Ted Taylor's latest three books . . .
"The Ultimate
Philadelphia Athletics Reference Book (1901-54)" available from
www.amazon.com
"The Duke of Milwaukee -
The Life and Times of Al Simmons" available from
www.EduPublisher.com or by mail from TTA Authentic LLC, PO Box 273,
Abington PA 19001 ($15 ppd.).
"The Glenside Kid” – a
story about growing up in the mid-20th century - available from
www.eduPublisher.com or by mail from TTA Authentic LLC, P. O. Box
273, Abington PA 19001 ($24 ppd).
May 17, 2013
This is our 38th Year of
hobby columns
Ted Taylor’s
Collector’s Corner
Bowman
Baseball Arrives to
much fan fare
Over the past couple of weeks
Topps has sent teasers to the press, showing us why they think this will
be such a great baseball product. They showcased the Wrapper Redemption,
The Lucky Redemption (when my box came I got none of those), Bowman
Black, 65th Anniversary (I got a Matt Holiday reprint from 1999), Best
Bowman Players of All Time (I got exactly none), Prospect Challenge
cards (I got four) and more.
Bowman, which always features
young players and rookies was, and is, one of the most anticipated
launches of the year, especially for set collectors and this edition is
no different. Included in the mix are smaller-sized Chrome cards of
young players – some of whom are also on regular sized cards.
The hobby box contains
24-ten-card-packs with a nice cross section of almost ready rookies,
some we won’t be hearing about for years and, maybe too many, cards of
players we find in every set that Topps issues (Cliff Lee, Mark Teixiera,
A Rod, Prince Fielder, Josh Hamilton, Felix Hernandez, Stephen
Strasburg, you get the idea).
Promising rookies like Roman
Quinn, Hansel Robles, Tony Renda, Gregory Polanco, Tayler Scott, Chris
McFarland, Kyle Crick, Nolan Arenado, Mark Montgomery, Ericson Leonora,
Harold Castro, Alex Mayer, Michael Snyder and Jurickson Profar are the
fun of sets like this. In some ways they are annuities. Some will make
it, hence the cards add value, some won’t. But it makes collectors
become better fans.
Speaking of promises, the box
promises a signed card, mine was Alen Hanson of the Pirates (who spent
2012 in the South Atlantic League). There’s also a variation of the base
cards with artwork in the background instead of the usual scenery (I got
three of them, my Travis Shaw card - #BP67 - has an American flag-like
banner in the back, my Jamie Callahan card - #BP11 - looks like he has
horns growing from his head).
There are gold bordered parallels,
blue bordered, chrome and silver chrome cards. There’s a card of Richie
Weeks (#199) that suggests a diet might be in order – ditto Prince
Fielder, but he always looks like that.
Decorating the box and packaging
are Orioles pitcher Dylan Bundy and Twins outfielder Byron Buxton. I got
a Buxton card, didn’t get a Bundy.
Other good stuff on the Bowman
horizon:
Bowman on MLB Network
• Starting this month,
Bowman Baseball will be featured on the MLB Network. Also, Bowman will
be featured in a special Trivia segment on MLB Tonight
Bowman Prospect Challenge
• The Bowman Prospect
Challenge is underway. Fans are invited to put their knowledge of
prospects to the test! There are special code cards in packs 2013
Bowman Baseball. If you find one then go to Topps.com/BowmanGame to
unlock players and build your roster for a chance to win autograph cards
every month!
Bowman at the MLB Draft!
• Bowman will be a
sponsor in this year’s MLB Draft on June 6 and will be bringing a “First
look” at some of the 2013 draftees.
TOPPS TO PRODUCE MAJOR LEAGUE
SOCCER TRADING CARDS
Topps and Major League Soccer
(MLS) today agreed to a partnership that makes the Topps Company the
official trading card producer of Major League Soccer. Through the
terms of the multi-year agreement, Topps will produce not only trading
cards but player stickers, sticker albums and other Major League Soccer
collectibles.
