1970 Senators Headshot Portraits

On Thursday 27 December 2012 I got some vintage stuff (and some of it looks it) from Ebay for $7.99 + $4.15 shipping. I bid on the lot mostly for the Senators pictures (4.25x7) that look like they came from a magazine? yearbook maybe? Very yellowed and all have pushpin or staple holes. they are from 1970 (since there is Aurelio Rodriguez and it looks like he was only a Senator in 1970).

I don't know much about them other than what I have said they are on the standard wood pulp paper that was used for newspapers and some magazines back in the day. Their edges are a clean straight cut so I don't think they were cut out by hand.

Their blank backs suggest either they were in some sort of album together or were team issued as promotional portrait photos. From the marks/stains on the Aurelio Rodriguez and Dick Bosman backs (shown respectively) it appears that these things had either been stored for a long time in a stack of various papers and cardboard, or on a bulletin board, or in a scrapbook maybe?

Back of Aurelio Rodriguez photo

Back of Dick Bosman Photo

 

Dick Bosman RHP #27

Ed Brinkman Shortstop #11

Paul Casanova Catcher #8

Joe Coleman RHP #20

Mike Epstein Firstbase #6

Frank Howard Outfield/Firstbase #33

(main reason I picked up this lot)

Aurelio Rodriguez Thirdbase #2

Ed Stroud Outfield #36

The wavy lines on the photos is not the photos themselves it was my scanner on an off day.

The lot also included some Non-Senators cards/memorabilia four 1970 Topps Scratch Offs inserts, three of which were unscratched one had one box scratched off. None of them have the scorecard on the back marked up. There were also Two (well 1.5 really) 1970 Topps Story Booklets Inserts one of them only has the cover page sheet (front and back covers inside and out) it is missing the inside page which is pages 3-6.

Senators Mentioned in this post:
Dick Bosman
Ed Brinkman
Paul Casanova
Joe Coleman
Mike Epstein
Frank Howard
Aurelio Rodriguez
Ed Stroud

The Chief Is Back: Only Not In DC

The Chief Returns from Retirement:

But Not as a Nat

2006 Upper Deck SP Authentic 99 Chad Cordero Nationals

Chad and Brian Schneider after a road win circa 2006 (Getty Images?)

Chad Cordero is returning from his brief way too soon retirement and making a comeback attempt with the Angels. Nationals fans will remember "The Chief" (as Chad was known) was the closer of the later years of the Expos and transitioned into the first few of years with the Nationals. After leaving the Nationals he was briefly with the Mariners. Chad missed some playing time due to injury and didn't really get back to his best. He "retired" on 20 June 2011, and most recently on 13 February 2013 he signed a Minor League Contract with the Angels. I wish him the best on his return and hope he can make his way back to the Majors.

Related Articles:
Angels sign reliever Chad Cordero to minor league deal
Chad Cordero making a comeback with the Angels
Chad Cordero making comeback from injury, tragedy
Cordero making inspirational comeback



Nationals Mentioned in this Post:
Chad Cordero
Brian Schneider

First Curly W Anniversary

Today at this exact post time marks the FIRST ANNIVERSARY of Curly W Cards! Who would have thunked that the first year I decieded to blog about Nationals cards they would finish FIRST in the National League East and have their first Playoff Run? (OK second for the franchise but first with Curly Ws)

Wish I had thought of it sooner, the blogging about the Nats thing. For this past year (2012) sadly I was so caught up in the excitement of being in first place in the division almost all year and then playing in October that I didn't do much of my own writing here. Hopefully I can be motivated enough to improve here (and on my other blogs) this year.

image via www.natsenquirer.com

Racing Presidents Get Another Runner

 

One of the fun things that goes on at Nationals Park each game is the 4th inning Race of the Presidents (sponsored by GEICO). The tradition of this race started in 2005 on the scoreboard at RFK when the newly relocated Expos now Nationals moved into DC. The original race was sponsored by PNC Bank and had the common Dollar Presidents racing in go-carts the Presidents featured were: George Washington ($1), Abraham Lincoln ($5), and Alexander Hamilton ($10) (I wonder why they didn't have Ulysses S. Grant ($20) in the race? Cheapos). The next season 2006 the race was still on the video screen but was changed from a car race to a footrace and now had the Mount Rushmore Four: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt. Then mid-season after the all-star break the race became a "live" event with runners in "mascot" costumes of the "Rushmore Four" with huge foam heads (which often are the cause of some embarrassing falls). Sometimes the 'Dents race in the period suits we are used to seeing them in, but I think most of the time now they race in their own Nats Uniforms with their uniform number being that of their presidency (George 1, Tom 3, Abe 16, Teddy 26 and now Bill 27).

