In the time that I was away from Wrigley Roster Jenga, I was still passively collecting baseball cards. Honestly, the almighty Cubs All-Time Roster Collection has never been fully ignored in the nearly two decades that I've been assembling it. However, with baseball being absent all spring due to the pandemic and then testing my nerves when it finally came back mid-summer, my true focus shifted to my other prime hoarding hobby - record collecting.
Ever since I was a wannabe radio DJ in college, I've been slowly putting together a record collection that I am quite proud to own. Of course, it's not exactly a museum-worthy collation of albums because I don't give a damn about resale value and I purchase them for use, not display. Furthermore, I do most of my shopping at resale shops and garage sales because there's no greater thrill than finding a sought after LP in the bargain bin. Every now and then, I'll pull the trigger on a "mint in package" repress from a big box retailer or something off of the top shelf at the local record shop; but, my focus is definitely on treasure hunting.
All things considered, I think I've put together a pretty good library over the last decade plus. My tastes skew towards punk, cheesy 80's pop, Motown, emo music from the early aughts, and a whole lotta classic rock, so those genres take up most of the space on my shelves. Just in case you were curious.
With that in mind, the spring and summer of 2020 were spent obsessively sifting through OfferUp and Facebook Marketplace. After all, being stuck in quarantine, I had nothing better to do than listen to records all day and my need to collect wasn't being satiated by baseball card hunting on Ebay. One of the black platters than I acquired during this period of obsessive hunting was a marquee release from one of the biggest names in 70's rock:
Alice Cooper - both his solo career and the original Alice Cooper band - is one of those artists that still commands a premium. Thus, the shock rocker's only representation in my collection heretofore was a copy of his 1989 LP, Trash, that I pilfered from the archives of my college's radio station. However, as much as I enjoy Poison, that hair metal offering from near the end of Alice's relevance doesn't hold a candle to Billion Dollar Babies, the green goodie that you see above.
The sixth offering from Cooper was unleashed on the public in 1973 and features several now classic rock radio standards. Elected, No More Mr. Nice Guy, the title track and a slew of other rockers came to define shock rock and early heavy metal and further pushed the Alice Cooper name into the mainstream. All in all, I don't think it's much of hot take to say that this album is one of the most significant rock and roll LP's from the decade and I was super pumped to come across a copy in a good condition and price range for my collection.
Lo and behold, imagine my surprise when I opened the gatefold and realized that Billion Dollar Babies has something to offer for both my record AND trading card collections:
Remember, I was a born in 1989 and am a child of the 90's - squarely in the CD era of music distribution. In high school and college, the iPod emerged and physical media was suddenly an endangered species. Thus, while I am quite familiar with the discographies of my favorite artists and the trivia and stats of their releases, the album packaging is something I am constantly learning more and more about as I acquire each artifact.
Therefore, I had no way of knowing that the wallet-like design of Billion Dollar Babies was more than just a layout on the outer cover. One I opened the gatefold, I noticed the raised money clip and I've come to find out that the album originally came with a large "billion dollar bill" to nestle underneath. That funny money wasn't the only premium that came with the wallet. Those pictures of the band that you see on the left panel aren't just there to let you know what the group looks like; they're actually a perforated sheet of genuine Alice Cooper band trading cards!
I guess you can say that these were the original "wallet cards!"
I apologize for the fuzzy picture - this is what happens when you rely on a camera phone and are too cheap to buy a scanner. Perhaps I should crack open my own wallet...
Anyway, these oddballs feature head-shots of all the classic AC band members (complete with facsimile signatures), an array of "in action" stage snapshots, and a promo picture for the Billion Dollar Babies tour/album. Of the bunch, I'd have to say that pasteboard of Alice and his slithery friend on the bottom left is by far the most interesting. Shades of 1984 Donruss Glenn Hubbard! Anyway, the cards themselves are slightly smaller than standard, measuring approximately, 2" x 3" and feature completely blank backs. Additionally, they're all centered around a logo card for the album itself, which - unlike the rest - is perfectly square.
You sure don't get that from a CD jacket or a .jpg on iTunes or Spotify!
Uncovering these oddballs made for a welcome surprise, one that came completely out of left field. For now, rather than punch them out and mangle my album, I'll leave them in there so that I can enjoy them every time I spin Billion Dollar Babies. I might not seek out mint condition records for my collection, but I sure don't intend to actively mangle them either. You might say that would be my "nightmare!"
Okay, so that's a terrible pun based on the wrong album, but it's my blog and I'll ruin the internet in whatever way I so choose.
At any rate, how would you handle this oddball situation? Would you punch out these cards and page them up in a binder? Perhaps you'd tack them to your wall like a teenager from the 70's? Would you stuff them in your own, actual wallet like pictures of your children? Or, maybe you'd do as I did and leave them be - they've been there close to fifty years now, why disturb them? Please feel free to let me know in the comment section below!