“We are excited to produce and
offer Major League Soccer collectible products,” said Jeff Heckman,
Brand Manager on MLS business at Topps. “The popularity of soccer and
MLS in the United States and Canada is growing immensely and it is a
great opportunity for us to reach new consumers among this passionate
and diverse fan base.”
Topps will launch its first MLS
collection in July. In accordance with Topps’ current offerings,
collectors and soccer fans will find autographed cards, memorabilia
cards and other special cards featuring MLS’ biggest and brightest stars
including Thierry Henry, Robbie Keane, Graham Zusi and Omar Gonzalez.
“MLS is excited about this
new partnership with Topps,” said Maribeth Towers, MLS senior vice
president of consumer products. “We regularly hear from MLS supporters
that they want a variety of cards and collectibles and this new
relationship will allow us to super-serve our incredibly supportive
fans.”
Brain
Teaser..
Reader Walter Czop is always on top of our trivia questions and, this
time, he trumped me. The question was to name the one player who
transcended the A’s 1929-31 championship run and the 1950 Phillies NL
crown.
My
answer was George Earnshaw, who was the Phils pitching coach and one of
Connie Mack’s aces. I forgot, and Walter reminded me, that Phils coach
Cy Perkins was a catcher (albeit backup to Mickey Cochrane) on the 1929
and 30 A’s. Worst part is, when I read his answer, I thought “you dummy,
you knew that”.
Walter tried to stretch the envelope to four. Okay he got me on Perkins
but I’m not buying the other two – which are both really stretches.
He
wrote, “Now could it be possible that there may be two others that have
a loose association between the two teams?” Then he listed:
“1)
Stan Baumgartner - who played for both Phils and A's during his playing
career, was a sportswriter for the Philadelphia Inquirer from 1927 to
1952 or 1953. I know about Stan from his Phillies book written with
Frank Lieb in the 1950's. Could he have covered the World Series in
1929-31, and then in 1950?” Covering the World Series doesn’t make it,
Walt.
“2)
Eddie Collins Jr - could he also qualify as a person associated with
both teams? Was Eddie Jr ever an A's bat boy in the late 1920's or
early 1930's? Eddie Sr was back with the A's in 1930. And Eddie Jr
later worked for the Phillies, although I am not sure he was working for
the Phillies in 1950. I am reaching here!” Yes, Walt, you were
reaching. I met Eddie Jr. a few times during my A’s Society days and he
never mentioned being a bat boy (he’d have been 12 in 1929). Collins did
serve as assistant GM under Herb Pennock with the Phils in the mid-40’s,
but was fired long before they became the Whiz Kids. A nice man, by the
way.
Two other questions, there was a big league coach who was the last
man still in uniform in the 1980’s who had played for both the long
defunct St. Louis Browns and the Philadelphia Athletics. (Of course
Walter will come up with about eight guys.) Also, we all know that Steve
Carlton wore #32 for the Phillies and the number was retired. What other
successful Phils left-hander wore that number before Steve? (Hint, he’s
among the Phils pitchers with over 100 wins).
In closing…I was sorry to see the Philadelphia A’s Society gift
shoppe and museum close, recently, in Hatboro PA. Located there since
the late '90s it was a repository for lots of great A’s-related memories
and memorabilia – including all the A’s “Wall of Fame” plaques from
Veteran’s Stadium. The operation, such as it remains, is apparently
affiliating with the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame in Northeast
Philly. It was a great “ride” for those of us who lost a part of our
hearts when the A’s were kidnapped to Kansas City in 1954. One key A’s
player, and a long-time supporter of the A’s Society, Joe Astroth,
passed away recently in Boca Raton, FL. (He was Bobby Shantz’s battery
mate, business partner and friend.) A classy man.
Note: This time of the year
is typically a dry spell for new sets, but now with Bowman baseball out,
can Topps Archives baseball be far behind?
Always happy for your comments on
other topics, write me at:
ted@tedtaylor.com. Thanks for reading this.