Well for the 2013 season the team decided to add a fifth President to the race. The choice was announced at Natsfest on Saturday 26 January 2013. The identity was a big mystery, after some speculation of which President is was; guesses ranged from FDR to JFK to even still living presidents Clinton and Obama. The decision was made and William Howard Taft "Bill" will join George, Tom, Abe and Teddy. It makes the most sense considering Taft threw out the very first ceremonial "Presidential first pitch" on opening day, and supposedly is responsible for the 7th inning stretch.


Racing President's Sites: (and related sites/posts)
For more race details Wikipedia Presidents Race Page.
Let Teddy Win Blog
Nationals Mascots Racing Presidents
Nationals Mascots Racing Presidents Appearances
Racing Presidents Standings
Washington Post Announcement

Frank Howard: Roast On The Coast

Let me preface this post by mentioning how I became aware of this particular event. At work my current duties are that of a receptionist, due to the internet, smartphones, crackberries - er - blackberries, email and various other ways to contact people other than a land-line phone, a receptionists duties are not just answering the phone anymore. [Note: I should have said that answering the phone is almost NOT a duty of the receptionist anymore] At my particular office since most people have direct phone lines and extensions there is very little need to go the roundabout way of calling an operator/receptionist. Anyway part of those duties are visitor control for my particular area, signing the visitors into our area and contacting whoever it is they are seeing. It sometimes means that you will run into someone who is trying to solicit something or get sensitive information from you.  Well back in November or December of last year 2012 a gentleman approached me at my lobby/desk looking like someone who was going to go into a sales pitch. OH GREAT a solicitor, quick where is security?

The man was Charlie Haje he introduced himself and mentioned the "Working Warrior Nation" organization, he started into talking about baseball and that he was a personal friend of Frank Howard. Then he handed me a couple of these flyers and told me about the event. He mentioned that Frank "didn't know about the roast" it was a "surprise". I didn't believe him at first but after I checked the organization on the internet I found out that the organization (and the roast) was legit.

I think it would have been a cool event to have gone to but at $500 a pop minimum that was a bit too rich for me, as are many similar type events. I also thought it would probably be too rich for my co-workers so instead of posting the flyers or leaving them out since there were just two of them I kept them for souvenirs. I had forgotten the actual date of it until I looked at it again and noticed it was two Saturdays ago. I thought it was sometime in February. Oops! [Note: I was planning on waiting till just after the event or the weekend of it to blog about it.]

 Frank Howard "Roast On The Coast" Flyer
(Front and Back)

When I had first checked this out the event was listed on the Working Warrior Nation website, but since it has now past it was of course taken down. I am curious as to how the evening went. I looked to see if there were any reviews but the only mentions I can find on a Google search is some PRE-views and the occasional sports forum mention asking if anyone is planning on going to it or what it was supposed to be about. Again these are all PRE-Event notices.

Frank Howard 1970 Portrait/Clipping (Team Issued?)

Oh well the latest I've heard about Frank oddly enough is that Current National Roger Bernadina is planning on wearing number 33 this 2013 season. This is prompting people to ask if the Nationals should retire #33 as Frank's Number? So far Roger's number is still listed as being number 2.

Senators/Nationals Mentioned in this Post:

Roger Bernadina

Frank Howard

Five 1962 Post Senators

 1962 Post Cereal 65, 66, 67, 71 and 72 Senators (Fronts and Backs)

From Ebay I got a Five Pack of 1962 Post Washington Senators. The cost was relatively cheap $8.44 + $3.95 shipping. They all have nice straight edges. At one point they might have been "trimmed" to make the edges even straighter. I don't really care that much I don't plan on selling them. I won't say much about them except for one of them and my concern about it and possibly the rest.

