Under The Tree: Base Wars: Cyber Stadium Series

Happy Holidays! Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! Welcome back to the Under The Tree series of blog posts. These holiday season write-ups pop-up each week during the month of December. Each post highlights an old sports-related toy that probably was hiding under the Christmas tree at one point in time.

This year we will start off with Base Wars: Cyber Stadium Series for the NES.

Released for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1991, Base Wars: Cyber Stadium Series is a baseball game that takes place in the 24th Century. Human ballplayers have been replaced with robots. Why? Because humans began demanding too much money ($23.4 billion per year for a .250 hitter). Team owners rebelled and replaced them with mighty programmable machines built for combat.

Cyborg, tank, flybot, and motorcycle are the four types of robots that you can play.

All of the normal elements of a baseball game are here – pitching, hitting, fielding, and base running. You’ll also find one-on-one battle royales for base possession using laser swords, fire guns, and various forms of ammunition. Having the most runs after nine innings guarantees a win. A win can also happen if you destroy three of the other opponents robots.

The more you win the more money you will make. You can then use that money to repair and upgrade your robots with all sorts of toys such as hyper engines, ultra shoulders, and iron gloves. All of these fun items will give you an unfair advantage over the opposing team.

2020/21 Upper Deck SP Game Used Edition Auto Contest! – NOW CLOSED

This contest is for a Kieffer Bellows 2020/21 Upper Deck SP Game Used Edition Authentic Rookies Base Blue Auto. Good luck!!!

Contest Details:

• This contest will end Friday, March 18, 2022 @ 7:00 p.m. EST.
• To enter, please leave a comment in this post.
• You can enter once per day.
• The winner will be selected at random.
• Please provide a valid e-mail address when entering.
• U.S. residents only.
• The winner will receive an e-mail when the contest is over.
• The winner has one week to send me their contact information or the contest will be held again.
• Once the contest is over, I will need the winner’s mailing address so I can ship them this card for FREE!!!

Columbus Clippers ’17 Topps Pro Debut Relic Contest! – NOW CLOSED

This contest is for a 2017 Topps Pro Debut Fragments of the Farm Columbus Clippers Game-Used Base from Huntington Park Relic.  You’re not seeing double.  I’m holding this contest again because the previous winner never came forward.  Good luck!!!

Contest Details:

• This contest will end Friday, September 15, 2017 @ 8:00 p.m. EST.
• To enter, please leave a comment in this post.
• You can enter once per day.
• The winner will be selected at random.
• Please provide a valid e-mail address when entering.
• The winner will receive an e-mail when the contest is over.
• The winner has one week to send me their contact information or the contest will be held again.
• Once the contest is over, I will need the winner’s mailing address so I can ship them this card for FREE!!!

Columbus Clippers ’17 Topps Pro Debut Relic Contest! – NOW CLOSED

This contest is for a 2017 Topps Pro Debut Fragments of the Farm Columbus Clippers Game-Used Base from Huntington Park Relic.  Good luck!!!

Contest Details:

• This contest will end Friday, August 18, 2017 @ 8:00 p.m. EST.
• To enter, please leave a comment in this post.
• You can enter once per day.
• The winner will be selected at random.
• Please provide a valid e-mail address when entering.
• The winner will receive an e-mail when the contest is over.
• The winner has one week to send me their contact information or the contest will be held again.
• Once the contest is over, I will need the winner’s mailing address so I can ship them this card for FREE!!!

Monty Sheldon Showcases His 2015 Topps Gypsy Queen Art

Monty Sheldon is at it again!  Check out some of the artwork he worked on for the 2015 edition of Topps Gypsy Queen.  This year he made (25) art/patch cards each numbered one-of-one.  These are some of the top tier cards to look for when breaking open your boxes.  Any one of these cards could easily be the centerpiece of your collection.

In addition to the art/patch cards, Monty Sheldon also worked on a (15) mini card set called “Basics of Base Ball”.  Each card in the set details a fundamental aspect of the game.  The printed versions should come 1:24 packs (one a box).  The original painted one-of-one “Basics of Base Ball” mini cards will also be inserted into packs of 2015 Topps Gypsy Queen.  Those can be seen below, and will be much harder to pull.

Card of the Day: Tom Brady 2014 Topps Base Veteran Variation Auto SP

Panini’s 2013 NSCC Checklist Includes Top Rookies… Even Puig

Panini announced today that 23 rookies will be included within their 2013 National Sports Collectors Convention base set.  These top rookies will come from baseball, football, basketball, and hockey.  Even the Dodgers phenom Yasiel Puig has found his way in.  Every base rookie will be serial numbered to 499, each will have a Cracked Ice parallel and Progressions cards limited to five copies of four different colors.  It wouldn’t surprise me if collectors are already lined up.

Panini Gives Collectors First Look At Their 2013 National Set

The National is all about promos, and if there is one company that knows how to properly give stuff away its Panini.  Their booth has a constant flow of collectors running through it when the wrapper redemption programs are going on.  Last year people were lining up two hours ahead of the scheduled start time just so they could get their hands on some of these promo packs.  This is where your social skills come in handy because you’ll be standing in line for awhile.  There is a good chance you’re going to get to know the other people around you.

This afternoon Panini gave us our first look at the base set and inserts that fill this year’s promotion.  As it has been for many other years, you’ll need to open specific packs and/or boxes at the Panini booth in order to obtain your promo packs.  This is just the beginning.  Panini will have plenty of autographs, relics, player sketch cards, and full-sized pieces of memorabilia to give away.  At least Panini gives people time to get into the show, buy their boxes, and scope out the line.  Panini’s programs usually start around lunch which gives you plenty of time to get ready.  Topps on the other hand is a mad dash through the front door as soon as the show opens.  This is how it was last year.

Card of the Day: Terry Francona 2001 Topps Series 2 Base Hit Auto

Sportkings Series E Premium Back Redemption Program

This year Sportkings Series E will have a premium back redemption program.  Inside each pack you will find one premium base card that contains a letter on the back.  For those collectors that collect all the letters and spell out the word “SPORTKINGS” you will be able to take part in this program.

• Collect the cards that spell “SPORTKINGS” once, and you will receive a 1/10 Premium Sportkings Quad Memorabilia Card.
• Collect the cards that spell “SPORTKINGS” twice, and you will receive a 1/1 Premium Sketch card.
• Collect the cards that spell “SPORTKINGS” five times, and you will receive a 1/1 Premium Art Card painted by Jared Kelley.

Sportkings will need you to send in the premium base cards you’ve collected in order for you to qualify.  They will continue this program until June 30, 2013.

I think this is a great way to increase the value of their base cards.  Sportkings base cards always carry a premium, especially when they initially hit the secondary market, but this should help the value even more.  At least until the program ends.  The only bad thing about this is that you will not receive your base cards back.  For address information on where you should send your premium base cards, click here.  Sportkings will release a checklist of all the cards involved within this program before Series E comes out.

Sportkings Series E will release on May 3, 2012.  This afternoon they announced the base card checklist.  I’m looking forward to seeing the cut signature checklist.  They have a section called “Top 50 Broadcasters” and I’m hoping former Phillies broadcaster Harry Kalas is included.  I love the artwork on these cards.