SHORPY Shot of the Day Nov 30

I love SHORPY.

Evelyn Nesbit as Thisbe circa 1900

Blow Out the Candles Nov 30 Bo Knows Birthdays

2006 UD Legendary Cuts 144/225

The multi-talented Bo Jackson is celebrating his 47th birthday today. One of the greatest, "what might have been" stories in sports, Bo did amaze us while he could.

1990 Score Hot Card #2 of 10

Parkhurst Retro Favorites Montreal Canadiens

It's hard to believe but for the quarter century prior to 1967 the NHL consisted of only six teams, the Canadiens, Maple Leafs, Rangers, Bruins, Red Wings and Blackhawks.

In the mid-nineties, Parkhurst commemorated the 1964-65 NHL season by producing a set of "Tall Boy" cards featuring players and coaches from the "Original Six" teams. I'll be sharing my favorites in coming posts.

Here are my favorites from the Montreal Canadiens:

#87 Toe Blake

#81 Lorne Worsley

#80 Red Berenson

#83 Terry Harper

#85 Jean Beliveau

#67 Henri Richard

#70 Claude Provost

#74 J.C. Tremblay

#75 Yvan Cournoyer

#76 Jean-Guy Talbot

#86 Bill Hicke

#82 Charlie Hodge

Blow Out the Candles Nov 29

7 time All-Star Orestes "Minnie" Minoso turns 84 today. Minnie started his career in 1949 with the Indians and finished with the White Sox in 1980 meaning he played in a remarkable 5 decades.

1968 Topps #375

Detroit Tigers great Bill Freehan turns 68 today. Bill was an 11 time All-Star, won 5 Gold Gloves and was a member of the 1968 World Series Champions.



Also celebrating a birthday today, is 3 time All-Star Dick McAuliffe. McAuliffe was also a member of the 1968 Tigers and though he hit only .222 in the Series he did drive in three and scored five times.

Here's Dick facing Bob Gibson. He was the first batter of the series and struck out. He did single in the 6th in a 4-0 loss.

Take These Rookies Out and Shoot'em

2007 Topps #636 Mike Rabelo and #641 Hideki Okajima

"Take these rookies out to a field and shoot them."

What's the story here? Rookies from different teams in the same location that doesn't appear to be a ballpark. The Tigers and Red Sox both train in Florida so can we assume that's where this is? I don't have the whole 2007 set so I don't know if there are any more of these.

Blow Out the Candles Nov 28

Singer, songwriter, composer, Randy Newman is celebrating his 66th birthday today. I love his wicked sense of humor. Here's his entry from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

No one likes us-I don't know why
We may not be perfect, but heaven knows we try
But all around, even our old friends put us down
Let's drop the big one and see what happens

We give them money-but are they grateful?
No, they're spiteful and they're hateful
They don't respect us-so let's surprise them
We'll drop the big one and pulverize them

Asia's crowded and Europe's too old
Africa is far too hot
And Canada's too cold
And South America stole our name
Let's drop the big one
There'll be no one left to blame us

We'll save Australia
Don't wanna hurt no kangaroo
We'll build an All American amusement park there
They got surfin', too

Boom goes London and boom Paris
More room for you and more room for me
And every city the whole world round
Will just be another American town
Oh, how peaceful it will be
We'll set everybody free
You'll wear a Japanese kimono babe
And there'll be Italian shoes for me

They all hate us anyhow
So let's drop the big one now
Let's drop the big one now








The Great Nations of Europe had gathered on the shore
they'd conquered what was behind them and now they wanted more
so they looked to the mighty ocean and took to the western sea
The great nations of europe in the 16th century

Hide your wives and daughters, hide the groceries too
The great nations of europe comin through

The Grand Canary Islands first land to which they came
they slaughtered all the canaries there which gave the land its name
there were natives there called guanches, guanches by the score
bullet's, disease the portugese, they weren't there any more

now they're gone, they're gone, they're really gone
you never seen anyone so gone
there's pictures in a museum, some lines written in a book
but you won't find a live one, no matter where you look

Hide your wives and daughters, hide the groceries too
The great nations of europe comin through

columbus sailed for india found salvidor instead
he shook hands with some indians and soon they all were dead
they got tb and typhoid and athletes foot, diptheria and the flu
'scuse me great nations comin through

balboa found the pacific and on the trail one day
he met some friendly indians whom he was told were gay
soooooooooooooo
he had them torn apart by dogs on religious grounds they say
the great nations of europe were quite holy in their way

now they're gone, they're gone, they're really gone
you never seen anyone so gone
some bones hidden in a canyon some paintings in a cave
they're no use tryin to save them, there's nothin left to save

hide your wives and daughters, hide your sons as well
with the great nations of europe you never can tell

where you and i are standing on the end of a century
europes have sprung up everyone as even i can see
but there on the horizon is the possiblity
that some bug from out of africa might come for you and me
destroying everything in it's path from sea to shining sea
like the great nations of europe in the 16th century


A parody from Madtv

Canadian musician Paul Shaffer turns the big 6-0 today. A former band member on SNL Paul has been bandleader for David Letterman since 1982.

2000 UD MVP Portraits

#5 Tony Womack

"Your cologne is awful, man"

#12 Steve Finley

"Our next model, Steve, is wearing this this Spring's hot color, purple.

#14 Russ Davis

"It's funny, my face only crinkles on the right side"

#3 Chad Hermansen

"I'm a Pirate!"

#45 Carlos Lee

Speak softly and carry a Big Stick.

