Eric Moskowitz, author of the recent Atlantic piece, "How Baseball Cards Got Weird," joined the Baseball Happenings Podcast to discuss his venture into the new waters of collecting baseball cards online.
During the interview, Moskowitz explains how during his research he caught the collecting bug through watching online breaks, and eventually found a community through their chat rooms that has substituted for a lack of local card shops.
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Sunday, October 20, 2019
George Foster and the 1977 Reds: The Rise of a Slugger and the End of an Era | Book Review
October 20, 2019
1977 Cincinnati Reds, Big Red Machine, Book Review, George Foster, Sparky Anderson, Tony Perez
2 comments
The Cincinnati Reds started the 1977 baseball season fresh off a repeat World Series victory that included an entire postseason sweep. Despite this incredible feat, opposing lineups no longer viewed the Big Red Machine as invincible. The Reds traded Tony Perez to the Montreal Expos, and for the first time since 1964, their lineup was missing their RBI juggernaut.
Author Mike Shannon dives into how the Reds tried to continue their dynasty with his new book, “George Foster and the 1977 Reds: The Rise of a Slugger and the End of an Era” (McFarland, 2019). As the Reds put Perez’s replacement on Dan Driessen’s shoulders, power-hitting outfielder George Foster swooped in with an MVP performance that took the baseball world by storm.
Shannon documents the Reds entire 1977 season from the first pitch to the final out. Each development is chronologically inspected by revisiting volumes of books and newspapers to recreate how manager Sparky Anderson navigated their run at a trifecta. With the Reds staring at a losing record at the end of May, Anderson faced the press questioning if his squad was still a contender.
The Reds made a play for the pennant when they acquired Tom Seaver from the New York Mets on June 15, 1977. Not even his 14-3 record and Foster’s legendary 52-home-run performance could put the Reds any closer than 6.5 games from the runaway Los Angeles Dodgers.
"George Foster and the 1977 Reds" highlights a pivotal time in Reds franchise history, as 1977 represented the crumbling of the Big Red Machine. It marked the start of a downward spiral that the Reds never recovered from until their 1990 World Series victory.
Readers may find his look at the season too academic at times, as it suffers from an overload of game recaps that clutter the story. With a majority of the 1977 team still alive, "George Foster and the 1977 Reds" would have benefited from surviving player anecdotes. These first-person narratives would have been a valuable color commentary supplement to Shannon's play-by-play. Nonetheless, die-hard Reds fans will enjoy Shannon giving Foster his due and illustrating how much the club missed Perez’s presence despite Driessen’s valiant .300 performance at the plate.
George Foster and the 1977 Reds / McFarland Publishing |
Shannon documents the Reds entire 1977 season from the first pitch to the final out. Each development is chronologically inspected by revisiting volumes of books and newspapers to recreate how manager Sparky Anderson navigated their run at a trifecta. With the Reds staring at a losing record at the end of May, Anderson faced the press questioning if his squad was still a contender.
The Reds made a play for the pennant when they acquired Tom Seaver from the New York Mets on June 15, 1977. Not even his 14-3 record and Foster’s legendary 52-home-run performance could put the Reds any closer than 6.5 games from the runaway Los Angeles Dodgers.
"George Foster and the 1977 Reds" highlights a pivotal time in Reds franchise history, as 1977 represented the crumbling of the Big Red Machine. It marked the start of a downward spiral that the Reds never recovered from until their 1990 World Series victory.
Readers may find his look at the season too academic at times, as it suffers from an overload of game recaps that clutter the story. With a majority of the 1977 team still alive, "George Foster and the 1977 Reds" would have benefited from surviving player anecdotes. These first-person narratives would have been a valuable color commentary supplement to Shannon's play-by-play. Nonetheless, die-hard Reds fans will enjoy Shannon giving Foster his due and illustrating how much the club missed Perez’s presence despite Driessen’s valiant .300 performance at the plate.