1962 Post Cereal 65 Dale Long Senators

 1962 Post Cereal 66 Chuck Cottier Senators

It is a little hard to see in the scan but there is an oddity with Chuck's card. If you look carefully on the upper right of his head  you can make out a sort of square shape, that is from a piece of yellowed cellophane tape attempting to hold the corner on to the cardboard backing. Sigh! Maybe that one is a fake. If it is then maybe all five are fakes UGH. But why would someone try to fake these? They don't seem to be worth it. If it is a fake then it was made sometime ago as the tape is yellowed and the tape stain on the back of the paper is also yellowed. I really hope if is not counterfeit but if it is OH Well.

 1962 Post Cereal 67 Billy Klaus Senators

 1962 Post Cereal 71 Gene Woodling Senators

1962 Post Cereal 72 Gene Green Senators

Senators Mentioned in this post:
Chuck Cottier
Gene Green
Billy Klaus
Dale Long
Gene Woodling

Tis The Season: Awards 2012

Wow Congrats to the Nats on the very cool individual awards that have been received for the 2012 season. I'm getting to this about a week late or so because I was lazy with the scanning (plus I didn't have some 2012 cards of some of the players so I had to improvise) So without further ado and little pomp here they are:

First Baseman Adam LaRoche received his first Golden Glove Award:

 2011 Topps Allen and Ginters 167 Adam LaRoche Nationals

Adam also received his first Silver Slugger Award for NL first basemen:

Adam is the second National to double-dip the Golden Glove with the Silver Slugger. Back in 2009 3rd baseman Ryan Zimmerman double-dipped. Z-Man also got a Silver Slugger in 2010. This year for 2012 he was awarded the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award.

2012 Topps Heritage 494 Ryan Zimmerman Nationals

LaRoche wasn't the only Silver Slugger for DC this past season:

Shortstop Ian Desmond won his first Silver Slugger despite the injuries that kept him out for part of the season:

 2012 Topps Heritage 149 Ian Desmond Nationals

So they thought they'd shut him down huh? Well even with having a September Shut Down - September is supposed to be for Call Ups - Right-handed bullet slingger Stephen Strasburg won the Silver Slugger for Pitchers and yep it's his first ever.

2012 Topps Heritage 291 Stephen Strasburg Nationals

Hey even an Ex-Nat won his first Silver Slugger. Josh Willingham who is now on the Twins.

2010 Upper Deck Baseball Series 1 Season Biography

SB-132 Josh Willingham Nationals

The Nats also received two big big awards:

Not only did 19 year old Bryce Harper end up being a Rookie All-Star he won the coveted NL Rookie Of The Year Award:

2012 Topps Update WalMart Blue Variation 

US183 Bryce Harper Nationals

And Skipper Davey Johnson got the NL Manager Of the Year Award. It is his second MOY Award his first was 15 years ago for the AL when he was skipper for the Orioles.

2012 Topps Heritage 402 Davey Johnson Nationals

The 2012 Season saw the Nationals win First Place in the NL East sending them to their First Ever Playoffs in the NLDS (OK so back in 1981 The Expos went to the Playoffs and went as far as the NLCS but lost that one). Unfortunately they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals.


Related Links:
Two from MASN Sports Nationals Pastime Blog
Five Nationals Receive MVP Votes
Gonzalez finishes third in NL Cy Young voting


Nationals mentioned in this post:
Ian Desmond
Bryce Harper
Davey Johnson
Adam LaRoche
Stephen Strasburg
Josh Willingham
Ryan Zimmerman

Screech Mascot Monday at CK42

At my regular card blog I posted my semi-regular Mascot Monday post this episode covers Screech (thus this cross-over post). You can view it at this link: Mascot Monday: Screech.

 2007 Topps Baseball Opening Day - 215 Screech Nationals (Front)

I am trying to make my MM posts a regular thing, but haven't been consistent yet. One of these days maybe I will. I am always on the lookout for Mascot cards. I also accept Mascot Postcards and team issued promo cards/photos of mascots.

Almost there, but not quite

The 2012 MLB Season is almost over. Just 3 more games to play. The Nats have clinched a spot in the playoffs, and are hanging on to first place in the NL East, but they need just ONE win to clinch the division with the Braves only 3 games back.

