May 29, 2012 Renko, McAnally and Gardner

Got back three today.

Steve Renko

Steve started in the Mets organization and then pitched for the Expos for many years.

Ernie McAnally

Mr McAnally pitched for the Expos from 1971 to 1974 going 30-49.

 
 Rob Gardner


I remember seeing Rob Gardner pitch in Yankee Stadium for the Yankees in 1972 when he went 8-5.
  He also pithed for the Mets in the 1960s

 
 

May 28, 2012 200 Ted Schreiber Cards

Went to Adorama  to pick up the 200 Ted Schreiber 1963 Mets custom cards he wanted me to make for him. If you try to get Ted's autograph through the mail, you may get one of these cards.

May 26, 2012

Mailman came really early today, got 4 returns.

Wally Wolf

Wally Wolf pitched in 6 games with the California Angels in 1969-1970 with a 0-0 record. He pitched with the Astros, Reds and Angels farm systems in the 1960s. He sent me a really nice note which I'll post here.

Gene Leek

Gene played for the Indians in 1959 and the Los Angeles Angels 1961 and 62. After that he played in the minors until 1969.

Tom Tischinski

Tom started his career in the Reds organization and was drafted by the Twins in 1967. He made the majors   in 1969 and stayed with the Twins until 1971.

Ray Crone

Ray was a starting pitcher for the 1955-56 Milwaukee Braves.

May 25, 2012 Six Returns Today

Roy Gleason

Roy played for the Dodgers in 1963 and was drafted by the Army and went to Vietnam where he received a Purple Heart. He tried to make it back to the Dodgers after his return but played in the minors in 1969.

He also added his own photo

Rick Kester

Rick Kester pitched for the Atlanta Braves from 1968-1970

Al Weis

Mr Weis played infield for the Chicago White Sox from 1962-1967 and then was traded with Tommie Agee to the NY Mets where they won the World Series in 1969.

Don Taussig

I sent Mr Taussig 3 custom cards and he signed the Colt 45s and the Cardinals cards but didn't sign the Milwaukee Braves card writing that he was never under contract to the Braves. I looked at the photo and it sure looks like Don so I checked BaseballRefernce.com and sure enough he was drafted be the Braves from the Colt 45s in the November 1962 Minor League Draft. Oh well......

Ron Cook

Ron pitched for the Houston Astros in 1970 and 1971, going 4-8 in 48 games. He wrote a very detailed letter about where the photos were taken and asked for copies for his grand kids......plus he pointed out that I made him right handed on the 1969 custom....OOOPPSS. I'll have to fix that before I send him his copies.

Jim Saul

Jim Saul never played in the major leagues but he has been a player or coach for over 50 years in the minor leagues. He signed one of the 1966 customs on the back.

May 24, 2012 Five Returns Today

Good mail day as I got back 5 returns, some got a little damp from all the rain in NYC today.

Jimmie Schaffer

Jimmie was a backup catcher with the Cardinals, Mets, Cubs, White Sox and Reds in the 1960s.

Dan Neville

Mr Neville never pitched in the big leagues but he did appear on a 1965 Topps "Reds Rookie Stars" card. He sent me a nice email and I'll be sending him some copies of the cards.

Bill Parsons

Bill was drafted by the Seattle Pilots in 1968 and pitched for the Brewers in 1971 and 1972 and was 1971 The Sporting News Rookie Pitcher of the Year and he finished second to Chris Chambliss for AL Rookie of the Year.

Bob Botz

Bob was a pitcher for the 1962 LA Angels going 2-1. He spent most of his career with the Milwaukee Braves organization.

Billy Connors

Pitched with the 1966 Cubs and the 1967-68 Mets but is more known for being the pitching coach for several teams and the Yankees three times.

May 23, 2012 Joe Schaffernoth

Joe Schaffernoth

Mr Schaffernoth pitched for the Chicago Cubs from 1959- July 1961 when he was sold to the Cleveland Indians.After the season, he was purchased by the Washington Senators but he never pitched for them in a major league game.

May 21, 2012 Taylor Phillips and Ken MacKenzie

Taylor Phillips

Mr Phillips played for the Milwaukee Braves, Chicago Cubs and  Philadelphia Phillies in the late 1950s. All three photos used to make the cards were originally black and white and were colorized. The 1957 card was my first attempt at a horizontal style to better show the photo.

Ken MacKenzie

Was born in Canada and now lives in Connecticut. Graduated from Yale in 1956 and was a member of the 1962 Mets.

From Wikipedia:  Manager Casey Stengel was quoted that MacKenzie was a great kid. "He's a splendid young fella with a great education from Yale University. His signing with us makes him the lowest paid member of the class of Yale '56

May 19, 2012 Bob Oliver

Got back Bob Oliver today. He was originally signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates and played three games for them in 1965. He eventually stayed in the big leagues in 1969 with the expansion KC Royals. His son is Darren Oliver, who has pitched for almost 20 years in the major leagues. Both Bob and Darren Oliver played with Nolan Ryan.

