1940 World Series Ticket

Last year I completed my master set of 2011 Topps Gypsy Queen. While I was happy with the design of the cards, for some reason I just had this nagging feeling that it didn't belong in my collection. The old school ballplayers were great, but the more I thought about the set the more I started feeling as though those cards were always second class compared to a card from the year that player graced the field. So, I got rid of the set and decided to pick up a few things that I had my eye on for quite some time but never had the funds to grab them. The first is what you see above, a ticket from the 1940 World Series. This is my fourth World Series ticket (1975, 1976, and 1990 being the others) in my collection. The Reds won this series in seven games over the Detroit Tigers. This will probably be the last ticket I have in my collection until the Reds win another title. I've decided not to chase tickets to series where they were the bridesmaid for that season. I know that I could still go after a ticket from the 1919 World Series, but $2,000 seems a little steep for me at this point in my lift. I will accept donations though from anyone out there that has one lying around that they no longer need.

TTM: Alex Grammas

Did you know that not only was Alex Grammas a player with Cincinnati during the 1950s, he was also a coach for the Reds during their 1975 championship year.

1975 Cincinnati Enquirer World Series Newspaper

This past week I started watching the 1975 World Series Collector's Edition DVD set that consists of the entire 7-game series as it was broadcast on NBC. In doing so, I've decided to post a photo of my 1975 Cincinnati Enquirer World Series Championship newspaper. The paper does show some yellowing and is a little brittle considering its age, but other than that I think it's a great piece. I just need to figure out a way to frame it (along with my other two newspapers).

TTM: Merv Rettenmund

Not only did Merv Rettenmund win a world series with the Reds in 1975, he also won a world series with the Orioles in 1970. Not too shabby.

TTM: Tom Carroll

Tom Carroll only played two seasons in the majors (1974-1975) but you can't complain if you're Tom when one of those seasons you play on a world champion team!

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!

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. 

George Foster Autographed Bat

Here's another bat that's a part of my Reds autograph collection. This fine, but broken, specimen (if that's even possible) of a bat is a Louisville Slugger model that Foster autographed with the inscription of his 1977 National League MVP award. Foster was still with Cincinnati at the time and his numbers were very impressive that year. 124 Runs, 52 Home Runs, 149 RBIs and a 1.013 OPS. A five time all-star with the Reds, he was an integral part of Cincinnati's back-to-back World Championships in 1975 and 1976.

A Ticket to One of the Greatest World Series Ever Played

Here's the latest addition to my ever expanding Reds collection. This weekend I received this ticket in the mail to Game 4 of the 1975 World Series. I know it's not a ticket stub from Game 6 of the series, but I wanted to get a stub that had the Reds logo and since I was able to grab this for the price of a blaster, I couldn't refuse. There's no fading, and most importantly, no creases whatsoever to the ticket. Even though this might set me back on completing some of my card collecting goals for the year, I knew I had to get this cool piece of history. Now if I can only find a ticket stub to the 1990 World Series for the same price.

Did I mention I collect autographs too?!

In addition to collecting Topps Cincinnati Reds baseball cards, I'm also collecting autographs of past and present players. One of my most favorite successes is the great eight of the Big Red Machine (Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Tony Perez, Joe Morgan, Ken Griffey, Cesar Geronimo, Dave Concepcion, George Foster) and their manager (Sparky Anderson). Although I was born in 1975 and never witnessed the Big Red Machine play, that doesn't mean I can't admire the awesome achievements they made and their dominance of the National League in the mid 70s. Carlton Fisk can wave his arms all he wants......they still lost the 1975 World Series to the Machine.....one of the best teams to ever take the field.