Here’s a quick quiz for you. Other than being baseball cards, what did the 2004 Bazooka and 2011 Topps Lineage baseball sets have in common? There may be other correct answers, but the commonality in view right now is that both sets included inserts based on the 1964 Topps Stand-Ups. Actually, we could add 1934-36 Batter-Up and 2012 Panini Golden Age to the mix as the Topps … [Read more...] about 1964 Topps Stand-Ups Have Cousins but None Better
1960s baseball sets
1963 Bazooka Baseball Set Had Star Power, Smaller Checklist
Topps packs weren’t enough for the most dedicated baseball card collectors in the early 1960s. Kids who really loved collecting, were crazy for cards—and had a few more nickels than the average youngster—had to have a box or three. The 1963 Bazooka baseball card series marked the fifth year for what had become an annual rite of summer. They remain popular, … [Read more...] about 1963 Bazooka Baseball Set Had Star Power, Smaller Checklist
1969 Citgo Portraits Set Captures Youthful Enthusiasm Of Miracle Mets
It has been 50 years since the New York Mets stunned the baseball world by winning the 1969 World Series. This week marks a big anniversary for the franchise: On Sept. 10, 1969, the Mets took over first place in the National League East for good. It was part of an amazing month for the Amazin’s. During a 25-game stretch from Sept. 6 through Sept. 28, their pitching staff … [Read more...] about 1969 Citgo Portraits Set Captures Youthful Enthusiasm Of Miracle Mets
1960 Leaf Baseball Set Was One Year Wonder
Leaf first tried its hand at a baseball card set in 1949. While that was a popular issue, the company wouldn't return to the baseball card market until 11 years later with the creation of black and white glossy cards distributed inside packages of...marbles. With Topps owning the rights to produce cards packed with gum, Leaf and its partner, Sports Novelties, Inc., … [Read more...] about 1960 Leaf Baseball Set Was One Year Wonder
Auravision Records Were A Hit With Baseball Fans
Beatlemania was in full swing in 1964, and so were records — 45 RPM singles and 33 1/3 “long-playing” albums. If a household did not own a “Victrola” (a fancy name for what later was called a turntable), then portable record players would suffice. Kenner’s Close N Play is a good example. In 1964, Auravision Records brought major-league baseball players to that popular … [Read more...] about Auravision Records Were A Hit With Baseball Fans
1961-62 Fleer Baseball Greats Set Quirky, but Fun
It’s a quirky set, with strange photography choices and an eclectic selection. The 1961-62 Fleer Baseball Greats set attempted to showcase former players, just like it did with its 1960 set. The difference was a set with a larger checklist that stretched over two years. Subjects in the Fleer Baseball Greats spanned several eras, from Cap Anson and Kid Nichols in the late … [Read more...] about 1961-62 Fleer Baseball Greats Set Quirky, but Fun
Vintage Set of the Week: 1965 Topps Embossed
Throughout the 1960s and early 70s, Topps experimented with a variety of pack inserts. From posters to story booklets to coins and decals you had to soak in water, they always kept the youngsters guessing. When cards began emerging from wax packs 60 years ago, the 1965 Topps Embossed set was unlike anything collectors of all ages had seen before. Today, it’s a big challenge … [Read more...] about Vintage Set of the Week: 1965 Topps Embossed
Beyond the “Normal” Cardboard: 1969 CITGO Coins
Baseball and business have gone hand-in-hand in the United States for a very long time. Recently baseball's official historian, John Thorn, wrote a great piece on the beginnings of this relationship ("The Dawn of Athlete Endorsements"). Indeed, for many years in America if a business wanted to attract extra notice at the cash register it found a way to attach its presence to … [Read more...] about Beyond the “Normal” Cardboard: 1969 CITGO Coins