Now, while we're on the topic of records, I'm also going to take this opportunity to show off some of my other recent hauls of stacks of wax:
That's just SOME of the albums that I've added to my library in the last year. Like I said, I'd been a busy boy in collecting while WRJ was on hiatus, just not so much with baseball cards. And, believe it or not, none of those LP's cost me more than a buck each.
Thank you for entertaining my humble brag.
Does anyone else out there on the blogosphere also
dabble in record collecting? Personally, I've actually thought about
starting up another blog to babble on and on about my other favorite
hobby, but I have a hard enough time keeping the cobwebs off of the
webspace that I'm managing already. For now, I'll settle for the
occasional tie-ins which meld the world of cards and vinyl into one neat
and blog-able package, such as this "shocking" discovery.
Where has they time gone? I've been away from the keyboard for almost a full, calendar month and I have certainly missed a lot in the meantime. After all, while I was gone, the entirety of Spring Training came and went, rosters were set, and the first few games of the 2019 season of Major League Baseball were played. Thankfully, during my absence, no new Cubs players were added to the active roster; otherwise, I would have missed those Cubs All-Time Roster Collection changes, as well. That's not even to mention the slate of new card products that have found their way to store shelves during my leave of absence (Opening Day, Donruss, Gypsy Queen, etc.). In short, I've missed a lot.
The reasons for my disappearance are many and I won't go too deep into the weeds on that topic here. Suffice it to say that some general apathy and some major changes in my personal life have kept me from wanting to write about such relatively trivial things as baseball cards. However, the moodiness has passed and emo Tony Burbs is back in the shadows. It's time to fire up the desktop and bang out a quick post about... vinyl records???
That's right, I collect much more than baseball cards. For my entire life, I have been a fervent collector - it's just that the targets of my affection have constantly changed. Rocks and bottle caps gave way to Pokemon cards and Beanie Babies. Die-cast NASCAR models sucked up much of my teenage budget while I spent most of my early adulthood tracking down cool band t-shirts. Needless to say, my shelves and walls have been lined with countless different types of kick knacks over the years.
While my passions constantly morph and evolve across the years, there have been a few steady and consistent collecting targets that have stuck in my craw. One in baseball/trading cards, which is made evident by the nearly 800 posts that compile this blog - with some lulls here and there, I've been stashing Cubs cards since the mid-90's. Another passion that has sucked up my time and hard-earned money, for more than a decade now, is vinyl. I'm not talking about bizarre BDSM stuff or Funko Pop Figures... I'm alluding to the world of LP's, 45's, turntables, and styluses.
My vinyl collection, as of this week - those baskets are jam-packed with 45's.
Since I purchased my first record player from a local garage sale, circa 2008, and repaired it with rubber bands, super glue, and dogged stubborness, I've been trying to build up my music catalog the old fashioned way. My musical tastes have always skewed older, which is what got my foot in the door initially, but a deep need to collect has since led me to pursue this avenue. It is much more fun to track down gatefold albums than collecting viruses on torrent sites, cheap CD's, or Spotify playlists. In fact, I've even alluded to this side project on my blog in the past.
Now, I know what you're saying - this is a blog about baseball and it's associated trading cards (and sometimes football, hockey, or track and field cards)... why are you bringing this up on Wrigley Roster Jenga? What does this have to do with America's pastime?
I'm glad that you asked.
Last week, a close friend of mine dug an old suitcase out of her storage unit and found that it contained a wild and messy array of forgotten records. The musty old container had been given to her years and years ago by an old associate and hadn't been touched since. Since my social circle is much more aware of my vinyl collecting habits than my baseball card ones, she generously offered to let me sift through and take whatever I wanted before she passed them on to Goodwill. When I got that text message, I nearly lept up and ran through the front door without even stopping to put on my Converse. Isn't that sort of message any collector's wet dream?
As expected much of the mish-mash was shattered due to extremely poor storage (suitcases aren't exactly tailored for the needs of a musical library) and warped from being non-temperature controlled environment for a prolonged period of time - I wish that I had thought to take a picture of the mess. Furthermore, most of the albums were put into this case haphazardly, leading to the rug being pulled out from under me with several sleeves of major albums turning up empty. Not every rock that comes out of a mine can be diamond and, thankfully, this prospector was eventually able to turn up more than just pyrite:
While there was no "butcher cover" of Yesterday and Today hiding out in the pile, there were several quality discs to be uncovered. Some of my favorite classic rocks acts and a pair of top notch movie soundtracks was an exceptional haul, especially considering how they had been stored. Sure, that J. Geils Band cover "stinks;" however all of these artifacts were in surprisingly good shape and (I have since confirmed) play without nary an issue. Not bad for a free excavation!
