Revisiting a favorite Hank Aaron baseball card on his 84th birthday

On this day in 1934 in Mobile, Ala., Henry Louis Aaron was born — and 20 years later he made his big-league debut for the Milwaukee Braves.

Twenty-two years after that? Hammerin’ Hank’s career ended — in the uniform of the Milwaukee Brewers — with him atop the all-time home run list. All of this is a simple but impressive stat-sheet reality that you can revisit here but should know.

What some younger collectors may not realize, though, is that one of his baseball cards arrived noting his new record before it actually happened and before it was on the back of his card, instead of the year after as it really should have been. (It’s actually among my favorite Aaron cards, too, making the birthday the reason you’re reading this.)

Buzz 12 in 12: Busting a 2016 Fanatics Authentic Under Wraps Series 1 autographed baseballs box (Hour 6)

Do you like Buzz Breaks? Today’s your day then as we launch 12 in 12 — a series of a dozen breaks of past wax boxes and wax packs in a dozen hours. We’ll post one every hour on the hour all day long today … this is Hour 6.

The box: 2016 Fanatics Authentic Under Wraps Series 1 autographed baseballs
The cost: BlowoutCards.com

What’s inside this one? Keep reading …

Board Buzz: Must-read threads on the Blowout Forums (Aug. 21)

The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What’s Buzzing Today: Meeting Chipper Jones, big pulls, Byron Buxton RCs, the rise and fall of Mastro Auctions & more as we start a new week.

Willie Stargell auction includes prime pieces from Pops’ career

It’s been more than 16 years since the baseball world lost “Pops,” aka Hall of Famer Willie Stargell, at age 61.

During a lengthy big-league career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, he was a World Series champ, a National League MVP and even Sports Illustrated‘s Man of the Year — and all those awards and more are up for grabs via SCP Auctions right now.

And there are even some impressive yet unusual items that some baseball fans might not even know about also available in the sale.

Gallery: 2017 MLB spring training & batting practice caps from New Era

A new baseball season is nearly here with the first spring training games set to air later this month and that’s when we’ll see the newest players on their new teams.

And many of them will be wearing new uniforms — well, at least new caps.

Board Buzz: Must-read threads on the Blowout Forums (Nov. 12)

The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What’s Buzzing Today: Two massive pulls from Topps Tribute, Chicago Cubs show-offs, an NBA debate and … how long until Dak Prescott cards become overpriced?

Dansby Swanson’s arrival offers hope for struggling hobby-favorite Braves

The Atlanta Braves have the worst record in baseball but they’ll be one of the most-watched teams when it comes to hobbyists the rest of this season thanks to a call-up that appears to have paid off pretty well on Wednesday night.

Former No. 1 overall draft pick Dansby Swanson arrived and went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles in his big-league debut. The home-state star’s promotion is about more than just performance, though, as less than 10 months ago, he was a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks organization — and now he’s immediately one of the faces of a franchise aiming to rebuild. It’s a franchise with plenty of hobby favorites in the past and it doesn’t hurt that there’s a new stadium coming next year, too.

Now, the questions come about cardboard. Will this Rookie Cards now be included in 2017 Topps Series 1 and 2017 Topps Heritage? We don’t know that yet — but we do know he’s among today’s Topps Now stars on a call-up card — not once but twice.

Board Buzz: Must-read threads on the Blowout Forums (Aug. 17)

The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What’s Buzzing Today: Impressive 2016 Topps The Mint breaks, 2017 Topps Heritage debuts, 2015-16 Panini Preferred breaks, Dansby Swanson & more.

Board Buzz: Must-read threads on the Blowout Forums (July 27)

The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What’s Buzzing Today: Allen & Ginter, Bret Saberhagen, a trip to Turner Field, inside a Rip Card, The National and dirty Ted Williams.

Father’s Day is perfect day to learn more about Ernie Johnson

You probably know him as the host of Inside the NBA, the postgame show for NBA on TNT broadcasts, but there’s a lot you may not know about Ernie Johnson that are perfect for this Father’s Day.

Those around the Atlanta area may know that he’s the son of a former Milwaukee Braves pitcher and long-time Atlanta Braves announcer, Ernie Johnson Sr., who, after a nine-year MLB career, covered the team for more than 30 years. He’s one of 29 members of the Atlanta Braves Hall of Fame after he was inducted in 2001.

