Vintage Rarities - Ugly Drab Edition

All vintage is great. Vintage Reds are even greater. But some vintage is more greater than others. Below are old oddballs that will NOT impress your friends.

1948 Blue Tint (R346) #46 Johnny Vander Meer

 

Apparently this is some mysterious set with unclear origins. Released in strips in the New York market, 48 total cards, blank backs, and gone as quickly as they came.

 

 

1935-37 George Burke Photo Stamps Sammy Byrd

 

Made by a Chicago photographer for players to use to answer fan mail. Neato. These are very tiny and poorly printed, but hey, it was the 30's.

 

 

1947 Bond Bread Ewell Blackwell

Bond Bread was named as if it was guaranteed in the same manner as bank bonds. This worked as a selling point after The War, I guess. Bond Bread's company went bankrupt in the 70's after a spate of unsanitary working conditions and being thwomped on the shelves by Wonder Bread.

 

 

1962 Topps Baseball Bucks Joe Jay.

 

Not terribly rare, but dull and gray and no fun to look at. A proper cash money green and better paper stock and these coulda been special. 

 

1931 W517 Strip Cards Pete Donahue

 

Standard strip card action, but BIGGER. 3x4 for a set of strip cards is gigantic. As you see, my version snags a hint of the dotted lines.

  

1934-36 Batter Up #44 Adam Comorosky.

These come in several printing hues, each as drab as each other. BUT they pop out like those 60's Topps and 80's Donruss stand-ups, so they were obviously a manufacturing marvel for the time period.

 

Maybe the color refractor age ain't so bad after all. 

 

Go Redlegs.  

 

Cincinnati Bengals QB Autos.

Presented in reverse order of Bengals quarterbacking success. There is no Joe Burrow auto at the end of this, sadly. I instead bought a car. If you've even heard of half these dudes, I'm impressed.

 

 

 Erik Meyer - Undrafted, 1 season training camp invite 

 

 

Collin Hill - Undrafted, 1 season training camp invite

 

Tyler Hansen - Undrafted, 1 season training camp invite 

 

 

John Walsh - 7th round pick, 1 season training camp invite

 

 Jake Dolegala - Undrafted, 1 season on the active roster

 

 Dan LeFevour - Waiver claim, 1 season on the active roster 

 

Casey Bramlet - 7th round pick, 1 season on the active roster

 

Jeff Rowe - 5th round pick, 1 season on the active roster, 1 season on the practice squad 

 

 Scott Covington - 1 season, 0 wins, 4 completions 

Erik Wilhelm - 7 seasons, 0 wins, 4 TDs

 

 

Jay Schroeder - 1 season, 0 wins, 5 TDs

 

 

Jeff Driskel - 1 season, 1 win

 

 Ryan Finkey - 2 seasons, 1 win 

 

 

 Sam Wyche - 3 seasons, 2 wins (doesn't live in Cleveland)

 

 AJ McCarron - 4 seasons, 2 wins, 1 playoff appearance

David Klingler - 4 seasons, 4 wins

 

 John Kitna - 5 seasons, 18 wins 

 

 

Jeff Blake - 6 seasons, 25 wins

 

 Andy Dalton - 9 seasons, 70 wins, 4 playoff appearances

 

Ken Anderson - 16 seasons, 93 wins, 2 playoff wins, 1 Super Bowl Appearance 

 

Who Dey

Go Redlegs

 

That Guy Was a Red? - Autograph Edition

In the annals of "Dudes you didn't know were a Red", nothing comes even CLOSE to Christy Mathewson. Pitched ~4800 innings and piled up 373 wins for the Giants over 17 seasons, then, as the Reds "player"-manager in 1916, he came out of de facto retirement for one game to pitch against rival Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown, who was also retiring. Both went the distance. Reds won 10-8. 

 

Autos I also don't have are Reds minor league legends Trevor Hoffman and Randy "Macho Man" Savage (né Poffo) as well as American icon Jim Thorpe. 

 

No card of Mathewson as a Red existed until a 1980 Exhibits release, so a Reds auto is highly unlikely. Similar for Thorpe in '81. Hoffman has a few minor league Reds releases and a '92 Bowman. That'll run ya a hundred bucks. The Macho Man? Never blessed with baseball cardboard. His signed wrestling cards go for four figures. Feel free to send me one.

 

Here's what I do have.

 

 

Jeff Conine. 17-year career. Marlins Hall of Fame. 80 games for the Reds in '02. 

 

 

Ron Gant. 30-30 man for the Braves. 16 year career. 119 games for the Reds in '95. He was an All-Star that year, so maybe people are aware.

 

  

Kent Tekulve. Teke! A Cincy native. Finished his 16-year career with 52 innings for the Reds in '89. 

 

 

Terry Francona. This would've hit harder a few years ago. Our current skipper played 102 games for the Reds in '87.

 

Roger Craig. Legendary Giants manager. Lost the 1989 Earthquake Series to the A's. Pitched 64 innings for the Reds in '65.

Kevin Mitchell. This is the only entry in which the player was with the Reds for multiple seasons. Doesn't really fit, I just want to show off a Kevin Mitchell auto.

 

Jeff Montgomery. 12 years as a Royals All Star closer. But he began his career with 19 innings for the Reds in '87.