Again, I can hear you all out there screaming at your smart phones - "what does any of this have to do with baseball?!"
Alright, alright - I'm getting there, I promise. Patience is a virtue.
Anyway, those six LP's weren't the only albums I walked away with that day. In fact, they weren't even the stars of the show, in my eyes. Rather, it was a set of three folk albums that really caught my attention:
Steve Goodman was a Chicago-based folk musician who, while big in the Windy City, never really got his due in the national spotlight. He's one of those types who was "your favorite artist's favorite artist." Mr. Goodman penned some hits for the likes of Arlo Guthrie (City of New Orleans) and David Allen Coe (You Never Even Called Me By My Name) and released on album on the Asylum label (the one in middle, here) but just never really broke through to the mainstream himself as a performer. Thus, to see these relatively obscure releases show up in such an unexpected place was enough to make me do a little happy dance... once I was safely in my own home for no one else to see.
In Chicago, Steve Goodman is a legend and there are two very good reasons for that... besides his apparent and prodigious talent. One of which is the ubiquitous victory anthem that is played after every single Cubs win at Wrigley Field, "Go Cubs Go." This earworm was penned by Mr. Goodman when WGN came a-calling for a peppy number to open up their broadcasts with in the mid-80's. Of course, since then, it's become inseparable from the franchise. But, that song is not to be found on any of these three recordings.
The second reason for Steve Goodman's enduring presence can be found on his Affordable Art album, which is the album furthest left in the image above.
Affordable Art was released on Steve Goodman's very own record label, Red Pajamas, in March of 1983. In fact, it was the only the second album to be pressed with that label and it would continue to serve as Steve's personal home for new releases for the rest of his career (and after his passing). After splitting with Asylum in 1980, Steve decided he was done with the national recording scene, moved his base back to Chicago, and started Red Pajamas so that he could play the game his own way. This was likely related to his health, but we'll get to that.
This live recording is a fair representation of Steve's club shows at the time, with serious, heart-felt folk compositions (i.e. "Old Smoothies," a tale about the deep love of his grandparents) mixed with a fair amount of Dr. Demento-approved goofiness (i.e. "Vegematic," about a guy who falls asleep in front of his TV and dreams of ordering a bevy of infomercial product). There's even a duet with his old friend and fellow Illinois native, John Prine, with the latter's "Souvenirs." Affordable Art truly encapsulates what it must have been like to catch Goodman on stage at the Earl of Old Town on a Saturday night - lively, humorous, emotional, and certainly an experience to remember.
As you should be able to deduce from my praise-filled review, when you spin this disc at 33 1/3 RPM, your ears will be blessed with plenty of high quality tune-age. That being acknowledged, there's one track found on side two that still stands head and shoulders above the rest. In fact, it's that second big reason why Mr. Goodman's voice is still omnipresent in the Windy City today:
The third track on the B-side of this album was yet another tune about Steve's favorite baseball club, appropriately set up by a rousing take on the story of Katie Casey. This one might not be as well-known as his "rah-rah" anthem, but it leaves a much deeper emotional impact.
Goodman often firmly planted his tongue in his cheek while writing songs and "A Dying Cub Fan's Last Request" is no exception. Penned in 1982, this acoustic number tells the tale of a Northside fan, on his death bed, relaying to his friends and family his miserable fanhood and the plans for his ideal, "doubleheader" funeral. It's enough to make any long-suffering Cubs fan giggle and nod their head in slightly-pained agreement. If you haven't heard it before, I highly suggest you stop reading right now and give it a listen. Don't worry - I'll wait for you. Just click on the embedded video file below:
I think you'll agree, not only is it a good Cubs song, it's just a plain good song about baseball, sports, and the loyalty we sports fans have to our chosen clubs. It becomes even more poignant when you learn that Steve Goodman was actually dying when he wrote the number - he'd long been suffering from leukemia and knew he was fighting a losing battle. The disease would tragically take his life just a couple of years later, in 1984, and Affordable Art would be the last album released before his death. On top of that, his passing occurred just days before his beloved "Lovable Losers" would clinch their first playoff berth in 39 years. Life is just plain cruel sometimes.
Anyway, coming from a long line of Cubs fans, this poignant tune has long been an important one to my family. In fact, I've wrote about it on this blog before, when I re-discovered the cassette tape my beloved, late uncle used to make a bootleg copy of the song decades ago.
Of course, to come across such a significant and treasured song/album in such a random place ranks among the greatest finds in the history of my vinyl collection, even higher than that time I found an original edition of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in the dollar bin of a thrift shop! Seeing as most of Goodman's albums were released on his regional label, these "oddballs" don't turn up all too often. Furthermore, being in the Chicagoland market, the album that contains "A Dying Cub Fan's Last Request" has only been seen by my eyes with premium pricing. I cannot believe that I was able to get it (and two further albums of Steve's work that I can't wait to get acquainted with) for free and out of a friend's random music trunk, of all places.
