5k training

I'm going to start tracking my running via this blog

My short term goal is to run a 5 K in 35 minutes. that is a 11:15 mile:

Friday April 13th - trail - el gain 8 feet
  46:02 min - 2.88 mile(s)
  Avg 15:58 min - 1 mile

  365 Cal

---

Sunday April 15th - treadmill - incline 0
  13:15 min - 1.000 mile
  20:00 min - 1.427 mile(s)

  205 Cal

---

Monday April 16th  - treadmill - incline 0
  12:33 min - 1.000 mile
  20:00 min - 1.500 mile(s)
  27.40 min - 2.000 mile(s)
  29.58 min - 2.143 mile(s)

  292 Cal

Cubs have struck out NL-record 58 times through 1st 5 games

Here is my first whinny post of the season. The Cubs have struck out a NL-record 58 times through 1st 5 games.
Who are the strike-out problem players? Heyward. nope. Schwarber. Wrong.
Happ for 8 strike-outs, Contreras for 8, and Rizzo for 6. Rest of the hitters for 5 SOs each.

Worse, the Cubs have been blanked twice in those five games by sub-par teams.

You can't win games if the lead off hitter (Happ) can't get on base, even by a walk.

10 facts as a collector

Seven Facts about me as a collector

- Fact 1. As a kid, I Started Collecting baseball cards in 1977.

In 1982, I was making a habit of collecting cards.

In 1989, I started purchasing cards in bulk.

In the mid 90s I stopped for a while and picked it backup up in 2007.

I'm not the usual collector.

- Fact 2. I buy locally, don't do much anymore with eBay.
  Why?
  I have two nice card shops where I live.
  Plus there are many private sellers around.
  Normally I see better prices, no shipping, I see the product. I just enjoy it more going in person to shows and shops.

  So like most collectors today, I don't have "mail day"

- Fact 3. I only have 15 K cards.  Most collectors who have been collecting as long as I have, well have many more.
  In fact, I'm looking at getting rid of many of my excess cards so that I can stay in that range.


- Fact 4. I don't use binders.
  Why?
  I don't trust them.  When I was a teenager, I used them.
  But they hang, bend, and are heavy. Plus they don't really protect the cards.

- Fact 5. I don't slab any of my cards.
  Why?
  It's not important to me.  I have never been into this hobby for investment or profit.

- Fact 6. I catalog and file all cards.  If they are not filed, they are hanging on walls on display
  Why?
  I want to enjoy my cards.  I want to know exactly what I have and be able to find them, view them,
  why have them.  I simply want to be able to enjoy them.

- Fact 7.  I'm not a very focused collector.   Other than collecting Cubs, HoFs, certain sets, years,
Cardinals, White Sox, Red Sox, All-Stars .... well you get the picture.

- Fact 8.  I was a huge Cardinals fan until Andre Dawson and Ryne Sandberg played together on the Cubs.  I was forever converted.  As a cardinals fan in the 70s, I was even trading many of my Cubs baseball cards to other kids.

- Fact 9.  No one else in my family like baseball or baseball cards like I do.

- Fact 10. I wrote all my collecting software myself.  Why, so I could have a product that could do what I wanted, display data in a way I wanted.

Revisiting my baseball card room

Another short post on my card room. I do have my new card cabinet in full use now. Still wish I had a better one, but for the money it is much better than many of the other options. 99% of everything on display is still Cubs based. I made this new video on YouTube for the blog to show what the room looks like as of today:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=357zh_zMCYQ

Cubs and Cardinals autographed

I made a video today re-highlighting my Cubs and Cardinals autographed photos and baseball cards.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riUwZT_JLN8

Here is a photo I did not put into my video:


Bill Buckner signing group Cubs photo.

took all 36 packs

I had to open all 36 packs of Topps 1988 Big Series 1 cards to obtain every card in the series. Have a ton of extra cards I don't need now. And even though I have not cataloged 100% of the cards of Series 1 (all 252 of them), I have started on Series 2.

