Collecting The FOOTBALL LEAGUE 100 - # 7 William FOULKE

He was known as "Fatty" Foulke because he weighed as much as 24 stone - the British equivalent of 331 pounds ! However, at 6 ft. 4 inches he also covered the goal which he kept safe for Sheffield United, Chelsea and Bradford City. 

He appeared once for England at the International level in 1897. 

1908 OGDEN'S Cigarette card issue of William Foulke.

In later years he became quite the crowd attraction. He placed two boys behind his goal to distract the opposition. They often retrieved balls for him, by fortune, inventing the first use of "ball boys".

In my pursuit to collection all the one hundred top Football League players, here is my count so far:

75 of 100 player cards = 75% finished

8 of 100 first issue cards = 8%

budget: $100

spent: $5

balance: $95

Monster Toys: part 2

How all these toys got along in this small box is beyond me. 

MORE MONSTERS

Dinosaurs, dinosaurs - some big, some small. A Jurassic Park collection with bandages and metal muzzles and other assorted dinosaurs ! 

MUNTANT TURTLES

Some vintage TMNT with characters I never saw.

Not monsters but dragons - DRAGON BALL Z figures ...

ALIEN vs PREDATOR

Some scary Aliens and Predators ...

The anatomy of the ultimate monster ... GODZILLA !

I really favor these and would love to have some Japanese versions of their creature heroes.

All of these toys are up for grabs except the Godzilla figures.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled card blog. 

A Box of Monsters ... Part 1

 MOVIE MONSTERS

I don't often buy entire lots - I'm a picker. But after looking through a box of toys, I made an offer - that I could not refuse. 

There were some large monster figures in the box that looked really cool ...

It took some research and the help of some toy forum members but I found the above giant monster emanates from the Sci-Fi movie STARSHIP TROOPERS ... this video tells it best -

Then I found this ugly creature - the Alien Pilot from INDEPENDENCE DAY 

Here with the pilot inside (below) when the mouth opens ...

HERO MONSTERS

 Not your average hero action figures - these SPIDER-MAN examples are a Man-spider, a Vampire Spider-man and some 6-limb abomination of Spider-man. Also included Spider-man villains are Venom and Carnage.

A few X-Men, Ghost Rider, Iron-Man and a back row HULK-out - Gray Hulk, Green Hulk, Hairy Hulk and She-Hulk.

A SILVER LINING

This was the best of the Super Heroes - a Giant 12 inch 30th Anniversary issue of the SILVER SURFER.  

Accessories included a surf board, flame trail, a ball of fire and a power glove.

This is a look at most of the box of items all out.

Almost Liverpool: Arbitrary Trade pt. 2

The 2nd part of my trade with fellow blogger Martyn over at Arbitrary Crap contains a few more nearly (Liverpool) men. Under King Kenny Dalglish, Liverpool FC were beginning to develop a nice group of youngsters - including JAY SPEARING. 

Unfortunately, with new manager Brendon Rodgers, he has not been a starter.

Next up is one of the most hated ex-Liverpool players - FERNANDO TORRES who left for Chelsea so he could "win trophies".  While his teams have won them (Spain and Chelsea), he has played only a small part. He scoreless streak last season was longer than any droughts in our mid-west states.

Rookie ALEX OXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN finally makes his Topps card debut. He has already been capped by England.

A shiny "Golden Moment" insert card of former Manchester City's Shaun Goater. 

A shiny "Hundred Club" insert of Champions Man. City  - DAVID SILVA.

A shiny "Man of the Match: insert of Champions VINCENT KOMPANY.

A shiny insert of Arsenal's young gunner - JACK WILSHIRE.

And a final shiny, Chelsea's European Champion's League Captain card of JOHN TERRY.

Added were 2 packs each of some Panini Premier League stickers. I'll be rippin' packs on Saturday while watching the games live on FOX SOCCER CHANNEL.

Martyn included some memorabilia from his home club BLACKBURN ROVERS

A lapel pin - mint in package.

A match ticket from Blackburn vs. Portsmouth from 2001. In the background of the ticket is former Liverpool and Scotland International - GRAEME SOUNESS. 