All in all, this was certainly one of the best experiences in my decade of collecting vinyl. I'd love to share more stories about this passion of mine, but the vast majority of them have no tidy tie-in with the normal subject matter of Wrigley Roster Jenga. Perhaps I should strongly consider starting a second blog that focusing on my music collection. I don't know... I've already been neglecting this one for nearly a month... maybe. What do you think?
Also, I just have to ask, are there any other card collectors out there reading this who also collect records? If not, are there any other non-sports related passions upon which you build a collection around? I'm curious to know - please feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section below!
Anyway, WRJ is back in business and hopefully the motivation sticks around. I've already got a full slate of topics that I want to discuss, including an absolutely incredible and unexpected gift from P-Town Tom and the entrance of my lovely wife into the blogosphere. Stay tuned.
In the meantime, here's hoping the old "doormats of the National League" can bounce back after last night's deflating loss in Texas. Go Cubs Go!
This is going to be a heavily music-oriented post, but I promise that there is a baseball connection. Stick with me here.
I have seen a lot of excellent shows courtesy of one of my favorite radio stations in the Chicagoland area, 101 WKQX. On many occasions, I have been fortunate enough to win tickets to see acts such as Fall Out Boy, Courtney Love, Rise Against, J Roddy Walston and the Business, Alkaline Trio and more courtesy of their apparently overly generous contests. Furthermore, every month or so, the alternative station hosts what they call a "No Dough Show"- essentially, a free show with severely discounted beer prices in smaller, local venues featuring upcoming alt-rock artists on the rise. Pretty damn cool, right? Unfortunately, I've never made it to one of these showcases myself - being an adult with responsibilities and such means there's always something to stand in the way.
That is, until Thursday night:
With the wife at her office Christmas party, to which no "plus ones" were given (boo!), I found myself with a free night and nothing on the agenda. Thus, I finally took the chance to head over to one of these "No Dough" concerts, which happened to be just down the road from my apartment, at a popular watering hole known as 115 Bourbon Street in Merrionette Park (if you're from the area and were curious). I'd heard from a spot earlier in the week that the billing featured an act by the name of Judah and the Lion. Now, if you've listened to any alternative radio in the last year or so, you have to be familiar with their folksy, hip hop-influenced, number one single, "Take it All Back."
If not, here you go:
Seeing as that ear-worm with a unique blend of influences has been on rotation in my household for a while now, I figured I should get up off of my butt and see what else they had in their set. After all, with the show being free, draft beers costing just a buck, and the venue being just a few blocks down the road, there really wasn't a reason not to go.
Let me just say, I'm truly happy with that decision.
First of all, there aren't many rock shows that feature mandolins, banjos, hip hop covers, Tom Petty tributes, and acapella sing-a-longs. I'm usually a pretty reserved, wallflower type of concert-goer, content to stand in a corner and sipping on an adult beverage; however, I couldn't help but find myself in the middle of the crowd, bouncing along to each and every song in their arsenal. All in all, if the band ever rolls through your area, I highly encourage you to circle the date on your calendar.
Image courtesy of Joe Lang - I was too engrossed to whip out my phone!
I was especially impressed with the group's energetic stage presence, especially that of their frontman, Judah Akers. As I conveyed my thoughts about Mr. Akers to the person standing next to me (who had apparently seen them a few times), they imparted an awesome bit of trivia upon me: Judah Akers had been an NCAA Division I baseball player for Belmont University in Nashville, TN.
Saaaaaaay what? The lead singer of a rockin' band AND a high-level participant in my favorite sport? Color me intrigued!
After the show, I made sure to verify this information and it turns out that it wasn't just the cheap spirits talking - Aker was a top-ranked high school prospect (showcasing with Perfect Game USA) who played four years of varsity baseball for the Belmont Bruins. He was no slouch either, posting a career .296/.363/.444 slash line with 21 homers as a starter in both the infield and outfield, all while juggling his schooling and his burgeoning career as a musician. How about that?
Having learned that tidbit and discovered a few crisp images of him tearing it up on the diamond during the verification process, I couldn't help but whip up a custom card featuring these dual interests. I chose the 1983 Topps Super Veterans template for my tribute, although I made a few alterations to fit my aesthetic tastes and the altered theme. I must admit, seeing baseball and rock 'n' roll on the same card brings a beaming smile to my face and I'm quite content with how this puppy turned out. What say you?
I only wish that I knew about his baseball career before the show... then I could have printed this bad boy out and tried to get it signed by the crowd-friendly Aker himself. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to see them again!
