GET OVER HERE!

It's always nice to finish a set. Today I was finally able to knock off my 1958 Topps Reds team set from my 2012 Card Collecting Goals list. The last card I needed from the set was the Frank Robinson All-Star card which I was able to pick up in excellent condition on eBay. With three months to go in 2012 it's becoming more likely that I won't be able to complete all my goals, especially since I was sidetracked earlier this year with picking up some World Series tickets from the 1975, 76 and 90 series for a steal. Here's hoping that I'll have to get a 2012 World Series ticket in the next few weeks!

Edd Roush Autographed HOF Postcard

Even though it's not an autographed baseball, this is still one of my most favorite pieces in my collection. I love the fact that Roush not only autrgraphed the front of the postcard, but the back as well. Very sweet to have a double autographed item from the Hall of Famer. Obviously Roush played before my time, but that still doesn't stop me from admiring the fact that he played ball during baseball's Golden Age. I won't bore you with all the details of his career, but I will point out a few amazing statistics. While he played for the Reds from 1917 to 1926 he never had a batting average below .321. He won the National League batting title while playing for the Reds in 1917 and 1919 AND he claimed he never broke a bat during his major league career (Roush used a 48 ounce bat while in the majors).

Marge Schott Autographed Baseball

Red Menace...that just about sums up Marge's last days as owner of the Cincinnati Reds. There are things that I like and dislike about Schott. Her love for the Reds - LIKE. Her outspoken political and philosophical views - DISLIKE. Growing up in Cincinnati in the 80s and 90s it seemed you couldn't turn on a Reds game without Marge being front and center. While she did contribute a lot to the Cincinnati community during this time, as with anything else though, she'll be remembered for her outspokenness and racially charged comments. She's still the only owner I know that brought her dog to the stadium and allowing him to run around the field and crap to his heart's content before a ballgame.

1954 Topps

In my attempt to complete on 2012 card collecting goals before the ball drops on December 31st, I've once again become distracted in my chase. I shouldn't be complaining since I've been able to find a sweet deal on some 1954 Topps Redlegs cards on ebay from a seller who's south of me near Cincinnati. I've always been under the assumption that dealers that close to their club's hometown charge a premium for their cards, but that's not the case here. I've been able to grab five cards that I need from that year for around $4 a piece which, in my humble opinion, is a steal. I'm not really a fan of the 1954 Topps set. I feel that the design is terrible when compared to its predecessors in 1952 and 1953. Facsimile autographs are always nice to see on cards, but the giant floating heads next to the smaller action shots is terrible. Here's hoping that I can get back on track and knock out one of my goals before the end of the month.

Marty Brennaman Autographed Baseball

Marty has been the Reds radio announcer for the team since 1974. For thirty years he called play-by-play with former Reds pitcher Joe Nuxhall until Nuxhall's retirement from broadcasting in 2004. Some of the most notable events in Reds history that Brennaman has called include: the Reds World Series victories in 1975, 1976 and 1990, Pete Rose's 4192nd hit, Tom Browning's perfect game, and Ken Griffey Jr. 600th career home run. Marty was the recipient of the Ford C. Frick award in 2000 for major contributions to the game of baseball. 

Hal McCoy Autographed Baseball

I know the majority of you readers out there are asking "Who the hell is Hal McCoy?" Well, to those who don't know allow me to illuminate. Hal is currently the Reds writer at FoxSportsOhio.com and has been writing about the Reds since 1972 when he was the beat writer for the Dayton Daily News. Hal was the person who coined the phrase "Big Red Machine". In 2002 he won the J.G. Taylor Spink Award for meritorious contributions to baseball writing. I'm thrilled to have his autograph as part of my Reds collection.