Filling in the Blanks with Johnny Kucab
Another budget high number joins the 1952 Topps set building project. There is some blank space on the back for collectors to consider.
Set Collecting
The Argument I’m Not Making (Except Maybe I Am)
I would not have voted for Mike Garcia to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, but I absolutely would want him to at least be in the conversation when ballots are printed. Time for an argument.
Gallows Humor in the Bullpen
I’ve never seen the movie Fargo, but I have seen a guy in a wood chipper. After that alarming note, I feel I have some explaining to do.
Every Team Needs a Catcher (or Four, or Five…)
1952 Topps is overflowing with catchers, even if they didn’t stay in one place very long.
When Baseball Cards Disappeared
While baseball continued to be played on the field during World War II, the trading cards defining the era were extinguished by a sudden, total collapse of the supply chain.
1952 Topps: Johnny Schmitz
Johnny Schmitz threw an entire decade with the Cubs and is portrayed as a Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher in the 1952 Topps baseball card checklist, yet he will always be a Washington Senator in my mind.
I Can’t Think of a Golf Pun Title…But I Should
Lou Kretlow probably should shout “Fore!” whenever he gets a ball in his hand. After all, this wild pitcher was much better at golf than baseball.
The 2025 Refractor Report
This is the second installment of my annual look at the current market environment for the famed 1993 Finest Refractor baseball card set. Transaction and grading trends, card availability, and other insights are explored and tracked over time.
1949 Leaf: Wig
A short nickname for a short career. This is the second in a series of profiles of the nicknames appearing in the 1949 Leaf baseball card checklist.