Then, I began to think to myself, "if I were to do that, would the rest of the band feel jealous?" - it's probably a bad idea to upset a Lion, right? So, with Photoshop still being open on my desktop, I pulled together a second custom trading card, this one featuring the entire band:
Of course I was going to use the most iconic, music-centric trading card set for my full-band piece - doesn't that publicity shot just scream MusiCards?
After having finished this exhibits, I knew I had to share them on my humble, little blog, as well. What fun is it making them if I can't show them off? Plus, I know there has to be a few other people out there who would A) find Judah and the Lion to be a good listen and B) be intrigued by their frontman's dual career. I know for a fact that there are a few other music connoisseurs on the baseball card blogosphere!
All in all, the decision to finally take the leap and make it out to one of WKQX's "No Dough" shows was a phenomenal one. I discovered a new band, broke out of my shell a little bit, learned some fun facts, drank for cheap, and - heck - I even got blog post out of the experience! What more can a guy ask for from a free concert?
I can't wait until WKQX announces their next such show. Will that band also have a tie-in to our nation's pastime? Stay tuned.
News broke yesterday afternoon that Tom Petty had suffered from total cardiac arrest and was taken to a local, California hospital in the early morning hours. As a direct result of today's, 24-hour news cycle and "gotta get it up first" mentality, reports about his actual state of being clashed, with some outlets claiming he was in critical condition, with others stating that he had already died. For most of the rest of the night, the world waited (which we all know is the hardest part) with bated breath, wondering what was going to become of one of America's greatest rockers.
Unfortunately, around 11:30 pm, the worst was confirmed by both his daughter and his band, the Heartbreakers, on their respective social media accounts.
Tom Petty was one of my earliest musical fascinations and, silly enough, one that I discovered quite by accident. As I've mentioned on this blog, I was a huuuuuge NASCAR fan during my early teens and my all-time favorite racer was Richard Petty. "The King's" son, Kyle, dabbled in country music and recorded a song about his dear old dad and I combed the internet in search of that .mp3 file, back in the days before iTunes put everything right out in the open. On one of those file sharing sites, while searching for Kyle Petty, I found Tom Petty (who I was amazed was of no relation) and my world changed. It was a really weird and backwards way of discovering the musical legend, but the path eventually lead me "into the great wide open."
Since that twisted trip, I've grown up on Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. I could go on and on and on about how "Don't Come Around Here No More" meant so much to me and how Damn the Torpedoes changed my perspective on life, or tell you about that time me and my friends drove around St. Louis blasting and singing along to "Free Fallin'," but there will be plenty of that prose published by more qualified writers in the next few days, so I'll leave it to them. However, I still feel compelled to pay tribute to a frontman who's unique and unconventional voice has been a part of my life since I first started paying attention to rock and roll.
Therefore, I created the custom card that lead off this tribute post, based on the iconic "In Memoriam" single that Topps included in their 1964 checklist. This card paid tribute to Cubs second baseman, Ken Hubbs, who tragically died while "Learning to Fly." This is a Cubs blog after all. Speaking of which, earlier this summer, Petty played to a packed house at the home of my beloved Cubs, Wrigley Field. It was a rainy and dreary afternoon, but Petty and his Heartbreakers tore through a hit-filled set-list and left the crowd wanting more.
I wanted to go, but concert ticket prices at the Friendly Confines are anything but friendly to my wallet. Thus, I talked myself out of it, even while a group of my friends took the plunge. It's a minor disappointment in the grand scheme of life, I suppose, but now I'm depressed that I'll never get to see one of my favorite bands in concert. That's the way the cookie crumbles, I guess.
At any rate, we've lost so, so many treasured musicians over the last couple of years - Petty, Chester Bennington, Chuck Berry, Chris Cornell, Prince, David Bowie, Lemmy Kilmister, Scott Weiland... the list goes on and on. Though we don't know these people personally, their music and their lyrics affect us so greatly that sometimes it feels like we do. These words and notes connect with us in such a way that our lives are affected and changed by their art. So, when we lose them, it feels like we're losing a loved one... and we've lost a lot of loved ones lately.
That's without even considering the absolutely devastating events out in Las Vegas, which began our yesterday with immense grief and sorrow. Right now, the world is a "heartbreaking" place; but, in the words of Tom Petty, "I'll stand my ground, won't be turned around/And I'll keep this world from draggin' me down/Gonna stand my ground and I won't back down."
I'll wrap up this final tribute with my absolute favorite track from Mr. Petty, "Even the Losers." Let's just say that I could easily identify with the story told in this single during my high school and early adult years.
