A Collector Collects- -Peanuts Halloween

My biggest collection outside of sports cards is of all kinds of Peanuts items.   Here are a bunch of them with the Halloween theme.

Magnets

PVC Figures

Plush

Mask

Halloween is Coming!

This strip appeared on this date 61 years ago.

Fan Pack Fun 2012 Washington Nationals

I'm way behind in both opening and posting this year's fan packs.  The other day a large manila envelope showed up from the Washington Nationals with a mailing date of October 12.  Good things come to those who wait.

 Full size metal license plate.

Not sure if I'll open this.  I'm not even sure I'm adult sized.  

 Some sort of beanbag bat thingy.

 Four cool postcards.

A Random Card

I was looking for a 1970 Al Oliver card in my box of disorganized 1970 and 71 cards when I came across this one.  It's a simple, maybe boring card but it intrigued me.

 First of all, what's going on with the cap?  Is that really a patch with LA on it or is it some sort of Topps artistic effort?  It could be a spring training shot but I don't think the bit of red showing on the uniform is from a Dodgers uniform.

 By current standards all three of Fred's names are out of favor as first names.  Isn't it odd that his official name is Fredie but his nickname was Fred?  Shouldn't it be the other way around?

Did the Topps writer know something about the future?  "A Dodger for 1970", as if he knew Fredie's time in LA would be limited.  Maybe he was influenced by looking at Fred's nine year journey.  I love that about these cards.  Now with baseball-reference.com we can drill down a little and find details like this: back in 1963 with the KC Atlethics, in the first of his two appearance he gave up a three run homer to Elston Howard in the third inning and while pitching to Joe Pepitone in the second allowed Roger Maris to steal third base (his only theft of the season).

Better days were ahead for Fred. In mid 1973 he got traded from the Padres to the Reds and was part of the Big Red Machine's two Worlds Championships in 75 and 76.  Those two seasons he posted an overall win-loss record of 24-11.

Ron Santo Hall of Famer

Nothing says Hall of Fame more than the Hall of Fame plaque.  I waited for a good price but I had to add one of these to my collection.  Too bad there will never be a signed version.  Miss you Ronnie!

Dodgers Song

I thought the Dodgers were going to do it this year.  Alas they fell just short.  In their honor here's something a stumbled upon just a few days ago.  This song was recorded during the 1962 pennant race that found the Dodgers again losing out to the Giants this time by just a single game.  Danny Kaye was a huge Dodgers fan, a friend of Leo Durocher and was even a part owner of the Seattle Mariners.  I grew up watching him on TV and listening to his LP's of fairy tales.

Oh, I say D

I say D-O,

D-O-D

D-O-D-G,

D-O-D-G-E-R-S

Team, team, team, team!

Oh!

I say O-M,

O-M-A

O-M-A-L,

O-M-A-L-L-E-Y

Oh really? No, O'Malley!

Sandy Koufax, oh my Drysdale,

Maury Wills, I love you so.

And we defy

Defy the J-I,

J-I-N

J-I-N-T,

The J-I-N-T-S, Gi'nts!

Play ball!

Orlando Cepeda is at bat with the bases jammed.

Orlando Cepeda, with a wham, bam, he hit a grand slam.

In the very first inning, but it's only the begining,

In the third, like a bird, we get two on, none away.

Then Fairly hits into a double play.

Here comes Big Frank Howard, yessiree,

Boy, what a swing! Strike three.

Oh dem B

Oh dem B-U,

B-U-M

B-U-M-S.

Dem bums, dem bums, dem dry bums.

Oh they may be bums, but they're my bums.

Top of the fourth, say hey Willy Mays

Hits a three bagger down the right field line.

Then he's out trying to stretch it to a homer,

As Roseborro tags him on the bottom of the spine.

With a crack you can hear

All the way back up to

San Francisco, open your hospitals!

Charge!

Inning six, Maury Wills

Draws a walk, in the coach's box

Leo Dourochure, Leo Dourochure

Starts to wiggle and to twitch.

A signal? No, an itch.

Go Maury, go Maury, go go go!

Maury goes, the catcher throws,

Right from the solar plexus.

At the bag he beats the tag

That mighty little waif,

And umpire Connlin cries, "Yer out!"

Out? Out???

Down in the dugout Alston glowers,

Up in the booth Vin Scully frowns.

Out in the stands O'Malley grins,

Attendance fifty thousand.

And what does O'Malley do?

Charge!

Bottom of the ninth, four to nuttin',

Last chance, push the button!

Oh we're pleading, begging, on our knees,

Come on you Flatbush refugees!

Maury Wills at bat, hit it for me once,

Stu Miller throws, Maury bunts.

Cepeda runs to field the ball and Hiller covers first,

Hallah runs to back up Hiller,

Hiller crashes into Miller,

Miller falls, drops the ball, Connlin calls "Safe!"

Yea, Maury!

Gilliam up, Miller grunts.

Miller throws, Gilliam bunts.

Cepeda runs to field the ball and Hiller covers first,

Hallah runs to back up Hiller,

Hiller crashes into Miller,

Miller falls, drops the ball, Connlin calls "Safe!"

Yea, Connlin!

Willy Davis gets a hit

And Frankie does the same,

Here comes Mr. Howard

With a chance to win the game.

Hit it once!

Big Frank bunts?!?

Cepeda runs to field the ball and Hiller covers first,

Hallah hollers "Hiller",

Hiller hollers "Hallah,"

Hallah hollers "Hiller," points to Miller with his fist,

And that's the Hiller Miller Holler Hallah-luia Twist!

The Davises score, it's four to four,

And Howard's still rounding the bases.

>From second to third, it's almost absurd,

Amazement on everyone's faces.

He's heading for home, he hasn't a chance,

The poor lad is gonna be dead.

But the ball hits him right in the seat of his pants

And he scores! That's using your head.

So I say D

I say D-O,

D-O-D-G-E-R-S.

The team that's all heart,

All heart and all thumbs,

They're my Los Angeles, your Los Angeles,

Our Los Angeles...

Do you really think we'll win the pennant?

Bums!

Ooh, ooh, ooh dem bums 

Bazooka!

It's hard being a Ron Santo collector.  Despite his recent induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame Ron seems to be in Topps " Hall of We Never Heard of Him".  I do keep a look out for any affordable items new or vintage that may have escaped me.  

This 1966 Bazooka card was offered by an Ebay seller for a starting bid of $.99.  The seller wrote, "1966 BAZOOKA #39 RON SANTO F-G CHICAGO CUBS..........has creasing and other problems...(filler).....tough card to get cheap...." Sounded reasonable so I bid and wound up with it for the opening price.  I picked up a nice 1967 World Series card along with it for another $.99. Total shipping was $2.99.

     

I'm not sure how hard this card is to find or what prices they go for in better condition but for under $3.00 I think I must have done OK.  Nice to add a vintage piece to my collection.