Card of the Week: Maria Rooth

While sifting through a stack of cards from Sports Illustrated for Kids recently, I found this odd little piece of cardboard. It is unusual I n that it is a card of a collegiate hockey player. No wait - a collegiate woman hockey player. Hold the phone - a Swedish woman collegiate hockey player who is also an Olympic hero: Maria Rooth. (Full story)

War Room - Jan. 27, 2010

In today's Got 'Em! Need 'Em! segment, Mick and I talk about National Hockey Card Day, which is this Saturday. We also discuss our respective life expectancies, if I got any hockey cards for my birthday, free comic books and Olympic hockey card sets.

This week's clip is 11-and-a-half minutes, so you may want to get a beverage and sit down before you hit "play":


If the above player does not work, you can get the clip here. Just right click on the link, and select either "Save As..." or open it in a new tab or window.

Card collectors in Canada can get free hockey cards this Saturday as part of Upper Deck's National Hockey Card Day (link)

Here is the list of retailers who will be giving out the cards:

• Toys R Us
• Jean Coutu
• London Drugs
• Pharma Plus
• Plus these card and comic shops
  

If anyone wants to pick up some extra cards, I'd be interested in trading for a complete 15-card set, an extra Jonathan Toews card and a neatly-opened empty wrapper (or unopened pack). C'mon--help an American out.

Thanks to NHL Home Ice (XM 204) for providing me with the audio clip.

I'm 35 now...

Another year, another birthday. Today I am 35 years old. Many, many years ago, 35 seemed like one of those long-off ages that I'd never hit. Well, these things happen if you live long enough. Looking both ways before crossing the street has paid off!

(Yeah, I know...this is a hockey and collectibles blog. I had a "personal blog" at one time, but I've pretty much abandoned it, so Puck Junk has become my de facto outlet for these sorts of things).

In continuing my tradition (Est. 2008) where I match my current age to a Blackhawks player's uniform number, there was only one guy to wear number 35 for the Indian-head sweater. That's right--this guy:

Tony Esposito, aka "Tony-O". Here is his 1968-69 OPC rookie card (more info about this).

Tony Esposito was not only the first and last guy to wear 35 for the Blackhawks, but he was the first goalie to wear a number higher than 30. (In his 15 games with Montreal the previous season, he wore 29). Before then, goalies only wore 1, 30, or a number somewhere in the 20s.

A few other Tony-O facts:

• When Esposito retired in 1984, he was the oldest player in the NHL at 41.
• During the 1972 Summit series between Canada and USSR, Esposito was the goalie for Canada's first win. He also had the lowest goals-allowed average in the series (between him, Ken Dryden and Vladislav Tretiak)
• His record of 15 shutouts for a rookie netminder still stands today
  
• Esposito played in the 1981 Canada Cup--for the Americans! By then, he had become a U.S. citizen.
• In 1988, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. That year, the Chicago Blackhawks retired his jersey number.

So, uh...hooray for being 35. And hooray for Tony Esposito.

War Room - Jan. 20, 2010

In this installment of Got 'Em! Need 'Em! on "The War Room," we talk about the 2009-10 Fleer Ultra hockey set (pics).

However, I must point out that I said something wholly inaccurate. Towards the end of the clip, I say "they actually used quite a few pictures from The Winter Classic in this set." That simply is not true. The Fleer Ultra set only uses 3 photos from last year's Winter Classic in Chicago. But for some reason, I thought a lot more pictures from the Winter Classic were used. I thought wrong. Perhaps I was thinking of another set.

Sorry for any confusion. Hopefully, I do not lose my unofficial rank as a "Hockey Card Expert."

Anyway, here is the clip. It is just over 5 minutes long. 



If the above player does not work, you can get the clip here. Just right click on the link, and select either "Save As..." or open it in a new tab or window.

Thanks to Mick and Pete at XM Home Ice.

Star Cards? You better run...

OK, so maybe I did not encounter a Dalek trying to sell me hockey cards...but I damn near came close this past Sunday when Shellie and I visited a Chicago-area mall. Staring me down at the end of a dimly-lit corridor was this monstrosity:

Don't be charmed by the pretty pink and blue lights...this thing is evil. EVIL!

