Friday, November 29, 2013

Beavers, and Ducks Black Friday Special

Luck has went my way so far this weekend. Being on the vacation list, but not getting the day beforehand. Lady luck shone down on me as I ended up getting a half day off, and spending Thanksgiving lunch with the wife's family. The evening got even better as I got to spend some time with the daughter as we headed out to a big brand store to get her a laptop she is really wanted as her big Christmas present. We had a great time talking, and just hanging out as we waited for the chaos to begin. When it was all said, and done we nailed everything on our list as the wife did on her list at another big retailer.

Things looked like they were going to decline a very small bit. Today was going to be another day at work, or so I thought. Going in a group of us got the word our backup vacations were approved. Heading out as fast as I feet would go it was off to do some quick shopping this morning. Along with the wife we got some added extras for the daughters Christmas presents. Once completed it was time for a nap, and now sitting here waiting for the big football game here in Oregon.

(Both these cards were found doing a search on Goggle if you'd like to see more)

Oregon Ducks versus the Oregon State Beavers. While I'm not a fan of either team, and thus don't really care who wins. We will be at the house eating pizza, watching football, and drinking something tonight. If you've been following any college football posts around here you know the wife is a Beavers fan. What I am though is a college football fan so I'm in for the game. Unfortunately I think her team will once again fall short in this rivalry. 

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Artelopes Lost Files- Jaguars, and Las Vegas Bowl

Its been a very long time since I've had to do one of these so it's painful to be doing another. While the artelopes have been fun to do every so often a couple never make it home. Sadly two more have been gone so long that I have finally given up hope on ever seeing something.


When I sent this envelope out it was in hopes of getting a business card which I need for the collection. With the way the Jaguars are playing this year. You would hope they would treat anyone willing to send them a letter as a king. I didn't need to be treated as a king though just someone who wanted a couple schedules, and a business card.

Now a little about the artwork. I decided to go all out, and do a jaguars spots over the entire envelope. I enjoy doing envelopes for teams like this as using the entire front is more fun than the usual simple logo. This envelope was sent out the same day as the Cincinnati Bengals envelope that had the same concept except for a tiger instead of a jaguar.


This was sent to the Las Vegas Bowl in hopes of acquiring a couple business cards for the college bowl games business card collection. The same day this was sent I mailed out another envelope to the UNLV Rebels for football schedules. Those came back long ago, but this has never returned. I've been holding out hope for a return, but it's finally time to admit its never coming home.

My idea for this envelope was to keep it simple. The entire picture is the bowl logo only I included the mailing address inside. Most of the bowl mailings use the same concept of just using the logo in some form. Very few times have we deviated from this, but it does happen. I say this as we have two artelopes ready to be going out that are deviating from the regular bowl logo. Strange how we sometimes say we do things one way, and then go exact opposite that very day.

Monday, November 25, 2013

Don "Tiger" Kaiser

After doing one of these back in June while on vacation. I am going to do another post about a player who had a nickname using a cat reference. The plan is I will do one of these every so often with no schedule on when they will be done in mind. This means it could be months before another one of these shows up again. Until then lets all bask in the learning about another baseball cat.


Playing baseball in high school Kaiser was an animal with a 49-1 record, and seven no hitters. Despite the strong showing Kaiser was in college on a basketball scholarship when the Cubs came calling. Signing the 6 foot 5 inch right hander in February of 1955. Due to rules in place at the time Don was required to stay on the roster where he made his debut in July as a reliever. This is where Don would spend the remaining portion of the season as he made eleven appearances from the bullpen.

1956 came with Kaiser not making a start until June 2nd. The start was worth the wait as Kaiser pitched a two hitter, and beat the Brooklyn Dodgers 8-1. The season wasn't fantastic though as in 22 starts Kaiser went a disappointing 4-9, and five complete games.

1957 would get worse as Kaiser spent the season playing between Chicago, and the minor league Portland Beavers. Making 20 appearances, and going 2-6 for the Cubs with a 5.00 ERA. In December Kaiser would be involved in a trade with the Milwaukee Braves. The trade didn't change Kaiser's fate as he spent the next four seasons in the minors before retiring never playing in the majors after 1957.

Still alive Kaiser lives in his birth state of Oklahoma, and went into law enforcement for the following 30 years. If you would like to see a letter from Kaiser then please visit 'Baseball By The Letters' where in 2011 he showed a letter in response to an autograph request.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Superteam

The title of this post is kind of misleading. The cards I'm about to show are from two teams that at the time were anything but superteams. Well one wasn't a superteam, the other wasn't all that bad. I'll go out on a pretty stable limb, and say they still aren't that super. Our first winner is.