I have made another video blog here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpoDFepruTQ

My cataloging effort of this set can be found here:
here http://mrgibson.com/baseball4.php?year=1988&seri=Big&bran=Topps

Despite all my complaining, if I get the full set for $5, I will be pleased. I will be up for trading my excess cards from this set for other holes in my collection.

Still working on 88 Big cards

Yes, I'm still opening and cataloging Topps 1988 Big cards. I have a long way to go.

How is the set so far? Probably the worst distribution of cards that I have ever seen. For example, I opened an entire case of Series 1. Some players kept coming up, over, and over, and over. Some players did not show in the entire case. Of the whole case, I only opened one Ryne Sandberg. If I had not at least got that card, I was going to be horribly upset. The worst part is that after opening all these cards, not a single #2 Milt Thompson card. But I need 8 Cal Ripkens?

Made another bulk purchase for $5 again. Although I did not get as many cards for $5....(for example, more than 2400 cards), I did get 756 Topps 1988 "Big" unopened cards for $5. Still a good deal in my humble opinion. I also did something different, I made a video of me opening some of this cards. 

Watch video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oH-2pu1l34

Once again, not a very good video, but I'm going to give this a shot with video blogs. Hopefully my video will get better. :)


As for the 1988 Topps Big cards, I love them.  I never knew these cards existed in 1988.  I did know of the 1989 Topps Big cards though.  I purchased many packs of them because I loved them.  That said, I think I like the 88`s more than the 89`s.  So I'm glad I made this purchase.

I have given dealing shout-outs before when I have like purchases, so I'm giving Busted Wax a shout-out for the good deal.

Monday, February 26, 2018

Nights of sorting cards for new cabinet

I have not much to blog about other than I have spent days sorting through 15 thousand baseball cards. With the purchase of my new cabinet, came a lot of work. I now have a way of sorting cards more effectively. I took tonight off so I'm blogging about it and having TV night with the wife. The Hello Kitty with the Cubs shirt in the photo is an addition from the kids. Not sure how I feel about having that in my card room. lol

I have been going through the contents of every box. Slowing down the process is the fact I have less than 9 thousand card cataloged. What I did have cataloged was not cataloged in any means other than random.


I did finalize the contents of the drawers as the following (basically most of my favorite small collections):

Cubs and Cardinals Rankings

MLBN’s Top 100 Players and Sports Illustrated Top 100 lists are out. Currently Cubs only have 5 Cubs players in both of the lists. A total of 8 Cubs players make a list. Cardinals only have 4 players to make top 100 for either list. Even worse for the Cardinals; the poor Cardinals don't even have any top #25 players. This is why the "experts" are claiming the Cubs will trample the Cardinals this year. I have some opinions and the season will say if I'm right or wrong, but I believe that Willson Contreras should be a little better in the rankings for both lists.
I'm guessing the gap between Kris and Anthony is due to projections based on age.


Here are the Cubs and Cardinals rankings:

Rankings
AVG  SI   MLB   Player            Team
#6   #3   #8    Kris Bryant       Cubs
#23  #23  #23   Anthony Rizzo     Cubs
-top 26-50
#38  #45  #32   Marcell Ozuna     Cardinals
-top 51-100
#60  #53  #67   Yu Darvish        Cubs
#55  #51  #59   Tommy Phram       Cardinals
#61  #49  #73   Carlos Martinez   Cardinals
#69  #72  #66   Kyle Hendricks    Cubs
#75  #91  #58   Willson Contreras Cubs
#77  #92  #62   Matt Carpenter    Cardinals

-Players that did not make both lists:
​---  #70  ---   Jon Lester        Cubs
---  #80  ---   Jose Quintana     Cubs
---  ---  #95   Kyle Schwarber    Cubs

Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame players

Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame players

At least 1 item Name Years in collection Pete Alexander 1918-1926 Cap Anson 1876-1897 Yes Richie Ashburn 1960-1961 Ernie Banks 1953-1971 Yes Roger Bresnahan 1900, 1913-1915 Lou Brock 1961-1964 Yes Mordecai Brown 1904-1912, 1916 Yes Frank Chance 1898-1912 John Clarkson 1884-1887 Kiki Cuyler 1928-1935 Andre Dawson 1987-1992 Yes Dizzy Dean 1938-1941 Hugh Duffy 1888-1889 Dennis Eckersley 1984-1986 Yes Johnny Evers 1902-1913 Jimmie Foxx 1942, 1944 Goose Gossage 1988 Yes Clark Griffith 1893-1900 Burleigh Grimes 1932-1933 Gabby Hartnett 1922-1940 Yes Billy Herman 1931-1941 Yes Rogers Hornsby 1929-1932 Monte Irvin 1956 Fergie Jenkins 1966-1973,1982-1983 Yes George Kelly 1930 King Kelly 1880-1886 Ralph Kiner 1953-1954 Chuck Klein 1934-1936 Tony LaRussa 1973 Yes Tony Lazzeri 1938 Fred Lindstrom 1935 Greg Maddux 1986-1992, 2004-2006 Yes Rabbit Maranville 1925 Robin Roberts 1966 Ryne Sandberg 1982-1997 Yes Ron Santo 1960-1974 Yes Al Spalding 1876-1878 Bruce Sutter 1976-80 Yes Joe Tinker 1902-1912, 1916 Rube Waddell 1901 Deacon White 1876 Hoyt Wilhelm 1970 Billy Williams 1959-1974 Yes Hack Wilson 1926-1931 Yes Gabby Hartnett Fergie Jenkins Bruce Sutter Greg Maddux

Cap Anson Ernie Banks Billy Williams Lou Brock Mordecai Brown Ron Santo Andre Dawson Ryne Sandberg

baseball card storage

After months of looking at stores and on the web, I have discovered that no one sells reasonable storage for baseball cards that are not cardboard/wood/steel boxes to stick in a closet.  Ok. I can't say no one. Unless you are willing to spend literally thousands of dollars. I'm not willing 2 to 10 K of my money! With as many collectors out there, I find the fact there are no real options amazing. I have decided to try a CD storage cabinet.  This 40" tall cabinet cost less than $300.  Top loaders are 3" wide.  The drawers are 5" wide, so there is wasted space.  Each drawer will hold at least 150 top loaders x 24 drawers = 3750 cards. So that is not many, but it is better than sticking cards in cardboard boxes in the closet.

Topps Cubs 1963-1965

My lean years of Chicago Cubs baseball card collecting is 1963-1965. At the time of writing this - between all three years, I only have 11 cards. I do have Ron Santo, Ernie Banks, and Lou Brock stuck in there though. All three years were very important in the fact that they influenced may years of baseball card designs to come. 1963 Topps influenced 1983 Topps and many others. 1963 Fleer influenced 1973 Topps and many others. 1964's simple design influenced many, many years including 1986 Topps.

1963 Ron Santo Fleer

1963 Topps

1964 Lou Brokc Topps


1964 Topps Ernie Banks

DB ID   Name Photo   Brand   Team       Year  Series    Collection #
c01477  Dick Ellsworth  Topps   Chi Cubs   1963  Standard  399
d01844  Andre Rodgers   Topps   Chi Cubs   1963  Standard  193
d01845  Ron Santo       Fleer   Chi Cubs   1963  Standard  032 
d01847  Don Landrum     Topps   Chi Cubs   1963  Standard  113 
e00048  Bob Buhl        Topps   Chi Cubs   1963  Standard  175

a00010  Ernie Banks     Topps   Chi Cubs   1964  Standard  055
c01482  Bob Buhl        Topps   Chi Cubs   1964  Standard  096
c01483  Steve Boros     Topps   Chi Cubs   1964  Standard  131
d01842  Ken Aspromonte  Topps   Chi Cubs   1964  Standard  252 
d01846  Lou Brock       Topps   Chi Cubs   1964  Standard  029

d01843  Dick Bertell    Topps   Chi Cubs   1965  Standard  027

Topps 1966 - 1967

1966 was not a horrible year for Topps, but not a 'pretty' one either.  The orange trim for the Chicago Cubs cards just feels odd for me.




