Set Building Needs

1952 Redman

I’m not looking for tabbed versions for this set, have a couple as examples for when it goes in a binder once complete.
Have 52

NL need 1
Stan Musial

AL need 3
Yogi Berra
Larry Doby
Ted Williams

 

1961 Topps Baseball Stamps have 152 of 208, need 57
Chicago Cubs
1961 Topps Stamps #..9 Ron Santo
1961 Topps Stamps #.11 Bob Will
Cincinnati Reds
1961 Topps Stamps #.14 Gus Bell
1961 Topps Stamps #.18 Eddie Kasko
1961 Topps Stamps #.19 Jerry Lynch
1961 Topps Stamps #.20 Billy Martin
1961 Topps Stamps #.22 Vada Pinson
Los Angeles Dodgers
1961 Topps Stamps #.28 Norm Larker
1961 Topps Stamps #.30 Charlie Neal
1961 Topps Stamps #.32 Ed Roebuck
1961 Topps Stamps #.33 Johnny Roseboro
1961 Topps Stamps #.35 Duke Snider
Milwaukee Braves
1961 Topps Stamps #.48 Carlton Willey
Philadelphia Phillies
1961 Topps Stamps #.50 Johnny Callison
1961 Topps Stamps #.51 Tony Curry
1961 Topps Stamps #.52 Clay Dalrymple
1961 Topps Stamps #.56 Frank ‘Pancho’ Herrera
1961 Topps Stamps #.60 Lee Walls
Pittsburg Pirates
1961 Topps Stamps #.64 Dick Groat
1961 Topps Stamps #.65 Don Hoak
1961 Topps Stamps #.66 Vern Law
1961 Topps Stamps #.67 Bill Mazeroski
1961 Topps Stamps #.69 Bob Skinner
1961 Topps Stamps #.72 Bill Virdon
San Francisco Giants
1961 Topps Stamps #.75 Orlando Cepeda
1961 Topps Stamps #.76 Jim Davenport
1961 Topps Stamps #.78 Hobie Landrith
1961 Topps Stamps #.79 Juan Marichal
1961 Topps Stamps #.82 Willie McCovey
1961 Topps Stamps #.83 Billy O’Dell
St. Louis Cardinals
1961 Topps Stamps #.86 Curt Flood
1961 Topps Stamps #.88 Larry Jackson
1961 Topps Stamps #.89 Julian Javier
1961 Topps Stamps #.91 Lindy McDaniel
1961 Topps Stamps #.94 Hal Smith
Baltimore Orioles
1961 Topps Stamps #106 Gus Triandos
Boston Red Sox
1961 Topps Stamps #109 Gene Conley
1961 Topps Stamps #116 Pete Runnels
1961 Topps Stamps #117 Willie Tasby
Chicago White Sox
1961 Topps Stamps #123 Sherman Lollar
1961 Topps Stamps #124 J.C. Martin
Cleveland Indians
1961 Topps Stamps #136 Woody Held
1961 Topps Stamps #139 Jimmy Piersall
1961 Topps Stamps #141 Vic Power
Detroit Tigers
1961 Topps Stamps #150 Chico Fernandez
1961 Topps Stamps #152B Al Kaline (brown)
1961 Topps Stamps #153 Frank Lary
1961 Topps Stamps #154 Charlie Maxwell
Kansas City Athletics
1961 Topps Stamps #160 Dick Hall
1961 Topps Stamps #162 Ray Herbert
Los Angeles Angels
1961 Topps Stamps #169 Jerry Casale (brown)
1961 Topps Stamps #175 Eddie Yost
Minnesota Twins
1961 Topps Stamps #182 Jim Lemon
New York Yankees
1961 Topps Stamps #192 Art Ditmar
1961 Topps Stamps #195 Tony Kubek
Washington Senators
1961 Topps Stamps #202 Dick Donovan
1961 Topps Stamps #207 Gene Woodling

1974 Topps Monster Initials

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I stumbled across this rascal of a set a while back, started working on it and soon found out these are tough to come by.  I have 110 of 132 from the set and a good quantity on doubles should you want to trade.  Don’t remember them being in stores in my area back in the day where I bought my baseball and Wacky Packages although they appear to have been a national release product from Topps.