This is one of those cards I always forget I even have. The funny part is it's a card I keep thinking about trying to get for the Rockies collection. Maybe instead of putting it back in the hard case I'll finally add it to my general Rockies stuff binder. The card is another of those reminders that the collection still needs some work in getting organized. Something that I should do rather than just sitting here playing around at times.


I wasn't totally upset when I originally pulled this card.The Astros weren't really a bad looking team, and actually had a shot at making the playoffs. This would have meant the card was a winner. It wasn't meant to be though as the Astros finished 2nd in the division, and didn't make the playoffs.

Hope was strong for me cashing this card in when the season started. For those that know nothing about the superteams promotion here is how it worked. This was a promotion for the Stadium Club card sets, and was done in all the sports. Cards for every baseball team were inserted in packs with these being very hard pulls. If the team on your card won their division then you sent the card in, and got a set of team cards for the team with a special division champions logo on each card. If your team moved on, and became the National or American League Champions. You received another team set with the League Champions on each card. Things got very interesting in the World Series. If you were lucky enough to have a card for the World Series Champions you received a full set of Stadium Club for that year with World Series Champions on each card.

I remember these cards well, and that the prices for cards were insane at the time. Even being a new team to baseball the Rockies cards carried a decent price. The Atros were a strong team with a price that still leaves me wondering why I never sold the card when I got it. The cards that could have been added to my collection by selling this card still haunt me. I did have success with one Houston team in this promotion. The Rockets were the NBA Champions, and a card I had pulled buying basketball cards. Unfortunately due to a couple moves, and a divorce the full set of cards disappeared along the way. Odds are they'd still be sitting in their box someplace if I had them so no biggie.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

The Grizz

When it comes to my collecting interests hockey comes in as the bottom of what I collect. That doesn't mean I don't have some items from the sport that I enjoy collecting. What it means is what I do collect is very limited. One of those is schedules from the Utah Grizzlies. Thanks to fellow schedule collector Alan these are the latest additions to the Grizzlies schedule collection.


The few hockey schedules I do collect all meet one strange requirement. I have to like the name, and logo the team uses. While there are many teams with cool logos and just as cool names. For some reason only a very small handful of teams speak to me. The Grizzlies hit on the logo thing, and go even farther in becoming one of those teams.


Growing up in Utah they have the added hometown region going for them as well. While the team didn't exist while I was living in Utah. I still collect schedules for all the team from the area. Some get more rooting than others, but I still root for them.

Playing in the West Division of the ECHL which is hockey's version of Double A. Currently affiliated with the Anaheim Ducks. The Grizzlies haven't had a great start to the 2013-2014 season. As of this writing the team is 3-5, and in 7th place. Since joining the league at the start of the 2005-2006 season the team has made the playoff every years except 2006-2007. Hopefully this means the team will regroup, and make the playoffs this season.

Monday, November 18, 2013

Adding 2013

One of my crazy quirks in life is that sometimes I like to collect the things not everyone is in too. On Saturday we added another of those when we stopped in at Kmart to check out the Christmas decorations. While there we came across something that we have been collecting for what currently stands at three years now.

The 2013 Kyle Busch Christmas ornament.

There is just something about Christmas that draws me into stopping at all the major chains to check out their Christmas Stuff. We are huge Christmas fans around here with the wife the biggest fan. This leads us into stores checking to see if there is something we need to add into the Christmas decorations around the house. More times than not we leave disappointed, adding nothing. Since 2011 though we have been finding one thing at Kmart, and it is the Kyle Busch race-car ornament.


The crazy thing is when we bought this ornament the intent was to put it on the tree with all the other ornaments. Like some people we have the black hole in the house where things seem to disappear. That area where things go, and aren't seen for a long period of time. In our house there are two of these spots, and the first ornament fell into spot number two. The first location is on the dining room table. with only three of us living here we use half the table so the other half has become a black hole. Things seem to pile up until the step-son comes for dinner, or we do a big house cleaning. 

Spot number two is what I believe to be a very common location, the ever popular computer desk. Sometimes it runs next to the desk, but we will count that as part of the desk. Bags will be brought in, and placed next to the desk only to be found by accident. This is the craziest as more times than not its just a lone bag sitting there until one day one of us decides to see what is with the bag sitting next to the computer desk. 