Upon closer examination, the window displays cards of Mario Lemieux, Wayne Gretzky, Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith. A little green sticker at the top says "Guaranteed unsearched," while a white sticker at the bottom says "4 cards for only 25 cents." The machine also sells Star Wars CCG cards, and the Dalek--I mean vending machine--behind this one sells baseball and football cards.

"It's only a quarter--here," said Shellie, handing me a quarter from her purse.

"Ah, why not? It will give me something to blog about," I replied.

I put in a quarter...and nothing happened.

Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out a quarter and put that one in, thinking that would fix the problem.

It didn't.

Perhaps taking inspiration from the Hanson Brothers of Slap Shot, Shellie said "Stand back" as she kicked the machine hard enough to rock it back and forth.

Instead of 4 cards, the machine spat out 6:

Ian Fraser, Mike Kruselnyski, Sergei Fedorov, Johan Garpenlov, Geoff Courtnall and Daniel Marios. A bit heavy on the 1991-92 Stadium Club.

"Try that again," I suggested. 2 more cards emerged:

Ken Wregget, and is that....? Yes, it is Eric Lindros on water skis. (soon to be a "Card of the Week").

"I should just leave you here with a roll of quarters," Shellie mused.

"No! These are the kinds of hockey cards that I'm trying to get rid of, not get more of."

Later that day, on our way out of the mall, we passed the evil machine again.

"Here--one more time," said Shellie, handing me a quarter. I think she liked this thing more than I did. Maybe she enjoyed kicking it.

Next to the coin slot, in the tray where the cards land, were these 3 freebies--perhaps the machine vended them after we left?

Dino Ciccarelli, Dominik Hasek and Joe Murphy. Great, more Stadium Club...

I put in the quarter that Shellie gave me, and--surprise, surprise--nothing happened. So, Shellie decided to unplug the vending machine, plug it back in, and then give it a good shove. Finally, the Star Cards machine, fearing for its life, complied, producing 4 cards:

 

 

Kelly Miller, Marc Bureau, Brad Lauer and Mike Hough. Hardly what you'd call "star cards."

For 75 cents I am the proud owner 15 useless hockey cards from the early 1990s. Two things surprise me:

1. I didn't get any Pro Set cards, but did get 7 Stadium Club cards.

2. The cards were not vended in cardboard sleeves to protect them. Similar machines in the 1980s and 1990s would usually put the cards inside a folded piece of cardboard. No so today, as the cardboard folder would be worth more than the cards they protect.

So, take my advice: if you see one of these Star Card vending machines at a mall near you, keep walking. Or better yet--run!

1963-64 Parkhurst #83 - Ralph Backstrom

My first '63-64 Parkhurst card of the new year, Ralph Backstrom bumps me up to 21 out of 99 cards in that set. Four more cards, and I'll be 1/4 of the way there.

In 2008, I only purchased 2 cards from this set (though one of them was Gordie Howe).

In 2009, I made a more concentrated effort to build this set, picking up 18 cards for my set.

This year, I hope to get another 24 cards for this set--about one every two weeks. On a limited budget, that makes it a challenge. Most of the cards in this release are not that hard to come by, but I'd rather wait until I can get a good deal. This Backstrom card here cost me $8.02, but it has no creases, no marks and four sharp corners...well worth it for a 47-year old card.

War Room - Jan. 13, 2010

Yes, this is a bit late...but if you haven't heard it yet--or you don't have XM Radio to begin with--then it's new to you. In the January 13, 2010 installment of Got 'Em! Need 'Em! on "The War Room," we talk about the 1987-88 Topps and O-Pee-Chee hockey card sets.

The clip is just over 5 minutes long. By the way, I've implemented a new method of embedding the audio clip. If you don't see a play button below, or the clip does not work for you, please let me know.



If the above player does not work, you can get the clip here. Just right click on the link, and select either "Save As..." or open it in a new tab or window.

