collecting RAW Topps baseball cards 1952 Highs to 1972. looking for collector grade (somewhere between psa 4-7 condition). let me know what you have, I'll take it, I want to finish sets, I must have something you can use for trade.
looking for Topps 71-72 hi's-62-53-54-55-59, I have these sets started
Woohoo! Finally, I've got my laptop back from the PC DR., can post without having to type on a mobile device. Just in time for my fantasy football draft as well Thursday night.
This Texan was an 11 time Pro Bowler. A member of the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980. Lilly was named #10 on the 1999 Sporting News list of their 100 Greatest Football Players and was the highest ranking defensive lineman.
Another great Dallas Cowboy and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Cowboys ring of honor. This was signed recently at a show. I picked it up from Greg in trade.
This card is from a postcard sized pictorial biography set put out in 1964 by Ed U Cards. The autograph is from a John F. Kennedy letter written as a Senator on April 14, 1954. Sig itself has already passed authentication by PSA/DNA's historical authenticator. I finally got around to putting the card together. Turned out fairly nice.
1964 Ed U Cards John F. Kennedy custom cut autograph
Yitzhak Shamir was the Prime Minister of Israel during Operation Desert Storm. I've already got Thatcher, Bush and Hussein from this same set so glad to add this one.
I picked this one up tonight off of ebay. It is formerly board member miconelegacy's card. I already had the UK Panini Tyson rookie, the Question of Sport Tyson rookie, and the Panini Tyson/Hagler sticker autographed, but I was missing this one to complete his quartet of signed rookie cards. One of the newest members of the Boxing Hall of Fame.
This former US Senator and US Representative was the 1972 Democratic nominee for President. Was defeated soundly by Tricky Dick. The following is an excerpt from The McGovern Center for Leadership and Public Service:
"A war hero, 22-year U.S. Congressman and 1972 Democratic presidential nominee, George McGovern will long be remembered for his courage in speaking out against U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, his friendship and respect for the common man, and his work on behalf of American farmers and hungry children throughout the world."
This 6 time All Star and 6 time World Series Champion missed induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2009 by one vote from the Veterans Committee. It would have been a posthumous induction anyway as Allie passed away in 1994.
I ordered this one from Jerry Lucas' website so had no idea what to expect as far as condition was concerned. Turned out pretty nice and incuded his hologram as well. Named as one of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players.
One of my favorite shows growing up was Batman. Who can forget the pop ups, Bam, Pow, etc. Absolutely great stuff and entertainment. Special thanks to VitoCo (Michael) for offering to take some cards for me and get them signed at the show. I wanted to find the Bat Laff's picture cards, but didn't have much luck without having to buy the whole set and I wasn't going to do that to get a few cards. Therefore, I went with the 1st Batman issue of 1966, the "Black Bat" series.
This guy is not an inductee of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, however, he is in the Italian American Sports Hall of Fame, as well as the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame. A 9 time All Star selection and a very popular player.
Thanks Bobby, I've been looking for a Colavito for awhile now. I wasn't paying attention earlier this year and missed his private signing so I was glad to snag this one.
<< <i>His sig looks a lot like my Gretzky golf tourny auto, maybe I should try sending it in claiming it to be Leno >>
I feel your pain on those golf course Grezky's. I've got one myself that's 100% authentic on his rookie card but they won't slab it. That's the way the cookie crumbles sometimes I guess.
Mike, I keep meaning to ask how you store your collection. It's pretty wide ranging. Are you keeping them in MBMiller's padded boxes? Are they in binders? Are you displaying them at all?
<< <i>Mike, I keep meaning to ask how you store your collection. It's pretty wide ranging. Are you keeping them in MBMiller's padded boxes? Are they in binders? Are you displaying them at all? >>
I actually don't display my signed rookies. I keep them in a very large safe deposit box at the bank after I get them slabbed. While they are waiting to be slabbed, I use the MJ Roop wooden boxes. When I want to see them, I go online and look at my thread as I have most of them posted here or saved as scans on my pc for future posting. In my "man cave" part of the house, I have some things hanging on the wall such as caricatures of my kids where we went to the State Fair together, some Presidential pieces, a "Kills Bugs Fast" Porsche poster, my framed golfball and story from the paper where I hit a hole in one and won a Buick Rendezvous, and a few other framed pieces of my kids photos that are special to me. I do have one terribly disorganized corner where I have a bunch of graphs, cards, etc just sitting around but not really on display.
