The Gino Cappelletti Thread

DanBessette · August 9, 2014 12:42PM

I have kinda sorta collected raw Gino Cappelletti cards for a while now. With my Tippett finish line in sight, I needed a new player focus for my football collecting, and I decided to get more serious about Gino. I know most football fans don't know much about the man, so here's a little summary:

Cappelletti spent his entire 11 year career with the Boston Patriots and is one of their all-time greats. He was a flanker (WR) and placekicker. He was a 5-time AFL All Star and the AFL MVP in 1964, when he had 865 receiving yards and 7 TDs to go along with 25 made FGs and 36 extra points, for a total of 153 points scored. Scoring was Cappelletti's forte and he was the franchise's all-time leading scorer from his retirement in 1970 until Vinatieri broke his franchise record 35 years later. In retirement, Gino teamed with play-by-play man Gil Santos on Patriots radio broadcasts through 2012, and his raw emotion during their call of Vinatieri's game-winning FG in the 2002 Super Bowl against the Rams still gives me chills. All told, Gino spent 52 years with the Patriots organization, making him the Patriots equivalent of Johnny Pesky with the Red Sox or Red Schoendeinst with the Cardinals.

With that being said, my new collecting focus needed goals, and I came up with two:

1. Obtain an autographed Cappelletti card
2. Complete his PSA master set

On this second goal, I made a vow to research prices and only buy the highest graded example of each card that I could afford, and never settle for a lower grade. I haven't been at this long, but here is what I've got so far....

DanBessette · August 9, 2014 12:46PM

When I told Kyle (LarkinCollector) about my goals, he tracked down this auto and included it in one of the several trades we've made together. It's serial numbered 1/5 (kinda cool that it's #1) and I like that the front lists some of his career achievements too. A great card!

DanBessette · August 9, 2014 12:52PM

I'm a corners guy, and these are razor sharp! I really think the colors pop too. Edited to add that I found an error on the back of this card. It says he was a 6 time all star, but a little quick research confirms that it was only 5 times.

Admittedly I don't have a ton of experience with the 4-in-1 issues, but in my limited searching it seems like centering like this is hard to find.

mattinglymint23 · August 9, 2014 1:03PM

We've conversed on PM in past and did some nice trading.
But I say this regardless of that or any other reason except this...
You my friend are a player collector in the truest sense.
You set a great example and your posts are inspiring and informative.

Keep it up and thanks.

DanBessette · August 9, 2014 1:06PM

Thanks for the kind words!

Stone193 · August 9, 2014 1:14PM

Good luck Dan - I like multitalented players.

One of my favorites - if I were to do a player set? George Blanda - QB and kicker.

DanBessette · August 9, 2014 1:23PM

<< Good luck Dan - I like multitalented players.

One of my favorites - if I were to do a player set? George Blanda - QB and kicker. >>

I like Blanda. I also have many Lou "The Toe" Groza cards from the 1950s.

MikeyP · August 9, 2014 1:28PM

Great stuff Dan. Good luck and enjoy the hunt.

DanBessette · August 9, 2014 1:30PM

Thanks Mikey!

lawnmowerman · August 9, 2014 11:59PM

The 68 design is one of my favs when it comes to football. keep the thread updated with scans of your pickups.

Good luck with the set!

DanBessette · August 10, 2014 12:55AM

<< The 68 design is one of my favs when it comes to football. keep the thread updated with scans of your pickups. >>

I will !

DanBessette · August 20, 2014 10:15AM

Today was a great mail day, and here is the biggest highlight: 2 TTM autos from my man Cappelletti. Special thanks to PMKay for giving me his address. I was floored that I received these back 9 days after I mailed them! Of course VT bordering MA helped, but still, great response time! I hope he enjoyed my letter. Here are the cards.

That brings my total of Gino autos to 3 (see above). Also means that for his 1968 Topps card I have one in PSA 8 (see above), and one autographed. Both of these cards have condition issues, so I won't be sending them in for red flips. But they'll look great in blue flips and be treasured keys to my collection of one of my favorite players/announcers.

charrigan · August 20, 2014 10:51AM

Very nice, Dan!

Are you going to catch the TTM bug? Cards like that make it hard to resist.

DanBessette · August 20, 2014 11:50AM

<< Very nice, Dan!

Are you going to catch the TTM bug? Cards like that make it hard to resist. >>

Maybe. I'm 2 for 2, having gotten 3 cards back from Steve Garvey too.

PMKAY · August 20, 2014 11:54AM

<< Today was a great mail day, and here is the biggest highlight: 2 TTM autos from my man Cappelletti. Special thanks to PMKay for giving me his address. I was floored that I received these back 9 days after I mailed them! Of course VT bordering MA helped, but still, great response time! I hope he enjoyed my letter. Here are the cards.