My largest collection of 60s baseball cards are the 1967.  Fourty-one total cards. A favorite year of mine because of the simplicity and photography. So many of the cards are photographs of players with a cloudless blue sky. So I have nicked named the set - "the blue sky set".  I posted about the 1967 set in 2016.  That posts sums it up.

http://mrgibson.com/viewcomments.php?post="414"

DB ID Name            Brand   Team      Year  Series    Collection # 
c00093 Glenn Beckert   Topps   Chi Cubs  1966  Standard  232
c00266 Ed Bailey       Topps   Chi Cubs  1966  Standard  246
c00267 George Altman   Topps   Chi Cubs  1966  Standard  146
c00268 Bob Humphreys   Topps   Chi Cubs  1966  Standard  342
c00269 Bob Buhl        Topps   Chi Cubs  1966  Standard  185
c00270 Ty Cline        Topps   Chi Cubs  1966  Standard  306
d01231 Bob Hendley     Topps   Chi Cubs  1966  Standard  082
e00050 Jim Steward     Topps   Chi Cubs  1966  Standard  063
e00051 Bill Faul       Topps   Chi Cubs  1966  Standard  322
e00052 Don Landrum     Topps   Chi Cubs  1966  Standard  043

a01125 Glenn Beckert   Topps   Chi Cubs  1967  Standard  296
a01211 Bob Hendley     Topps   Chi Cubs  1967  Standard  256
a01212 Calvin Koonce   Topps   Chi Cubs  1967  Standard  171
a01225 Bill Hands      Topps   Chi Cubs  1967  Standard  016
a01226 Arnold Earley   Topps   Chi Cubs  1967  Standard  388
a01227 Byron Browne    Topps   Chi Cubs  1967  Standard  439
a01230 Adolfo Phillips Topps   Chi Cubs  1967  Standard  148
c01486 Jim Stewart     Topps   Chi Cubs  1967  Standard  124
c01487 Randy Hundley   Topps   Chi Cubs  1967  Standard  106
c01499 Ray Culp        Topps   Chi Cubs  1967  Standard  168
e00042 Billy Williams  Topps   Chi Cubs  1967  Standard  315

My dice collections

Just post'n about my dice "collection". I don't really *collect* dice. Not like I do with baseball cards, but.... I do love them, so I'm sharing.

First things first - How do I catalog/describe my dice? I have broken up my collection of dice into 7 dice types, 4 dice functions types, and 4 dice displays types:
Dice Base Types:

4d=   4 sided

6d=   6 sided

8d=   8 sided

10d= 10 sided

10dT= 10 base 10 sided

12d = 12 sided

20d = 20 sided

Dice function types:

N= number

C= compass

B= body

S= situation

Dice display types:

Top or vertical aligned 1=

Bottom, horizontal, and/or underscored. 2=

Pip-scored 3=

Pip only numbers 4=

Here is a listing of my collection:

Set 1 - 7 pcs - black           Set 2 - 7 pcs - Royal Purple
                                (CHX 27467)    
   4d   N2 black                   4d   N1 purple trans metal flake
   6d   N2 black 15.7mm            6d   N2 purple trans metal flake 15.5mm
   8d   N2 black                   8d   N3 purple trans metal flake
   10d  N2 black                   10d  N2 purple trans metal flake
   12d  N3 black                   12d  N3 purple trans metal flake
   20d  N3 black 19.5mm            20d  N3 purple trans metal flake
   10dT N2 black                   10dT N1 purple trans metal flake


