The last two weeks have been extremely slow for me. What felt like the start of a cold turned into pneumonia. After two trips to the doctor and some medicine, I’m beginning to feel much better. This was the first time in three years that I was sick. It doesn’t happen very often.
Have you ever been to Cooperstown, NY? Its a must for any baseball fan. I’ve been there a few times. The Baseball Hall of Fame is amazing, and their gift shop is great too. Outside of the Hall of Fame is another attraction, Doubleday Field. This field is used throughout the year for all kinds of special events. Friends of Doubleday is a non-profit organization that helps to raise funds in order to maintain and keep Doubleday Field up-to-date. They also actively promote the rental opportunities Doubleday Field has to offer.
Given that Friends of Doubleday is a non-profit, it survives on donations. Sports graphic artist Todd Radom designed this pin which can be obtained with a $50 donation.
Last Thursday was my birthday. I received some cash, (2) movies – Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, and Deadpool, a new Topps hat that already features one of my Sports Card Info pins, and a box of 2015 Panini Cooperstown Baseball.
Take a look at what I pulled!
Autos
Doug Harvey Cooperstown Induction Auto
Jim Palmer Cooperstown Induction Auto
Etched In Cooperstown
Al Simmons Etched In Cooperstown Ruby Gem #’ed/15
Parallels
Gabby Hartnett #37 Red #’ed/35
Bobby Doerr #14 Green #’ed/10
Joe DiMaggio Crown Royale #55 Silver #’ed/75
Base
Bill Terry Crown Royale #10
Barry Larkin Cooperstown Induction #16
Richard Benjamin Ferrell “Big Brain” Names of the Game #44
I think the biggest surprise in baseball this season are the Phillies. Nobody thought they would have a winning record. That includes the fans. Now I know its early in the season, but things have been going great for them. They’re currently 21-15, and sitting in third place in the N.L. East Division. The Phillies have even had a couple of moments worthy of Topps Now cards.
Former Phillies broadcaster Harry Kalas continues to be a major focal point in my collection. I rarely get to add anything though because he doesn’t have that much merchandise. He isn’t someone that manufacturers jump on when its time to make new cards. I’ve got a feeling the cost to use his image might be too high. Upper Deck, Fleer, and Sportkings have all made cards of him. Topps literally only made one card. It was a cut signature from 2013 Topps Series 1, and I own it. I’d love to know if the one-of-one sketch from Sportkings Series E was ever redeemed.
Every now and then a Harry Kalas black patch pin will show up. It resembles the patch the players wore when he passed away. I’ve only seen the above pin one time. Who, how, and where it was distributed remains a total mystery. Cooperstown 2002 perhaps? I picked it up a few years ago.
This is exactly the type of unique angle Panini needed to take in order to have a successful non-MLB licensed product. Teaming up with the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum was the perfect way to go. The 170-card base set contains classic black-and-white photos. The final 20 cards have a color tint to them and are short printed. Panini made use of many photos that didn’t require a ton of editing. To be honest I wasn’t even thinking about all the classic ways manufacturers use to get around making a product without team names and/or logos, that’s how much fun I had opening this box. Although when flipping through you can tell Panini had to do a little creative cropping in order to use some of the pictures.
The Museum Pieces and Famous Moments inserts bring some of the Hall of Fame’s greatest artifacts directly to you. Memorabilia cards flood the hobby, but not ones like this. This was a very cool idea.
The Village inserts focus on the main scenery found in Cooperstown.
I’m a sucker for cards picturing other cards. Hall History inserts have one of the 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner. I believe the Hall of Fame owns two of these.
Last but not least, the 10-card Voices of Summer insert set includes the most famous broadcasters in baseball history. From one pack I pulled another Harry Kalas plus a Richie Ashburn base. As a Phillies fan, that was awesome! The only legend missing from this 10-card set is Bob Uecker.
Price:
Boxes are currently selling for $90.00.
“Hit” Quality:
This is not the type of product you open in search of big “hits”. Baseball fans and set collectors will be drawn to ’12 Cooperstown. You should pull at least (1) autograph. Vin Scully autographs have been selling for as high as $400.00. The real “hit” is reading through all the cards.