Thanks to the guys at XM Radio.

Career in Cards: Curtis Joseph

Curtis Joseph retired last week after a 19-year NHL career. What better tribute than to take a look back at his career--in hockey cards. Below is a selection of his cards, one from each year in his career. Some are off the beaten path, while others are just plain cool.

1989-90 Pro Cards IHL - Joseph turned pro with the Peoria Rivermen, but also appeared in 15 games with the St. Louis Blues that season.

 

1990-91 Panini Stickers - Joseph played 30 games with the Blues that year. Most collectors don't bother with the Panini sticker sets, but they were always a perennial favorite for me.

 

1991-92 Score Young Superstars - At this point, Joseph was gaining traction, playing in 60 games for St. Louis.This was from a boxed set of super-glossy cards that featured the NHL's brightest young stars.

1992-93 Kraft Peanut Butter - I bet that not many of you haven't seen this one. Joseph clocked in at 68 games that season with the Blues.

 

1993-94 EA Sports - A mail-away set that featured the top NHL players, as well as tips on how to play the video game NHL '94. Joseph played in a staggering 71 games that year. By the way, I had an article published about this set.

 

1994-95 Score Select - Since the Blues changed their uniforms that year, all cards of St. Louis players in this set show the player posed in front of the new sweater. The season was shortened by a lockout, but Joseph played in 36 out of 48 games.

 

1995-96 Upper Deck SP - Oooooh, shiny! Joseph joined the Edmonton Oilers, playing in 34 games.

 

1996-97 Upper Deck - Awesome overhead shot! Joseph appeared in 72 games for the Oilers.

1997-98 Leaf Studio - A nice portrait. Joseph would play a ton of games this year too--71 to be exact. 

 

1998-99 Upper Deck (Starting Lineup version) - Notice the lack of foil on the left and right sides of the card, as well as the Starting Lineup logo? This card came with a Starting Lineup figure of Joseph, and thus it is different than the standard '98-99 UD card. Joseph signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs, playing in 67 games.

 

1999-2000 Upper Deck MVP Stanley Cup Edition - Another workhorse season for Joseph, who'd play in 63 games.

 

2000-01 Upper Deck Vintage - This one looks a lot like Neoclassic French painter Jacques-Louis David's self portrait. Joseph played 68 games that year.

 

2001-02 Topps Heritage Parallel - Based on the design of my favorite set--1971-72 Topps--Joseph's snarling dog mask and his dynamic pose create a sense of tension with the otherwise symmetrical layout. Joseph played 51 games as he finished out his first stint with the Maple Leafs.

 

2002-03 Topps - Joesph joined the Detroit Red Wings after Dominik Hasek's first retirement, playing 61 games for them..Since I don't have a Joseph-as-a-Red-Wing card from '02-03, this '02-03 Topps card of him playing the puck will have to do.

2003-04 Topps C55 - Party like it's 1911. Joseph only played 31 games, as he had to compete for games with Manny Legace and an un-retired Dominik Hasek. More info on this set can be found here.

2004-05 was the Lockout, and the season was canceled. Joseph did not play with any team that year.

 

2005-06 Upper Deck - Joseph joined the Phoenix Coyotes as their number one netminder, playing in 60 games. He'd get his 400th win this season. Sprawled on the ice, Joseph's glove hand is about to cover the puck.

 

2006-07 Flair Showcase - Just your typical shiny card. Joseph seems poised in the portrait, but introspective in the photo on the right. Playing in 55 games, this would be his last year as a starter.

 

2007-08 O-Pee-Chee - "Wait a minute," you say, "Joseph didn't have an OPC card that year." You're right--this is a custom card I made. His real cards that year show him with the Coyotes, even though he moved on to be a backup goalie with the Calgary Flames. His Flames career lasted 9 games.

2008-09 Upper Deck - Joseph's last card...for now. I'm sure he'll end up in a "Legends" type insert set soon. Cujo would have a second, shorter stint with the Maple Leafs, manning the pipes for 21 games.

