All Good Things Come to an End

As I mentioned in my last post, I am closing the lid on this blog after 12+ years, 314 posts, and over 452,000 blog views (many probably my own - lol).

I remember these boxes vividly. (The pack wrappers, not so much. We threw them out as soon as they were opened.) This particular box includes a reference to the pin-ups that were inserted into packs in some (but not all) series. 

1967 was the first year I collected baseball (and football) cards.  Prior to that, my brother and I collected non-sports issues like Batman, Beatles, Green Berets, McHale's Navy, Munsters, and especially War Bulletin and Combat cards.

1967 was also the first year I followed Major League baseball. I had played youth baseball for a summer or two before that, but it never occurred to me to collect cards or watch/attend pro games until '67.

As is the case with most collectors I would guess, my first set is also my favorite set.  Although I didn't start collecting until (I think) May, through trading with friends I was able to get all the cards that were issued in March and April, but were no longer in stores.  By the end of the summer I had all but the infamous high numbers.

When I discovered card shops and shows at the malls in the 1980s, I was able to get most of the high numbers (at an exorbitant $1 each!!!).  By the time I started this blog I had all but 5 cards, then snared Maury Wills and Brooks Robinson a few years ago, and Tommy John earlier this month.

The Seaver and Carew rookie cards?  They will most likely remain as my Holy Grail.

 

If you haven't seen it already, please scroll down to the end of the sidebar to read comments about the set that I wrote, and posted on Zistle some years ago.

Tommy John (#609)

What, has it been 11 months already? 

I have come to the realization that I no longer enjoy blogging. A year ago, I shut down 3 of my baseball set blogs, and now the remaining dominoes will fall. 

But what better way to go out than with this Tommy John card?  After completing all the low numbers in 1967 (and all but 5 high numbers in the 1980s), last week I picked up one of the last three cards I needed - and at a steal for $5.00!

There's a slight crease on the left side, and ever-so-slightly rounded corners, but last week I found this at an antique store near me, where the dealer was selling all manner of late-60s/early-70s stars for $5.00 each. (Well, the 1970 Henry Aaron was $75.00, but everything else was a flat $5.00). 

I've often heard the adage that the first and last card numbers in the set are hard to find in good condition, because kids would rubber-band their cards together, and damage the front and back cards in the stack.  

To that I say bah!  Who is going to rubber-band 609 cards into one stack? Back in the day, my friends and I would group our cards by team, and rubber-band each team separately. I don't know about the other guys, but I would then have my 10 NL bundles in one box and the 10 AL bundles in another box.  (Our local Mom-and-Pop vendor would let us take the box home if we bought the last pack(s) in the box.)

Now I only need the Tom Seaver and Rod Carew rookie cards to complete the set, but that is only a passive goal at this point. I think I will be much more likely to complete my 1966 set.

Anyhoo, this is the last card in the 1967 set, and also the last card to be featured on this blog.

One more post will follow (probably less than 11 months from now. lol)