Some of the people on this board have some incredible displays in their home, but, I'm not one of them.
My favorite character from my favorite movie growing up. I found out that Mark Hamill was going to be appearing at the New York Comic Con this weekend so I overnighted a card to a friend up there to get it done for me. The great Luke Skywalker!!!
1977 Topps Star Wars Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker
While I believe his true rookie is considered to be the 1929 Cienfuegos Postcard, this card is the first I know of, of moden era Cool Papa Bell trading cards. Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974
(cut and pasted from the Negro League Baseball Players Association website)
James "Cool Papa" Bell had the sleek build of a high school point guard and ran the bases like a streaking cheetah. With daring speed, cunning game awareness, coupled with finesse at the bat, Cool Papa Bell epitomized the game of "tricky" baseball. He raised the once conservative game to an art form that lives in today's game. His Hall of Fame plaque reads in part "....Contemporaries rated him fastest man on the base paths."
His critics claimed he cheated, sometimes sneaking from first to third base without touching second. Bell once scored from first base on an infield bunt. Another time, he stole two bases on a single pitch. If you didn't see it, you didn't believe it. Quick as a wink, fast as a blink, describes the unbridled speed of Cool Papa Bell.
In 1922, the St. Louis Stars signed Bell for $90 a month as a left-handed pitcher with a wicked curve and a fade-away knuckler. After beating the Chicago American Giants' Jimmy Lyons in a match race, to claim the league's fastest man title, the Stars assigned Bell to patrol spacious centerfield. Two years later, the switch-hitting Bell became the starting centerfielder for the Stars. Bell stayed with the Stars until 1931, when the NNL disbanded under the aftermath of the Depression. In ten years with the Stars, he led them to league titles in 1928 and 1930.
In 1932, Bell joined the talent-rich Detroit Wolves of the East-West league that eventually collapsed in mid-season. When the Wolves folded, he joined the Kansas City Monarchs for the remainder of the season. He joined the Pittsburgh Crawfords in 1933 to play alongside other future Cooperstown players like Judy Johnson, Josh Gibson, Oscar Charleston and Satchel Paige. Under manager Charleston they won the NNL championship in 1935. Bell stayed with the Crawfords until 1937, when dictator Rafael Trujillo raided Pittsburgh of its stars to stock his All-Star team in Santo Domingo (now the Dominican Republic).
The Trujillo club later played in the popular Denver Post Tournament, were Bell batted .450, with five extra base hits and 11 stolen bases in 13 games. This prompted the sports editor of the Denver Post to write: "All these years I've been looking for a player who could steal first base. I've found my man: his name is Cool Papa Bell."
At the age of 39, Bell returned to the States in 1942 to played with old friend Jimmie Crutchfield and the Chicago American Giants. The following season Cum Posey lured Bell to join his power-packed Homestead Grays where he finished his active career. In 1948, Bell managed the Kansas City Monarchs' B-Team. He tutored future Major Leaguers like Ernie Banks and Elston Howard before hanging up his cleats forever.
Bell's speed was renowned. He transformed sacrifice bunts into hits, and singles into doubles and triples. He was once timed on a wet field blazing all the bases in a record 13.1 seconds, beating Evar Swanson's time by two-fifths of a second. The tan cheetah claimed in 1924 to have circled the bases in twelve seconds flat on a dry field, with a time of 3.1 from home to first.
Former teammate Satchel Paige summed up Bell's great career in his autobiography, Maybe I'll Pitch Forever saying: "If Cool Papa had known about colleges or if colleges had known about Cool Papa, Jesse Owens would have looked like he was walking."
Cool Papa Bell once sat out a few games so Monte Irvin could out-hit his batting average and get noticed by the big league scouts, and it worked!
Cool Papa Bell personally helped Jackie Robinson by doing everything he could to assist his transition into the major leagues. When Jackie finally made it, Bell said it was the greatest moment in his life!
1974 Laughlin Old Time Black Stars James "Cool Papa" Bell
I remember seeing Mr. bell at one of the early Nationals in Chicago in the early 80's. He was set up at his own table selling his autographs and was not very busy. I walked by him a few times and said hello but I didnt know enough about him to get myself an autograph at that time. That is one of my collecting regrets. I know his autos arent very expensive but I keep thinking I passed up an opportunity to talk to a legend and because there was nobody at his table that whole show, I could have talked to him a long time about his experiences.