Tonight I am elated to be crossing a huge name off of my concert bucket list, one that was sitting right near the very top. This compendium includes such luminaries as The Rolling Stones, Green Day, Pearl Jam, and the Offspring among others. However, on this particular night, the rock icons that I'll be checking off are none other than the Red Hot Chili Peppers - the grooviest funk-rockers this side of Parliament-Funkadelic. A few months back, my lovely wife surprised me with tickets to catch Anthony Kiedis, Flea, Chad Smith (not Will Ferrell), and Josh Klinghoffer (not John Frusciante) at the home of the Bulls and Blackhawks - aka, the United Center. The Chili Peppers are longtime residents of my bucket list, a place they've resided ever since I first heard their complex and varied stylings in the opening scene of the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers Movie, way back when I was six years old.
I simply cannot wait to get in the crowd. But, this Saturday night show doesn't even begin until 8:30 and, even then, that's just when the FIRST opening act takes the stage (Deerhoof... meh). In the meantime, I have tons of free time to sit around and marinate in pure excitement. I really need to do something to keep my "Love Rollercoaster" from going completely off the rails.
Therefore, as I did previously while waiting impatiently to catch Cheap Trick at the Metro and again before Styx at the Taste of Joliet, I figured it might be a fun exercise to pick out some of my favorite RHCP songs and then "Look Around" my baseball card collection and select a few that I feel best represent said tunes. Sounds like groovy good time, right? Let's do this:
Factory of Faith
"All my life I was swinging for the fence / I was looking for the triple / Never playing good defense."
This cut off of 2012's I'm With You even makes use of some baseball lingo - perfect for this little exercise. Meatloaf would be proud!
Crazy-haired bassist, Flea, wrote this tune under the influence of the Stones' Exile on Main St. about, "a feeling and a song," making use of both baseball and faith-based metaphors.
What better cards to represent a song which uses metaphorical references to our nation's pastime and religion than a card which depicts a ballplayer turned famed-evangelist and an eventual Cub who's last name was literally, "Church?" Seems like a match made in"heaven" to me!
Around the World
This tune is about exhibiting one's sexual prowess all throughout the world, a tale which I hear is pretty common for rock bands who hop on planes, trains, and buses to do a fair amount of globe trotting. I'll tell you this - tales from the road about the Chili Peppers' early days are certainly not PG-rated... heck, they might not even be PG-13.
Ignoring the part about finding mates, the Cubs, like all teams, do scour the entire globe in search of baseball talent. International leagues funnel in new talent to the Big Leagues and also keep it fresh during the off-season, as evidenced by these exotic baseball cards from Japan and Venezuela. Chang Yong-Lim was a Korean pitcher who starred in Japan and was given a brief trial with the 2013 Cubs; meanwhile, Tarrik Brock had himself a cuppacoffee with the Cubs of 2000, while also playing in the Venezuelan Winter League with the Caribes de Oriente.
Give It Away
If you encounter someone who claims to have never heard of nor heard from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, I can almost guarantee that the repetitive, chanting chorus of "Give It Away" will convince them of otherwise. This is the song that even people who don't care about the Chili Peppers know, whether they actually know it or not. Hell, "Weird Al" Yankovic even made a Flintstones-themed parody of it and you know you've made it to the mainstream when you earn the "Weird Al" treatment.
Here's a card that I won from Mark's Ephemera, who gave it away, gave it away, gave it away, yeah, in a contest this past October. That's the best connection I've got - "Tell Me Baby" if you've got a better one!
Parallel Universe
"Parallel Universe" was something of a departure for the veteran rock band when it was released in 1999. After all, it does not contain any of their signature funky bass lines and has absolutely no background vocals anywhere on the mix. In short, listeners from the turn of the millenium might have thought they were in a "parallel universe" of their own when they first heard this tune on the radio.
The universe of baseball cards has long been a parallel universe - variations on existing cards has been a big chase for twenty some years now. To illustrate that point, here's a pair of mid-90's parallels, featuring short term Cubbies, that I've not yet shown off on Wrigley Roster Jenga. Jessie Hollins is psychedelically depicted on a rainbow foil parallel, found in 1993 Bowman. Meanwhile, Don Wengert is shown on a silver signature parallel from the 1996 edition of UD Collector's Choice, two years before he'd appear in 21 games for the '98 Wild Card Champion Cubs.
Behind the Sun
As a band which continues to make it's hit-making mark on the Billboard charts, it's easy to realize just how far back the band's history extends. The Chili's were formed back in 1983, when hair metal and new wave were all the rage, and continue to make waves in a music biz dominated by indie-pop and electronic dance music today. Their album, The Uplift Mofo Party Plan, was released in 1987 and features the melodic, raga rock single "Behind the Sun." It's oh-so-80's, chroma key music video didn't hit the airwaves until 1992, when the label finally agreed to release it as a single.
