Night Owl Cards

    This is one of those milestone things that used to mean a lot more. Back in my first year or two of blogging, I'd note the milestones that passed and really celebrate them as if they were a big deal. And they really did seem like a big deal at the time: 300th post. Wooo! 400th post. Weee! 500th post. Well that was kind of lame . 900th post. You could tell I was already getting sick of coming up with milestone post ideas . But I still like celebrating milestones, no matter what form they take. Not only does it satisfy my compulsion to categorize with numbers, but a nice, big, round number is proof that you've been doing something for awhile -- and if it's worth keeping track of, then probably that thing you've been doing for awhile is enjoyable. So even though I don't flip out quite as much over blog milestones, I've reached yet another one and here I am mentioning it. I've surpassed 3 million views, you guys. Just once I'd like to witness the odomete...

I just got back from attending a card show with Angus of Dawg Day Cards . In less than an hour, I'll be watching the Dodgers attempt to sweep the Braves in the NLDS. Needless to say, things are going particularly well at this point in time. Who knows what will happen in the game? Who knows what will happen tomorrow? Who knows what will pull me away from this blog with virtually no warning? But for right now, I'm having a wonderful time. To underline that point, I'm showing three postcards that I received from Angus this afternoon. (They are just part of the goodies he brought for me). The first card is a terrific item of the famed Dodger Wally Moon. And yes, that is Moon's inscription in the top corner that says, "To Emerson, Kindest personal regards, Wally Moon." Who needs Archives to produce a Wally Moon autographed card when he's signed a postcard already!!! Had I known. The next postcard is another noted mid-1960s Dodgers baseball player. ...

This is one of those "stadium scenes" inserts in this year's Opening Day set. Cards On Cards sent it to me and I'm glad it's mine, because I take what I can get when it comes to the Dodger Stadium experience. The Stadium Scenes set is a bit of a disappointment for me, mostly because most of the 17 cards in the set  don't really show much of the stadium. It's a lot of players signing autographs and mascots. But I just want to see the ballpark. (Please note the rare appearance of foil in an Opening Day set on these cards). This particular photo, while showing the instantly recognizable center field Dodgers sign as you approach the ballpark (it's actually the other side of the scoreboard, I believe), doesn't give me any appreciation for what I think is still one of the most beautiful parks in Major League Baseball. This picture is taken from the parking lot, where you see light poles, an imposing length of fence, and --- weee! -- a Time War...

(If  you do an online search for "cardboard appreciation" guess whose blog pops up first? I've got to get that phrase copyrighted. Time for Cardboard Appreciation. This is the 108th in a series): The first time I went to a major league ballpark, I was freaked out. I was just shy of my 13th birthday and it was my first time in New York City since I was 2 years old. The traffic and the crowds and the pushy nature of the people unnerved me. As we walked through the underground parking garage on our way to Yankee Stadium, I made sure I was around those that I knew and looked between every car with suspicion. I had read and heard about Yankee Stadium in the past. The fans were loud and obnoxious. They threw things at my favorite team during the 1977 World Series. They lacked class and certainly didn't behave in the way that I was taught. But when I finally reached my seat and took in the entire game, I enjoyed it immensely. The strangers around me were pleasant, a...