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
2019 Topps Archives Baseball Review | Designs, Autographs, Inserts, Checklist
October 09, 2019
2019 Topps Archives Baseball, Autographs, Baseball Cards, Box Break, Pete Alonso, Review, Topps, Topps Archives
No comments
Topps adds a new school twist to a vintage tradition with 2019 Topps Archives Baseball. The retro-designed release frames both modern and classic players in three popular sets. The site of retired players in different poses on their original releases, as well as the current stars in past designs, makes opening 2019 Topps Archives an exciting trip down memory lane.
Collectors will also need to turn the base cards over, as parallels are stamped on the back with their serial numbers. These come in four variations: Purple #/175, Silver #/99, Blue #/25 (Hobby), and Gold 1/1.
The 30 short-prints in the set (301-330) contain three old school elements in their designs. Pete Alonso and Vladimir Guerrero's inclusion in the high numbered cards will keep collectors on the hunt throughout the offseason. Click here for the entire checklist.
The Montreal Expos tribute features Andre Dawson, Bartolo Colon, Maury Willis, Tim Raines, and Vladimir Guerrero autographs as part of the 21 signers in the set. With a renewed interest to revive baseball in Montreal, collectors will get a strong nostalgia taste with these signers.
Other autograph sets include 1978 Topps Record Breakers, 1994 Topps Future Stars, Topps Magazine, and the Ichiro retrospectives.
The box Topps provided for this review yielded a Steve Sax Fan Favorites and a redemption card for an Ozzie Albies autograph.
Check our box break video below to get the full experience of opening a box of 2019 Topps Archives Baseball. Click here to subscribe to our YouTube channel.
2019 Topps Archives Baseball Base Set and Designs
The 300-card base set is divided into three 100-card series. This year’s release highlights the 1958 Topps, 1975 Topps, and 1993 Topps sets, with the star being the 1975 Topps cards. Pulling a Nolan Ryan, Thurman Munson, or Tony Perez gives collectors the experience of opening a 1975 Topps pack, while current darlings Shohei Ohtani, Jacob deGrom, and Bryce Harper fit smoothly in the cherished 1975 design.
Cards 1-100
Cards 101-200
Cards 201-300
Collectors will also need to turn the base cards over, as parallels are stamped on the back with their serial numbers. These come in four variations: Purple #/175, Silver #/99, Blue #/25 (Hobby), and Gold 1/1.
The 30 short-prints in the set (301-330) contain three old school elements in their designs. Pete Alonso and Vladimir Guerrero's inclusion in the high numbered cards will keep collectors on the hunt throughout the offseason. Click here for the entire checklist.
2019 Topps Archives Baseball Inserts
Topps digs deeper into past releases for the 2019 Topps Archives Baseball inserts. An entire set is devoted to the Montreal Expos' 50th anniversary. Other inserts include a Topps Magazine insert set, a prospect filled 1994 Topps Future Stars set, and a 1975 Topps themed mini insert set. Additionally, Topps celebrates Ichiro’s final season with a 16-card insert set chronicling his storied career.2019 Topps Archives Baseball Autographs
Fans will give a long look at two Topps Archives Baseball autographs sets. The classic Fan Favorites autographs are filled with surprises from oddities such as legendary surgeon Dr. James Andrews and New York Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen, to local favorites Cookie Rojas, Fred Stanley, and Kevin Tapani, as well as heroes Hank Aaron, Sandy Koufax, and Tony Oliva.The Montreal Expos tribute features Andre Dawson, Bartolo Colon, Maury Willis, Tim Raines, and Vladimir Guerrero autographs as part of the 21 signers in the set. With a renewed interest to revive baseball in Montreal, collectors will get a strong nostalgia taste with these signers.
Other autograph sets include 1978 Topps Record Breakers, 1994 Topps Future Stars, Topps Magazine, and the Ichiro retrospectives.
The box Topps provided for this review yielded a Steve Sax Fan Favorites and a redemption card for an Ozzie Albies autograph.