I feel like the situation in the song "T-E-A-M (The Baseball Game)" from the musical "You're A Good Man Charlie Brown". All we have to do is win JUST ONE MORE GAME and the championship division is ours. (The video below I found on youtube and is from one of the cartoon specials)

In the Charlie Brown song the entire outcome hangs on Charlie Brown and of course things don't go too well for him. This season things have been going pretty good for the Nats due to the pitching and clutch hits and spectacular defensive plays from several of team. One of those players Michael Morse has made several clutch hits. Then there was this grand slam that was very strange:Micheal Morse Grand Slam rewind

All in all the Nats need to focus on the game. I was going to link to a video or even the music to "The Game" from the Musical Damn Yankees but I couldn't find the version from the movie [EDIT: UGH That is right that song was cut for the movie, not sure if it was ever in the script for the movie at all.] I found "Heart (You've Gotta Have)" from the movie but not "The Game". OH Well since I've talked about clutch hitting why not?

Its Fun Being At Number One!

 To paraphrase Mel Brooks' movie "History of the World: Part I" - "It's Good to be number one!"

Something that has been absent from baseball's return to the Nation's Capital has been a Winning Season. Being number one in the division is something that hasn't happened for the Nationals except in the first half of the inaugural 2005 season, and maybe for one or two games at the beginning of some of the other seasons.

The 2012 MLB Season has been a very good one for the Washington Nationals. They have been first in the NL East for most of it. Since sometime in early August they have somehow managed to top most of the many internet "Power Ranking" lists, even when in a losing streak. On some of the lists they are still at number one but on a couple of them they have slipped down to number two or lower. The end of the season will tell all though. Many teams have enjoyed being on top all season long only to take a nosedive at the end of the season.

The current Montreal Expos franchise as the Washington Nationals has not had a winning season. The closest they have gotten was in the inaugural 2005 season when they went .500 with 81 wins 81 loses and last season 2011 when they had 80 wins and 81 loses with one postponed game that was never made up. Had that game been played and they won, which at that time of the season they were hot enough to win, they would have matched the 2005 season. The last winning season for the Franchise was 2003 (83 wins 79 loses .512 avg). As for Washington baseball history the Senators were in three World Series 1924, 1925, and 1933 but only won it in the 1924 Series beating the Then NEW YORK Giants, they would lose to those very same Giants in the '33 series and the Pittsburgh Pirates in '25. In all the rich history of DC Baseball there has been more losing than winning. You have to go back to 1969 for the Senators last winning season of 86 wins 76 loses.

From a Washington Post article earlier this year: "Even losing baseball was better than no baseball. This year marks the 79th year of major league baseball in Washington. In that time, area fans have been treated to just 18 seasons of above-.500 ball but only once in the past half-century"

So you can see that a winning baseball team in DC is a VERY BIG DEAL to the longtime area fans who went many years without ANY baseball. Forgive us if we are not very humble this season and remind you of Philadelphia Phillies Fans. Those fans are frustrated this year and should be humble because they are used to a winning team that is currently losing. They (The Phillies) have a slight chance of having another winning season so I guess that humility of theirs won't be around very long if they have it at all. The Nats on the other hand are almost guaranteed to have a winning season with only needing to win 4 of the next 33 games. So even if the Nats fail to make the playoffs, which is another subject completely, fans like me will be very very happy and proud of our team this season.

UPDATE: D'oh! I forgot to mention the biggest reason for this is that the Nats pitching this season has been phenomenal. The individual starters might not be the best five pitchers in all the league but the whole combination apparently is getting the job done. All season long the team has had the lowest runs allowed against them in the league, even with a few games getting away from them and being blown out.

GO NATS GO!

Yahoo Sports Power Rankings (first power ranking list to have the Nats in first place this season): http://sports.yahoo.com/news/power-rankings-nationals-yankees-rangers-bryce-harper-manny-machado-roy-oswalt.html
ESPN Power Rankings Week 22: http://espn.go.com/mlb/powerrankings/_/season/2012/week/22


Related Links:
http://www.citizensofnatstown.com/home/2012/8/10/riding-that-train.html
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1305776-washington-nationals-are-approaching-some-truly-magic-numbers
http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/veteran-nats-fans-enjoying-rare-winning-season/2012/06/17/gJQAup1zjV_story.html 

Images appearing in the photo collage are by Getty Images, AP, or Reuters except for image of Manager Davey Johnson by USPresswire, and the team photo marked DistrictSportsPage.