I was checking out the latest episode of "Back on Topps" (www.backontopps.com) - comedy series that is based on fictional heirs to the Topps Co. While this show is getting away from anything actually related to the hobby, the name Steve Balboni did pop up in one of the episodes.

This reminds of some of the players I loved to make fun of growing up. Ron Kittle was another. I don't know, I just thought the name was funny. I also got a kick out of Chet Lemon, Dan Quisenberry, Mark Brouhard (the blowhard) and Mookie Wilson. Sometimes these are a lot funnier in a 10-year-old's mind.

Balboni also recalls some big boppers that quickly faded out. Kevin Maas comes to mind, as well. Dan Pasqua anyone? What about Kevin Reimer? I know this is like picking names out of the air, but these are names that stick with me, even the players didn't stick in the majors long.

Some day we might say the same of David Price, or Matt Garza. Arm injuries are omnipresent in pitchers. That's why we have to enjoy these players when they are performing well, so we can say we saw them when - no matter how short or far down the road that might be.

Anyone out there have some favorite "no-names" from the past that still roll around their memory banks?

Let's go Rays! Let's go Rays!

This team has captured my viewing attention. What great young talent. They can hit and pitch. While TV ratings might be down, this is exactly what baseball needs – any team can win any year.

Auctions
I was doing a little traveling online, checking out some of the upcoming auctions. There is some sweet stuff coming up for sale. Over at Game Used Universe, they are once again offering game-used jerseys in all different sports. Among the highlights are game-used jerseys of Cal Ripken Jr. (1988), Nolan Ryan (1980s Astros), Peyton Manning (2006 road) and many more.

And if you need to find any information on one of the pieces, just check out the Game Used Universe forums and ask questions. It's a nice little system.

Also, Ironclad Auctions is offering items from the last game played at Yankee Stadium. They offer game-used pieces from the final Brian Roberts (Orioles) at-bat. they also have items from Cal Ripken Jr., Eddie Murray and other stars.

And I read in a report over the weekend that Guernsey's auction of final Yankee Stadium artifacts didn't go over that well. Having not seen the results myself at this time, I can't say for sure. But the article mentioned how the economy was forcing people not to buy as much. That would be true, but the high reserves might also have something to do with it.  

   

I'm going to just come right out and ask because I really don't know the answer. With football games played in London and Mexico, basketball games in China and baseball games played in Mexico, Puerto Rico, etc., is there the same appeal for items like trading cards in those countries? And if not, why don't companies make a better effort to target their products there?

You couldn't sell the high-end items in some of these countries - there just wouldn't be the demand for it - but general trading cards of their "American" heroes would go over very well. Basketball players in particular are looked at like gods in Asia. Now imagine those same fans scrounging up basketball cards.

The one thing where I see this wouldn't work is there are only a handful of players that foreign countries (now a foreign concept since players in any professional sports now come from many different countries) would be interested in. I'm not sure a card of T.J. Ford will get the same response as a Tracy McGrady one.

But we are talking about millions of people - an untapped resource. Another hurdle, come to think of it, might be the Communist controls in China. I'm pretty sure they like to control what's offered to the masses. It's not a free market like we have here in the U.S.

I'd be interested in some of the programs either underway or on the way from manufacturers. It looks like I just gave myself a homework assignment.

In case anyone was wondering from last week's quick quiz answer on the Johnny Pesky item that sold for the most doing a week of sales on eBay. The highest-priced item was:

The 1952 Topps card graded PSA 7.

To see what the choices were, scroll further down.

I was doing a bit of traveling around the beautiful Wisconsin landscape this past weekend (the fall colors are amazing and it was actually warm, too). As I drove by schools, ball fields and open lots, I noticed the lack of any kids playing outdoors, whether it be throwing a football, hitting baseballs or shooting hoops in the driveway.

When I was growing up, the local baseball field always had people playing on it (even if it was just a dad throwing balls to his son), and now when I visit the town again, the field always seems to be empty. I live close to an elementary school, with plenty of neighborhood kids running around - and yet I rarely find a game being played on the expansive school grounds on the weekends (these fields are filled with soccer players in the summer months).

So if these kids aren't playing sports outside, what are they doing? Homework on a Saturday afternoon? I doubt it. Have video games taken up that much attention of kids? Are they all inside watching Texas take on Oklahoma?

And what does this mean for sports cards and other sports memorabilia? If kids aren't playing sports on a leisurely basis, do they care about them at all? And if they don't care about sports, surely they don't card about collecting sports memorabilia.

So where does that leave the future of the hobby? Is soccer going to be the "hit" thing in years to come because that's what sport seems to be growing the most? I would find that hard to believe, but those fields sure aren't filled with playing baseballs and footballs.