Keep up the good work on your collection Mike. This thread is the only thread I will always click on just to see if there is anything new in it!!
I remember seeing Mr. bell at one of the early Nationals in Chicago in the early 80's. He was set up at his own table selling his autographs and was not very busy. I walked by him a few times and said hello but I didnt know enough about him to get myself an autograph at that time. That is one of my collecting regrets. I know his autos arent very expensive but I keep thinking I passed up an opportunity to talk to a legend and because there was nobody at his table that whole show, I could have talked to him a long time about his experiences.
Keep up the good work on your collection Mike. This thread is the only thread I will always click on just to see if there is anything new in it!! >>
Thanks for the compliment. Your story reminds me of the time I met Buck O'Neil, except I did end up getting his graph and talking to him a little while. He was basically sitting alone at a signing table at a show in Arlington, TX. I was out of flash cash at that point but I made an extra trip to the ATM to come back and get his graph (on a ball though, didn't do rookie cards back then unfortunately) He was a nice guy.
I attended HOF Induction weekend every year from 1987-1999 in Cooperstown. In 1989, someone was driving Cool Papa down the street, and I thought he was signing autographs. I went up to the car with my baseball, but realized that he was handing out pre-signed cut autos, as his eyes were not good at the time. I was young, 12 at the time, and displayed the small cut over a baseball, to make it look like the baseball was signed. I think at some point I needed the baseball for another signing so I took the cut off and lost it. I can't tell you how many hours I spent looking for this small cut.
I have always been meaning to add the Bell signature back into my collection, as he is technically missing. This card may motivate me to do it.
Another nice addition from the Negro Leagues. Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1975.
(cut and pasted from the Negro League Baseball Players Association Website)
The ultimate clutch-hitter, Judy Johnson shamelessly indulged in game-winning hits and rally-killing catches. Johnson was a bashful, quiet performer with an astonishing ability to perform under pressure. He was respected for his intellectual approach to the game, excelling with grace and poise; providing a positive influence on teammates and opponents.
Ted Page, a former outfielder for the Crawfords, bragged, "Judy Johnson was the smartest third baseman I ever came across. A scientific ball player, he did everything with grace and poise. You talk about playing third base? Heck, he was better than anybody I saw. And I saw Brooks Robinson, Mike Schmidt and even Pie Traynor. He had a powerful, accurate arm. He could do anything, come in for a ball, cut if off at the line, or range way over toward the shortstop hole. He was really something."
In his first pro season of 1918, he played behind Bill Francis at third, hitting a modest .227. Johnson credits John Henry "Pop" Lloyd with his early development. "He's the man I gave the credit to for polishing my skills," Johnson recalled. "He taught me how to play third base and how to protect myself. John taught me more baseball than anyone else." The well-schooled disciple of "Pop" developed into a full-time star leading the Hilldales to their first Eastern Colored League pennant, in 1923, with a .391 average.
The following season, Hilldale, behind Johnson's .324 average, hosted the Kansas City Monarchs in the first official Colored World Series. Johnson led all batters, hitting .364, and slugging out a .614 average. He led the series in RBIs (8), hits (16) and added an inside-the-park home run in a thrilling nine-game series loss to the Monarchs.
Johnson continued to punch in over .300 every season until he suffered a cranial beaning in August 1926, playing in Atlantic City. Cloaked with a lack of confidence, he slumped to .268 (1927) and .224 (1928). In 1929, Johnson shook off the wraps and proceeded to hit a hefty .390. This prompted sportswriter Rollo Wilson of the Pittsburgh Courier to name Johnson the league's Most Valuable Player.
After such a great comeback, Johnson's services were in much demand. With many teams in the early Thirties struggling with the economics of the Great Depression, Johnson bounced from the Hilldales to the Grays, back to the Darby Daisies, to the Grays before finishing the 1932 with the Crawfords.
In 1935, the Crawfords named Judy Johnson captain of their team over such stellar stars as Paige, Gibson, and Bell. This star-studded team managed by Oscar Charleston, won 39 games and lost 15, defeating the New York Cubans and Luis Tiant, Sr., in a seven-game series for the Negro National League pennant.