As a side note 1980 is where my childhood collecting ended.  Ordered a set in the mail in the early months of that year and it never arrived ending the 1974-79 era for me.  Started again in college in 1985 and quickly became sure my retirement plan was being taken of.  Started going to the National in 1992 in Atlanta and made a run through 1995 in St. Louis.  Remember this guy? We went to Houston in ’94 for most of the show, snuck in one of the card companies’ shindigs one night, took in a game at the Astrodome on another and then a little over a week later the MLB players union decided to strike.  Not unlike many, this took the air right out those cardboard sails for me.  I went to St. Louis in ’95 but as B.B. King was so abt in saying, “The Thrill is Gone”.  The inventory sat in closets or stacked on plastic shelving downstairs for 5, 10, 15 and then 20 years.  With occasional packs picked up at Target added without much enthusiasm.  In 2014 at the local Meier’s I noticed the Topps Heritage design had caught up to bringing back the 1965 look, the bait was taken and I worked on the set half heartedly while offering to make runs to the store while stopping to check the aisles for packs.  The hook didn’t land though so I escaped being reeled in on the new stuff.  Although when our Grandson came along in 2017 I jumped in the deep end and back into collecting and set building.  Vintage though, just can’t get involved in the new production runs, but I am very happy to see all the folks who do like what the hobby has evolved into.  Inserts, #’ed, breaks by the pack, box and case.  Seeing kids that are the age I was in ’74-’79 at card shows and adults who were in the same range back when I stopped in the mid ’90’s who now are looking to connect back is a great sight to see.  Our two local card shops were both packed this past Black Friday morning with all of these age groups and it was great to see!  

Unheard Tracks – #7

Why are so many of these Rock n’ Roll stories so sad?  Another cutting edge sound stopped right in its tracks.  Message of Love from 1981 was originally from an EP released to meet the demand from The Pretenders well received first album.  A little over a year later the quintet would be reduced in half with guitarist James Honeyman Scott gone from a heart attack brought on by Clapton’s glorified cocaine just two days after bassist Pete Farndon was kicked out of the band due to a heroin habit that would take his life the following year.  Ah, but in this track there’s no sign of any of that, just a solid Pop Rock tune from a semi-Punk band now only remembered for a jangly single and an outspoken lead singer.  In between all that was this silly love song, as Sir McCartney likes to say, and what’s wrong with that?  “We are all of us in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars”, as Chrissy, the transplanted American, borrowed from Englishman Oscar Wilde.  Classic 80’s performance promo before MTV ruined it with concept videos.  

  
Message of Love – Pretenders

Unheard Tracks – #6

On this 4th of July I can think of three tunes with the title “Independence Day” and all have nothing to do with our national holiday, the Founding Fathers, the Declaration or even ol John Hancock and his larger than life signature.  All three have to do with breaking free from or leaving behind a bad situation.  Bruce Springsteen was first then Martina McBride.  In the middle was a track from a small extended play release from middle Indiana.  This guy was the guitarist for that Cougar feller, Mr. Mellencamp, for many years and was now on his own.  I heard this here track just one time on our Louisville radio station, DJ a saying the album was hitting stores soon.  That was the early ’90’s, never saw it.  Then, about 20 years later, with the Internet and all, there it was.  When you hear the opening riff you recognize the sound that was Heartland Rock in the 1980’s and then realize that Larry Crane had crafted it.  Small town, hometown drama that’s closer to Springsteen than Miss McBride’s burning bed saga.  But, when you think on it a bit, that’s what those Colonists did was break free from a bad situation and create their own – and ours, by extension – Independence.  So raise a glass, have a hot dog off the grill, light a sparkler and celebrate our great nation!