Thanks Martyn !  

Suddenly, Last Summer: trade with Arbitrary Crap - Pt. 1

ALMOST LIVERPOOL

Well, "just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in again !" Summer is gone as of 10:40 PM today and Euro 2012 and the London Olympics are a distant memory ...

... almost. As you see from the cards (above and below), I got some Euro hangover from my friend Martyn over at Arbitrary Crap. These are some sweet Panini Euro game cards.

Knowing that I am a Liverpool supporter, Martyn sent me a few of the guys that USED to play at Liverpool.  He also added some Panini Champions League cards:

Sami Nasri - Manchester City

Alou Diarra - Olympique Marseille

Franck Beria - Lille F.C.

Vyecheslav Malafeev - CSKA (GOAL STOPPER foil)

Eric Abidal - Barcelona

Marek Hamsik - Napoli

We featured a few of Topps Olympic cards earlier, but the Brits had there own version mad by Panini. I got the card of the greatest player NOT to play soccer at in London 2012.

DAVID BECKHAM looks like he's training for some other sport on his card. I also got a Ladies footballer and a 7-a-side footballer. Interesting, I guess ?

Martyn sent along a three unopened packs so I can try my luck at a later time.

Here is a Liverpool player from the past - EMLYN HUGHES. I like this sample as it is a cigarette card size issue. There are several companies making retro sets and reprints in the UK. I'm not a fan of reprints at all, but these retro sets are nice if you have favorite players or teams from another era and don't want to spend a lot searching or spending big money.

The last card in this group is a 1979 TOPPS sticker from the NASL logo set. What's cool about this is that the NASL is back (as a 2nd division) and so are the Earthquakes. San Jose is in 1st place and may win the league this year. I featured their top gun Chris wondolowski before in an earlier blog.

coming next: part 2 of the trade

Out of This World - Space Exploration

A few days ago I attended and estate sale that featured lots of household items. The owner also had a significant oriental art collection. As I went from room to room I heard the bargain prices the relatives were dishing out. As I came into the parlor, a few objects caught my eye. 

As I asked about the items the owner's son explained that his father had been an engineer at NASA.

I picked up the globe (above) and knew it was vintage. Prior to the 1950's mankind was limited to the planet earth. When the Soviets launched SPUTNIK, the first satellite, it began the space race.

The owner of the items had been with the space program since the early days and worked up to the HUBBLE  program around 1979.

I found this flag with 48 stars. Its size was consistent with ones NASA used up through the man spaced programs of today (17 x 12 inches). I'm certain it hung in the offices at NASA.

Before more modern hand-held instruments, pilots and engineers could compute calculations on mathematical dials (like above).  

Before we could send men into space, we had to have a better look at our universe. The vehicle for doing so was the satellite. 

I found 3 desk models of satellites that the original owner worked on at NASA.  Although probably not one-of-a-kind artifacts, they were likely limited to a few VIPs and the team that engineered them.

The EXPLORER XVIII (below) was the 1st interplanetary monitoring platform spacecraft ever launched. It was sent into space in 1964.

The CAS-A / EOLE was a joint program from 1971 between NASA and France's Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES) is commemorated in this cubed model (below).

The SAN MARCO II  (below) from 1967 was a collaboration of NASA with the Italian Space Commission on an early long range radio satellite. Ironically, the radio is attributed to an Italian inventor (Marconi).

The satellite sits atop a section that looks very similar to the space module used during the APOLLO programs.

I was very pleased to find these artifacts from our planet's exploration history. 

GOT BALLS ? Size makes a difference

I never had any interest in newer gaming toys. I certainly do not play Yu-Gi-Ho or Pokemon card games or watch the cartoons.

However, I do like some of the toys associated with them. I like small, detailed toys. The Japanese, as toy makers, are the best at doing this. In my weekend searches for cool collectables i have often overlooked these unsuspecting plastic balls. On a recent long drive, I found a handful of these and they entertained me for the 40-minute car ride (no, I was not driving).

Little did I know that they blossom when they open to become mechanical creatures ...