Cool Papa Bell once bragged: "Johnson was the best hitter among the four top third basemen in the Negro Leagues, but no one would drive in as many clutch runs as he would. He was a solid ballplayer, real smart, but he was the kind of fellow who could 'just get it done.' He was dependable, quiet, not flashy at all, but could handle anything that came up. No matter how much the pressure, no matter how important the play or the throw or the hit, Judy could do it when it counted."
A notorious clutch hitter, Judy could get hits like a chain smoker, lighting one hit on the butt of one after another. Calm when it came to sweaty palm heroics, Judy had the blasting power to pull off heroic feats and the baseball smarts to avoid laboring.
To show what a good sport I am, I am adding to my thread today a card for the viewing enjoyment of you Cardinals fans. (Oh, and by the way, GO RANGERS!!! Get it done in Game 7)
Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee. Jesse passed away in the 1970's, so these aren't too easy to find autographed. The third oldest autographed card in my collection.
<< <i>To show what a good sport I am, I am adding to my thread today a card for the viewing enjoyment of you Cardinals fans. (Oh, and by the way, GO RANGERS!!! Get it done in Game 7)
Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee. Jesse passed away in the 1970's, so these aren't too easy to find autographed. The third oldest autographed card in my collection.
<< <i>To show what a good sport I am, I am adding to my thread today a card for the viewing enjoyment of you Cardinals fans. (Oh, and by the way, GO RANGERS!!! Get it done in Game 7)
Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee. Jesse passed away in the 1970's, so these aren't too easy to find autographed. The third oldest autographed card in my collection.
1922 E120 American Caramel Jesse Haines PSA/DNA
>>
you sure this isn't going to jinx your Rangers? nice auto btw
<< <i> you sure this isn't going to jinx your Rangers? nice auto btw >>
At this point, I'm not sure of much of anything anymore concerning baseball, except that either the Rangers or Cardinals, will be World Series Champions soon. What a great, fun, exhilarating, and exasperating Series. I think both teams have performed well enough to be Champions, and both teams have performed poorly enough to be Chumps.
Mike, let the Rangers know I'm available tonight. My arm feels strong as I haven't thrown since August. I think the knuckleball would work against that Cardinal lineup.
"The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep."
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."
Collecting: Any unopened Baseball cello and rack packs and boxes from the 1970's and early 1980s.
It has been a GREAT series. I haven't enjoyed a WS this much since 2006. I am a Cardinals fan and I am glad that if we lose it will be to the Rangers. I think they are the classiest franchise in baseball.
That being said I hope the Cardinals crush them tonight.
Chris My small collection Want List: '61 Topps Roy Campanella in PSA 5-7 Cardinal T206 cards Adam Wainwright GU Jersey
<< <i>Mike, let the Rangers know I'm available tonight. My arm feels strong as I haven't thrown since August. I think the knuckleball would work against that Cardinal lineup. >>
I'd call them but I heard LaRussa took out all the dugout and bullpen phones cause they were too difficult to operate.
This guy was often overshadowed by his HOF teammates in the pitching rotation. (Bob Feller, Early Wynn, Bob Lemon). However, he more than held his own. He was a 3 time All Star, who led the AL in ERA and shutouts 2 times each. A member of the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame. Passed away in 1986.
Comments
congrats
collecting RAW Topps baseball cards 1952 Highs to 1972. looking for collector grade (somewhere between psa 4-7 condition). let me know what you have, I'll take it, I want to finish sets, I must have something you can use for trade.
looking for Topps 71-72 hi's-62-53-54-55-59, I have these sets started
This Texan was an 11 time Pro Bowler. A member of the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980. Lilly was named #10 on the 1999 Sporting News list of their 100 Greatest Football Players and was the highest ranking defensive lineman.
1963 Topps Bob Lilly
1972 Topps Roger Staubach
1964 Ed U Cards John F. Kennedy custom cut autograph
1991 ProSet Desert Storm Yitzhak Shamir
1971 Topps Roger Wehrli PSA/DNA
1986 Panini Italian Mike Tyson PSA/DNA
"A war hero, 22-year U.S. Congressman and 1972 Democratic presidential nominee, George McGovern will long be remembered for his courage in speaking out against U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, his friendship and respect for the common man, and his work on behalf of American farmers and hungry children throughout the world."
