30 Day Baseball Card Challenge - Day 18

30 DAY BASEBALL CARD CHALLENGE

DAY 18

A card of a player who became the manager of your favorite team

It's pretty obvious that my favorite team is the Atlanta Braves, so finding a card of Bobby Cox as a player was a no brainer for today's challenge. I was able to track down this 2003 Upper Deck Yankees Signature Edition card of Bobby in a dime box at a local show years ago. I cringe because it's another rare Yankees card in my collection, but I don't have many cards of Bobby as a player so you do what you've gotta do!

Thanks for the memories!

I was just 13 years old when I was introduced to baseball cards by a friend.  I was 14 years old when my dad and grandfather took me to my first MLB game at Atlanta's old Fulton County Stadium.  It was then that the magic of a major league game captivated me and I became a fan of the game again.  Collecting baseball cards help me appreciate the game a little more as I would be a little more eager to see how these players I had pictured on simple cardboard performed in real life.  Growing up in Charlotte, NC the closest MLB to us was Atlanta so that played a big part in becoming a Braves fan.  The other part was what and who I saw on the field during the early 90's.  I'm guessing a lot of people became Braves fan's once they started to win again.  I didn't even know the team wasn't that good until a few years later!  My memories of the Braves revolve around the 1991 season and forward.  The likes of Mark Lemke, Rafael Belliard, Jeff Blauser, Sid Bream, Francisco Cabrera, David Justice and Bobby Cox.  I can remember sitting the outfield stands and my dad and grandfather (who both are no longer with us) filling me in on what everyone's responsibilities were...including the manager.  From there forward I would look forward to any chance I had to scoot down I-85 to Atlanta to catch a game in person.  Watching the games on TBS was always fun, but it could never compare to the atmosphere of the ball park.  

So much has changed since then.  The players on the field have retired or moved on to other teams.  The old stadium has been torn down and replaced by Turner Field.  My grandfather and dad passed away within 6 months of each other...and I'm not 14 anymore.  So many of my good childhood memories revolve around baseball in some way, shape or form and whatever I did with baseball my dad was somehow involved.  It's kinda weird for me to look back now on my journey as a Braves fan to see that through all of these changes I've witnessed and been a part of one thing has remained...Bobby Cox.  It will really be odd looking down into the dugout and not seeing Bobby next season.  What kind of impact will his absence on the bench / in the dugout have on the rest of the team?  A lot remains unseen, but I do wish Bobby all the best during his retirement and I thank him for this trip down memory lane.

In the Mail 10/9/10

I've gotten way too used to dropping in on eBay to "take a peek" at what Braves deals I can find that I need to stop...because every time I look I find something that I place a bid on.  Here lately I'm winning most of these auctions too.  Yes, I have gotten some very nice cards and reasonable prices (or downright steals), but the amount I've paid in shipping when I spread out my purchases could make a grown man cry.  I know because I've cried a little!  Seriously though I got some nice swag in the mail the last 2 days so let's take a quick look.

2005 Topps Cracker Jack #TO-BC

This is easily my favorite card of the bunch.  The timing of my running across this card is also excellent what with this being Cox's final season managing the Braves.  I never bought much of the Topps Cracker Jack product, but what I do have is all very nice.  This not quite regular size card features authentic game-worn uniform.  I wonder if Bobby was ejected from a game in this uniform?!

2002 Topps #HRR-RF

I always enjoyed watching Rafael Furcal play the field when he was a Brave.  I have to admit though the black composition notebook look doesn't make out for a very appealing ball card though, jersey piece or not.

2008 Upper Deck Masterpieces #SG-KJ

Ever since I saw the discounted blaster boxes of Masterpieces @ Walmart I've been tempted at buying a few since I seem to marvel at the few individual cards I currently own.  I have resisted thus far from buying much of this product, but how could I pass up placing a last minute bid of $.50 for this card?!  Sure, Kelly isn't a Brave anymore, but that doesn't take anything away from this being a beautiful card.

2005 Topps Blue #65 (13/50)

Let's see - what was I doing in 2005 when this set came out?  That's right - graduating from college.  That's way I never saw or bought any of this...I was busy & broke!  I ended up buying a mess of these cards of different Braves players in a variety of colors for cheap.  I'm still trying to find out how many dang color variations there are, but this Gant card is the lowest serially numbered.  The others I bought include David Justice, Javy Lopez, Jermaine Dye and non Braves player Tim Salmon.

2010 Topps Pro Debut #243 Blue (040/369)

Starting first baseman for the Braves in 2011...or at least that is what a lot of people are saying at this point.  I wasn't surprised to see that Freedie wasn't included on this year's post season roster, but it's OK as I see a bright future ahead of him with the Braves organization.

2010 Topps Pro Debut #TT17

The same seller that had the blue parallel also had this card in the same lot.  I probably wouldn't have bothered with this card if it was sold on it's own as I don't like the fact the same image was used as was used on the base card.  However the back of the card has a interesting quote from Baseball America stating "because of his defense, comparisons of Freeman to Keith Hernandez and Mark Grace (w/ more power) have become commonplace."

In the mail 3/22/10

More and more Braves! This time around I got some game used, short prints, chrome/refractors and autographs.

2008 Upper Deck Goudey Jeff Francoeur jersey #M-JF, 2009 Topps Heritage Bobby Cox #215, 2010 Topps Heritage Chrome Tommy Hanson #C93 (1842/1961), 2010 Topps Refractor Warren Spahn #PC4, 2009 Upper Deck Spectrum James Parr autograph RC #119, 2009 Upper Deck Ballpark Collection James Parr autograph RC #83 (204/500), 2009 Upper Deck A Piece of History James Parr autograph RC #131, 2007 Upper Deck Elements Scott Thorman ELEMENTAL AuTOGRAPHS #AU-ST

My first eTopps haul arrived!

I'm a little late posting this as my first shipment from eTopps arrived sometime last week. I took advantage of the shipping sale Topps was running and finally shipped some of the cards I've had in my portfolio since I started buying in 2002! I am really impressed with these cards even though they aren't desirable.

Let's start w/ the Braves lot:

2009 Jordan Schafer RC, 2005 & 2006 Jeff Francoeur & 2006 Bobby Cox

2002 DeShaun Foster & Chris Weinke, 2004 Keary Colbert, 05 Stephan LeFors, Julius Peppers & Eric Shelton, 2006 Steve Smith & DeAngelo Williams

I got a few Panthers team cards that I didn't bother scanning. I've learned however that I ought to hold off buying some of these players when they are first released as the prices drop rather quickly on eBay. I paid full price for all of these and now could be had for a buck or less. Oh well, live and learn I suppose.

In the mail 3/16/10

I got a nice assortment today in the mail box. Let's start with a few older Braves cards.

Bobby Cox 1978 Topps #93, 1991 Topps Micro #759, Joe Torre 1983 #126, Ron Gant 2005 Topps All-Time Fan Favorites #30, Sid Bream 2005 Topps All-Time Fan Favorites #31, 1991 Topps Traded #13T

I ran across this John Wetteland card in the closing minutes of it's eBay auction. Nabbed it for $2.50. While I wouldn't normally add a Yankee to my collection, I've collected John Wetteland since discovering he was a Christian in the early 90's. I'm not entirely familiar with this Upper Deck set so if someone can shed some light on the card I would greatly appreciate it. It's number is #AU-39 and it's from 2004. The Pujols is a nice thick insert from 2001 Topps Stadium Club #RT19. Pretty card for a buck.