Falling into this hole it wasn't until after Christmas before it was discovered. Much too late for an appearance on the 2011 Christmas tree. Failing to make it on the tree it went into what was at the time a possible third black hole. The tricky catch-all-room, now referred to as the hobby room since my taking it over a year ago. Found while clearing the room for my take-over it has since made it onto a shelf with the Kyle Busch collection. Soon afterwards the 2012 version joined the shelf.


Purchasing the 2012 ornament meant this was the start of a collection. If you ask me one is just a curious buy. Two is starting a trend that odds are will continue, and in this case has continued. Now all that is left will be seeing how long these keep being made, and if I keep buying them or finding them.

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Absent

As you can see I have been posting very infrequently as of late. The reason for this is I haven't been feeling the best lately. For one week the cat was silent as I felt a cold coming on, and was fighting it hoping to avoid the full sickness. I'm still not sure if I've won the battle as my upper chest feels like I might have pulled something at work. This has all gotten me to just sitting here reading other blogs rather than writing on my own. Despite having a great find to show off from the garage sale/flea market I went to before all this came on. Another few items found on the way home from that very show. While I don't know how long this will continue. I can't wait until I am feeling back to my regular self.


When I thought about doing this post one thing came to mind. That very thing is the bobblehead above I found on the way home from the show. What better way to represent the way I am feeling other than a Kirk Gibson bobblehead from the famous World Series home run. Given away July 31st, 2012 before the game against Arizona. Kirk has an arm that also bobbles, and is in my opinion one of the coolest ideas ever. Not knowing about the arm when I opened the box it was in my initial thought was it had a broken arm. Sitting loose in the box, minus the Styrofoam or whatever it was that kept it from getting broke. It took me a minute before it hit me that it was a bobblehead, and bobblearm. Once I figured out everything was fine I knew that despite not being a Dodgers fan he had to join the collection. Sitting safely in the collection since being found all I need now it to stop feeling like Kirk, and get better.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Feeling Rosario

During the one year I have been blogging one theme has popped up the entire time. A theme that I believe will continue to pop up for as long as there are blogs. A theme that I for one am happy exists. That theme is, some of the best cards sent throughout the blogging community comes in PWE's. I am not just talking about by the bloggers themselves either. Be it a reader who just enjoys reading blogs, and trades in the community. Be it a great blogger like Chris who runs the blog 'The Raz Card Blog'. I see you sitting there wondering what has The Cat stating what we all know to be true?


As I heard many a time while walking into stores with the daughter this past weekend. OOOHHHH SHINY!! I don't have a ton to say today as this is just a beautiful card that stands on its own. A card that I am now proud to say is in my Wilin Rosario collection thanks to a great guy. All this from a simple PWE the mailing option of greatness.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

It Hurts To Watch- Version 4

While I have done a couple more of these that had names like "The Chipper Edition", and "The Disorganized Edition". Only three have had used the version name so I'll just keep the count going when I don't have a catchier name. Much like most the others this version is inspired by another trip to the coast. So inspired that while watching the waves coming in I thought about doing another of these.

For any newcomers this is how these posts run. There are normally three cards to the set. The first is an incoming play, the second is an actual play, and the third is the final result of a play at home plate. I then either talk about the three cards or if possible attempt to run the story like a play at the plate. Today's version is going to run through the weekend at the coast.


Things got off to a great start on Friday as work slowed down enough I was able to come home early. Loading up the car there wasn't much left to do once the wife, and daughter arrived home. This was great as with it getting dark early these days I wasn't looking forward to driving the entire trip in the dark. While part of the drive was still dark it wasn't the entire drive. Arriving in town at six we unloaded the car, and headed to get a few snacks, and pizza for dinner. Once finished we ate dinner, and hunkered down for the night.


Saturday I woke with full of hope, and dreams. The plan was a simple one that I'd thought about since the wife mentioned just over a month ago she wanted to reserve the beach house. I would do my usual quick trip to the antique mall just up the road. Hopefully I could find a couple cards on the cheap like I do every trip. From there I would make the eight or so mile trip south to the card shop. I was excited about going to the shop as on our trip at the very first of 2013 this very shop was inside a used sporting goods store in town. Since then it had moved south to from what I was reading is a much better location. New shop location, and for me a brand new me since that trip meant we were about to get our baseball cards on.

Going into the antique mall is when I ended up like our poor base-runner. I was tagged out at the plate. Going in I did the usual walk around, and planned on hitting the usual boxes of cards the baseball card shop usually has at the mall before leaving. Instead of the usual four boxes jammed full of cards sitting there. Two 80% empty boxes sat in their place. Neither containing a single baseball card, just football cards. Then the worst sight that could follow was next. Directly to the left was the sheet of paper with the shops address crossed out. Above the huge "X" was the word MOVING. The dream was gone as there would be no baseball cards this trip.


