jimmy key through the mail success!

with apologies to fernando, jerry reuss, and frank tanana, my favorite left-handed pitcher of the mid 80's/early 90's was jimmy key.

i rooted for the blue jays as my american league team beginning around 1983 or so. a couple of years later, key was firmly established in the starting rotation, creating a formidable one-two, righty-lefty punch with dave steib.

i was happy when the blue jays won the series in 1992 (with key pitching really well), and sad that he decided to go to the yankees the following year. to make matters worse, he had two of his best seasons (though not his best) the next couple of years with the new york american league squad.

so, i recently sent a bunch of cards to mr. key - some to keep and maybe a couple to sign and return. he decided to sign and return all 7, much to my surprise.

here they are (notice that there will be no yankees (or orioles) cards included):

1985 donruss 1985 fleer

1985 toppsthat would be the rookie card trifecta, unless you count his 1984 topps traded and 1984 fleer update cards. what did beckett call those? xrc?

1986 o-pee-cheebecause a blue jay has to have at least one o-pee-chee card.

1987 fleerblue overload on this card. i find it funny that the blues don't match between the jersey and the pants. you can see it better on the 1985 topps card above. kind of like how the lakers purple (sorry, forum blue) never matched, but that was due to different knits used for the tops. anyway...

1991 o-pee-chee premier

another o-pee-chee, although not a topps design. why couldn't upper deck steal this design?

2004 topps all time fan favorites

which is an appropriate one to end with, as he was a favorite of this fan!

thanks jimmy!

two down! thanks to a fernando valenzuela through the mail success!

you might recall my ttm success with jack perconte and my desire to get two more autographs on his 1981 topps rookie card.

well, i received the second auto from fernando valenzuela a while back the 1981 nl rookie of the year is a good signer and returned the card quickly. i sent it to dodger stadium rather than his home address because i had read that he preferred to get requests through the dodgers for whom he does spanish radio broadcasts.

i also sent him (separately) a 1985 topps card which he also signed and returned.

now all i have to do is try to get scioscia to sign. anyone have any ideas?

thanks fernando!

team collector dilemma, part 5 - ed goodson and the vague-acity of sspc

while considered a 1975 set, i believe these sspc cards were issued in 1976. plenty of time for the big trade between the dodgers and the braves to be incorporated into the text. but, without any team affiliation on the front, these cards pose a dilemma to team collectors.

is dusty baker a brave?or a dodger? is the toy cannon part of the dodger team set?

or should he be counted as a brave?

same for tom paciorek, who looks like a dodger to me

but is listed as a brave

just for good measure, lee lacy is also shown in his dodger uniform with the braves affiliation on the back. now, these cards are easy for me. i actually consider them all to be dodgers. dodger uniform or team affiliation on the back works for me, and i would suspect that braves collectors would also lay claim to each of these cards.

things get a little more unclear with this next card, though. johngy recently sent it to me from my want list - it's ed goodson.now, why did i want this card? clearly goodson is wearing a san francisco giants uniform, right? well, yes he is, even though he played for the braves the last half of the 1975 season. on the back, though, he gets the same dodger treatment as johnnie b.so i guess the question is this - do braves fans care about this card? how about giants fans? or dodger fans, for that matter?

mo vaughn was perfect

on his 2001 topps stadium club card, anyway.this is one of my favorite cards. i am a sucker for the photo from behind the player - it has a sort of retrospective quality. plus, in this case, you get to see the field rather than people in the stands. here we get a view of the renovated angels stadium. i had moved out of orange county before the renovations were completed, so i wasn't too familiar with the 'disney-fied' area beyond center field. then there is the moment of contact that is captured, in all its glorious potential. most of all, though, i love that he wore 42 in honor of jackie, and that the number is so prominent on this card. it's perfect.

i also like this 1999 upper deck retro vaughn card although i wouldn't say it's one of my favorites. i like it because you can see the gene autry uniform patch the players wore after the singing cowboy passed away. i really wish the angels could have made it happen in 79, 82 or 86 for mr. autry.

here's to you mo!

the modest 1978 topps dodgers autograph project - a status update

i figured it was time to update the two or three of you that have asked on the status of my modest 1978 topps dodgers autograph project.

so far, i am sitting at 19 of 29, or 66%. the latest addition was elias sosa, although i did also get a tommy john ttm to replace the ebay success i originally counted.

here's the rundown on who is left:

dusty baker - i have sent one card to the reds (6/09), and one to his home (10/09). the successes from him that i have seen are usually received in january, so here's hoping...

glenn burke - this is the white whale. while an autographed 1978 topps card of the late outfielder does exist, the chances i have of obtaining one are pretty slim.

terry forster - i have sent a card to terry c/o the dodgers (7/09) but have not received any response. none of the ttm sites i have come across show any home address or recent ttm successes.

ed goodson - i sent one to a home address (4/09) and one c/o the dodgers (8/09). same deal as forster for mr. goodson.

burt hooton - i have sent to the round rock express (6/09) and to his home address (10/09) with no luck. a formerly good ttm signer, it looks like he might not be doing it anymore.

tom lasorda - this one hurts. i have sent two requests to his home (4/09 and 10/09) and one to the dodgers (8/09). apparently he is very inconsistent with signing in general. the second home request was made after a few successes were posted, but those were all balls not cards. still, i hope...

rick monday - another inconsistent signer who doesn't do ttm, although i did send one c/o the dodgers (4/09). i have a lead on a signed card thanks to reader cory, so i am hoping that this one becomes #20.

rick rhoden - i have sent to mr. rhoden both at home (4/09) and c/o the dodgers (7/09). my best hope might be to find him on a golf course, unfortunately.

don sutton - the ace of my youth. i have sent to mr. sutton both at home (9/09) and c/o the braves (6/09).

steve yeager - this would be one bad-ass success, but both my home (6/09) and c/o dodgers (8/09) requests have been unheeded.

i am holding out hope that the project gains some momentum in the new year. if you know of any signings that any of these guys are participating in, please let me know and we can work something out.

hit me ned juan more time

so, our super sub is headed to chitown and all we had to do was pay $10 million. you know, the dodgers would have a lot more money if ned didn't waste so much of it. whether you are a fan of pierre's or not, there's just no way the dodgers can afford to eat so many contracts. at least andruw jones' contract was just a 2-year deal. speaking of mr. jones, i'm a bit surprised ned didn't try to get him back in return for pierre. so now, i am left to wonder how our gm is going to spend the $8 million he is saving. i think garret anderson is still available...

nice work ned, and good luck juan.

a wynn-wynn situation (meaning, a jim wynn through the mail success!)

there are far too few cards of jimmy wynn in a dodger uniform, so i am happy when i find any card of the toy cannon wearing dodger blue, like this 1975 hostess card.i even enjoy picking up other wynn cards, especially when it's a variation like this 1977 topps burger king yankees issueor part of an awesome insert set like this 2006 fleer greats of the game nickname greats card.if i could find a picture of wynn with the brew crew i would create a 1978 topps style final tribute.

anyway, back to his dodger days. the toy cannon was nice enough to sign and return a couple of his real dodger cards - first his 1974 topps traded card.even though he's not in a dodger uniform in the photo, it still counts.

he also signed my 1975 topps mini card
one of the best facial hair cards of the 1970's, and that says a lot!

thanks jim!