Bob Welch
Nov. 3, 1956 – June 9, 2014
1991 Stadium Club
Archive for Athletics
In Memoriam: Bob Welch (Nov. 3, 1956 – June 9, 2014)
Posted in In Memoriam with tags Athletics, baseball, baseball cards, Bob Welch, Dodgers, Topps on June 10, 2014 by Cardboard Icons2014 Topps Opening Day Josh Reddick, an Uncorrected Error Card.
Posted in Newspaperman with tags Athletics, baseball, baseball cards, error card, Josh Reddick, Topps on March 24, 2014 by Cardboard IconsWith the recent release of Topps Heritage and it’s intended error cards designed to mimic actual errors from the original 1965 set, I figured it’d be worth pointing mount an error — a true error; an uncorrected one at that — that I found on a newly released 2014 Topps Opening Day Card.
Josh Reddick, as we all know, is an outfielder. The front of card No. 173 from Opening Day correctly lists him as such. But the back, that’s another story. Topps left his position as “p” (they likely used a template while creating these) and forgot to change to statistic categories in the stat box below. A genuine oops.
Memorial Day reminds us of … World War II Veteran and MLB Pitcher Lou Brissie
Posted in Newspaperman with tags Athletics, baseball, baseball cards, Bowman, Indians, Lou Brissie, Memorial Day, War Veterans on May 28, 2012 by Cardboard Icons
1949 Bowman Lou Brissie Rookie Card
Much will be written today about stars and stripes. About fallen country men who paid the ultimate sacrifice to defend the United States of America. Much will also be penned about baseball legends Ted Williams, Willie Mays, Joe DiMaggio, Bob Feller and many others who traded their baseball uniforms for military garb to fight in various wars.
Those legends always get the ink, and deservedly so … they were stars who were at the top of the game before they went into active military duty, a heroic act in and of itself
But there are many others to remember. And today this blog will focus briefly on Lou Brissie.
Brissie pitched seven years in the Big Leagues for two teams, the Philadelphia Athletics and Cleveland Indians. During his career he compiled a 44-48 record, 436 strikeouts and had n ERA of 4.06. Not exactly a star, but a solid, serviceable career.
But what makes this remarkable is that it even existed.
You see, these accomplishments occurred after Brissie was wounded in battle. Brissie served in the US Army 88th Infantry Division and had the lower portion of his left leg badly wounded when his unit was under attach in December 1944 while fighting in Italy. He later was awarded the Purple Heart.
Brissie faced more than two dozen surgeries and fought rigorously to regain the full use of his leg. Ultimately he was signed by the Philadelphia Athletics and made his Major League Debut in late September 1947, less than three years after the war injury.
Surely there are no shortage of baseball dreams that were snuffed out via injury or death during the wars. After all, baseball is the county’s national pastime and when you’re a young boy looking up to baseball legends who are willing to give up their star status to grab a gun and fight, you might be inclined to do the same.
Remember, these were different times.
But Brissie’s courage in battle and desire to recognize a boyhood dream even after all the real-life strife, makes him a noteworthy person.
Mr. Brissie, Cardboard Icons remembers you on this Memorial Day.
*ESPN wrote a full-length feature on Brissie in 2007. You can see it here. Enjoy.
Chrome Corner: 2008 Bowman Chrome Autograph Jarrod Parker
Posted in Chrome Corner with tags Athletics, baseball, baseball cards, Bowman, Bowman Chrome, Diamond Backs, Jarrod Parker, Topps on May 24, 2012 by Cardboard IconsI’ve acquired quite a few quality chrome autographs and refractors over the last few months but I have not shown them on this blog yet.
I guess I have to get on top of that.
Let’s start here: 2008 Bowman Chrome Prospects Autograph Jarrod Parker.
I got this card in the mail the other day and noticed that the card is well-centered, the ink looks good and there are no scratches on the surface. Those lines you see on the card are from my scanner … they are digital wrinkles, signs of aging technology.
Then I flipped the card over, took note of the excellent condition and started reading the text.
Stuff about him having lightening quick stuff? Check.
Comparison to some other up and comer or seasoned veteran? Check.
Something about where he played high school and some collegiate opportunity he seemingly passed on to pursue his big league dream? Check.
Then I looked at the stat line.
And I looked at it again … and again … and again.
Does that really say what I think it says?
A 0.10 ERA?!?!?!
A POINT-TEN ERA over 70 innings?!
That is insane. And the fact that it came in high school really does not diminish the value of that feat one bit.
On that note, here’s another interesting tidbit worth mentioning: Parker was the ninth overall pick in the 2007 draft and the fifth pitcher taken.
Who were the others hurlers taken before Parker? David Price (No. 1), Daniel Moskos (No. 4), Ross Detwiler (No. 6), and Casey Weathers (No. 8).
Thrift Treasures XL: Nick Swisher holding up your pants
Posted in Thrift Treasures with tags Athletics, baseball, belt buckles, Chevrolet, Nick Swisher, Thrift Treasures on March 7, 2012 by Cardboard Icons
Quick mid-week Thrift Treasures post.
Popped into one of the thrift stores on my way home today and found something that made me laugh.
It’s a silver Oakland Athletics belt buckle.
But if you look close enough, you’ll see it’s not just any A’s belt buckle. It’s a NICK SWISHER Oakland A’s Belt Buckle!!!
Who wouldn’t want a likeness of Nick Swisher that close to their junk?!
I believe these were stadium giveaways, probably sometime in 2006. The belt buckle is sponsored by Chevrolet, which is evident with the Chevy logo on the bottom right.
Cost: $5.99
Value: Priceless.
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