2019 Topps Archives Box Break and Final Thoughts
Topps’ lighthearted approach to 2019 Topps Archives Baseball has done well in the hobby. The classic sets have a modern feel that gives 2019 Topps Archives Baseball a pleasant touch for both new and old collectors. At 330 cards, this set's size is just right for collectors to pursue as the postseason develops.Check our box break video below to get the full experience of opening a box of 2019 Topps Archives Baseball. Click here to subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Saturday, October 5, 2019
2019 Topps Luminaries Baseball Review | Autographs, Box Break, Checklist, Book Cards
October 05, 2019
2019 Topps Luminaries, Autographs, Box Break, Jacob deGrom, Review, Ronald Acuña Jr., Sandy Koufax, Topps
No comments
Baseball card collectors in search of a high-end product will certainly gravitate towards 2019 Topps Luminaries Baseball. A truly premium release, each box holds one encased on-card autograph or autographed relic numbered to 15 or less.
Click here for the complete checklist.
Where 2019 Topps Luminaries Baseball has stepped up from last year's release with their autographed book cards. These 1/1 book cards are a solidly constructed and designed collectible that comes in single, dual, and triple book versions. Those with a hand of gold will be the fortunate recipients of an Ultimate and Greatest Book cards, which has between 30-50 autographs.
2019 Topps Luminaries Baseball / Topps |
2019 Topps Luminaries Baseball Autographs
Most of the on-card 2019 Topps Luminaries Baseball autographs come from three variations: Hit Kings, Home Run Kings, and Masters of the Mound. All three have colored parallels, Red #/10, Blue #/5, Black 1/1. The first two sets (Hit Kings and Home Run Kings) are dedicated to the top batsmen in baseball and include a powerful mix of the new (Aaron Judge, Mike Trout, Ronald Acuña Jr.), and the old (Hank Aaron, Ken Griffey Jr., Reggie Jackson). The pitchers are well represented in the Masters of the Mound set with Bob Gibson, Jacob deGrom, Mariano Rivera, and Sandy Koufax.Click here for the complete checklist.
2019 Topps Luminaries Home Run Kings / Topps |
2019 Topps Luminaries Baseball Relic Autographs
Collectors can draw relics from The Hit Kings, Home Run Kings, and Masters of the Mound sets. Each have Blue #/10 and Black 1/1 parallels. Their patch versions are either #/15 or have a Black 1/1 parallel.2019 Topps Luminaries Baseball Book Autographs
2019 Topps Luminaries Mike Trout Book / Topps |
2019 Topps Luminaries Cut Autographs
Do autographs from Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Rogers Hornsby, and Satchel Paige sound enticing? They are a prominent sampling of the legends included in the 2019 Topps Luminaries Cut Autographs. Topps dug in the vaults to provide collectors with the opportunity to add iconic cut signatures to their wares with this set, adding a tantalizing incentive for the product’s $200 price tag.2019 Topps Luminaries Box Break Video
In our box break video below, you can get a good look at 2019 Topps Luminaries Baseball's artful packaging and our Home Run Kings autograph that came with it. Click here to subscribe to our YouTube channel for further box breaks and interviews.Thursday, September 12, 2019
2019 Topps Chrome Baseball Review | Autographs, Refractors, Paralells, Inserts, Checklist
September 12, 2019
2019 Topps Chrome Baseball, Autographs, Baseball Cards, Box Break, Mike Trout, Pete Alonso, Review, Topps, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
No comments
Fans of Topps releases have eagerly waited for 2019 Topps Chrome Baseball’s release to see this year’s prized rookies decked out in a chromium finish. With 2019 Topps Chrome Baseball offering two autographs per box in a variety of serial-numbered colored parallels, the set is poised to be in demand throughout the season.
Topps Chrome Baseball exceeds expectations this year with their colored refractor parallels. In the box provided for this review, we hit a Jacob deGrom Orange parallel #/25. The images are sharper and cleaner on the colored parallels, making them a desirable chase for collectors, especially the rookies. A guide is below to identify the different refractors.
