Sunday, December 31, 2017

Advertising

1955 Post Cereals, battle Creek Mich

Louisville Slugger

meter specimen with sports motif - 1933

Topps - Young America's Favorite (baseball card producer) - 1980

TCMA (baseball card producer) 1984

Baseball advertising, through use of meter slogan postmarks, illustrated advertising envelopes, always looking for more....

Saturday, December 30, 2017

Trenton Thunder



Trentin Thunder were founded in 1980 as the Glen Falls White Sox (1980-1984). The Detroit Tigers became affiliated with the club in 1985 renaming the team the Glen Falls Tigers. In 1989, the club moved to London Ontario, playing as the London Tigers.

1994 the club relocated to Trenton, NJ taking the name Trenton Thunder. In 1995 the club affiliated with the Boston Red Sox, until 2003 when the team affiliated with the New York Yankees.

The Thunder play in Mercer County Waterfront Park (Arm & Hammer Park), Trenton along the Delaware River. Built for the 1994 season, the park opened late due to a rough winter, which hampered construction. The name "Samuel J Plumeri, Sr. Field" was added in 1999, to honor the father of the Thunder owner, owner of the Trenton Giants in the 1950s.

Opening day was scheduled for April 16, but the team had to look to alternate sites to play, due to incomplete construction on the stadium. "Home" games were played in Wilmington, Delaware and Philadelphia's Veteran's Stadium.

On April 26, Eastern league President John Levenda gave the incomplete stadium the okay to be used. The first home game to be played in Trenton was April 27. Albany-Colonie Yankees manager Bill Evers kept his team at their hotel and drove to the field. After looking over the field said he would not place his team in jeopardy.

Mercer County Executive Bob Prunetti made many appeals, including a phone call to George Steinbrenner asking him to have the Yankees report for their game. Even the Thunder players knew the field was unplayable. An announcement was made that the game would be played in Reading, Pa., the field would be ready on May 9.

May 9 the Binghamton Mets came to Trenton and defeated the Thunder 5-3. The Thunder would finish their inaugural season 55-85...
Waterfront Park prior to the 2019 Thunder Welcome North Open House

Monday, December 25, 2017

Mystery Cover


November 11, 1978 was a Saturday. This pictorial postmark celebrated the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. However this postmark is dated on Nov 10 (Friday). Possibly the postmark was used over a 3-day period for a show.

The cover honors Carl Erskine and is signed by him. Erskine is from Anderson, Indiana and played for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers (1948-1959). The postmark is from Berwyn, Illinois.
Erskine wore number 17 for the Dodgers...

Cezchopex is a stamp show held in Berwyn, Il. From the 1920s through the 1970s, Berwyn had a large Czechoslovakian population. Erskine is a Scottish name..

Not sure the origin of the cover or the tie-in between the postmark and Carl Erskine..?

Friday, December 22, 2017

Arizona Diamondbacks



The Arizona Diamondbacks were awarded a franchise in 1995 to begin playing in the National League in 1998. The Diamondbacks played their inaugural game on March 31, 1998 at Bank One Ballpark, Phoenix, Arizona against the Colorado Rockies.

The Rockies would win the match  9-2, powered by 2 home runs from Vinny Castilla, who collected 5 RBI. Darryl Kile earned the victory.
For the Diamondbacks, Andy Benes would take the loss. Travis Lee and Karim Garcis would both hit home runs.

The Diamondbacks became the fastest expansion team in the major leagues to win a World Series, when they captured the title in 2001, their fourth year in exsistance.

Thursday, December 21, 2017

George Kell

August 23, 2004 Swifton, Ar
George Kell Birthday postmark for his 82nd birthday. Well would pass in 2009 at the age of 86

The Swifton Post Office was dedicated in his honor in 2010
"The George Kell Post Office will be a fitting tribute to a man who was not only a fantastic athlete but who also made great contributions to Swifton and the State. As Arkansans, we are proud to call him one of our own" US Senator Blanche Lincoln


George Kell, third baseman played for the Philadelphia Athletics (1943-1946) Detroit Tigers (1947-1952) Boston Red Sox (1952-1954) Chicago White Sox (1954-1955) Baltimore Orioles (1956-1957).
Inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983

Kell was a 10-time All-star. 1949 won the American League batting title with a .343 BA and 59 RBI
Hit .300 or better for nine seasons.

Kell was born in Swifton, Arkansas on August 23, 1922. He played baseball for Arkansas State University, where the baseball facility is named Tomlinson Stadium-Kell Field, in his honor along with baseball coach Ike Tomlinson.

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Salt Lake Bees


The Salt Lake Bees started playing in 1994, when the Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast League moved their team to Salt Lake Utah. Originally named the Salt Lake Buzz from 1994 until 2000, the team changed it's name to the Stingers in 2001, due to a lawsuit filed by Georgia Tech, whose mascot name is Buzz.

In 2005 the team changed the name to the Salt Lake Bees, in honor of the original PCL team which played in Salt lake City from 1915 to 1926
Salt Lake Bees postcard

Monday, December 18, 2017

Beloit Brewers vs Rockford Expos

Beloit Brewers v Rockford Expos, Marinelli Field, 
April 7, 1990 Rockford, Ill
signed by Mike Kekich

Marinelli Field, is a baseball stadium located in Blackhawk Park, Rockford, Ill, opened in 1988. It originally served as home to the Rockford Expos (1988-1992) Rockford Royals (1993-1994) Rockford Cubbies (1995-1998) Rockford Reds (1999) until they moved their franchise to Dayton, Ohio in 2000 as the Dayton Dragons.


Sunday, December 17, 2017

Colorado Rockies


The 1992 Expansion Draft allowed the Rockies and the Florida Marlins to select unprotected players from other major league teams. The first player selected by the Rockies was pitcher David Nied from the Atlanta Braves. Charlie Hayes was selected second from the NY Yankees.
April 5, 1993 Shea Stadium, Flushing, NY
Colorado Rockies 0-3 New York Mets
Mets RBI: Tony Fernandez, Eddie Murray, Bobby Bonilla (HR)
Mets pitching: Dwight Gooden - complete game win
Rockies pitching: David Nied - starter, loss


April 9, 1993 Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado
Inaugural home game
Montreal Expos 4-11 Colorado Rockies
Expos RBI: Mike Lansing (HR), Tim Spehr
Rockies RBI: Charlie Hayes 2 (HR), Eric Young 2 (HR), Andres Galarraga 2, Dante Bichette 2, Dale Murphy, Freddie Benavides
Expos pitching: Kent Bottenfield - starter, loss
Rockies pitching: Bryn Smith - starter, win

April 26, 1995 Coors Field, Colorado
New York Mets 9-11 Colorado Rockies

Mets RBI: Todd Hundley 4 (HR), Bobby Bonilla 2, Rico Brogna (HR), Jose Vizcaino, Joe Orsulak
Rockies RBI: Dante Bichette 4 (HR), Larry Walker 3, Eric Young Sr, Andres Galarraga, Jim tatum, Joe Girardi
Mets pitching: Bobby Jones - starter, Mike Remlinger - loss
Rockies pitching: Bill Swift - starter, Mark Thompson - win

Friday, December 8, 2017

Stamp Show - Bux-Mont Stamp Club : Warminster, Pa

March 8, 1994
February 28, 1996
March 1, 1997
March 3, 2001
March 2, 2002
March 4, 2007
March 8, 2008
February 28, 2009
March 7, 2010
March 17, 2012
But-Mont Stamp Club, Warminster, Pa