Set 3 - 7 pcs - Red             Set 4 - 8 pcs - black 
(CHX 25404)                     (Valiant Games DM set)
                                   6d   N2 black 15.7mm
   4d   N1 Red                     6d   N4 black 15.7mm
   6d   N2 Red 15.0mm              6d   N4 black 15.7mm
   8d   N2 Red                     6d   N4 black 15.7mm
   10d  N2 Red                     8d   N2 black 
   12d  N2 Red                     8d   N2 black
   20d  N2 Red                     8d   C- black
   10dT N1 Red                     12d  B- black



Set 5 - 8 pcs - gold pearl      Set 6 - 7 pcs - white
   4d   N1 gold pearl              4d   N2 white
   8d   N2 gold pearl              6d   N4 white
   6d      gold pearl              6d   N4 white
   6d      gold pearl              8d   N2 white
   10d  N2 gold pearl              8d   N2 white
   12d  N3 gold pearl              10d  N2 white            
   20d  N3 gold pearl              10dT N2 white
   10dT N1 gold pearl



Set 7 - 7 pcs - black           Set 8 - 7 pcs - sky blue
                                (CHX 25416)    
   4d   N2 black                   4d   N1 sky blue
   6d   N3 black 14.0mm            6d   N2 sky blue 15.0mm -
   8d   N3 black                   8d   N2 sky blue
   10d  N3 black                   10d  N2 sky blue
   12d  N3 black                   12d  N2 sky blue
   20d  N3 black 19.5mm            20d  N2 sky blue
   10dT N2 black                   10dT N1 sky blue
 


Set 9 - 7 pcs -                 Set 10 - 9 pcs - dark blue pearl
(CXH 25427)
   4d   N1 dark lavender           4d   N1 dark blue pearl
   6d   N2 dark lavender           6d   N2 dark blue pearl
   8d   N2 dark lavender           8d   N3 dark blue pearl
   10d  N2 dark lavender           10d  N3 dark blue pearl
   12d  N2 dark lavender           10d  N2 dark blue pearl
   20d  N2 dark lavender           10d  N2 dark blue pearl
   10dT N1 dark lavender           12d  N2 dark blue pearl
                                   20d  N3 dark blue pearl
                                   10dT N1 dark blue pearl



Set 11 - 5 pcs - purple         Set 12 - 7 pcs - blue
   4d  N2 dark purple              4d   N2  blue
   8d  N2 dark purple              6d   N2  blue
   12d N3 dark purple              6d   N4  blue
   12d N3 dark purple              8d   N2  blue
   12d N3 dark purple              10d  N2  blue
                                   10dT N2  blue
                                   10dT N2  blue


Set 13 - 7 pcs - dark blue      Set 14 - 5 pcs - spare 
(CHX 25406)
  4d   N1 med dark blue            4d   N1 black w red flake
  6d   N2 med dark blue 15.0mm     6d   N2 red w grey flake 15.0mm
  8d   N2 med dark blue            10d  N2 yellow w greenflake
  10d  N2 med dark blue            12d  N2 translucent blue swirl
  12d  N2 med dark blue            20d  N3 brown
  20d  N2 med dark blue
  10dT N1 med dark blue




Set 15 - spare                    Set 16 - 5 pcs - Translucent yellow
  6d   N2 dark brown   15.0mm          4d   N2 Translucent yellow
  12d  N3 dark purple pearl            8d   N2 Translucent yellow
  6d   N2 green        15.0mm          10d  N  Translucent yellow 
  20d  N3 cream                        20d  N  Translucent Yellow
                                       10dT N  Translucent Yellow


Set 17  - 6 pcs - red
  4d   N2 red
  6d   N2 red
  8d   N2 red
  10d  N2 red
  12d  N3 red
  20d  N3 red