| The HOOPS Page!!! |
| 1968 Aamco Transmission Postcard(s) Wilt Chamberlain |
WELCOME to Nowbatting19's HOOPS Page! On this page, we will feature some terrific basketball cards. Topps Chewing Gum, Inc., the biggest bubble gum card maker on
the planet, issued a major basketball set in 1957 but basketball was just not as popular with the kids, so it wasn't until 1969 that Topps began producing basketball cards again.
Frank H. Fleer Company also issued early basketball cards in 1961 and these feature some great early cards of Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, and Jerry West, to
name a few; however this was their last effort. Topps not only had a monopoly on the baseball market, but it seems the basketball market as well. My site is pretty well prejudiced as
it features mostly baseball cards (as I think it is the best game ever!) but it is time to acknowledge the other sports as well. Except GOLF, as that is not a sport, but a retirement
game. Any game where you do not break a sweat is NOT a sport in my book. Same goes for playing cards. Playing cards is NOT a sport! It is playing cards. Period. And while I am
on a roll, I also want to mention that soccer is the most boring sport in the universe! There are only a couple things that happen in soccer. One is you have a bunch of guys or girls
running around like chickens with their head's cut off. Then they try and kick the ball into the net. The goalie tries to stop this. I would rather be an AMERICAN IDIOT and spend an
hour watching "AMERICAN IDOL" than watch 5 minutes of soccer. Anyway enjoy our new hoops page! Tim
the planet, issued a major basketball set in 1957 but basketball was just not as popular with the kids, so it wasn't until 1969 that Topps began producing basketball cards again.
Frank H. Fleer Company also issued early basketball cards in 1961 and these feature some great early cards of Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, and Jerry West, to
name a few; however this was their last effort. Topps not only had a monopoly on the baseball market, but it seems the basketball market as well. My site is pretty well prejudiced as
it features mostly baseball cards (as I think it is the best game ever!) but it is time to acknowledge the other sports as well. Except GOLF, as that is not a sport, but a retirement
game. Any game where you do not break a sweat is NOT a sport in my book. Same goes for playing cards. Playing cards is NOT a sport! It is playing cards. Period. And while I am
on a roll, I also want to mention that soccer is the most boring sport in the universe! There are only a couple things that happen in soccer. One is you have a bunch of guys or girls
running around like chickens with their head's cut off. Then they try and kick the ball into the net. The goalie tries to stop this. I would rather be an AMERICAN IDIOT and spend an
hour watching "AMERICAN IDOL" than watch 5 minutes of soccer. Anyway enjoy our new hoops page! Tim
1973 Topps #240 Julius Erving AS 1986 Fleer #31 Julius Erving
In 1968 (or thereabouts) Aamco Transmissions produced a set of large postcards featuring some bigger than life sport figures. I was aware of only two players, Roger Maris of
the St. Louis Cardinals, and Johnny Unitas of the Baltimore Colts. However what is great about the world wide web is that someone, somewhere, will provide more information
and in this case, I would like to give full credit to Brent Kondritz. Brent recently acquired the Maris, Unitas, and this super Wilt Chamberlain postcard, which is really TWO
separate postcards. I put them together so you can get the "full picture." This is just a terrific piece and I am so happy Brent provided these scans so we can all enjoy them!
Thanks Brent!!!
P.S. Speaking of the great Wilt Chamberlain, makes me think fondly of the Laker teams of old. You had the great Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Wilt "The Stilt," the Laker teams of
the 1980's which featured Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, and the terrific announcer through those great teams, Chick Hearn (RIP Chicky baby). Notice
I am not going mention the Kobe Bryant/ Shaqullle O' Neal "soap opera" teams, which caused me to care less about the Lakers. I was just reading in the papers today about how Kobe is
"unhappy" with management, etc. These pampered pusses don't deserve any respect. Not from this fan. Reminds me of a line from John Wayne in the movie "The Cowboys."
Wayne's character says "it takes more than a big mouth to be a big man." So just shut the hell up and PLAY Kobe! If you were any leader you would kick some ass on the
team. Not bitch and whine like the wuss that you are. Aw blow it out!
the St. Louis Cardinals, and Johnny Unitas of the Baltimore Colts. However what is great about the world wide web is that someone, somewhere, will provide more information
and in this case, I would like to give full credit to Brent Kondritz. Brent recently acquired the Maris, Unitas, and this super Wilt Chamberlain postcard, which is really TWO
separate postcards. I put them together so you can get the "full picture." This is just a terrific piece and I am so happy Brent provided these scans so we can all enjoy them!
