"Oil Can" made his debut for the BoSox on September 13, 1982, pitching 5 1/3 innings against the Pirates, allowing 7 hits, giving up 2 ER.


No Pink Baseball Cards for Mr. Boyd, however, the backs on his 1989 Topps cards are highlighted with pink.

⚾️My "Oil Can" Baseball Card count is currently at 27.


πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡² I went to Meridian, MS, in 1985, for my Navy "Ships Serviceman" training, and that's when I learned that not only was Boyd from the small town, but it's also the birthplace of the beautiful Sela Ward.



🎬 Sela Ward first caught my eye in Nothing In Common, w/ Tom Hanks and Jackie Gleason.


 

πŸ‘€ Make sure you visit our friend, Collecting Cutch, and his annual October posts to raise awareness to the deadly disease that is Breast Cancer.




🎁 Here's hoping that Dennis is having a terrific Birthday today. 




Hope ya'll are having a magnificent week,  thanks for stopping by ye Olde Baseball. 

Play BALL!  ⚾️