The Elation Of A Filled Up Sampler Album: 1964 Topps

I noted yesterday that I'll miss showing the progress on the 1952 Bowman set when I turn out the lights on Napkin Doon March 4th.  The other bit I'll miss is showing off my Sampler Album progress.  I'd say my Sampler Album has been the most fun and interesting project I've taken up with my card collection.

I filled up my 1964 page a few weeks ago, and it's very lovely in it's completed form:

 

I expect to tinker and change cards with most of my pages over time, but I can see this one pretty much standing pat.  I've got some big names, and some minor names and no repeat of teams.  Except for the Staub, all the cards are in first rate condition.  The Staub is ok, just a little dinged in places. 

1952 Bowman Project: Casey Stengel

Not only did the Lovely Wife give me a supremely nice couple of cards to kick off my 1952 Bowman project for Christmas, she also gave me a sizeable gift card to Cleve's.  What a woman!

I decided to start whittling away at the gift card, and my 1952 set this week and bought another great card:

This Casey Stengel card is magnificent! In fact,  I might take this card out of the holder and make a hi res scan of it that I can print out 8x10 size and frame.  I might do the same with the Bob Feller  & Duke Snider cards my wife bought.  Those would look awesome in a frame on the wall wouldn't they?

So my 1952 Bowman project is off to a very strong start.  If I can find a nice lot of commons that are in good shape (so far all of my cards have been what I think are EX+ condition so I'll stay on that path), then I'm set!

Conlon Collection Part 4: Rube and the Old Perfessor

It's hard to pick only a couple of favorites from these Conlon pages, but I've always been fascinated by two characters that share this page: Rube Waddell and Casey Stengel  You should take a few minutes to read the backs of their cards below.

If you want your head to spin, read Stengel's testimony to Congress in 1958 regarding anti-trust laws.


As for Waddell, I read a little about him in Crazy '08 (which I highly recommend), and that book also mentions (as does the back of the card above)  his tendency to chase fires, literally:  "Among his more respectable hobbies were chasing fires(he adored fire engines) and wrestling alligators; he once taught geese to skip rope."

But that doesn't top the end of the write up on the back of Waddell's card: "His longtime catcher was another flake, Ozzie Schrekengost.  They were roommates and bedmates as clubs doubled up players then.  Rube liked animal crackers and Ozzie got it in his contract that Rube couldn't eat those with horns on 'em."  

I need to read more about this guy, so if anyone can recommend any material, let me know so I don't have to go to the trouble of searching on my own.