The father appears on nearly 30 baseball cards with his Rookie Card coming in the 1954 Bowman set and his final regular-issue card in the 1960 Topps set. The son appears on just two cards — one in the 1990-91 Hoops Announcers set, which is a rare card for its era, and the 2014-15 Panini Threads Voices of the Game autograph above.

But all of this isn’t why Father’s Day is the perfect time to learn more about a broadcaster and three-time Emmy Award winner we’ve heard plenty from since 1989.

They tweeted it … Atlanta Braves bobblehead promotion revisits Chipper Jones’ biggest save

 

Chipper: 🎶 “I can be your hero, Freddie.”🎶 (probably)

Chipper rescues Freddie bobblehead, May 28th! pic.twitter.com/Q60O3Sl4Ft

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) April 29, 2016

 

The Atlanta Braves may need some rescuing by the end of this season, but at least there will be one promotional game on the calendar that can take some of the sting away from a bad season.

On May 28, the first 20,000 fans into the park will receive a “Chipper rescues Freddie” ATV bobblehead re-creating a moment from the January 2014 winter storm that left countless people stranded around Atlanta. One of those stranded was first baseman Freddie Freeman, who was rescued by past Brave and future Hall of Famer Chipper Jones.

It was a tale seen by many on Twitter and one apparently memorable and odd enough to get fans back to the park.

Follow Buzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz or send email to BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com. 

>> Click here to buy baseball cards on BlowoutCards.com.

Trading Connor Shaw for a legendary PC piece via Steiner Sports

If you’re a long-time reader of The Buzz, you may remember the Steiner Sports promotion that allowed anybody, anywhere to trade in a legit Cleveland Browns quarterback autograph from the past for a $100 gift card.

Buzz’s headline back in January played up the Johnny Manziel drama — sadly, it’s derailed completely since then — and but opted to take a shot here with a cheaper auto. Buzz picked off a Connor Shaw 2014 Panini Contenders autograph from COMC.com for just $1.99, had it delivered, followed the instructions from Steiner and mailed it in.

Buzz waited but never received a gift card — as it turns out, Steiner had so many requests as part of the promotion that it ran out of physical gift cards to mail. (Those still waiting should email the company with their info and address they used when they mailed in their Browns item.) After getting the discount info, Buzz waited again to find a key item to use the code. Today was the day as Buzz spent a few minutes to check out the site after a promotional email, wondering if a worthy item could be found and searching the game-used section, entertainment section and even the clearance rack for the right item.

And then Buzz found it.

Could strong spring mean hot cards for Braves rookie Hector Olivera?

He’s already joined the Topps Authentics team as one of the top players on the radar of the company’s memorabilia division, but a hot start this spring just might have him on the radar of more collectors soon.

He’s Hector Olivera, and he’s hit .438 (14-for-32) with just a single strikeout in 11 games this spring for the Atlanta Braves, where he’s likely to be in left field on Opening Day.

“We’ve seen him juice some balls, but we don’t know if this guy is going to be a nine-home-run guy or a 15-18 home run guy. We might not know that until later this year,” said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “He doesn’t take things for granted. There’s nobody that works harder than him. He’s here early, he works, and as coaches, that’s what you want to see and what he gives us.”

They Tweeted It … Chipper Jones

 

Just signed these bad boys for @toppscards. I am fairly certain this was highly stylish back in the day!! pic.twitter.com/JXMVVf6r1H

— Chipper Jones (@RealCJ10) March 8, 2016

We all know how 1990s the 1992 Bowman set can be … but Larry Wayne “Chipper” Jones lived it. He also re-lived it recently signing jumbo versions of his early cards for Topps Authentics.

Follow Buzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz or send email to BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com. 

>> Click here to buy baseball cards on BlowoutCards.com.

Atlanta Braves rookie Hector Olivera joins Topps Authentics squad

Topps Authentics has itself an Atlanta Brave.

Third baseman Hector Olivera was revealed as the next player who has signed an exclusive deal with Topps’ memorabilia division. His signed jerseys, balls, bats, oversized Chrome cards and more will only be found on Topps.com as part of the deal.

“I am so happy to be working with Topps,” Olivera said in a prepared release. “I’m honored that they wanted me to part of the Topps family. It’s a great opportunity and I look forward to seeing the excitement on baseball fans’ faces.”

Glenn Hubbard’s famed 1984 Fleer card inspires bobblehead promotion

It’s one of the weirdest baseball card ever made for a long-time player who’s ultimately common-bin material, but it’s the inspiration for a minor-league bobblehead giveaway coming this summer.