Each week in Sports Collectors Digest, Don Fluckinger - who also serves as the guru behind the massive Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards - offers a "Quick Quiz" in which he picks a player and then lists five different collectibles related to that player.

It's up to the reader to choose which item sold for the most on eBay. It's a fun quiz, and it's fun to see what nets the highest bid versus what you guess. Sometimes it's an autographed game-used jersey. Other times it's a parallel autograph card.

The latest installment asks this question:
 
Name the Johnny Pesky item that nailed the highest bid ($361) on eBay:

1.) 1947 Tip Top Bread card
2.) 2005 Topps Retired Certified Auto
3.) Signed Rawlings Big Stick bat
4.) 1952 Topps, Blank Back
5.) 1952 Topps, PSA 7

Well, what do you think? I'll have the answer for you on Monday. Happy sports watching this weekend.

While I am far too old to be trick or treating, I do enjoy handing out the goods at the door when the witching hour calls. And while I could devote this entire blog to kids lack of costume originality these days (if they dress up at all), I'll refrain.

What I also hand out aside from candy are sports cards to the kids. These are usually single cards (not whole packs), but kids don't seem to mind. I ask them what their favorite sport is and then their favorite player. If I have one, I'll give it to them, or I'll let them sift through and pick their own.

And all kinds of cards are popular. From racing cards to WNBA cards, they are all well received, and not once has someone complained I wasn't offering patch cards or autographed cards.  I do slip some of those in, and then the kids are really happy.

Most of the kids that come to the door are on the younger side (not above age 11), and I think it's great to expose them to the hobby. Now that I have been in the area for a few years, kids now come to the door expecting the cards  and a few (though not many) share what they have opened on their own.

So give this a try this Halloween. It's a lot more fun than tossing a Twix mini candy bar in the bag and off they go. With cards, now we'll have something to talk about when they ride their bikes around the neighborhood while I'm walking the dog.

As a member of a publication that caters to consumers, we get a lot of press releases from many different types of companies – manufacturers, dealers, auction houses, new product outlets and many others (and this doesn't even count the lovely spam e-mail that has infiltrated our system in the past few days).

But what astounds me on a frequent basis is just how poorly written some of these press releases are. I mean sometimes the names of the athletes mentioned aren't even spelled right. Now if you were representing someone or offering products based on a certain athlete's playing days, wouldn't you at least get that right? If something is spelled wrong in an athlete's name in the release, I take that to immediately mean that either this company doesn't know what they are doing and hence not that reputable, or they are way too careless – and that's something that will reflect in their business practices and/or products, as well.

And if you do want your products printed in a magazine, it's usually a good idea to know what the magazine actually publishes first. Tuff Stuff's Sports Collectors Monthly doesn't usually cover sports-themed bath toys or the latest batting tee that will make your youngster the next Albert Pujols. Some days it's almost like telemarketers calling here at work, only its college PR people peddling products.

And lastly, proper punctuation is usually a good thing. Missing commas, run-on sentences and the aforementioned misspelled words jump off the page immediately, again lending to a lack of credibility.

I'm not perfect in my grammar, but at least in everything that I write, I run spell-check and at least make sure I have a proper grasp on the english language. Sadly, most companies don't follow the same guidelines.

Having attended both of the Milwaukee Brewers home playoff games (hey, at least they got two games at home before bowing out), I was struck by the fandom displayed. I'll be honest, I've never been to a baseball game where I never sat down at some point. It was like high school football games all over again.

From the first pitch to the end, I was on my feet. even when the Brewers were down to their last out, down by four runs, the crowd was louder than ever with those inflatable Thundersticks. I though that was pretty cool.

But then there were some spots (like the three home runs hit by the Phillies) when one Phillies fan a few rows back was gong wild - rightly so. It would get quiet after the homers cleared the wall and this guy was the only person making noise in the entire section.

And what could you do? Nothing - heck I'd be doing the same thing (but probably not in Philly, I've heard those fans can get downright nasty). And no one gave him any grief back, which was appropriate.  I've been to far too many games when the home team is getting pelted and decide to turn on the opposing team's fans to vent their frustration. It runs to an ugly scene of gestures and foul language that no one should be subject to, much less the kids in attendance.

The worst, of course, at Miller Park is when the Cubs are in town. Fans go at it worse than the players on the field, and it makes for an uncomfortable atmosphere all the way around.

So I was pleased at the playoff games that Phillies fans didn't rub it in too much, that Brewers fans mostly saved their taunting to "Boos" and that I got to experience something for the first time ever in my Brewers fandom - the playoffs.

Until next time - hopefully not 26 years - I'll hope that fans at Miller Park continue in the same fashion as they did in the playoffs.