Only one of John Mahoney’s past roles included baseball cards

He might be best-remembered as the curmudgeon father of Frasier Crane on NBC’s Frasier, but decades in acting only led actor John Mahoney to appear in a number of memorable roles.

But only one led him to appear on baseball cards.

The actor died on Sunday at 77 after a brief health battle, years after he played William “Kid” Gleason, the manager of the 1919 Chicago White Sox in Eight Men Out. 

Continue reading

Jose Quintana trade puts spotlight on his few cardboard options

What’s rarer than a trade between the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox?

A big-leaguer with only five certified autographs in the year 2017.

That’s Jose Quintana and he was dealt to the Cubs on Thursday morning as part of a five-player deal that could make some prospectors unhappy — or spark added interest in the team that’s not the defending World Series champion.

Continue reading

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

hwl-4

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.

Continue reading

Buzz Poll: Looking back in time, which Bo did you prefer to know?

s-l1600

Bo was one of the biggest stars of the 1980s as a college football star, a professional baseball and football star and a marketing star. Everybody knew his name and they still know why.

And then suddenly one day it was gone.

Sure, Vincent Edward Jackson played some baseball after his final NFL game — that hip injury was 26 years ago tomorrow — but he was never the same. And in an interview today he had a different take on his career.

“If I knew back then what I know now,” he told USA TODAY Sports, “I would have never played football. Never. I wish I had known about all of those head injuries, but no one knew that. And the people that did know that, they wouldn’t tell anybody.”

His career as a pro — in both sports — lasted less than a decade but he’s easily one of the biggest icons of his time. It’s a story worth checking out if you missed it and it’s worth revisiting if you didn’t.

Here, though, we simply have one bit of curiosity presented below.

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

>> Click here to buy cards on BlowoutCards.com

Buzz Poll: What’s next for Yoan Moncada baseball cards?

panini-america-2015-eee-baseball-yoan-moncada

Chris Sale is headed to Boston for four prospects and the biggest one of them all is Yoan Moncada.

Moncada was a top-five prospect for the Red Sox and easily among the hottest prospects in the game in the last year or so. Now, he heads to the White Sox where big bats like Jose Abreu have arrived with an impact but fizzled over time in terms of cardboard.

The 21-year-old hit just .211 with one RBI in eight games with the Red Sox last season after a minor-league campaign that included a .294 average, 15 homers and 62 RBI in 106 games between Salem and Portland.

What do you think?

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

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

 

Board Buzz: Must-read threads on the Blowout Forums (Dec. 4)

playbook

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: Big pulls and breaks, White Sox garage sale and college football bowl chatter.

Continue reading

Rare Joe Jackson card sells for $667,189 via SCP Auctions

1909 Joe Jackson Card
The legend of “Shoeless Joe” lives on.

A PSA 8 copy of Joe Jackson‘s 1909 E90-1 American Caramel card rocked the auction block on Sunday morning and, along with one other high-grade icon from the past topped a combined $1.1 million in an SCP Auctions sale.

The Jackson sold for $667,189 and is one of only two cards to receive that grade and none are higher.

”We are thrilled with the results of our biggest summer auction to date,” said SCP Auctions Vice President Dan Imler. “The market for ‘best of the best’ sports cards and historic memorabilia continues to show incredible strength.”

Continue reading

Not at the NSCC? Win this autograph from a Hall of Famer at the show …

2016-Topps-Tribute-thomasThe National Sports Collectors Convention is just getting going and for those not at the show there will be plenty to see here and elsewhere online to get a glimpse at all of the action.

Buzz wants you to get in on the action from afar by offering up this 2016 Topps Tribute autograph of Hall of Famer (and NSCC signer) Frank Thomas that was recently pulled in a Buzz Break.

Want your shot at the card? Simply leave a comment on this post telling us your favorite Hall of Famer. Include your email (in the spot where it asks for it) and also include your Twitter handle (so Buzz can follow you and also potentially contact you there if you win).

We’ll pick a winner from all entries received by Monday. (Yes, you can enter if you’re at the show … and don’t worry if you don’t see your comment immediately. They are held before approval.)

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

>> Click here to buy cards on BlowoutCards.com

Baseball Card of the Day: Chris Sale’s 2013 Topps Tribute Commemorative Cuts Relic

Chris-Sale-Commemoratve-Cuts

Card of the Day: A Chris Sale 2013 Topps Tribute Commemorative Cuts Relic — with a cut piece of his game-used jersey.

Why? Well, you may not have watched TV lately but Sale was suspended five games by the Chicago White Sox after he reportedly cutting up the team’s throwback jerseys the team was supposed to have worn on Saturday night. Rather than pitch wearing a certain style uniform, he reportedly destroyed the uniforms before being sent home.

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

>> Click here to buy cards on BlowoutCards.com

Upper Deck’s latest Michael Jordan autograph piece could let you have fun with game … but you shouldn’t

michael-jordan-autographed-1988-slam-dunk-backboard-uda-authenticated-signatureWe all know that Michael Jordan is the biggest autograph in basketball and that his exploits in the NBA’s Slam Dunk Contest are still memorable to this day.

A new item from Upper Deck Authenticated combines those two things with a twist.

Continue reading

Board Buzz: Must-read threads on the Blowout Forums (May 20)

BCW Thickness Scale_zpsuujzo29wThe 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: A supply savior, big maildays, Bowman Lucky & analyzing pitchers.

Continue reading

Chris Sale’s historic start grabs attention & puts focus on key cards

Chris-Sale-2010-Bowman-Chrome-Draft-auto

He’s been an All-Star, he’s been an ace and he’s been a bit overlooked on cardboard.

But that last part could be changing soon for Chris Sale.

With his third complete game of the year Thursday night, the Chicago White Sox ace became the first pitcher in nearly a decade to start the season 9-0 after nine starts — and he’s only the fourth pitcher to reach the mark that fast since 1950. He’s also off to the second-best start in franchise history with the record being a 12-0 run by Eddie Cicotte way back in 1919.

Continue reading

Buzz List: Nine autographs to find in 2013 & 2014 Elite Extra Edition boxes

Elite-Extra-Edition-logoCountless collectors call themselves prospectors, and that particular focus is one that can lead to a lot of pack-ripping or a lot of secondary market purchases with future flips in mind.

One brand that’s got many of those coveted newcomer names year after year is Elite Extra Edition, which is Panini America‘s foilboard-focused prospecting brand that typically packs one of the deepest checklists and, with Hot Boxes, some of the highest autograph totals in the hobby.

While the dust isn’t yet settling on the recently released newest edition of the brand, Buzz decided to take a look back at nine names who you should know from the previous two editions (2013 and 2014) and see how they did last season. Why? There are inevitably some bargains to be had if you consider this brand and these guys (along with countless other players that may not yet be on the radars of too many prospectors) given box prices these days. After all, old wax can still be good wax if the price is right.

Continue reading

International signees will get their own insert sets in 2016 Bowman

GuzmanInternational free agents are always intensely watched as the players from outside of the United States can sign at younger ages to get a quicker start on their MLB dreams.

In 2016 Bowman (click here to see our First Buzz), they’ll get their own insert set as well as an autographed version — both sets will be dubbed International Ink.

Continue reading

Former Chicago White Sox organist’s gem headlines charity auction

WhiteSoxOrgan

If you want one reminder of how a day at the ballpark could be different from other sports, then you should look no further than the ballpark organ. You know, the one that would play jingles over the speakers during lulls in the action. It’s oldschool.

And, if you’re serious about MLB musical history, there’s an item on MLB Auctions that’s just for you.

Continue reading