BY MARK A. LARSON
We’ve all heard and read some pretty weird and wacky things during our days in the hobby. It happens at shows. It happens in the hobby press. Sometimes it happens over the phone. Which makes us all wonder – what’s next?
Here are some things I’d never expect to hear or read, but you never know …
• A DEALER’S ADVERTISEMENT: Add $2 postage on all orders under a dollar.
• AN OFFER FROM TOPPS: Orders are now being accepted for the 1986 3-D, glossy, chrome-plated, acrylic no-wax, limited edition reprint of the 1985 proof set.
• A COLLECTOR’S INQUIRY: “How much do you want for this card I found in your 1¢ box?”
• AUCTION ITEM: Two slabs of 1949 Bowman Blony bubble gum … no teeth marks – minimum bid $75.
• CLASSIFIED AD: Everything in this ad is for sale.
• DONRUSS SET: Perez-Steele drawings of stadium foul poles.
• A DEALER’S ADVERTISEMENT: 1976 unopened wax packs … some stars pulled.
• NEW SET: Eddie Gaedel “mini” set (cards measure 1/2 by 3/4 inches).
• AUCTION ITEMS: ABA, WFL, WHA and USFL team tax returns showing profits. Extremely rare. Also, bonus check signed by Calvin Griffith. Scarce … probably one-of-a-kind.
• COLLECTOR ISSUE: Complete St. Louis Browns Highlights Set (total of three cards, including checklist).
• DEALER’S AD: 7th Annual Going-Out-of-Business Sale.
• HOBBYIST’S AMBITION: To collect hot-dog wrappers from every major and minor league ballpark in the U.S.
• NEW SET: Managers of Charlie Finley and George Steinbrenner … a 60-card set, including three dozen poses of Billy Martin.
• AUCTION ITEM: Ten pounds of mud from New York’s old Polo Grounds.
• COLLECTOR’S REQUEST TO BALLPLAYER: “Could you please sign these 237 identical items? … Please no personalizations. But don’t worry, they’re all for my personal collection.”
• AN OFFER FROM TOPPS: Free 792-card bonus run set … please include $69.95 for postage and handling.
• COLLECTOR OFFER TO DEALER: “I’ll give you $10 and five dozen 1981 Joe Charboneaus for that mint Pete Rose rookie.”
• AUCTION: Minimum bids are 10 percent above the highest bid received.
• CLASSIFIED AD: For Sale – rare and valuable 1985 Topps, Fleer and Donruss commons.
• NEW BOOK: “Ball Six” – Jim Bouton’s behind-the-scenes, candid account of the rise of his Big League Chew company … 338 pages.
• A DEALER’S ADVERTISEMENT: Authentic autographs from these “Future Hall-of-Famers” … Tim Foli, Jerry McNertney and Terry Felton.
🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂 1984 Fleer 🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃
• FLEER SET: 132-card “Snakes of the World” – featuring Glenn Hubbard. (With purchase of 10 or more sets, receive free 40-card “Umbrella Hats of the World” set – featuring Jay Johnstone.)
• CLASSIFIED AD: 950 different 1981 Donruss baseball cards for sale.
• AUCTION ITEM: Ball signed by all those who played in 1945 All-Star game.
• FOR SALE: Gaylord Perry’s “rookie” Vaseline jar. Used during first season in the big leagues.
• NEW ITEM: Cleveland Indians Greatest Moments of the Past 20 Years, on VHS cassette – 5 min.; black & white.
• ONE YOUNG COLLECTOR TO ANOTHER: “Hey, wanna come over and see my collection of 5,000 1985 Topps Dwight Gooden rookie cards?”
• • • • • •
• Originally Published in Nov. 1985 “Baseball Hobby News” •
THIS ARTICLE FROM “BASEBALL HOBBY NEWS” MAGAZINE IS REPRINTED WITH THE PERMISSION OF BOTH THE EDITOR/PUBLISHER AND THE AUTHOR. IT HAS BEEN RETYPED, BUT NO CONTENT HAS BEEN CHANGED (EXCEPT FOR VERY MINOR ADJUSTMENTS, CORRECTIONS TO TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS AND CHANGES TO GRAPHICS). COMMENTS OR INFORMATION IN THE ARTICLE MAY BE OUT-OF-DATE.
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