REFRACTOR PARALLELS: Base Refractor, Prism, Sepia (Blaster), Pink (Value Pack), Negative, Purple #/299, Blue #/150, Green #/99, Green Wave #/99 (Hobby/Jumbo), Blue Wave #/75 (Hobby/Jumbo), Gold #/50, Gold Wave #/50 (Hobby/Jumbo), Orange #/25 (Hobby), Orange Wave #/25 (Hobby/Jumbo), Red #/5, Red Wave #/5 (Hobby/Jumbo), SuperFractor 1/1, Printing Plates 1/1.
The guarantee of two hard-signed baseball cards is a strong selling point of 2019 Topps Chrome Baseball. With a loaded rookie class, this year’s release has sold quickly, as hobby enthusiasts are hoping to land this year’s Rookie of the Year candidates. The box provided for this review yielded a Kevin Kramer base autograph, and a Jeffrey Springs Gold autograph #/50.
2019 Topps Chrome Baseball Vladimir Guerrero Jr. / Topps |
2019 Topps Chrome Baseball Base Set, Parallels, and Checklist
The 204-card set, while designed in the mold of the flagship set, is a condensed version highlighted by the inclusion of Major League Baseball’s four top rookies, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Pete Alonso, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Eloy Jimenez. Collectors will have to pay attention to the image variations, as there are 25 different players with a variation, including top stars such as Mike Trout, Javy Baez, and Christian Yelich. These are indicated with #409 as the last three digits on the back of the card. Click here to view a complete checklist.2019 Topps Chrome Baseball / Topps |
Topps Chrome Baseball exceeds expectations this year with their colored refractor parallels. In the box provided for this review, we hit a Jacob deGrom Orange parallel #/25. The images are sharper and cleaner on the colored parallels, making them a desirable chase for collectors, especially the rookies. A guide is below to identify the different refractors.
REFRACTOR PARALLELS: Base Refractor, Prism, Sepia (Blaster), Pink (Value Pack), Negative, Purple #/299, Blue #/150, Green #/99, Green Wave #/99 (Hobby/Jumbo), Blue Wave #/75 (Hobby/Jumbo), Gold #/50, Gold Wave #/50 (Hobby/Jumbo), Orange #/25 (Hobby), Orange Wave #/25 (Hobby/Jumbo), Red #/5, Red Wave #/5 (Hobby/Jumbo), SuperFractor 1/1, Printing Plates 1/1.
2019 Topps Chrome Orange Refractor / Topps |
2019 Topps Chrome Baseball Inserts
Collectors will enjoy seeing the 1984 Topps designs in a chromium finish as one of the 2019 Topps Chrome Baseball insert sets. The diversely designed Freshman Flash and classic Future Stars insert sets are attractive rewards for fans diving into packs and boxes, while the Greatness Returns series is a solid nod to baseball’s rich historical connections.2019 Topps Chrome Baseball Inserts / Topps |
2019 Topps Chrome Baseball Autographs
REFRACTOR PARALLELS: Base Refractor #/499, Purple #/250, Blue #/150, Blue Wave #/150, Green #/99 (Retail), Gold #/50, Gold Wave #/50 (Hobby/Jumbo), Orange #/25 (Hobby), Orange Wave #/25 (Hobby/Jumbo), Red #/5, Red Wave #/5 (Hobby/Jumbo), SuperFractor 1/1 (Hobby/Jumbo), Printing Plates 1/1.The guarantee of two hard-signed baseball cards is a strong selling point of 2019 Topps Chrome Baseball. With a loaded rookie class, this year’s release has sold quickly, as hobby enthusiasts are hoping to land this year’s Rookie of the Year candidates. The box provided for this review yielded a Kevin Kramer base autograph, and a Jeffrey Springs Gold autograph #/50.
2019 Topps Chrome Autographs / Topps |