Although this card is included in my CATRC binder as representation for Roberto Pena, the focus in this particular post shifts to his partner in crime, Glenn Beckert. The longtime, fan-favorite second baseman got his rookie card in 1965 Topps, though you might be forgiven for not realizing it. I mean, his face is completely obscured by the shadow produced from the visor on his baseball cap. I hope the photographer under the card company's employ that day quickly learned to never take a picture when then the subject is standing "behind the sun."
Californication
"Cobain can you hear the spheres / Singing songs off station to station / And Alderaan's not far away / It's Californication."
This song contains my favorite lyrics that Anthony Kiedis has ever put to paper. References to Nirvana, David Bowie and Star Wars will often win my heart; that said, this is some truly clever and subversive word play to symbolize the crumbling of western society. Sitting here in 2017, witnessing the current state of the White House, societal relations, pop culture, etc. sometimes I think they weren't too far off.
On lighter note, the Cubs once had a little "Californication" creep into the franchise. In 1925, Cubs owner William Wrigley bought the Pacific Coast League's Los Angeles Angels and moved them into his new California baseball stadium... a stadium which he called Wrigley Field. This Wrigley Field played host to the Cubs new feeder team for the next few decades (and later, the MLB version of the Angels). Many a player called Wrigley Field home before moving up to Wrigley Field, including Albie Glossop, seen here on a CCC reprint of the 1949 Bowman PCL set, and Jigger Statz, depicted on a 2009 TriStar Obak.
Hometown Gypsy
Back when I was still hosting a regular radio show (The Modern Rock Block w/ Tony Burbs on Party934), the Chili's released a series of outtakes from their then-most recent album (I'm With You) through YouTube, digital download and then later through the vinyl-only release, I'm Beside You. While not terribly impressive, as most cutting floor salvages usually are, the B-side of the fourth single, "Hometown Gypsy," was by far my favorite of the bunch and earned a few spins on my show. I'm sure they were truly grateful for the "exposure."
To match the genre-bending, folksy tune, here's a card featuring the HOMETOWN team, courtesy of 2011 GYPSY Queen. The subject on this particular single is blink-and-you-missed-him Cubs first baseman, Carlos Pena, who was brought in when the franchise was still being held together with veteran band-aids, duct tape and chewing gum.
Pretty Little Ditty
This is an oft and easily forgotten instrumental track, originally found on the Mother's Milk album of 1989. Almost a throwaway, written by then-guitarist John Frusciante and Flea, the Chili Peppers' rhythm section came up with a tune that's since been recognized as one of their best examples of eclecticism.
Nevertheless, this song remained locked in the back of the masses' minds until it was later sampled as the main riff for a nu-metal band's breakthrough hit - Crazy Town's "Butterfly." They added their own lyrics over the top; however, for the most part, the Hot 100 #1 single was built entirely around "Pretty Little Ditty." Just like how Fleer Tradition completely ripped off 1954 Topps in 2000. Well, except for the fact that Crazy Town actually asked for (and were granted) permission to do so. Fleer... not so much.
By The Way
"Dani the girl / Is singing songs to me / Beneath the marquee, overload"
Dani is a composite character who shows up in many a RHCP song - "By The Way," "Californication," "Dani California," etc. - and in this instance, she's standing beneath a marquee, singing songs to the narrator.
Here's a baseball card that also shows people standing beneath a marquee, one of the most iconic marquees in the United States, at that. When the World Series returned to the "Friendly Confines" this past October, thousands of Chicagoans were hoping to sing beneath this marquee, as well... a very specific song, "Go Cubs Go," which signifies a Cubs "W." However, the game shown here, the first WS contest on the Northside since '45, did not end in such a joyous chorus. I'd say it worked out in the end though.
With that, we've reached the end of my cleverness. Try as I might, I just cannot get "The Zephyr Song," "Soul to Squeeze," "Aeroplane," or "Dark Necessities" to work with baseball cards. Oh well.
Nevertheless, I hope you enjoyed the ride. If you didn't, I hope you forgive the bad puns and this is all water "Under the Bridge" before long. Anyway, that had to have killed a fair amount of time, right?
*Looks at clock* Aww shucks, it's not even noon yet. I guess I'll go for a nice, long, draining run or something and burn off some of this nervous energy. Let's wrap this baby up with what might be my favorite music video of the 2000's and a song that I'll always associate with learning to drive, as it was a big radio hit in the days when my license was a brand new accessory. The Peppers have been there since I was into Power Rangers, through learning to drive, and now when I'm married and signing leases... they've been a presence in my life for a looooooong time.
Whenever I stop in one of my local thrift stores or secondhand shops, I'm always on the prowl for something "new" and unique to add to my collections - be it baseball cards, records, jerseys, et al. One of the sections of said stores that I always make sure to stop by is the board game shelves, for a few reasons:
My wife and I love board games and are always on the look out for a different one to torture our friends with at our gatherings.
