Kimball Champions: Revisited

The idea of a miniature baseball card, I must admit, never much appealed to me in my collecting youth. But after my return to the hobby earlier this year, Kimball Champions soon arrived and I was hooked.

I had found my mini-set to collect.

Sure, most folks go on and on about the 1987 minis in the latest base offering, and sure they're pretty nice - especially the Reds, Tigers and Cubs in that insert set - but I was out of the hobby long before 1987 and have no personal connection to it or the reincarnation.

Besides, I need to focus and I'm honing in on finishing the Kimballs. Here's what I still need:

96, 101, 104, 107, 141, 147, 149

If you find yourself with any of these strays, please let me know. Recently, Mark - the Cynical Buddha of Collector's Crack fame sent me Kimball Danny Duffy in a larger trade package I hope to mention soon. Thanks Mark!

While I know some have complained that the Kimball card stock is not thick enough, it works fine for me. Mostly, I'm drawn to the art - both the close-up and the action down low.

Wouldn't you love to be the person who helps Potch complete his first insert set ever? I mean, can you imagine the glory and fame (and special blog post) that would come with that!?

Not really my problem, fella, but good luck all the same. Besides, methinks you're exaggerating about the glory and fame.

Here's how a page looks, almost completed, in a binder. Pretty, I think. One of those slots is filled now, but #96 eludes me to this day.

 

Oh, you're still here? Well, in that case, allow me to direct you to this post and ask you kindly to vote in the latest Fun-Time Hall of Fame poll - currently featuring the Cleveland Indians of yore. Thanks!

I Have Only Just Begun To Blog!

My wife, daughter and I have been living much like gypsies since June when our Chicagoland house sold and we headed back home to Indiana.

Well, hopefully before Christmas we'll be in our house and, soon after that, my efforts to trade, blog more consistently, and so on will be much easier.

For now, we're still holed up with my Grandpa in a fairly confined space. We can't complain too much. We moved because our jobs became work-from-home flexible and we wanted our daughter closer to family.

As for baseball cards, there are a few things I'd like to do between now and mid-December.

1. Complete 1976 Topps.
2. Make significant headway on Heritage 2011.
3. Make significant headway on Kimball Champions. I need #96 and most everything from #101-150 (but check first as I have a couple of them heading my way, I believe).

Down on the List: Pick up some more 1978s and, speaking of being gypsies, Gypsy Queens and, what the heck, '11 Topps Chrome.

On my home page, I have wants and cards available listed for various sets. If you're having trouble scrolling about and finding what you need, please send me a note.

Too bad TV never showed this guy during the World Series.

Oh, and one more thing: I plan to get back to before the move, the contest I mentioned last month. Far too much work travel popped up since then but I've made detailed notes on who gets entered into ye olde randomizer. Also, I'll offer up another chance to enter before I get things started.

Kimball Champions: The Homestretch

The idea of a miniature baseball card, I must admit, never much appealed to me in my collecting youth. But after my return to the hobby earlier this year, Kimball Champions soon arrived and everything changed.

I found my mini-set to collect.

While I know some have complained that the card stock is not thick enough, it works fine for me. Mostly, I'm drawn to the art - both the close-up and the action down low.

I'm closing in on finishing the first 100 - although I realize another 50 are coming soon with Topps Update. No matter, I'll chase those too.

Recently, Justin of The Hopeful Chase sent me three to bring my total to 93. Here's one of my unfinished binder pages. Wouldn't you love to be the person who helps make this and a couple of other pages complete? I don't really care, pal. Not my problem.

 If you answered "yes, I'd love nothing more than to help you" like I'm guessing, here's what I still need:

39, 59, 62, 70, 80, 95, 96

Oh, and while I'm here, may I direct you to the front page of this blog where I have a bundle of available cards and needs grouped (generally) for easy perusing.

(Next Post: Topps Chrome Finds My Home)