The Start Of A New Collection: Pocket Schedules

I recently embarked on starting 3 new collections; 2 for the Yankees PC and one of a player that never played a game for the Yankees. Today, I am going to discuss my new Yankees pocket schedule collection.

Collecting pocket schedules is something I have thought about collecting, but never really pursued them the way I would an autograph or a bobble-head. I always picked up a pocket schedule when I went to a Yankees game or was in a team store. I would pick it up, look it over then just casually put it aside, never really looking at it again.

I remember as a kid eagerly awaiting the release of the Preliminary schedules the Yankees would release in February. I remember going to Yankee Stadium with my buddies to pick up these larger schedules that would give you the dates of games, price of admission and would hawk their season ticket packages. As a kid, I would always look for the SGA dates, but those were never released on the preliminary schedules. I always saved them until my mom would tell me they were clutter and toss them out. I wish I still had them.

I have always wanted to collect yearbooks and programs, but with the prices on those being a bit high, I realize that pocket schedules fit my budget and also gave you a glimpse into where the team was at that point in their history. It's pretty cool looking through them, seeing where the team was on my birthday, what they gave out that year and the price of tickets at that point. The prices have skyrocketed from when I started going to games, I can tell you.

I don't have many in my collection right now, just 9 schedules, 6 of them are Yankees . I am pretty sure I have more somewhere, but here are the ones I have right now:

1970 Yankees Schedule. This I just picked up of eBay for a low price. I had seen other 1970 schedules go for as much as 20.00 and that was a price I was looking to avoid. I got this one for under 5 bucks and the seller included a 1966 Topps Yankees Team Card which I need for my Yankees card PC.

2004 Yankees Schedule. I had this one in a drawer with some other pocket schedules. The condition is not bad, but not great. There's fraying on the top of it. When I can, I will replace this one.

2007 Yankees Schedule. Another which falls into a less than perfect conditioned schedule. 

2008 Yankees Schedule. As with the others, the condition is not the greatest. Fraying on the bottom of the schedule this time. This season is near and dear to my heart. I got to the Futures Game for All Star Weekend and got to enjoy my final few times in a place I considered my second home. I am not ashamed to say I cried while watching the Yankees take the final lap around the Stadium as Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York" played in the background. I miss that place to this day.

2009 Yankees Preliminary Schedule. Without a doubt this is in the worst shape of all my schedules. Would actually be in perfect shape if not for all the water marks on it. The good thing about collecting pocket schedules is that these are all easily replaced at a great price. 

2013 Yankees Schedule. Picked this one up at the Yankees team store recently. The Yankees have started printing up multiple schedules with different players on the cover. I have this Jeter.

And this Teixeria, which I keep in my Teixeria PC Binder along with the 2008 Braves Schedule with Tex on the cover. I also picked up an Andy Pettitte Schedule which I forgot to scan. 

I also have a few non-Yankees pocket schedules:

2012-13 New York Knicks Schedule with Carmello Anthony, Tyson Chandler and Amar'e Stoutmire on the cover. Grabbed this at MSG when I was in the area. I also grabbed a 2012-2013 New York Rangers schedule which is definitely for trade. 

2009 Staten Island Yankees Schedule. I was a season ticket holder with them for 5 years and this is the only schedule I managed to pick up. I will pick up this years when I take in a game, for sure.

2007-08 New Jersey Devils Schedule. It's beat up, that's for sure. But I won't be replacing it as it's from my very first Devils game. I have been a fan since the 1990-91 season and never made it out to the Meadowlands to see a game, but went to the celebration they had for the 2002 Stanley Cup, go figure. I had this schedule in my pocket the whole game and it came out in pretty bad shape because of it. Because of the sentimental value, it will stay in my collection. 

My goal with my Yankees pocket schedule is to collect from 1970 seasons to present day, same with the Jets and Knicks. With the Devils, I'll start with their first season and move on from there. I just need to find pocket pages that fit them as the nine pocket pages are too small for the current schedules.

I am looking forward to add to my pocket schedule collection. I think it's a fun and cheap way to enjoy your teams history as well as they are cool to look through. If you also collect schedules, leave the link to your collection in the comments below. I would love to look at your collection.