1972 Topps US Presidents George McGovern
1968 Jack in the Box Elvin Hayes
1948 Bowman Allie Reynolds PSA/DNA
1969 Topps Jerry Lucas
1966 Batman Adam West
1966 Batman Burt Ward
1966 Batman Julie Newmar and Lee Meriwether
1957 Topps Rocco Colavito PSA/DNA
<< <i>Mike nice Rocky!! >>
Thanks Bobby, I've been looking for a Colavito for awhile now. I wasn't paying attention earlier this year and missed his private signing so I was glad to snag this one.
Mike
1998 Topps WCW Jay Leno
<< <i>His sig looks a lot like my Gretzky golf tourny auto, maybe I should try sending it in claiming it to be Leno
I feel your pain on those golf course Grezky's. I've got one myself that's 100% authentic on his rookie card but they won't slab it. That's the way the cookie crumbles sometimes I guess.
Mike
My Podcast - Now FEATURED on iTunes
<< <i>Mike, I keep meaning to ask how you store your collection. It's pretty wide ranging. Are you keeping them in MBMiller's padded boxes? Are they in binders? Are you displaying them at all? >>
I actually don't display my signed rookies. I keep them in a very large safe deposit box at the bank after I get them slabbed. While they are waiting to be slabbed, I use the MJ Roop wooden boxes. When I want to see them, I go online and look at my thread
Some of the people on this board have some incredible displays in their home, but, I'm not one of them.
1977 Topps Star Wars Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker
(cut and pasted from the Negro League Baseball Players Association website)
James "Cool Papa" Bell had the sleek build of a high school point guard and ran the bases like a streaking cheetah. With daring speed, cunning game awareness, coupled with finesse at the bat, Cool Papa Bell epitomized the game of "tricky" baseball. He raised the once conservative game to an art form that lives in today's game. His Hall of Fame plaque reads in part "....Contemporaries rated him fastest man on the base paths."
His critics claimed he cheated, sometimes sneaking from first to third base without touching second. Bell once scored from first base on an infield bunt. Another time, he stole two bases on a single pitch. If you didn't see it, you didn't believe it. Quick as a wink, fast as a blink, describes the unbridled speed of Cool Papa Bell.
In 1922, the St. Louis Stars signed Bell for $90 a month as a left-handed pitcher with a wicked curve and a fade-away knuckler. After beating the Chicago American Giants' Jimmy Lyons in a match race, to claim the league's fastest man title, the Stars assigned Bell to patrol spacious centerfield. Two years later, the switch-hitting Bell became the starting centerfielder for the Stars. Bell stayed with the Stars until 1931, when the NNL disbanded under the aftermath of the Depression. In ten years with the Stars, he led them to league titles in 1928 and 1930.
In 1932, Bell joined the talent-rich Detroit Wolves of the East-West league that eventually collapsed in mid-season. When the Wolves folded, he joined the Kansas City Monarchs for the remainder of the season. He joined the Pittsburgh Crawfords in 1933 to play alongside other future Cooperstown players like Judy Johnson, Josh Gibson, Oscar Charleston and Satchel Paige. Under manager Charleston they won the NNL championship in 1935. Bell stayed with the Crawfords until 1937, when dictator Rafael Trujillo raided Pittsburgh of its stars to stock his All-Star team in Santo Domingo (now the Dominican Republic).
The Trujillo club later played in the popular Denver Post Tournament, were Bell batted .450, with five extra base hits and 11 stolen bases in 13 games. This prompted the sports editor of the Denver Post to write: "All these years I've been looking for a player who could steal first base. I've found my man: his name is Cool Papa Bell."
At the age of 39, Bell returned to the States in 1942 to played with old friend Jimmie Crutchfield and the Chicago American Giants. The following season Cum Posey lured Bell to join his power-packed Homestead Grays where he finished his active career. In 1948, Bell managed the Kansas City Monarchs' B-Team. He tutored future Major Leaguers like Ernie Banks and Elston Howard before hanging up his cleats forever.
Bell's speed was renowned. He transformed sacrifice bunts into hits, and singles into doubles and triples. He was once timed on a wet field blazing all the bases in a record 13.1 seconds, beating Evar Swanson's time by two-fifths of a second. The tan cheetah claimed in 1924 to have circled the bases in twelve seconds flat on a dry field, with a time of 3.1 from home to first.