Sunday was a great day as I needed new shoes, and so the daughter headed with me up north to get shoes. No cards, but it was a great day as we hit another antique store, and she got to check out jewelry at some of the other outlet stores like she loves to do. We did get a few things, but nothing worth sharing here.

Monday was the basic cleaning the house, and heading home stuff. In the end we were like Eric Young Jr., and safe at home. Just still bummed about there not being any baseball cards in this little journey.

Sunday, November 10, 2013

The Cat Turns One

One year ago from today 'The Prowling Cat' came to life. The idea was like most blogs to share my experiences with cards, and to interact with others who love baseball cards. While I run on my own tangents due to the hobbies of business card collecting, pocket schedule collecting, and other baseball items. This past year has been a great experience.


In baseball cards so many things have changed from the way they were when this blog first started. When it comes to the players I collect its a constant process. I started with a list of seven if I recall, and recently trimmed it down to the current four. There are a couple players I pick up cards of every so often, and are a sort of secret collection. Eventually some of those may show up on the player collection list, or maybe they won't.

The wants for baseball card sets has grown by an insane amount. When this blog started there were maybe half the amount of sets being worked on than there currently are. As I get more, and more into collecting the list may continue to grow. Who knows what sets are out there lurking that will peak my interest, and become something I just have to have.

The greatest part of this past year has been the trading. Before starting this blog I am sad to admit, but when it came to baseball cards I was a taker. The online group would have people offering cards they were looking to get rid of, and I would ask for what I needed, and send only a couple unwanted cards. I'll say it, and own it. I was one of those traders you never wanted to trade with more than once. Since joining the blogging community I have done everything possible to change that, and it's all thank to you great readers, and bloggers out there. It would be fair to say I've done a complete 180.


The few cards shows I went to this year I would see a card, and a blogger I've traded with would come to mind. The card would then come home, and be on their way to a fellow trader. Not even thinking for a second what or if anything was coming back. Earlier on I even got a Griffey Jr. SLU for fellow blogger 'The Junior Junkie', and we had never traded until sending him an e-mail saying I had something for him. Times like this has made this past year such a great memory. Every memory has been thanks to all of you out there allowing me to share my little part of the world with you, and sharing yours as well. I have learned so much for reading all the other great blogs out there, and this is why I created 'The Prowling Cat'.


 Another fun thing atleast for the daughter, and myself is the artelopes. This idea came from the blog 'Baseball By The Letters'. Not long after starting this blog he did a post about decorating envelopes to improve your chances on autograph requests. I took that idea, and started it in hopes of increasing my odds on getting business cards for the collection. The success rate has been incredible as I added some very tough business cards to the baseball collection. Things went so well with this little project that I almost completed the missing teams. Only a couple held out, but I won't be stopped as this next year we will try again.

Once again I want to say thank you to all of you out there who read my posts. Thank you as well to all of you out there who write your own blogs that both inspire this blog, and entertain me. I look forward to many more trades with those of you I already trade with, and hopefully making trades with some new people.

Saturday, November 2, 2013

New Mexico Bowl

Usually Saturday's are reserved for the baseball business cards in my collection. Today is going to be a little different though as I've got a big day planned. I won't get too into the plan as hopefully there will be a future post on the day. Until then I have a new business card into the collection to share.

On October 20th I sent this artelope out.


With the baseball teams starting to hit the point where returns are getting harder, and harder. Throw in that I am getting pretty close to having a card from every team. I was looking to branch out the collection a little. One of those branching outs was to try, and get a card from all the college bowl games. Last year I started fairly slowly as we only sent to three bowl games. Our return rate was a decent 2 out of 3. With bowl games coming again soon I sent out another two requests so far, and on Friday I got back the New Mexico Bowl.


Being played on Saturday, December, 21st this year. The Gildan New Mexico Bowl pits a representative of the PAC-12 against a representative of the Mountain West. The 2012 game was a thriller with the Arizona Wildcats winning by scoring two touchdowns in the final two minutes to beat the Nevada Wolfpack 49-48. Hopefully this seasons game will deliver another close game.

Until tomorrow keep in mind I am in the Nachos Grande Blogger Bracket Challenge. Some great posts were written in each of the various groups. So go read the posts, and place your vote. I would appreciate your vote as I am currently trailing, but hope you will vote for the posts you liked best from everyone.