2001 UD Hall of Famers -- Mets to Pirates

I really miss sets like this 2001 UD Hall of Famers.  I picked this one up for $8.00 shipped.  Lets look at them all.

Here's Tom Terrific looking very pleased.

14-2, 2.55 ERA in the 1981 strike year.  Tom pitched pretty well at age 39-40 for the White Sox.  These days you can make a lot of money going 31-22 and averaging 33 starts and 220 innings.

An aside here.  I know this isn't a set of every Hall of Fame member but as we go on I'm starting to notice the omissions.  The next team is a case in point.

Is there anyone out there who doesn't like this guy?

For a 3rd baseman Brooksie's numbers don't really pop.  As the first bullet point indicates he's in the Hall more for he defense and perhaps leadership.  Not that 2848 hits is anything to sneeze at.

This guy was a beast.  He saved his best for my Cubs, most hits, most home runs, most RBIs.  I'm sure he robbed a bunch of Cubs hitters of extra base hits as well.

Mike said if he had taken steroids he would have hit 800 home runs.  I believe him.  Upper Deck made him a .302 hitter.  Sorry Mike, it was a solid .267.

This photo was taken after Roberto's last regular season hit, his 3000th.

Outstanding  but his defensive numbers are up there as well.  No right fielder has more career assists.

The long time Mets broadcaster died last month at the age of 91.

Short but sweet.

If Ernie Banks is Mr. Cub, is Willie Stargell Mr. Pirate?

The Flying Dutchman was one of the original five.

Gaudy numbers.  1732 RBIs with only 101 HRs.  

Autographed Cards A-Z -- Killebrew to Kingman

When I got back into collecting five or so years ago one of the things that excited me was the availability of autographed cards.  Perhaps I went a little overboard but I think I picked up some nice cards.  This will be an A-Z series of posts with varying numbers of cards.

One of the all-time greats with one of the best signatures.

 2005 UD Signature Decades #SD-HK 28/99

 2005 UD Signature Decades #SD-HK 4/99

Look at the power!

 1999 Fleer SI

Classic UD Design

 2000 UD Legendary Signatures #S-HK

Sticker auto.  I must have gotten this one for a good price.

 2004 Fleer Greats #GBA-HK

Hall of Famer Kiner led the NL in home runs for 7 straight seasons after WWII.

 2005 UD Signature Decades #SD-RK 71/99

Dave had the most awesome swing I've ever seen.  Even his pop-ups were cool!

2005 UD Origins #DK1

Topping the birthday list today is HOFer Ralph Kiner who turns 89 today.

2008 Goudey #150

The longtime Mets broadcaster, playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates, led the National League in home runs for 7 straight seasons from 1946-1952.

Turning 78 today is Pumpsie Green, the first African-American to play for the Boston Red Sox (the last team to integrate).

"Some day I'll write a book and call it 'How I Got the Nickname Pumpsie' and sell it for one dollar, and if everybody who ever asked me that question buys the book, I'll be a millionaire." - Pumpsie Green in Baseball's Greatest Quotes (1982)

According to the book, Tales From the Ballpark, "Pumpsie" is a corruption of "Pumpkin", the name his mother used to call him.


British explorer James Cook was born on this date in 1728.

2004 UD History of the US #EX33

Cook was killed by a mob on Feb. 14, 1779, on the Sandwich Islands (now called Hawaii). At the time, he was trying to take the local chief hostage to get the natives to return a stolen sailboat. The ship returned to England without Cook on October 4, 1780.


Comedian John Cleese is celebrating his 72nd birthday today.

Here's the Cheese Shop sketch from Monty Python's Flying Circus:

Born on this date in 1811 was inventor Isaac Singer who perfected the sewing machine.

Poet Dylan Thomas was born on this date in 1914.


 I first heard his name in Paul Simon's song, A Simple Desultory Philippic (Or How I was Robert McNamara'd into Submission)

I knew a man, his brain was so small,
He couldn't think of nothing at all.
He's not the same as you and me.
He doesn't dig poetry. He's so unhip that
When you say Dylan, he thinks you're talking about Dylan Thomas,
Whoever he was.
The man ain't got no culture,
But it's alright, ma,
Everybody must get stoned.

Here's the real Dylan Thomas reading his most famous poem, Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night:

Our 26th President, Theodore Roosevelt was born on this date in 1858.

2004 UD History of the US #20th4

Lastly, pop artist Roy Lichtenstein was born on this date in 1923. 

Below are a few of his creations:

2005 UD Signature Decades The 1950's Part 2

The 1950's

Topps All-Time Fan Favorites Favorites K-L

Topps put out 150 card sets of retired players in 2003-2004-2005. Players are pictured on card designs from their playing days but with different photos than were in the originals. Here are my favorites, alphabetically.

2005 #130

1966 design. Nice smile. 283 wins. Not in the HOF.

2005 #37

1959 design. Nice portrait goes well with circular inset. HOFer. Great guy.

2004 #44

1972 design. A '69 Cub. Another really nice guy. Jack Brickhouse always used to refer to his "boardinghouse reach".

1969 design. I guess these are called "fan favorites" for a reason. "Killer" is another HOFer who is also known for being a gentleman. Another nice portrait shot.

2004 #31

1953 design. Love the Pirate logo. Nice relaxed pose.

2005 #69

1967 design. Classic wind-up shot. Love it that Jim Lonborg is a dentist.

2003 #142

1975 design. A Chicago area guy. Classic slugger. Like another big guy, Boog Powell, "The Bull" now dishes out barbeque outside the ballpark.

2003 #77

1976 design. I like the colors and the rookie cup. I'm also a fan of the 60's and 70's Red Sox.

2003 #31

1988 design. "Psycho"!!!