Alas, another player from the 1990s has retired. Joseph finished his career ranking 4th all-time among NHL goaltenders with 454 wins.Conversely, his 352 losses ties him with Gump Worsley for the most losses by a goalie. Regardless, Joseph should be in the Hall of Fame when he becomes eligible in 2012. He had some amazing years and put up some good numbers.

Card of the Week: An American Hero

Next month is the 30th anniversary of the United States' biggest Olympic triumph - and one of the biggest upsets in sports history: the Miracle on Ice. During the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, NY, American goaltender Jim Craig helped the U.S. beat the ridiculously awesome Soviet hockey team. Craig stopped 36 of 39 shots, and the U.S. hung on to win the semifinal game 4-3. Two nights later, Craig and company beat Finland 4-2. It was the first time since 1960 that the United States would win a gold medal in Olympic ice hockey. (Full story)

Giant hockey wrappers - coming to a wall near you

Anyone who enjoys the artwork on old hockey card wrappers will most likely appreciate this new product. Philadelphia-based company LTL Prints is releasing posters - or "larger-than-life wall graphics" as they call them - of vintage Topps sports card wrappers, including hockey.

So far, LTL has listed the following wrapper-posters available for purchase on their website:

• 1957-58
• 1959-60
• 1961-62
• 1962-63
• 1968-69
• 1974-75

They also have what seems to be posters of box tops from the 1950s/1960s, like this one below:

The Good News: Apparently, these are made of high-quality materials and can be easily stuck, unstuck and repositioned without damaging your walls or the graphic - much like a Fathead. That is great if you innocently put one in your living room, and then later have to move it into your den / office / bathroom because your girlfriend doesn't want to look at it while watching "Animal Cops."

The Bad News: They're kinda pricey. Sure, they start at $14.95, but that gets you the 6-inch by 8-inch "laptop" size. Buddy, I could just take a real hockey card wrapper and tape it to my laptop...that is, if I had a laptop and wanted everyone to know how obsessed I am with hockey cards. There are six different sizes, ranging from the aforementioned laptop size, all the way to a 69-inch by 52-inch behemoth for $152.55. Even a moderately-sized 38" by 29" poster clocks in at just under $60.

At those prices, I'm more inclined to spend it on an unopened box or some vintage cards. Then again, I would love a giant hockey card wrapper on my wall. Perhaps if LTL releases the 1988-89 Topps design - my first year of collecting - I'll reconsider. Of course, I'll need some place besides the living room to put it.

Brian Campbell Autographs

Last week Monday, Shellie and I got a few autographs from Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell. I got a photo signed, while Shellie got a Champ's card signed for me. Campbell commented on the card, saying that he thought it looked cool.

We also put together this 40-second video:

Card of the Week: Captain Cammi

For the next two months, the Card of the Week will feature a card of a past Olympic hero, starting with Cammi Granato. She was the team captain of the 1998 U.S. Women's Olympic Hockey Team. It was the first time that women's hockey was a medal sport at the Olympics, and the U.S. team beat Canada in the final game to win the gold. (Full story)

1990 Indianapolis Ice ticket stub

I didn't have the time today to do a full write-up, but came across this old ticket stub from 1990 while filing away some team schedules my new friend Bill gave me (thanks, Bill). The stub in question is from a team called the Indianapolis Ice, who for the majority of their existence were the top minor league affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks.

The wavy pink lines make this ticket stub hard to read, so go ahead and click on it to see it more legibly. You'll notice that it reads Indianapolis Ice vs. Bad Guys..Just lovely. That always made me laugh. So politically un-correct. Not "vs. Opponents" or "vs. TBA", but against the BAD GUYS!!!

Unfortunately, I did not attend this game. My Mom and Aunt Gayle went to Indianapolis, and my Mom gave me her stub (as well as a few other Indy Ice things). Since this was from a playoff game, the tickets were printed before the opponent--and the date--were known. That makes figuring out the day of this game rather difficult.

The ticket says 1990 Playoff Game I. Since "I" is the 9th letter of the alphabet (last time I checked), that would mean that this game was most likely against the Salt Lake Golden Eagles, since that is the team that they played in Round Two.