Former teammate Satchel Paige summed up Bell's great career in his autobiography, Maybe I'll Pitch Forever saying: "If Cool Papa had known about colleges or if colleges had known about Cool Papa, Jesse Owens would have looked like he was walking."
Cool Papa Bell once sat out a few games so Monte Irvin could out-hit his batting average and get noticed by the big league scouts, and it worked!
Cool Papa Bell personally helped Jackie Robinson by doing everything he could to assist his transition into the major leagues. When Jackie finally made it, Bell said it was the greatest moment in his life!
1974 Laughlin Old Time Black Stars James "Cool Papa" Bell
I remember seeing Mr. bell at one of the early Nationals in Chicago in the early 80's. He was set up at his own table selling his autographs and was not very busy. I walked by him a few times and said hello but I didnt know enough about him to get myself an autograph at that time. That is one of my collecting regrets. I know his autos arent very expensive but I keep thinking I passed up an opportunity to talk to a legend and because there was nobody at his table that whole show, I could have talked to him a long time about his experiences.
Keep up the good work on your collection Mike. This thread is the only thread I will always click on just to see if there is anything new in it!!
<< <i>Nice autograph
I remember seeing Mr. bell at one of the early Nationals in Chicago in the early 80's. He was set up at his own table selling his autographs and was not very busy. I walked by him a few times and said hello but I didnt know enough about him to get myself an autograph at that time. That is one of my collecting regrets. I know his autos arent very expensive but I keep thinking I passed up an opportunity to talk to a legend and because there was nobody at his table that whole show, I could have talked to him a long time about his experiences.
Keep up the good work on your collection Mike. This thread is the only thread I will always click on just to see if there is anything new in it!! >>
Thanks for the compliment. Your story reminds me of the time I met Buck O'Neil, except I did end up getting his graph and talking to him a little while. He was basically sitting alone at a signing table at a show in Arlington, TX. I was out of flash cash at that point but I made an extra trip to the ATM to come back and get his graph (on a ball though, didn't do rookie cards back then unfortunately) He was a nice guy.
Mike
I attended HOF Induction weekend every year from 1987-1999 in Cooperstown. In 1989, someone was driving Cool Papa down the street, and I thought he was signing autographs. I went up to the car with my baseball, but realized that he was handing out pre-signed cut autos, as his eyes were not good at the time. I was young, 12 at the time, and displayed the small cut over a baseball, to make it look like the baseball was signed. I think at some point I needed the baseball for another signing so I took the cut off and lost it. I can't tell you how many hours I spent looking for this small cut.
I have always been meaning to add the Bell signature back into my collection, as he is technically missing. This card may motivate me to do it.
Nice card-brings back some great memories for me.
(cut and pasted from the Negro League Baseball Players Association Website)
The ultimate clutch-hitter, Judy Johnson shamelessly indulged in game-winning hits and rally-killing catches. Johnson was a bashful, quiet performer with an astonishing ability to perform under pressure. He was respected for his intellectual approach to the game, excelling with grace and poise; providing a positive influence on teammates and opponents.
Ted Page, a former outfielder for the Crawfords, bragged, "Judy Johnson was the smartest third baseman I ever came across. A scientific ball player, he did everything with grace and poise. You talk about playing third base? Heck, he was better than anybody I saw. And I saw Brooks Robinson, Mike Schmidt and even Pie Traynor. He had a powerful, accurate arm. He could do anything, come in for a ball, cut if off at the line, or range way over toward the shortstop hole. He was really something."
In his first pro season of 1918, he played behind Bill Francis at third, hitting a modest .227. Johnson credits John Henry "Pop" Lloyd with his early development. "He's the man I gave the credit to for polishing my skills," Johnson recalled. "He taught me how to play third base and how to protect myself. John taught me more baseball than anyone else." The well-schooled disciple of "Pop" developed into a full-time star leading the Hilldales to their first Eastern Colored League pennant, in 1923, with a .391 average.
The following season, Hilldale, behind Johnson's .324 average, hosted the Kansas City Monarchs in the first official Colored World Series. Johnson led all batters, hitting .364, and slugging out a .614 average. He led the series in RBIs (8), hits (16) and added an inside-the-park home run in a thrilling nine-game series loss to the Monarchs.