A lot of board games use cards and, if these board games are sports related, there's a good chance that some oddball cards will be up for grabs.
A lot of card games get stuck with the board games and, if these card games are sports related, there's a good chance that some oddball cards will be up for grabs.
I'm a cardboard fiend and I have a problem.
A few days ago, I strolled into Pass It On in nearby Crestwood, IL, in search of some cheap, used furniture to help furnish our new apartment (our bookshelves broke on transit and we could use another couple tables). Unfortunately, I didn't have any luck with my true motivation - though there were enough dining room table to furnish Windsor Castle. To assuage my disappointment, I convinced myself that it wouldn't hurt to take a gander and see if there was anything else that caught my fancy - I did drive all the way there, after all.
Spoiler alert - there was (I mean, there almost always is) and it came from that aforementioned board game section:
A trivia challenge, eh? My main is chock full o' useless knowledge - accept your challenge!
Honestly, I picked it up because of the picture of the football player on the front (any idea as to who that might be?). Flickback Media, Inc., the company behind this plastic clam shell of "trivialized" playing cards, produces this series of these graphically enhanced cards and has an deck for just about each and every year since 1935. The consumer can use these cards to show off their big brains or for use in Blackjack, War, or what have you. Apparently, Flickback also has a series of books, DVD's, and all sort of other media built around this concept, as this advertisement card found within touts:
Sooooo... sports figure on the deck, pictures on the cards.... perhaps I could find myself a neat oddball for my Cubs/Bears/Blackhawks/Bulls collections? That was the hope.
For a dollar I was willing to take that risk. Worst case scenario, I end up with a plastic holder for future storage considerations and an opportunity to show off my useless knowledge in front of friends. Unfortunately for me, the sports content for the 1955 edition of Flickback's Trivia Challenge was lacking.
A baseball card pictured on a "baseball card" - we have some full-blown cardboard inception going on here! Someone call Leo.
At any rate, this was the only card which featured any one specific baseball player or personality. Do you know the answer?
Seeing as they are still a deck of playing cards, good for any game of Poker, Texas Hold'em, Egyptian Ratscrew, or Go Fish, all of the backs are the same. The image chosen for the back was the same as the compilation image that stared back at me through the plastic. "Davy, Davy Crockett, king of the wild frontier!..." Although, thanks to Harry Caray, I can't help but hear the lyrics to that tune as "Jody, Jody Davis, catcher without fear!"
While Cy Young (oops, I spilled the beans) was the only specific baseball player who made an appearance, there were a couple of other cameos from our nation's pastime:
"The Boys of Summer" stunned the nation as they triumphed over the dynastic New York Yankees in the World Series. Seeing as that may very well have been the biggest sports story in the nation in 1955, it's no surprise that "Dem Bums" show up in Flickback. Although, it would have been nice to see more than a hat; but, I suppose MLB guards their image licensing rights like Fort Knox.
Also, the face cards in a playing card deck don't leave a lot of extra room; therefore, the questions on these cards go unadorned, without a visual cue. Sticking with that historic baseball championship, do you know "What is unique about the televised World Series this year?"
It was the very first World Series to be broadcast in full color! Did you answer correctly?
That did it for the baseball content, but there was still some more "sportsing" to be done:
Pierre Levegh was a European Formula One and sports car racer and one of the many lives lost in the tragic crash at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, an incident which single-handedly changed motorsport safety and which caused AAA to drop out of sanctioning races altogether. I won't post them here, but a quick Google image search will show you just how terrifying this accident truly was.
Meanwhile, I've never been a big fan of boxing and I don't know much about the sport beyond the Rocky movies; however, I do know that the answer to the question found on the two of diamonds is none other than Rocky Marciano. Why do I know that? I honestly could not tell you.
There were no more sporting references after those two, but there were some questions about notable rock and roll acts too, which is music to the ears of this record collector. These two should be fairly easy answers to come up with, so I'll let you figure these out for yourselves.
With that, the rest of these trivia cards were filled up with references to actor/actress birthdays, notable movies, political occurrences, and other pop culture trends from 1955. If Marty McFly had this deck of cards in his pocket when he traveled back to that same year in his DeLorean, he would have had a much easier time fitting in - they'd make an excellent reference source!
Oh hey - they covered that!
So, no useful furniture and no cards which obviously fit into my collection - however, this Flickback Trivia Challenge still made for a unique and fun "rip" anyway. It was certainly something different, after all. Perhaps one of our countless Dodger collectors would be interested in the cards which make reference to the '55 Series? Do we have a Cy Young super collector on the blogosphere? Let me know and I'll make sure to forward the respective cards in those directions.
I'll take a coffee table in trade (just kidding... a little bit).