  
Independence Day – Larry Crane

Unheard Tracks – #5

This is in honor of the bushel of Georgia Peaches we brought back last week that went into a pie today.  Recorded during the Street Survivors sessions and first released on Best of the Rest in 1982.  Would have been interesting to see how the band would have evolved.  Ol’ Ronnie was getting into production and was working with Molly Hatchet.  The cover was a version of one of the classic Lynyrd Skynyrd logos they had used on European tours.

  
Georgia Peaches – Lynyrd Skynyrd

Unheard Tracks – Day #4

Back in the past today, German Metal at it’s finest, cheesy lyrics, superior riff, bright sounding guitar solo.  From 1982’s breakout album Blackout by Scorpions.  Not The Scorpions, just Scorpions.  The best period for them as a band as Klaus Meine was still learning how, not only to speak English but how to rhyme in it.  Always ready to highlight his prowess the chorus is ridiculous but overall the sound is classic Scorpions.  The Schenker brothers are represented here by Rudolf on rhythm guitar whose brother Michael lead his own band during this time and was a part of the classic European band UFO whose Too Hot To Handle and Lights Out from 1978 are not to be forgotten either.  Plus Blackout has one one of the best cover artworks of the Metal era.

  
Scorpions – Arizona
Just for fun, since I skipped a day or two, a bonus track.

UFO – Too Hot to Handle

Unheard Tracks – Day #3

After an infectious drum intro and a riff of fat strings tuned low comes “All the fallen leaves will find their branches again” and after that you’re hooked.  No way around it, 2008, from The Whigs, a three man garage outfit from Athens Georgia.  I guess that jangly guitar sound stays in the water down there.  A quick post today but I’m bettin’ it stays in one of your playlists as well.  Youse welcome!

  

Right Hand on My Heart – The Whigs

Unheard Tracks – Day #2

Pearl Jam, an enigma as far as rock bands go, labeled by most as a Grunge band who started big and fizzled out by the mid-90’s.  In actuality they rode out the popularity wave, changing only drummers and built a loyal fan base always looking for the next tour dates. An amazing live act, today’s track is hoped for everytime your list curator attends one of their shows.  1998’s Wishlist has Eddie Vedder’s golden baritone running through a list of things he wishes he could be.  From a neutron bomb, so for once he could go off, to the key ring the house keys are kept on.  From the full moon shining off a Camaro’s hood to the pedal break a driver depends on.  Eddie had disappointed someone and in a way that damaged a relationship, “I wish I was the verb to trust, and never let you down” is the key line it all builds to.  Remembering Vedder when the band first stormed into view, with his rage wore right out on his sleeve with every performance, it was a bit different to hear this side that held in his reactions by not wanting to blow up like a bomb knowing his best wishes for a better self couldn’t fix what had happened.  Ed was growing older as was I and after fifteen plus years of hearing this it still forces me to reexamine.  Great track that is largely unheard, nice guitar work by Mr. McCready as well.

  

  
Wishlist – Pearl Jam

Unheard Tracks – Day #1

So, I keep an ongoing playlist that contains those certain kinda tracks that are forgotten over the years or newer tunes from bands that don’t necessarily get the air play.  Some major artists, many independent bands, much variety.  All random, not in any type of order, with running commentary by yours truly. There’s currently 134 songs in the playlist so one a day will take while.  Feel free to comment, please keep in mind it’s not a Best Of list just mainly great tracks that for what ever reason are mainly Unheard but should be much more often.

First up, “Eyes of the Muse” by King Tuf.  A one man band in the studio, which these days is a common occurrence what with ProTools, etc, released in 2014.  Has a strong T Rex vibe to it with a Marc Bolan type vocal and great guitar riff.  If you’re in that “No good music has been made since Whitesnake ruled Mtv” then follow along so you can expand, there’s good new stuff out there but you have to dig for it. 