BAKUGAN is the name of these tiny transforming balls. Baku means "exploding" and Gan meaning "sphere" in Japanese. Perhaps this is what give this toy its fascination to young minds.

From dragons to roosters, these techno-looking objects are spring loaded and pop open with any significant contact. As I understand it, they can also be triggered by a magnetic playing card that accompanies the game. All of this plays out in the arena of battle.

A fast food line of Bakugan has also been produced, but the toys are bigger (double the size at about 2 inches). They have less detail and are not as dynamic.

Cheap thrills are still part of being a kid at heart.  I got mine.

Collecting Focus 2012 - the Votes Are In

Well folks, the votes have tabulated. I spoke to colleagues, viewed the message boards and of course read your comments here.

I had some very good suggestions and thought about what would best fit my collecting focus. There were several sets to consider - from the easy to complete 50 card Churchman's and Phillip's  sets of the 1930's to the more desireeable like B.A.T. or Galleher's.

 There were a few modern sets that were suggested. And given an unlimited or bigger budget, any of the A&BC or Topps (below) sets would have been challenging.

In the end, my decision was based on historical guidelines and the desire to obtain significant players in various eras.

While surfing the net, I came across a list of the top 100 players of the (English) Football League.  The circuit established in 1888 has featured mostly British players (England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland) for the first century. But as the Premier League has become THE LEAGUE which the world follows, some of the best international players are included.

The set is within my scope of 100, although not numbered as such. I have quite a few of the players already so I have devised a two-level checklist. The first is to just get one card of every player on the list.

The second, if it is all possible, is to obtain the 1st card on which each player appears. I will refrain from using the term "rookie card" in the quest. The challenge will be the 34 pre-war players. The easier are the 29 players who appear after 1980. 

Lastly, this list allows me to move through the historical eras as well as a type collection. Without further ado, here is the checklist (listed chronologically with the club they are best associated):