 

Terry Pendleton. 15-year career. 1991 NL MVP (f outta here, Barry Bonds). Played 50 games for Cincy in '97.

 

  

Yasmani Grandal. Bounced around the Bigs for a dozen years, making multiple All Star games, but began as a minor leaguer for the Reds. We traded him and others for Mat Latos.

 

Ruben Sierra. Twenty(!) years in the majors. 80's and 90's baseball royalty. Played for 9 teams, including 96 games for the Reds in '97.

 

Honorable mentions that I also do not have: Lee Smith, Leo Durocher, Al Simmons, Mordecai Brown, Rogers Hornsby (manager only). 

Go Redlegs.

Columbus Clippers Ab-Az

The Columbus Clippers are the AAA affiliate of the Guardians since 2008. They began in 1977 with the Pirates, then the Yankees, then the Nationals. I don't care about these teams, but I live near the stadium, so I go see em. Particularly when the Reds' affiliate Louisville Bats are in town. 20-30 bucks gets you a cushioned seat behind home plate. Have I been asked if I'm a scout because I sit there keeping score the old fashioned way by hand? Yes. Yes I have.

 

The goal is a card, any card, of every player who passed through the Clippers organization on their way to the majors. And what the heck, throw in the managers. Because they have only existed since the 70's, this is possible. As of the end of 2025, there have been precisely 1099 players to do this. Add the 22 managers and I'm sitting at 1075/1121 toward completion. A few recents will be easy enough. A few more are sitting in my Sportlots box. A few obscure ones from non-overproduction eras are proving tough. Or at least, tough to find cheaply. I refuse to pay two bucks for some minor league card from the 80's.

 

The letter A is complete. 44 players from Kurt Abbott to Oscar Azocar as well as 1980 manager Joe Altobelli. I pick up an auto when I can. Jonathan Albaladejo gets the honors. And yes, until I have a solo card from Dave Augustine, his RC alongside Ken Griffey is holding the place.

 

Go Redlegs.

Reds Opening Day Starting Nines: 2024, 2025

First installment of the Reds Opening Day binder. Simple concept. The starting nine on Opening Day, pitcher in the middle, catcher below, then going counterclockwise 1B, 2B, RF, CF, LF, SS, 3B. Brings me much satisfaction. If I can upgrade a card on accident, I will. But I don't try very hard. Did the NL adding the DH a few years ago ruin it? Kinda. DH gets the rear.

 

Posting this as I'm watching my Redlegs against the Sawx on this beautiful day. 

 

Here's the two most recent.

 

2024: March 28 vs. Nationals. Reds win 8-2. 

1. India 2B

2. Benson CF

3. Encarnacion-Strand 1B

4. Candelario 3B

5. Fraley RF

6. De La Cruz SS

7. Steer LF

8. Martini DH

9. Stephenson C

SP Montas

 

 

 --------------------------------------------------

2025: March 27 vs. Giants, Reds lose 6-4

1. Friedl C

2. McLain 2B

3. De La Cruz SS

4. Lux LF

5. Candelario 3B

6. Steer DH

7. Encarnacion-Strand 1B

8. Fraley RF

9. Trevino C

SP Greene 

 

 

Go Redlegs.

Single Card Post - 1957 Topps #35 Frank Robinson RC

There are many like it, but this is mine. Snagged it for 20 bucks a decade ago. A steal. '57 is my least-represented Topps flagship set, by percentage complete. That needs remedied.

 

His first year in the bigs, as a 20 year-old: 38 dingers, 83 RBI, .290/.379/.598, league-leading 122 runs, 143 OPS+, 6.6 WAR, unanimous ROY. Decent.

 

 

Go Redlegs.

The Only Blog Post About Cincinnati Minor League Hockey Autos on the Internet

I mean, it's gotta be.

 

Cincinnati has had five minor league hockey teams, from what I can tell. The Mohawks (1949-58), The Swords (1971-74), The Stingers (1975-1979), The Cyclones (1990-now), and The Mighty Ducks (1997-2005). Mark Messier played for the Stingers, which may be the grandest highlight in the history of Cincinnati hockey. For yours truly, Cyclones games were a fun time back in the day. 

Five autos have found their way to my desk:

 

Mark Popovic played for The Cincinnati Mighty Ducks from 2002-2005. Found his way into one game for the NHL's Mighty Ducks and 80 games for the Atlanta Thrashers.

 

Cory Pecker played for the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks 2002-2005. Never made the NHL.

 

Robbie Ftorek played for the Cincinnati Stingers from 1977-1979, played 334 games in the NHL for the Red Wings, Nordiques, and Rangers, won silver for team USA at the '72 Winter Olympics, and was an NHL head coach for the Kings, Devils, and Bruins. Pictured here in a Phoenix Roadrunners uni, but it has the Stingers logo on the card, so it's good enough for me. 

 

Jamie Linden played for the Cincinnati Cyclones from 1993-1995. He found his way into 4 NHL games for the Florida Panthers in 1994-95.

  

  

 

Dave Tomlinson played for the Cincinnati Cyclones 1994-1996. Made his way into 42 NHL games for the Maple Leafs, Jets, and Panthers.

 

And now I wish to drive home and catch some Cyclones action. My hopefully playoff-bound Columbus Blue Jackets will have to suffice.  

 

Go Redlegs.