1973 TCMA Drawings & Autographs

Back in the 1970s, dealers (and collectors?) Tom Collier and Mike Aronstein started producing cards under the acronym of their first and last names, TCMA. With hundreds of issues under their belt since then, the company's almost synonymous with "oddball." Well-known for their minor league team sets, they also used available baseball photos to remember plenty of retired sort-of-stars, fill out rosters of legendary teams like the 1927 Yankees, and even create issues that are more Americana than anything else.

Like many of TCMA's early sets, the 12-card 1973 Drawings & Autographs set is postcard-sized. The artist John Anderson drafted black-and-white portraits of each player for the front and probably added the autograph based on other examples. (This version of the Babe's signature connects the "B" and "a," something seen earlier in his career.)

All 12 players pictured died prior to the set's publication, some just months before. In fact, it's tempting to say that's what inspired the release, as a homage from baseball fans--or way to capitalize on the surge in interest. (CValue.com has the full checklist and what you might pay for singles.)

#3. Roberto Clemente d. 1972
#5. Pie Traynor d. 1972
#6. Frankie Frisch d. 1973
#11. Gil Hodges d. 1972
#12. Jackie Robinson d. 1972

Clemente was the only recent player, but most count him as a legitimate all-timer. Hodges is comparatively marginal--and not even a HOFer--but probably benefited from managing the Mets to their 1969 series win.

The back makes it easy to add your own story to the Babe's and pass it along to a friend. Not sure how many of these ended up stamped and mailed, but it'd be an interesting way to surprise someone with a trade in this day and age. If you posted one of these TCMAs by USPS or count them among your collection, let us know!

Spendidly Splintered

Bowman's history imprints directly on this rare and special card. Their 1954 set initially included it--normal sized, of course--as #66. Unfortunately, Topps claimed an exclusive right to the Splinter for that year. Bowman showed the better part of valor and quickly pulled it in favor of fellow Boston outfielder Jimmy Piersall. Only a few originals made it into packs and the players became inextricably linked in the marketplace. Collectors know them colloquially as #66A (Williams) and #66B (Piersall).

As beatific the expression and jaunty the cap angle, where'd the rest of Ted go? Looks about the size of a 1950 card, right? After starting small, Bowmans grew to match Topps' bigger efforts by 1954. Of course, kids are fickle and not everyone made the switch. Some laboriously trimmed their collection down to size, year after year, card after card. They'll see the light, thought one scissors-wielder just a year before noticing girls, those suckers will be back to normal in 1955.

Hey! says the card back. Didja know Williams was the last player in over a decade to hit over .400? Actually, since it's now been another several decades, I did. Hitting .406 in 1941 is his best-known achievement these days, yet something else stood out in Baseball Reference's year-by-year stats. It's not the two MVPs, since he deserved more, but that he placed in the top 30 vote-getters every full year of his career. Oddly enough, this 1954 card follows a year he played in only 37 games. The emerging Piersall, on the other hand, finished 9th in the voting on the strength of good glove work and everyday reliability. Why on earth was Jimmy was even available to swap-in? Would any set today leave out a flashy outfielder from a big-city team who only missed two games all year? I think not! With that many uniforms to swatch from, he'd be everywhere. (2008 Upper Deck "Men at Work Game Used" #MAWGU-1, Jimmy Piersall, numbered to 15000.)

Low-grade but untrimmed #66As typically go for $250 - 300. Expect to pay a good deal less for the mini-Williams, but don't expect to see one. It's still a very rare card! If you can't wait, his 1954 Topps cards (#1 and #250) show up much more frequently and should run about $50. Of the two, Bowman's design is more interesting, but I honestly don't see the card often enough to get attached. Better one Piersall in the hand than a Williams never (ever) in the bush.

Van Lingle Mungo'd and Art Garfunkled

To paraphrase Blazing Saddles, "Is Mungo only pawn in game of life?"

Van Lingle Mungo, a name so suited to a novelty record that someone couldn't help themselves, was also a quality Brooklyn pitcher for several years in the 30s and 40s. This card captures his joie de vivre for the game as well as some school-perfect penmanship.

Born and buried in Pageland, SC, Van Lingle continued to sign through his retired life and up to his death at 73. What to make of this card, though, being blank-backed and devoid of all but Mr. Mungo and some Ebbets Field stands? Another autographed copy of the card graces his Wikipedia entry and comes with a note about receiving it from the man himself. It's possible they're a post-retirement "business card" or from one of the 1970s TCMA sets, but the latter usually include some kind of ID on the back. (If you know the set for sure, drop a line!)

A recent listen to the song "Van Lingle Mungo" stirred memories of "Talkin' Baseball" and other novelty baseball tunes. It surprised and amused me that you can buy the song on Amazon now for five Pepsi points. Wonder how many of those points go to the composer? If we all jump on the bandwagon, would he have enough for the infamous Pepsi Harrier?