May 17, 2012 Jerry Hinsley

Got back 1 today and it was from Jerry Hinsley, who pitched for the NY Mets in 1964 and 1967. Got a nice note from his wife asking for copies of the cards.

May 16, 2012 Horace Clarke

One return today and it was from Horace Clarke, one of my favorite Yankees growing up. The 1972 Topps in Action card was one that took a long time to do as I had to find the correct font, arch the the name etc. I'm not sure if I could do it again, I think I forgot.

May 15, 2012

Two returns today.......

Joel Gibson

Joel Gibson never pitched in the major leagues but he did appear on a 1965 Topps White Sox Rookies card.

Pete Lovrich

Mr Lovrich pitched for the 1963 Kansas City Athletics going 1-1 in 20 games

May 14, 2012

Five returns today.....

John Thibdeau

Mr Thibdeau never played in the major leagues but did make an appearance in the 1969 Topps Baseball set on a Red Sox Rookies card with Joe Lahoud He spent his entire baseball in the Red Sox organization, 1963-1970. I found a Black and white photo of John and colorized it to make a 1970 card.

John Matias

Mr Matias played for the White Sox in 1970 as an outfielder. After 1973, he spent 5  years in the Mexican League until 1980

Fred Kendall

Fred was the regular Padres catcher  in the mid 1970s, His son is Jason Kendall, who caught for the Pirates.

Dave Rader

Dave caught for the SF Giants in the 1970s. Dave's wife wrote a nice note about my cards saying "That's so cool". Cool it is.

Bobby Pfeil

Bobby played third base for the 1969 Mets with Wayne Garrett. He was then traded to the Phillies in 1970.

May 12, 2012

Received 4 returns today....

Al Santorini

Al pitched for the Padres and Cardinals in the 1970s. Mr Santorini emailed me a days earlier (I add my email address in my letters) and wrote that he loved the cards especially the one with the high leg kick. I'll be sending him copies of the cards plus an 8 x10 of the pitching pose. He also said he will be moving to NJ soon and gave he his new address.

Morrie Steevens

Yes I know I spelled his name wrong on my cards. Morrie pitched for the Phillies and Cubs in the 1960s

Fred Scherman

Mr Scherman pitched for the Tigers, Astros and Expos in the 1970s.

Danny Kravitz

Mr Kravitz caught for the Pirates from 1956 to mid1960 and finished the season with the Athletics in 1960. The Athletics traded him to the Cincinnati Reds so I made a Jersey City Reds card.

May 11, 2012

Received 3 returns today....

Ted Schrieber

Ted played a little third base for the 1963 Mets. He grew up in Brooklyn, NY and went to Madison High School. He wrote a nice note requesting if he could get a 100 of each of the Mets customs and 10 each of the Seattle Rainiers customs. He included his phone number and told me to give him a call. I will this weekend. All the photos used on his cards were originally black and white and I added a little color to them using Photoshop.

John Herrnstein

John played for the Phillies in the 1960s

Tom Borland

Mr Borland pitched for the Red Sox from 1960-61

May 10, 2012 5 Returns

After no returns for the last two days, I got back 5 today.

Joe Moock

Joe Moock played 13 games for the 1967 Mets and ended up in the Montreal Expos organization in 1969. I sent Joe 3 customs to sign but he kept the 2 Expos but at least sent back the Mets.

He Kept These Two....

Bob Bowman

Bob played the outfield with the Philadelphia Phillies from 1955 to 1959. The Phils sort of tried to convert him to a pitcher and he pitched in 5 games in 1959. The 1961 Buffalo Bisons and the1957 cards w/ Roy Smalley Sr were B&W photos.

Bob Conley

Mr Conley pitched in 2 games for the 1958 Phillies with no decisions. All three photos that I used for the cards were black and whites that I colorized.

Roy Face

Another member of my TTM Hall of Fame, Mr face signed 3 custom cards. I have a ton of nice images of Mr Face as a Pirate but I wanted something different so I made a Tigers and an Expos card, the last two teams he played for.

Steve Blass

Steve was a great pitcher for the Pirates for 10 years and then all of sudden, he couldn't find the plate. He was the star of the 1971 World Series along with Roberto Clemente.

May 5, 2012 George Thomas and Bruce Howard

George Thomas

Mr Thomas played almost 15 years in the big leagues with the Tigers, Angels and Red Sox

Bruce Howard

Bruce Howard pitched for the White Sox, Orioles and Senators. His son, David Howard, played for the KC Royals in the 1990s.