During the playoffs, goaltending duties for the Ice were mostly left to Jimmy Waite, with Darren Pang chipping in here and there a few games. The leading playoff scorers for the Ice were Mike Eagles and Mike Stapleton. The Ice won Round One 4-1 over the Peoria Rivermen, and won Round Two 4-1 against Salt Lake. In the third and final round, the Ice swept the Muskegon Lumberjacks 4-0 to win their first and only Turner Cup Championship.

Bittersweet weekend

This weekend has been a mixed bag for me, sapping my will to blog.

First, the bad news. Last Thursday, a former teacher of mine passed away after a long battle with cancer. Jim Sulski was the faculty adviser of The Columbia Chronicle, the school paper of Columbia College. Jim was a big part of why I was successful in and after college. He mentored me even after I graduated, and gave me helpful advice when I was freelancing for Beckett Hockey last year.

I was also sick over the weekend with a sore throat.

And the Blackhawks lost. Twice. Both games they should have won.

Now, the good news. Shellie and I have been dating for two years now as of Sunday. Wow. Time flies when you are having fun. She cooks and is artistic and likes the same kind of movies I do and even laughs at my jokes, funny or otherwise.

Shellie also puts up with me and my hobbies, like card collecting and blogging about card collecting. Hell, she even waited two hours in line to score me an autograph from Brian Campbell today (more on that in a future post).

I also scored that sweet Tony Esposito card--and a few others--to get me a few steps closer to completing my 1973-74 Topps Hockey set.

I am now starting my second week of school at DePaul, and next week I start teaching again at Columbia. I know I can't do a blog post every day much longer, so let's just enjoy this while it lasts.

War Room - Jan. 6, 2010

On the January 6 segment of "Need 'Em! Got 'Em!", we talked about the 2009-10 Upper Deck Series One hockey set. You can see some pics of this year's Upper Deck cards here.

The clip is just under 6 minutes long


If you don't see a play button above, right click on this link and either "Save As..." or open in a new tab or new window.

Thanks to Mick and Pete at XM Radio for providing the clip.

2010 Blackhawks Convention tickets...

...are now on sale, so you better hurry and buy some before they are all gone. Because the team would love you to buy into all the hype.

Two years back, the Blackhawks put their convention passes up for sale in March, if I recall correctly. Last year, the passes went on sale around February. For the 2010 convention, they started  hawking (ha!) convention passes back in December 2009. Why so soon? What's the rush?

"Well, they gotta pay Marian Hossa somehow, right?" suggested my girlfriend Shellie.

Good point. $12 million a season doesn't raise itself.

Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed the previous two Blackhawks Conventions. But three things about it irritate me:

1. The convention pass prices have gone up, from $50 to $55 to $60. But it's more or less the same show, with more or less the same number of players signing autographs and pretty much the same number of panel discussions. But in 2008, you could probably get an autograph from a Hall of Fame player like Stan Mikita if you waited in line long enough. In 2009, you could only get such a player's autograph through a lottery.

2. More people were at the show in 2009 than in 2008. Substantially more-perhaps twice as many. So, we pay more money to wait in line twice as long. You know you're in trouble when the line for Ben Eager is practically out the door.

3. The passes go on sale sooner each year. Why do I have to pay for something in December if it won't even happen until the end of July? Sure, I could have held off for a few months, but I decided to buy into the hype instead.

Actually, what prompted me to pay for the passes in December, instead of waiting a bit, was that if I bought them at the Blackhawks Store, then I would not have to pay Tickemaster "convenience fees." But they only allot so many to the Store, with the rest being sold online via Ticketmaster.I'd rather buy something in December than in April and have to fork over an extra $8 or so per ticket in bullshit "fees."

So far, the following active and retired players are scheduled to appear:

• Tony Esposito
  
• Bobby Hull
• Patrick Kane
• Duncan Keith
  
• Stan Mikita
• Ed Olczyk 
• Joel Quenneville
  
• Denis Savard
• Jonathan Toews
  

More information about the convention can be found here.