The Grass is Always Greener...When it's FAKE!

Another relic I have from Riverfront Stadium (aka Cinergy Field) is this 9 inch by 9 inch piece of AstroTurf that was used prior to it's removal and installation of grass just before Cinergy Field's demolition after the 2002 season. This is a nice oddball piece in my collection, and while I wish I would have been able to snag a piece with the foul line on it, I guess beggars can't be choosers. I am hoping to eventually get some game used dirt from both Riverfront and Great American Ballpark, which I think would complement this turf nicely. I don't suppose anyone would know where I could get a brick from Crosley Field or an usher's uniform used at Crosley?

Take a Seat

A while back I posted about some seats available from Crosley Field on eBay (and how I would like to eventually purchase one for my Reds Man Cave). I finally decided to follow that post by sharing with all of you a pic of my Riverfront Stadium/Cinergy Field seats my wife and I received as a Christmas gift back in 2002 from my Mother-In-Law. These are probably one of the coolest gifts I've ever received. I love the fact that one of the seats is #10 the same number as the uniform number of the greatest manager the Reds ever had....Sparky Anderson! These seats are fantastic. The arm rests are a little weathered with some loss of paint, but that's to be expected after being left in the elements for more than thirty years. It's also amazing to think of the history these seats were witness to from the rise of the Big Red Machine, Pete Rose's 4192 hit to surpass Ty Cobb as the Hit King, and the 1990 Reds Wire-to-Wire Championship season. A very cool piece of history that I'm glad to have in my collection.

1966 Topps

This is probably one of my least favorite sets Topps released in the 60s. I'm not saying I hate the set. In fact, I like the clean design and nice photography...especially the photos of the old ballparks that have long been torn down. I guess, compared to the 1965 Topps set, or even the 1968 Topps set, this one is just uninspiring. I never expect perfection from Topps and I know that there will be hit and miss years for them. I guess 1966 was just one of those miss years. My favorite card from the 1966 Topps set would have to be the Rose. Sure, it's a classic batting stance photo that's all too commonplace even for today. But to me the real beauty of the card is the background. Seeing Crosley field as the backdrop is just amazing. I know the stadiums of today try to replicate the look and field of the ballparks of ages past, but they just fall a bit short. Granted I wouldn't trade Riverfront Stadium for Great American Ballpark, but I might trade Great American for Crosley Field if only for a moment.

Something New for the Man Cave

I'm always looking for new items to add to my man cave. Although I don't know when I'll have it completed, I'll have more than enough stuff for it when it's all said and done. In addition to displaying my Reds card collection and memorabilia, I plan on using some prints, newspapers and panoramic photos. I stumbled on this print a few days ago and I've decided to add it to the cave. It's a print by Legendary Graphics called "Evolution of the Ballpark". They have different prints to choose from so obviously I'll be snagging the Reds print. This should look sweet between the panoramic photos of Riverfront Stadium and Great American Ball Park. Sure... it's not baseball cards, but it's the next best thing.