More Bargain Box Lovin': Late 60s Willie Mays Insert

I'm in Iowa now, back to the scene of my best bargain box crimes hoping to stock up for trades.

I can't remember who recently posted on these, but if I remember correctly Matt over at the #5 Baseball Card Type Collection had left a comment saying he had the complete set, and now and again would throw down nine innings with other folks at local shows. That, people, is pretty awesome.

Well, I got this over Thanksgiving down here in Iowa, at another shop down there, the same one where I scored the '64 Oliva for compa. I'm going back today and plan on RAIDING that place for some serious trade bait.

This is my first card of one of the guys in the greatest player ever debate, Willie Mays. Can't even afford the off-grade stuff, so when I saw this in the Bargain Box it went in the pile. It drives me nuts that the closest shop where I can get decently prices relics is 1 hour away, and that the shop where I got this beaut is 10 hours away, but I digress. How much was it? In a 2/$1 box that offers a steeper discount of 5/$2, so this late-60s Willie Mays cost me 40 cents. Sure, it ain't mint, but I'l take it.

As for the card, my first question is, if Mays was a HR, what was Aaron? Overall, and has been noted elsewhere, this insert set might be the first "Heritage set" insofar as it resembles the '51 Topps game cards. Both this card and the '51s are about 1/2 the size of the over-sized early 50s Topps cards, and 3/4 or so size of the current standard BB card size. I know, the '51 is generally considered dogmeat next to the '52 and anything else from the '50s, but it's still a nice set and generally A LOT more affordable. Ditto for this game card. I know the others from the late-60s are more desirable, but this fits in my budget, especially at 40 cents.

So here we've got a portrait of Mays, we've got the signature, the HR in bold block letters. It's not the 52 Topps or '52 Bowman, but I'll take it.

I also need to shout out to Daddy D for having footed the bill for my cards at that shop as an early Christmas present. If I had known that was the plan you bet your a@@ I would have pulled the trigger on the '60 Bob Gibson I was eyeing. Thanks again, Daddy D, have a good one everybody and a good night Pumpsie Green, wherever you are!

Tony Oliva: I'm Glad He's Got a Few Years on Me

I've scored some nice cards from 50 cent boxes lately. Last Friday I scored this '69 Tony Oliva for the compa. In general, though, the card shop in town doesn't do the best job of helping me out with my player collecting needs. There are several 5000 count boxes you can pick through but nothing is in order and yes, as a player collector it absolutely drives me nuts.

"Do you have...?"

"Check the box."

It kills me, but sometimes they have some beat up vintage I'll gladly take off their hands for 50 cents. Not what I went in for, but after going through 1000 cards I'm not remotely interested in for any reason I'll take it. Tony definitely fits that bill and even fits the player collections.

First, the photo is nice. It's a typical posed shot but Tony's not looking at the bat, the cameraman, or the viewer. He is looking somewhere off to his right at who knows what. In fact, it gives the photo a playful quality better suited for a GQ shoot than your typical Topps baseball card.

As for the card itself, what can I say? It's straight off off POBC's dream list. Wrinkles? Check. Creases? Check? Tape stains? Check. Massive piece of half-torn scrapbook page still glued to the back 40 years after it was first put in? Check.

In short, it's everything a well loved card should be.

It also nicely compliments this card, which I scored out of a 5/$2 box when we were last in Iowa.

Jay Ward played parts of three season with Minnesota and Cincy, and let's be honest: there couldn't be a bigger contrast in demeanor between these dudes. Ward is deathly serious and has a Marine's haircut. He's out to make the team, not taking any prisoners, and will not be denied. Oliva is sticking his tongue out at us, just having a good time. That's the kind of screw it whatever, happy go lucky self-confidence we could all use a little more off. You get the feeling the Oliva just knows he belongs, just know he's good, and that he'd be that way if he were playing ball, acting Shakespeare, or flipping burgers. The kind of guy who will offer your compa mini-powdered donuts, which will then have her taking about said donut offer for, oh, the next seven months.

I mean, that guy on the XX commercials has NOTHING on Tony Oliva.

Have a good one everybody and good night Pumpsie Green, wherever you are!