New Teixeria Additions

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a huge Mark Teixeira fan. So much that he is the focus of one of my player collections. I'm currently collection Tex, Tino Martinez and Roberto Clemente for baseball, Wayne Chrebet for football, Mike Bossy and Martin Brodeur for hockey and David Lee and Patrick Ewing for basketball. A lot of player collections, I know. But it makes collecting that much more fun because you not just limited to cards. There are other stuff like bobble heads, figurines, magazines and other oddball items you can add to your collections.

Right now, my Teixeria collection stands at 281 different cards in my collection. I believe there are a few more that I'm sitting on that I haven't scanned yet, so that number may grow. My goal is to have 400 different Teixeria cards by the end of 2013. I believe that's a goal I can easily attain if I keep spending money, lol. 

Here are the newest additions:

These are from different members in my Team Collectors community

My buddy Kerry sent me these Tex cards as well as a Braves schedule with Teixeria on it's cover

I'm hoping Tex will be back this season. The wrist injury he suffered while hitting off a tee while with Team USA seems to be more serious than initially thought. The Yankees will need his bat nd glove at first base if they have a shot at repeating as AL East Division Champions. Maybe one day I will post my favorite Teixeira cards in my collection. I just wanted to update this blog as I have not done so in a while, concentrating on other things. With baseball season coming soon, I will be posting more often on here. Hopefully, it will be a great season for Tex and the Yankees.

Issues With My Blog

So, I have been wanting to post a blog for a while, but for some reason, I can't post pics. I tried to post from my computer at work (relax, I was at lunch) and the same thing happened. I'm unable to post any pictures.

Until I figure out how to fix the problem or just restart this blog elsewhere, I won't be able to post anything. Really sucks too.

Anyone have any idea's?

My Sports Collecting New Years Resolutions

Everyone has them. Some keep them, while others will try for a day or so then revert back to their usual ways. I have resolutions just like everyone else. Personal, and otherwise. For this blog, I will list my ten sports collecting resolutions for the upcoming year, in no particular order:

-Organize

This seems to be a resolution every year for me, but I do really need to organize my boxes upon boxes upon boxes of Yankees, Jets, Knicks, Islanders and Devils cards. I have already started with the Yankees, which take up the bulk of my collection. Organizing usually is a calming thing for me. To sit down and go through all my cards, seeing cards I forgot I have, putting them into their proper boxes is a soothing thing for me, but when my back starts hurting, the repetiton and finally the reality that for as much work as I put in to the organizing, I barely make a dent in the organizing. This year though, I vow to see it through so I can finally see what I have, scan and catelouge the cards. I really want to know just how many cards I have already.

-Complete Team Sets

I believe I have completed Yankee team sets going back to the early 70's. I would love to do the same for the Jets, Knicks and Islanders.

-More Vintage

For all the Yankee cards I have in my collection; my pre-1973 Yankee collection is not very good. This is an area I would love to spend some time working on this upcoming year. I have some cards from then 1950's and a few more from the 1960's, but I would love to get as close to completing some team sets as possible. I know I might never own a Mickey Mantle card as he is very expensive, but if I can get close to completing some team sets, I might be able to justify my spending a little extra on some Mantles to finish off the sets.

I have already started picking up some vintage NY Jets cards from the 1960's, including picking up my first Joe Namath card from a 1971 Topps game. I would love to pick up some more as well as grabbing some early 1960's NY Titans cards.

The vintage pick ups doesn't have to end with sports cards, oh no. There are a lot of other cool stuff I want. This past year I picked up a 1969 NY Jets program from Shea Stadium. I would love to grab some more as well as old Yankee, Knicks, Islander programs. I have also kept my eye on those old Yankee popcorn holders that turn into megaphones from the 1950's, pins, pucks, etc. There just so many vintage items that can be added for a great price.

-Jerseys

I love Jerseys. I think they look great and I love wearing them. Problem with them is they are usually just so expensive. I'm not a big fan of knock-off's which is why I have to save up and buy them directly from the stores.