That brings my total of Gino autos to 3 (see above). Also means that for his 1968 Topps card I have one in PSA 8 (see above), and one autographed. Both of these cards have condition issues, so I won't be sending them in for red flips. But they'll look great in blue flips and be treasured keys to my collection of one of my favorite players/announcers. >>

Glad it worked out and yes that is a very quick response time. I'll be honest I did not know who this was before you originally posted about him way back. I googled him and found his story very interesting. So as I do collect autographs I sent him a few customs I made, (plus a few extras for him to keep) one picturing him as a kicker and one as a receiver. They are a very nice addition to my collection.

DanBessette · August 21, 2014 12:48AM

I saw those customs. They came out great and look awesome signed! Could you maybe post that photo in this thread?

BostonAmericans · August 21, 2014 1:58AM

Dan,

If you'd like to meet the man, he will be at a card show in Mansfield MA on Sept 1 (Labor Day). He will be there with Gil Santos. Met them last year. Great guys. Always enjoyed listen to them call the Pats games.

Link

Also a great show for any type of collector.

BTW - nice cards of Gino you've got already.

PMKAY · August 21, 2014 3:36AM

DanBessette · August 21, 2014 3:46AM

Edited to add: I found out that at one point Cappelletti was the all time leading scorer in AFL history, a record eventually broken by George Blanda.

I would love to meet Gino! Met Gil once and had him sign a ball with Tippett and many others. I'll be in RI Aug 29-31st. Don't know if it's feasible to stay an extra day. We'll see.

WhiteTornado · August 21, 2014 3:48AM

I was on vacation when this thread was originally posted. Nice job on the TTMs and I do like the other cards you posted as well.

I will also admit I wasn't familiar with Gino, so your bio of him was a good read. Best of luck on the card hunt!

MikeyP · August 21, 2014 6:34AM

Gino Cappelletti is great. The New England Patriots have very few legends from the old days. Collecting his cards is a great idea Dan. The TTM autographed cards are particularly amazing. Congratulations.

cardbender · August 21, 2014 4:33PM

Dan, great collection on Gino.

I think he's deserving of the HOF, but overlooked and long overdue.

MikeyP · August 21, 2014 11:31PM

I love the image on that 1962 Fleer. Very cool.

DanBessette · August 22, 2014 12:08AM

That Gino rookie is awesome! And yes, he belongs in Canton.

coclarkson · August 22, 2014 1:01AM

Gino signed my 1964 AFL All Star photo

DanBessette · August 22, 2014 2:42AM

<< Gino signed my 1964 AFL All Star photo >>

Holy carp! That was his MVP year too.

mccardguy1 · August 22, 2014 3:56AM

If you want run out of items for your Gino venture you can collect cards of his son in law, former Chicago Bear Tom Waddle.
I know this would be an odd side venture but potentially an interesting one.

DanBessette · August 22, 2014 6:11AM

Did not know waddle married into the cappelletti family. Thanks!

DanBessette · August 25, 2014 7:55AM

<< If you'd like to meet the man, he will be at a card show in Mansfield MA on Sept 1 (Labor Day). He will be there with Gil Santos. Met them last year. Great guys. Always enjoyed listen to them call the Pats games.

Link

Also a great show for any type of collector. >>

Are any board members going to this show? I'll be there with my 11 year old.

DanBessette · August 31, 2014 9:03AM

<< 

<< If you'd like to meet the man, he will be at a card show in Mansfield MA on Sept 1 (Labor Day). He will be there with Gil Santos. Met them last year. Great guys. Always enjoyed listen to them call the Pats games.

Link

Also a great show for any type of collector. >>

Are any board members going to this show? I'll be there with my 11 year old. >>

Now turns out I'll be there with both boys. Hope to see a board member or 2 while we're there.

DanBessette · September 1, 2014 10:38AM

Well I met the man today! Told him I'm a big collector of his cards and that I mailed him a letter a few weeks ago. He said, "I always mail them back quick!" (which was true). Later when I told him we'd come down from Vermont that triggered a memory and he said "I remember your letter!" Very cool. The highlight of the day was getting a photo taken with him and my 2 sons. It came out really, really nice! He signed a ball on which I had some other Pats autos, and added an inscription for me. Here are a couple of pics.

That side of the ball has Gino, Sam "Bam" Cunningham and Canton enshrined Mike Haynes. Gino signed photos for each of my sons too.

His longtime broadcast partner and fellow Patriots Hall of Famer, Gil Santos, was there too. I'd met him before and he had already signed the ball. With the autograph tickets they had free custom cards, so we each got one of those signed. Here is a photo of that, as well as photos of the other side of the ball, which has Gil's auto and autos of Andre Tippett, Steve Grogan and Ronnie Lippett

Great day, meeting one of my collecting icons, even better because I shared it with my kids.

charrigan · September 3, 2014 7:50AM

Ball looks great, Dan! Must have been a fantastic experience. Even better when your sports heroes turn out to be great people to interact with!

MikeyP · September 3, 2014 8:56AM

Very nice. It sounds like you had a really nice experience and that Gino Cappelletti is a really nice person. Congratulations on a great piece Dan.