 Eyes of the Muse – King Tuf

Take that downhill, you earned it!

Here in Louisville my favorite spot to run is Iroquois Park.  Since I was old enough to drive that well over 100 year old
Olmstead designed park has continually drawn me back.  First for Frisbee, yes I know it’s “Disc” to the purists, Golf back in the early 1980’s.  Skipped school one cold January morning and promptly had my favorite Wham-O split in half on a frozen tree.  When I started running many moons after that I was again drawn back to those hills that previously my car had only driven over; cutting though by the horse barns or wrapping around to the “real” golf course.  I learned those hills like the back of my hand, knowing by going left or right at the amphitheater that a different set of challenges was at hand. The hills come at distinctly different points along the way around.  Well over 700 acres, with a “perfect” 3.1 mile loop and if you feel the need for more there is a nice incline to the top of just over a mile that gives the reward of three great overlooks of Louisville and a few deer in the early mornings if you get out in time to see them.  Spring, summer, winter,fall the park gives a runner about all they could ask for:  5K around the bottom, 10K+ adding the loop up top and if you want to head down Southern Parkway, full of scenery itself, a nice half marathon waits if you go down a few stoplights and turn back.  But the thing I really
enjoy is the big downhill from up top.  It was earned by the work on way up and on the way down it gives me a
just a bit of the feeling of speed that those fast high school runners that compete with my daughter on her cross country team must feel
with every flat terrain stride they make.  It is exhilarating, it is worth the momentary pain, it is earned, so take it.  Don’t ease down it, don’t coast, take it, burn it up, feel the rush of speed because you earned it!

Perseverance is a noun.

Thomas Merton quoted from The Seven Storey Mountain, speaking of the brain tumor his Father was dying from and how while it physically affected him yet did not take his faith but expanded it wrote: “Souls are like athletes, that need opponents worthy of them, if they are to be tried and extended and pushed to the full use of their powers, and rewarded according to their capacity.”  There is a load of practical application in that quote but to stay within our running theme we can look at one of those $3.00 words that show up the framed motivation hung on the walls of middle level manager’s offices all across the country – Perseverance.  According to Dictionary.com perseverance is defined as:

1. steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., esp. in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.

2. in Theology: continuance in a state of grace to the end, leading to eternal salvation.

Now as we learned in the old Schoolhouse Rock clips “a noun is a person, place or thing” but somewhere along the line I guess I felt perseverance was more of a verb which is, of course, an action word.  It seems my ideal of what is correct was not based on the basic rules of grammar but my misunderstanding what the very nature of perseverance is.  Its nature is a state,  meaning a person is “in” it, immersed so to speak.  With the intense heat the Louisville area and much of the Mid-West has endured the past couple of months this summer has indeed been one of perseverance for runners in particular.   Continuing in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement has been the norm and not the deviation from standard expectations.  Baptist pastors can be quite fond of saying that “Your want to has to change”, meaning that in order for growth to happen in a person’s Christian walk the very thing that motivates much change; well I submit that when 100+ heat indexes arrive day after day your running “want to” has to change as well.  Now change can be accomplished many ways and being creative is important.  Get out early, or late, move indoors to the treadmill, elliptical or even that poor Wii board that you slid over to the corner of the family room after the kids lost interest…the little Me you created is still waiting for you come back and check in.  Whatever, just stick with it, mix it up, work through it, you know all the cliches and short of the old  “Just Do It” that echoes back to Nike’s Oregon and Steve Prefontaine,  it’s all we runners have.  Consider the heat to be another opponent worthy of challenging so we can learn our true limits and be rewarded with a solid fall running season where a new PR in your scheduled race can be the prize instead of rebuilding that mileage base after a summer of giving in to the heat.  Perseverance is a noun, be “in” it!