There are a couple I would really love to add to my wardrobe this year:

Mike Bossy

Patrick Ewing

Joe Namath

Mickey Mantle

Martin Brodeur Throwback

I actually have the Devils Throwback jersey. It's never been worn and it has a plain back. I have been meaning to customize it to a Brodeur jersey, but I want his original #29 on the back along with the NHL Anniversery patch as well as the NJ Devils 10th anniversey patch on the lower back by the CCM logo. I would love to have the jersey look like the one he wore when he came up with the team.

I realize I have to be careful buying jerseys off the internet. There are a lot of fakes out there and as a jersey novice, I could be taken for a sucker by one of these places.

-Add More Player PC

I have a few players who I currently collect. Right now, I collect Tino Martinez, Mark Teixeira, Mike Bossy, Martin Brodeur, Patrick Ewing and Wayne Chrebet. I collect anything with their likeness from cards, to figures to magazines, even cereal boxes have made their way into my player collections. I'm always on the hunt for more.

-Autographs, Autographs, Autographs

This past year I rediscovered my love of autographs. I have been adding to my collection either in person or through the mail or buying the autographs certified. This year, I would like to continue adding to my collections. I am working on Yankees, Jets, Knicks, Islanders and Devils players. I have also been working on a signed puck collection from NHL 500 Goal Scorers and I want to continue that as well. I will also look to add Hall Of Famers and other players of importance to my collection.

There are other things I would love to pick up like game used items, but stuff like that is too expensive. Maybe one day I could add a Tino game used bat or a Martin Broduer game used stick.

Hopefully this is a list that I can stick with. Of course, not everything can and will be accomplished but if I can get as much of this list in the new year I will consider it a successful one.

My First Visit To Met Life Stadium

I have been a Jets fan since the 1980 season. Dispite being a Jets fan for so long, I have only been to about 4 games. 1 at Shea Stadium and the other 3 at Giants Stadium, including the final game there. So whenever I get a chance to go to a Jets game I leap at the opportnity. One of my bosses at work gave me the owner of the company's seats for today's game against the San Diego Chargers. Would have liked to have seen a win today, especially since I have yet to see a Jets home loss, but alas, today was the day that streak ended. But enough with the unpleasent stuff. On to the pictures.

The view from my seats

Holiday Greetings from the Jets

Yes, The Sexy Geek wanted to have his picture taken

Game On!



I got autographs from former Jets Tony Richardson and Ken O'Brien.

 

I love that helmet card. I'm going to see if I can find those and use them for TTM'ing.

I was also able to go home with a free Snoopy doll, which will go with the Snoopy bobbleheads I have, a banner, foam finger and t-shirt. I was also able to add a new bobblehead SGA to my collection. They give you a card and you take it to any participating P.C. Richards and you get this:

Ok, I didn't get just 1 card. I got a bunch and walked away with 3 Muhammed Wilkinson bobbleheads. Actually, 4. My buddy gave his. I'm keping one and trading the other 3. Looking for Yankee, Jets, Knicks and Islanders bobbles as well as baseball HOF'ers.

I had a great time at the game. The stadium is beautiful and I hope I can go back and see multiple games over the next few years. It's a great place to watch a football game plus the food is pretty good too. If you can get to watch a game at Met Life Stadium, I would highly reccomend it.

More Bossy and a TTM Success!

I love nothing more than opening my mailbox and finding envelopes full of cards, autographs or other goodies. Going to the Post Office has been something I look forward to during my lunch breaks and when I see something in my box, I'm happy. It helps when I have a bad morning at the office. Makes me a lot happier to go back.

So, what did I get?

I picked up this NHL Legends Bossy/Pavel Bure Essence Of The Game insert. I am sorely lacking on Bossy inserts, so I have to pick up the pace and this addition is a step in the right direction.

I also grabbed this 2012 ITG Superlative Bossy game used jersey card. I got a great deal on it, so I pulled the trigger on it.

Former Denver Bronco/New York Jet Steve Atwater signed my pic and custom in 17 days. Atwater was an 8 time Pro Bowl selection and a 2 time Super Bowl Champion with the Broncos. He played with Denver from 1989-98 before winding up his career with a year with the Jets.

The end of one week, the beginning of another. Hope there's more goodies in my mailbox.