I pulled the following:
Auto
Paul Molitor Cooperstown Signatures Auto #’ed/399
SP’s
Cap Anson #163
Cy Young #157
Parallels
Brooks Robinson Cracked Ice #’ed/299
Inserts
Raymond Schalk Bronze History #’ed/599
George Wright Bronze History #’ed/599
Johnny Mize Bronze History #’ed/599
Barry Larkin Induction Year #20
Johnny Mize United States of America With Honors #10
James Fenimore Cooper statue – The Village
Catskill & Adirondack Mountains – The Village
Bennett Park – Ballparks #6
Shibe Park – Ballparks #3
Yogi Berra – Induction #25
Roberto Alomar – Induction #17
Tony Gwynn – High Praise #10
Johnny Bench – High Praise #3
Roberto Clemente – Credentials #14
Tom Seaver – Credentials #1
Rick Ferrell – Field Generals #8
Roy Campanella – Field Generals #6
Yogi Berra – Field Generals #2
Jack Buck – Voices of Summer #4
Harry Kalas – Voices of Summer #10
Joe Garagiola – Voices of Summer #6
Effa Manley – Hall History #7
Ty Cobb – Hall History #2
Honus Wagner – Hall History #10
Lefty Grove Glove – Museum Pieces #20
Carlton Fisk HOF Mask – Museum Pieces #10
Cy Young 500th career victory ball – Famous Moments #20
Ted Williams 521st home run bat – Famous Moments #14
Mickey Mantle 565ft home run ball – Famous Moments #7 – ironic because Mantle’s jersey number was #7
Cy Young first modern World Series ball – Famous Moments #1
Overall:
Overall, I give 2012 Panini Cooperstown 4.5 baseballs out of 5 (1=poor & 5=perfect). This product truly fills a historic void for collectors. If you can’t make it to the Hall of Fame, try opening a box of this stuff. Its like bringing the Hall of Fame to you. Panini has proved its possible to create a non-MLB licensed product as long as its attacked with a unique perspective. They finally get it! I’ve been to Cooperstown, NY two times, and its fun to see all those familiar places on cardboard. Now lets see Panini move on to Canton.
This past week I took a business trip for my job, that is why all you’ve been seeing is “Card of the Day” posts. Today that’s going to change! Yesterday in the mail I received one of my newest purchases for my Phillies/Harry Kalas collection. This HK card comes from 2012 Panini Cooperstown Baseball. It may very well be just a base card, but I needed it. I wish the Voices of Summer cards had parallels, but they don’t. I guess I can be glad that HK has a new card at all since he doesn’t have that many. I really like this product even though it’s non-licensed. Teaming up with the Baseball Hall of Fame was a nice approach. The back has a nicely detailed bio about HK too. Here is what it has to say:
“OUTTA HERE!”
Kalas won the hearts of Philadelphia baseball fans with his easygoing style, his mellow, baritone voice and his deep devotion to the team. His signature home run call – “Swing… and a long drive… this ball is outta here!”- was as familiar as cheesesteaks and the Liberty Bell in the City of Brotherly Love. “Harry the K” called the first game at Veterans Stadium in 1971, the first game at the new park in 2004 and three World Series (1983, 1993, 2008). He was also the voice of NFL Films.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum is the holy land for baseball fans. You simply won’t find a better place filled with rare artifacts dating all the way back to baseball’s start. Panini plans to bring the Hall of Fame to you with 2012 Cooperstown Baseball. Of course it covers the Hall of Famers themselves, but what I’m interested in are the cards featuring the artifacts found inside this baseball temple. I’m a sucker for products like this. With TRISTAR not making Obak this year, there hasn’t been a historically themed baseball product to hit the market.
One of the highlights of this set are the Voices Of Summer cards. Ernie Harwell, Jack Buck, and even Harry Kalas are included. I will get my hands on a Kalas card and any additional parallels. Its been delayed for awhile, but if its got HK in it that’s fine with me. Its time that the Hall of Fame gets a card set not 100% focused on the players. The players have cards coming out the wazoo. Its also an interesting way make a baseball set without an MLB license.
For even more pictures, be sure to check out The Knight’s Lance. ’12 Cooperstown Baseball should have started to ship yesterday.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum is one of the coolest places to go if your a baseball fan. They have artifacts on display from the early days of the game all the way up to the current time. I’ve been there three times and its really fun.
Back in February, Panini announced they came to an agreement with the Hall of Fame to produce cards featuring its Hall of Famers and their artifacts. Its good to see more cards with Hall of Famers on them, but lets face it, its been done many times before and with MLB logos. What I’m interested to see are the cards about the artifacts. There are a lot of baseball fans that can’t make it to the Hall of Fame to see these items in person. Producing cards of the artifacts really brings the Hall of Fame to collectors in a way. A real nostalgic factor can play in here too. Pulling a card picturing an item you remember seeing on a trip to Cooperstown with your father could bring back a lot of memories. The hobby is currently filled with resurrected designs and the same old stuff we see over and over again. I think this is an interesting way to go. There is an insert set called “Voices of Summer”. I asked Panini if Phillies broadcaster Harry Kalas was going to be included within it, and they stated they were trying to get him in.
Collectors can look for 2012 Cooperstown Baseball in July. Each box will contain (1) autograph, (2) commemorative Class Patches, (3) Bronze History cards, (3) Crystal Collection parallels, (2) Voices of Summer inserts, (2) Induction inserts, and (2) Credentials inserts. The base set will contain 200 cards that includes 20 SP Color Tint cards. Of coarse cut signatures will be thrown in there too.
Sports Card Info 