 1. Billy Bassett - West Bromwich Albion

 2. Archie Hunter - Aston Villa

 3. John Goodall - Preston North End, Derby County

 4. Steve Bloomer - Derby Co.

 5. Billy Meredith - Manchester United, Manchester City

 6. Bob Crompton - Blackburn Rovers

 7. William "Fatty" Foulke - Sheffield United, Chelsea, Bradford City

 8. Alf Common - Middlesbrough

 9. Sam Hardy -  Liverpool

10. Billy McCracken - Newcastle United

11. Viv Woodward - Tottenham, Chelsea

12. Clem Stevenson - Huddersfield Town

13. Charlie Buchan - Sunderland, Arsenal

14. Elisha Scott - Liverpool

15. David Jack - Bolton, Arsenal

16. Dixie Dean - Everton

17. George Camsell - Middlebrough

18. Hughie Gallacher - Newcastle United, Chelsea

19. Harry Hibbs - Birmingham City

20. Alex James - Preston North End, Arsenal

21. Eddie Hapgood - Arsenal

22. Cliff Baston - Arsenal

23. Wilf Copping - Arsenal

24. Stan Matthews - Stoke City, Blackpool

25. Ted Drake - Arsenal

26. Joe Mercer - Everton, Arsenal

27. Riach Carter - Sunderland, Derby Co.

28. Peter Doherty - Manchester City, Derby Co.

29. Frank Swift - Manchester City

30. Tommy Lawton - Everton, Chelsea

31. Wif Mannion - Middlesbrough

32. George Hardwick - Middlesbrough

33. Johnny Carey - Manchester United

34. Stan Mortensen - Blackpool

35. Neil Franklin - Stoke City

36. Trevor ford - Swansea, Aston Villa

37. Nat Lofthouse - Bolton Wanderers

38. Tom Finney - Preston North End

39. Alf Ramsey - Tottenham

40. Len Shackleton - Newcastle United

41. Jimmy Dickinson - Portsmouth

42. Billy Liddell - Liverpool

43. Arthur Rowley - W.B.A. Fulham United

44. Billy Wright - Wolverhampton Wolves

45. Jackie Milburn - Newcastle United

46. John Charles - Leeds United

47. Ivor Allchurch - Swansea, Cardiff City

48. Danny Blanchflower - Tottenham

49. Bert Trautmann - Manchester City

50. Jimmy McIlroy - Burnley

51. Tommy Taylor - Manchester United

52. Cliff Jones - Swansea, Tottenham

53. Johnny Haynes - Fulham United

54. Duncan Edward - Manchester United

55. Jimmy Armfield - Blackpool

56. Terry Paine - Southampton

57. Bobby Charlton - Manchester United

58. Jimmy Greaves - Chelsea, Tottenham

59. Denis Law - Manchester United

60. Gordon Banks - Leicester City, Stoke city

61. Dave MacKay - Tottenham

62. Bobby Moore - West Ham United

63. Alan Mullery - Fulham, Tottenham

64. Geoff Hurst - West Ham United

65. Nobby Stiles - Manchester United

66. Johnny Giles- Leeds United

67. Billy Bremner - Leeds United

68. Frank McLintock - Arsenal

69. Alex Young - Everton

70. Martin Peters - West Ham United

71. Tommy Smith - Liverpool

72. Norman Hunter - Leeds United

73. Pat Jennings - Tottenham, Arsenal

74. Alan Ball - Everton, Arsenal

75. Colin Bell - Manchester City

76. George Best - Manchester United, Fulham United

77. Peter Shilton - Leicester City, Nottingham Forest

78. Ray Clemence  Liverpool, Tottenham

79. Malcolm McDonald - Newcastle United

80. Kevin Keegan - Liverpool, Newcastle United

81. Trevor Francis - Birmingham City, Nottingham Forest

82. Graeme Souness - Liverpool

83. Liam Brady - Arsenal

84. Glenn Hoddle - Tottenham

85. Bryan Robson - W.B.A., Manchester United

86. Alan Hansen - Liverpool

87. Kenny Dalglish - Liverpool

88. Gary Lineker - Everton

89. Ian Rush - Liverpool

90. Ossie Ardilles - Tottenham

91. Neville Southall - Everton

92. Paul McGrath - Manchester United

93. John Barnes - Liverpool

94. Tony Adam - Arsenal

95. Paul Gascoigne - Tottenham

96. Alan Shearer - Newcastle United

97. Ryan Giggs - Manchester United

98. Eric Cantona - Manchester United

99. Peter Schmeichel - Manchester United

100. Dennis Bergkamp - Arsenal

Let the search begin !

Non-Panini Gold - Trade with The Dutch Guys pt. 2

The package seemed smaller, but here is just a fraction of the remaining cards I got from my friend "The Dutch Card Guy".

These cards are about the same size as Panini stickers, however, the quality of these is a nice step up. This set has the foil like team emblems that Panini have. However, these cards are exclusive to the Eredivisie (Dutch Premier League).

FEYENOORD TEAM foil

From what I can tell, the set is made by an unknown manufacturer. I do not know what the name is but the logo is two letters inside the outline of a house. The Panini like cards are portrait shots. The biggest difference is the quality of the card fronts. 

The cards have a shiny gold name plate with gold facsimile autographs under the player's photo.

I was most pleased when I saw this card of this current Liverpool and Uruguay World Cup star - 

LUIS SUAREZ

Made by the same company, and perhaps even from the same year (but have different backs) are these action shots of the Eredivisie. 

I got two current Dutch International players - Ibrahim Afellay and Martin Stekelenburg, and current Arsenal and Belgium International Thomas Vermaelen. Other Internationals include Moroccan Karim El Ahmadi, now at Aston Villa, Ivory Coast's Sekou Cisse, Joonas Kolkka (Finland), Gabri (Spain).

The other seldom seen card issue I received were these "World of Soccer" series made for the online gaming craze of soccer cards.

WOS Header card

WOS player cards

It seems The Dutch Guy knows a thing or two about my card collection, because he sent the only other card I needed for my 1997 Upper Deck MLS Trophy Winner inserts -

Trophy Winner - ERIC WYNALDA

POST SCRIPT -

While there may be no NHL hockey in the up coming season, it has not stopped our fellow blogger over at PUCK JUNK from running a very cool and considerate contest. Go check it out - get a card or send one to help someone else.