Johnson continued to punch in over .300 every season until he suffered a cranial beaning in August 1926, playing in Atlantic City. Cloaked with a lack of confidence, he slumped to .268 (1927) and .224 (1928). In 1929, Johnson shook off the wraps and proceeded to hit a hefty .390. This prompted sportswriter Rollo Wilson of the Pittsburgh Courier to name Johnson the league's Most Valuable Player.
After such a great comeback, Johnson's services were in much demand. With many teams in the early Thirties struggling with the economics of the Great Depression, Johnson bounced from the Hilldales to the Grays, back to the Darby Daisies, to the Grays before finishing the 1932 with the Crawfords.
In 1935, the Crawfords named Judy Johnson captain of their team over such stellar stars as Paige, Gibson, and Bell. This star-studded team managed by Oscar Charleston, won 39 games and lost 15, defeating the New York Cubans and Luis Tiant, Sr., in a seven-game series for the Negro National League pennant.
Cool Papa Bell once bragged: "Johnson was the best hitter among the four top third basemen in the Negro Leagues, but no one would drive in as many clutch runs as he would. He was a solid ballplayer, real smart, but he was the kind of fellow who could 'just get it done.' He was dependable, quiet, not flashy at all, but could handle anything that came up. No matter how much the pressure, no matter how important the play or the throw or the hit, Judy could do it when it counted."
A notorious clutch hitter, Judy could get hits like a chain smoker, lighting one hit on the butt of one after another. Calm when it came to sweaty palm heroics, Judy had the blasting power to pull off heroic feats and the baseball smarts to avoid laboring.
1974 Laughlin Old Time Black Stars Judy Johnson
<< <i>I love those cards, I have a couple of them signed myself. >>
Who do you have? Are any for sell?
Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee. Jesse passed away in the 1970's, so these aren't too easy to find autographed. The third oldest autographed card in my collection.
1922 E120 American Caramel Jesse Haines PSA/DNA
<< <i>To show what a good sport I am, I am adding to my thread today a card for the viewing enjoyment of you Cardinals fans. (Oh, and by the way, GO RANGERS!!! Get it done in Game 7)
Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee. Jesse passed away in the 1970's, so these aren't too easy to find autographed. The third oldest autographed card in my collection.
1922 E120 American Caramel Jesse Haines PSA/DNA
<< <i>To show what a good sport I am, I am adding to my thread today a card for the viewing enjoyment of you Cardinals fans. (Oh, and by the way, GO RANGERS!!! Get it done in Game 7)
Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee. Jesse passed away in the 1970's, so these aren't too easy to find autographed. The third oldest autographed card in my collection.
1922 E120 American Caramel Jesse Haines PSA/DNA
<< <i>
At this point, I'm not sure of much of anything anymore concerning baseball, except that either the Rangers or Cardinals, will be World Series Champions soon. What a great, fun, exhilarating, and exasperating Series. I think both teams have performed well enough to be Champions, and both teams have performed poorly enough to be Chumps.
Mike
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep."
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."
Collecting:
Any unopened Baseball cello and rack packs and boxes from the 1970's and early 1980s.
It has been a GREAT series. I haven't enjoyed a WS this much since 2006. I am a Cardinals fan and I am glad that if we lose it will be to the Rangers. I think they are the classiest franchise in baseball.
That being said I hope the Cardinals crush them tonight.
My small collection
Want List:
'61 Topps Roy Campanella in PSA 5-7
Cardinal T206 cards
Adam Wainwright GU Jersey
<< <i>Mike, let the Rangers know I'm available tonight. My arm feels strong as I haven't thrown since August. I think the knuckleball would work against that Cardinal lineup.
I'd call them but I heard LaRussa took out all the dugout and bullpen phones cause they were too difficult to operate.
Good luck to the Rangers. What am I saying? I just meant that in a friendly way. I actually hope they have very bad luck!
Go Cards!
Shane
1985 Donruss Kirby Puckett PSA/DNA
Congrats on the Kirby auto and he did leave much too soon. It is probably hard to find an auto of his rookie card especially in such nice condition.
I guess LaRussa knew what he was doing after all. I'm still available if the Rangers need me next year.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep."
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."
Collecting:
Any unopened Baseball cello and rack packs and boxes from the 1970's and early 1980s.
1950 Bowman Mike Garcia JSA
1974 Topps George Gervin