LarkinCollector · September 3, 2014 10:58AM

<< Great day, meeting one of my collecting icons, even better because I shared it with my kids. >>

Love the pics and sentiments expressed, congrats!

DanBessette · September 3, 2014 11:35AM

<< 

<< Great day, meeting one of my collecting icons, even better because I shared it with my kids. >>

Love the pics and sentiments expressed, congrats! >>

Thanks! The photo came out awesome, I'm just too nervous to post it here, having had my photo stolen before by a troll.

LarkinCollector · September 3, 2014 1:42PM

You can PM it to those you trust. I agree, posting it here is a bad idea, especially with the kids.

DanBessette · September 29, 2014 8:46AM

Great mail day! Added my third PSA 8 Cappelletti to my Gino master set. I think the main thing keeping it out of a 9 holder is the OPC-like rough cut edges, but I actually love that about this card and it's the main reason I contacted the guy and negotiated a price. Here's the card:

Thanks for looking!

WhiteTornado · September 29, 2014 11:33AM

That's a really nice card. I like the old console TV set look and Gino's expression seems to say, "I'm gonna see you at 1:00 on Sunday, so you better be ready!"

LarkinCollector · September 30, 2014 12:48AM

<< That's a really nice card. I like the old console TV set look and Gino's expression seems to say, "I'm gonna see you at 1:00 on Sunday, so you better be ready!"

>>

+1

DanBessette · September 30, 2014 7:42AM

Thanks guys. I like this 66 Topps design much more than 55 bowman baseball.

lawnmowerman · October 27, 2014 4:56AM

<< If you want run out of items for your Gino venture you can collect cards of his son in law, former Chicago Bear Tom Waddle.
I know this would be an odd side venture but potentially an interesting one. >>

Plus Tom is a great ttm signer.

Iv'e missed this thread. Great additions Dan!

DanBessette · December 15, 2014 9:04AM

I haven't picked up a graded Cappelletti in almost 3 months, but it hasn't been for lack of looking. There's been a really frustrating drought of his cards in PSA 8 or 9 at fair prices. But I picked one up earlier this week (more on that when I get it in hand) and then today I received a Christmas package from my good friend LarkinCollector. Several goodies were inside, but this was the best of all:

Tremendous addition to my Cappelletti Master Set, from one hell of a nice guy. Thanks again Kyle! I'm really excited about this one!

WhiteTornado · December 15, 2014 10:07AM

Great looking coin, the red edge looks nice with the red on the PSA label. Nice gesture by Kyle, too

lawnmowerman · December 15, 2014 10:33PM

Nice gift Kyle!

Love the coin in that slab.

It looks great in the proper sized holder rather than just free floating around covered by a plastic sheet.

charrigan · December 15, 2014 10:43PM

Very cool coin! I love those (there's a bunch of hockey coins, too). I agree, looks great in that holder. Nice pick-up, Dan and very kind gesture.

DanBessette · December 15, 2014 10:45PM

<< Love the coin in that slab.

It looks great in the proper sized holder rather than just free floating around covered by a plastic sheet. >>

I totally agree. Slab makes it look sharp. I'm trying to determine whether they have a slab of similar style that would fit a bottle cap. If so, I'd like to add a Sprite cap to the Cappelletti master set composite.

lawnmowerman · December 15, 2014 10:57PM

<< 

<< Love the coin in that slab.

It looks great in the proper sized holder rather than just free floating around covered by a plastic sheet. >>

I totally agree. Slab makes it look sharp. I'm trying to determine whether they have a slab of similar style that would fit a bottle cap. If so, I'd like to add a Sprite cap to the Cappelletti master set composite. >>

I would measure the diameter and thickness then call PSA to find out. If the customer service rep doesn't know (most likely the case), they can transfer you to someone who does.

LarkinCollector · December 16, 2014 1:45AM

<< I'm really excited about this one! >>

I thought you might be

As soon as I saw it, I knew where it belonged.

DanBessette · December 16, 2014 6:35AM

<< 

<< I'm really excited about this one! >>

I thought you might be

As soon as I saw it, I knew where it belonged. >>

You were right.

DanBessette · December 22, 2014 9:08AM

Won this on eBay 2 weeks ago, finally got it in hand today. Interesting note about this card: There are plenty of copies in PSA 9 and 8 holders on which the red plate printed too low. This results in the G and C in his names sitting too low (a real eyesore) and red bleed out the bottom of the football in the team logo. The registration on this copy is very good, I think.

Now at 41% on the master set and I've got a trick up my sleeve in the next couple of months

lawnmowerman · December 22, 2014 11:18AM

I agree. I have seen copies of this card that have no business being 9's with that print defect. This is a nice copy without the visual distraction.

I had no idea Cappelletti was such a badass. The guy played QB, WR, DB, KR and K. About the only thing he didn't do was be the water boy!

The Gino Cappelletti Thread

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