Potentially Last Post of the Year

Tonight I'm going to show 2 of my more unusual items that I have.

While this looks like a normal beaten up MLB ball, it's not. It's a batting practice ball that I caught on September 30, 2003 prior to NLDS Game 1 pitting the Braves against the Cubs. I was sitting right beyond the outfield wall at Turner Field watching BP when Andruw Jones hits a ball and it bounces on the warning path and over the wall. I jump out of my seat and nab the ball one handed. I was lavished with cheers by the other people. This remains the only ball I've caught at a MLB game and even though it's a BP ball, I'm still real proud of it. Since this is a baseball card blog, I mightas well show some baseball cards.

This is an uncut sheet of the 1987 Commemorative Rookies Set that was inserted only into the 1987 Topps Jumbo packs. While the big name on the sheet is Mark McGwire, there's a few other recognizable names such as Mike Greenwell, Terry Steinbach and Billy Ripken. I personally just think it's neat to have a full uncut sheet of a set of cards. Someday hopefully I'll get this framed.

More Stuff (All Braves Edition)

Continuing on with the stuff that I have around my Parent's house, we'll do an All Braves Edition. There'll be a lot more Braves stuff as that's what I have the most of.  First up, we have a ball signed by koo-koo head himself Mark Wohlers.

This might have been another Christmas present, but I can't remember.  This is on a 1995 World Series ball as he recorded the last out to give the Braves their WS Title.  Next we have his battery partner, also on a 1995 World Series ball, Javy Lopez.

Here, you can actually see the World Series logo that's on the ball.  This is the only World Series ball I have that's not signed on the sweet spot.  I believe that I got this at K-Mart in one of those Mystery Ball packs and came out quite well.  Next are a couple of limited edition signed rookie cards that I have.  First up...

Here's a signed 1988 Donruss of Tom Glavine limited to 1988 copies.  I don't remember where I got it all I know is that I have it.  And to end this post, as all good posts should end...With Chipper Jones of course.  A 1991 Topps signed card.  This one is limited to 1991 copies.   You can never have enough Chipper.

Some presents of Christmas past.

I'm at my parent's house, far away from my scanner, so I'm taking this time to show a few things that I couldn't show you by scanning. All of these I've had for years and years.

First up:

Tony Gwynn autographed ball with a .394/94 inscription. This wasn't a Christmas present, but I actually got this ball at K-Mart. Yes K-Mart sold autographed baseballs at one point. It was in a pack of 3 or 4 auto balls. I got the Gwynn, Javy Lopez, Jose Oliva (RIP) and I want to say one more. Or maybe not. Anyway, I love the ball because it's a classy classy auto and a great inscription. Next we have

The freshly retired Greg Maddux. I got the card through the mail I want to say in 1997 or somewhere around in there. The ball is a 1995 World Series ball that I got for Christmas in either 1995 or 1996. This is one of my favorite pieces I own. Let's keep on keepin' on.
This is a Griffey Junior ball from around '92 - '94. I love Junior's looping signature. This was another Christmas present.
I think I got this Nolan Ryan ball the same Christmas that I got the Junior ball. Another great readable signature of one of the game's greats. And now, for one of my favorite things I own:

Oh Hammerin' Hank. I love this ball. It's a William White NL ball with a great sig from Hank. It looks like he had to go back over the "o" in Aaron, but still, one of the greatest pieces from one of the greatest of all time. I'll be posting some more as the week goes on.

Just like Ah-nold I'm BACK!

Exams are over, I worked out my scanner issues, everything is great.  So here's something I've been wanting to share for awhile.  I go to my parent's house for Thanksgiving and I occasionally get pieces of mail there still so it's not unusual to have some long lost TTM auto come back and surprise me when I go back.  This time I got a big surprise.  There was my SASE, but the postmark was from 2007 and somewhere in Florida, I don't exactly remember where.  I guessed that this just got lost in my Dad's closet and he found it cleaning.  I figured that it was probably some Devil Ray or Marlin that I sent to, but then got to thinking, I wasn't using my parent's address in 2007 so it had to be from 2005.  I knew at that point that it had to be something exciting for it to take a year and a half to two years to get to me.  So I open it up and see a form letter and this:

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA?????????

CHIPPPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Needless to say I was quite excited.  From the form letter, it seems that Chipper takes all the mail he gets and sends any items back, which he did with me, along with a signed 5X7 photo that he signs while he's on the road.  In the gloom and doom of this Braves off season, just remember, we still have Chipper and he's a good guy.  And I think that counts for something.

Just because I'm losing, doesn't mean that I'm lost

Yes I used another Coldplay quote.  This is one of those posts that I do every so often just to let you know I'm here and yes I will be blogging.  I got a new computer so I haven't worked out the driver issues with my scanner and I'm in the middle of finals.  But yes I am here and yes I still write this blog.