#32Roy Halladay

If you don't take this picture soon I'm going to take this ball and ....

#35 Frank Thomas

"You're the best, Frank."

Blow Out the Candles Nov 27

Iconic 1960's musician Jimi Hendrix was born in Seattle, Washington on this date in 1942. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.

Purple Haze 1967


Purple Haze 1969 at Woodstock

1968 Topps Game Inserts Legends

Topps didn't have signed cards or cards with jerseys and bats back in the sixties but they did have some cool inserts and packs were only a dime.

Here's three legends from the 33 card set:

#2

#4

#8

Blow Out the Candles Nov 26

2006 SP Legendary Cuts #31

HOFer Hugh Duffy was born in Cranston, Rhode Island on this date in 1866. Duffy holds the record for highest batting average in a season, .440 in 1894.

2004 UD Sweet Spot Classic #48

HOFer Left Gomez was born in Rodeo, California on this date in 1908. Judging by these quotes Lefty was a humble man with a good sense of humor.

Parkhurst Retro Favorites Boston Bruins

It's hard to believe but for the quarter century prior to 1967 the NHL consisted of only six teams, the Canadiens, Maple Leafs, Rangers, Bruins, Red Wings and Blackhawks.

In the mid-nineties, Parkhurst commemorated the 1964-65 NHL season by producing a set of "Tall Boy" cards featuring players and coaches from the "Original Six" teams. I'll be sharing my favorites in coming posts.

Here are my favorites from the Boston Bruins:

#22 Milt Schmidt

#20 Gary Dornhoefer

#18 Wayne Cashman

#14 Ab McDonald

#8 Reg Fleming

#7 Orland Kurtenbach

#9 Leo Boivin

#11 Bob Leiter

#15 Ed Johnston

#1 John Bucyk

Blow Out the Candles Nov 25

The Yankee Clipper, Joe Dimaggio was born in Martinez, California on this date in 1914.

"Where have you gone Joe Dimaggio, a nation turns it's lonely eyes to you, woo woo woo. What's that you say Mrs. Robinson, Joltin'Joe has left and gone away, hey hey hey...hey, hey, hey."

The ubiquitous Ben Stein is celebrating his 65th birthday today. I like his humor better than his politics.

Ben Stein comes in at 2:23

1964 Alaska Goldpanners

I came across this photo of the Alaska Goldpanners while surfing the web.

1964 Alaska Goldpanners

Left, from top: Joe Austin, John Herbst, Rick Monday, Butch Thompson, Steve Clark, Skip Hancock and Walt Peterson. Middle, from left: Mike Stepovich, Tom Seaver, Bob Maxwell, Phil Blackwell, Graig Nettles, Dennis Smith, and Gary Sutherland. Bottom, from left: Bud Hollowell, Curtell Motton, Buddy Bovender, H.A. (Red) Boucher, Sam Suplizio, Jimy Williams and Mike Paul. Batboys: Tommy Alexander and Wolfgang Fischer.

7 of the 1964 Goldpanners made it to the major leagues. Tom Seaver, Graig Nettles and Rick Monday were the standouts. Others were Curt Motton, Jimmy Williams, Gary Sutherland and Mike Paul.

Seaver

Monday

Nettles

Blow Out the Candles Nov 24

2006 SP Legendary Cuts #11

HOFer Joe "Ducky" Medwick was born in Carteret, New Jersey on this date in 1911. A member of the famous "Gashouse Gang" Joe was a 10 time all-star and the 1937 NL MVP.

1968 Topps # 78

Outfielder Jim Northrup turns 70 today. Jim was a key piece of the puzzle for the World Series Champ 1968 Detroit Tigers. He led the team in doubles with 29 and RBI's with 90. He hit 2 homers and drove in 8 runs in the Series against the Cardinals. Northrup drove in the winning runs in the seventh inning of the seventh game off of Bob Gibson.

1971-72 Topps #1

HOFer Oscar Robertson "the Big O" turns 71 today.

The "King of Ragtime", Scott Joplin was born on this date in 1868 (the date is disputed). He is most known for The Maple leaf Rag and the Entertainer. Joplin's music and ragtime in general experienced a revival due in part to it's inclusion in the 1973 movie, The Sting.

Could it Be....Satan!

2009-09 UD Ovation # 78 Miroslav Satan

I know it's pronounced differently but every time I see this guy I think about Dana Carvey's "The Church Lady" from SNL.

Blow Out the Candles Nov 23

1975 Topps #430

Luis Tiant celebrates his 69th birthday today. Luis had one of the most recognizable delivery motions of any pitcher. He won 229 games in his 19 year career spent mostly with Cleveland and Boston.


Adolph "Harpo" Marx was born on this date in 1888.


This face is called a "Gookie". It was modelled after a man in the Marx's neighborhood that rolled cigars in a shop window.

My copy of Harpo's autobiography. You can tell I've had it a long time. The price was $1.75.

Artist Wayne Thiebaud turn 90 years old today.

Parkhurst Retro Favorites Detroit Red Wings

It's hard to believe but for the quarter century prior to 1967 the NHL consisted of only six teams, the Canadiens, Maple Leafs, Rangers, Bruins, Red Wings and Blackhawks.

In the mid-nineties, Parkhurst commemorated the 1964-65 NHL season by producing a set of "Tall Boy" cards featuring players and coaches from the "Original Six" teams. I'll be sharing my favorites in coming posts.

Here are my favorites from the Detroit Red Wings:

#65

#57

#56

#58

#47

#51

#63

#64

#62

#55

#46

#53