It’s the 1984 Fleer Glenn Hubbard, No. 182 in the set, and it’s been getting big-league attention among the Intentional Talk crowd and goofy pre-spring headlines.

They Tweeted It: Kolby Allard edition

 

When your 3 hours into signing 4,000 cards this is what your signature turns too hahahaha pic.twitter.com/GFjGWaEZSH

— Kolby Allard (@KolbyAllard) December 16, 2015

 

Buzz Collector Profile: Stacy Marlow aka @slmsolo

Stacy Marlow
Also known as: @slmsolo on Twitter
Website: No personal site
Email: stacy@livecasebreak.com
Location: Georgia
Work away from cards: Estate Manager for private family
Collecting since: 2012

Main focuses: Atlanta Braves — prospects, veteran/Hall of Fame autographs, in-person
Heritage autos, in-person sweet spot autographs, graded Bowman first-year autos

Favorite players/teams: Atlanta Braves — Chipper Jones, Craig Kimbrel, John Smoltz

Current collecting projects: Currently working on 2015 Topps High Tek John Smoltz auto rainbow/collection (needing two printing proofs to finish) and 2012 Bowman Sterling Lucas Sims rainbow

Dansby Swanson will make his Atlanta Braves debut in 2016 Bowman

Baseball fans were surprised when No. 1 overall draft pick Dansby Swanson was traded to the Atlanta Braves but prospectors might have been even more surprised — and perhaps bummed — considering that the trade happened on the eve of 2015 Bowman Draft‘s arrival.

But Topps already has him trading in his Arizona Diamondbacks jersey — and it will be in packs of 2016 Bowman.

Buzz Poll: Does trade to Atlanta help or hurt Dansby Swanson’s cards?

The No. 1 overall pick in this year’s MLB Draft appears to be traded to the Atlanta Braves as part of a package for Shelby Miller agreed to on Tuesday night.

So now Dansby Swanson‘s first Bowman Chrome autographs, which officially arrive tomorrow in 2015 Bowman Draft, show him with his old team, immediately perhaps making them less appealing to collectors on both sides of the trade.

Sure, Swanson is from Georgia — that’s a plus — but Buzz has to wonder what collectors think of the move. Or, does Topps consider issuing a second version of a Swanson 2015 Bowman auto with a Photoshopped Braves uni — remember, the Diamondbacks version is just that — somewhere in 2016 packs?

Tell us what you think with our poll or in a comment below.

—

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

>> Click here to buy baseball cards on BlowoutCards.com

Minor League Baseball’s career home run leader retires with more cardboard than you might expect

He’s a real-life Crash Davis and just like the big-screen journeyman the career of former big-leaguer Mike Hessman is over.

If you don’t know Hessman, it’s OK — you’re probably like most of us. You might have one of his baseball cards long forgotten in a box somewhere — from back in the days when he was a rookie for the Atlanta Braves and a guy who finally got his shot after eight seasons in the minor leagues.

That was back in 2003, but he’s still in the news now.

Board Buzz: Five must-read threads on the Blowout Forums (Nov. 21)

The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

Board Buzz: Five must-read threads on the Blowout Forums (Nov. 16)

The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

Andrelton Simmons autographs might be big winner after trade sending him to Los Angeles

On Wednesday, Atlanta shortstop Andrelton Simmons picked up the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year award. On Thursday, he picked up his stuff and headed to Los Angeles as the Braves traded him to the Angels for a pair of pitching prospects, Sean Newcomb and Chris Ellis, as well as shortstop Erick Aybar.

Could Simmons’ autographs be picking up next?

Former Atlanta Braves pitcher Tommy Hanson dies at 29

In 2009, Tommy Hanson arrived as one of the newest pitchers to watch in the National League as a member of the Atlanta Braves when he went 11-4 with a 2.89 ERA. He had finally made it to The Show after being a 22nd-round draft pick four years earlier.

The Braves announced on Tuesday that Hanson had died late Monday night after suffering “catastrophic organ failure” and lapsing into a coma. He was just 29.

Hanson appears on more than 1,000 baseball cards reflecting his five seasons as a big-leaguer and eight seasons in the minors. He spent this past season mostly with the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats awaiting a potential call from the San Francisco Giants after last playing in the majors as a member of the Los Angeles Angels in 2013. He finished his MLB career with a 49-35 record.