Thanks Brent!!!
P.S. Speaking of the great Wilt Chamberlain, makes me think fondly of the Laker teams of old. You had the great Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Wilt "The Stilt," the Laker teams of
the 1980's which featured Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, and the terrific announcer through those great teams, Chick Hearn (RIP Chicky baby). Notice
I am not going mention the Kobe Bryant/ Shaqullle O' Neal "soap opera" teams, which caused me to care less about the Lakers. I was just reading in the papers today about how Kobe is
"unhappy" with management, etc. These pampered pusses don't deserve any respect. Not from this fan. Reminds me of a line from John Wayne in the movie "The Cowboys."
Wayne's character says "it takes more than a big mouth to be a big man." So just shut the hell up and PLAY Kobe! If you were any leader you would kick some ass on the
team. Not bitch and whine like the wuss that you are. Aw blow it out!
1968 Topps Test #1 Wilt Chamberlain 1960 Leaf #37 Duke Snider
Here is another rare Wilt Chamberlain issue. Prior to Topps' 1969 basketball set (their first since 1957), they produced a "test issue." I don't know much about them except
that they are very, very rare. I spotted this example on eBay and being that I could not afford the $5,000 asking price (I think it was somewhere around there) I lifted the image
and pasted it here so that other collectors (like me) could see what they look like. To me, they look very much like the 1960 "Sports Novelties" (Leaf) baseball cards (see the
above Duke Snider card, right). Maybe that's why they were not produced. I don't know. What I do know, is that these 1968 Topps basketball test issues are very rare and
very valuable. And that is all you need to know about these cards.
that they are very, very rare. I spotted this example on eBay and being that I could not afford the $5,000 asking price (I think it was somewhere around there) I lifted the image
and pasted it here so that other collectors (like me) could see what they look like. To me, they look very much like the 1960 "Sports Novelties" (Leaf) baseball cards (see the
above Duke Snider card, right). Maybe that's why they were not produced. I don't know. What I do know, is that these 1968 Topps basketball test issues are very rare and
very valuable. And that is all you need to know about these cards.
1981 Topps #4 Larry Bird 1981 Topps #21 Magic Johnson
Some collectors feel the 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan rookie card is THE basketcall card to own. I don't agree with that. If I had to choose the best basketball card of all-time I would
choose the 1980-1981 Topps Larry Bird/ Magic Johnson rookie card (btw, the 3-card panel also features the guy who was "AIR" before Jordan, Julius Erving). That card features
the two players who put basketball on top. It was not Michael Jordan. Additionally, the BIrd/ Magic Topps rookie card is much more affordable than Michael Jordan's 1986 Fleer
rookie card. Either way, you can't go wrong with either choice but I think the 1980 Topps Bird/ Erving/ Magic card is the all-time best basketball card. You can see what their rookie
card looks like by going to the All-Time Great Cards Page.
The above cards are not Magic & Bird's rookie cards, but their second year cards. While not difficult to acquire, they are difficult to find well centered. For some reason, Topps
again stopped producing basketball cards after this effort. It was not until 1991-1992, that they resumed the basketball series again.
choose the 1980-1981 Topps Larry Bird/ Magic Johnson rookie card (btw, the 3-card panel also features the guy who was "AIR" before Jordan, Julius Erving). That card features
the two players who put basketball on top. It was not Michael Jordan. Additionally, the BIrd/ Magic Topps rookie card is much more affordable than Michael Jordan's 1986 Fleer
rookie card. Either way, you can't go wrong with either choice but I think the 1980 Topps Bird/ Erving/ Magic card is the all-time best basketball card. You can see what their rookie
card looks like by going to the All-Time Great Cards Page.
The above cards are not Magic & Bird's rookie cards, but their second year cards. While not difficult to acquire, they are difficult to find well centered. For some reason, Topps
again stopped producing basketball cards after this effort. It was not until 1991-1992, that they resumed the basketball series again.
1971 Topps #50 Jerry West
I was not a big hoops fan as a kid. I was primarily a baseball nut. However I do remember in the early 1970's my mom would buy us packs of cards (including both football and
basketball) when we were sick. We would rip into these packs and I really liked the bright colors Topps used in the 1971 and 1972 Topps sets. This is one of my favorites
featuring Laker great, Jerry West. In the 3rd grade I remember we were watching some film and Jerry West was in it. Some kid, I can only remember his first name, Jeff;
anyway Jeff said out loud that he saw Jerry West. Well this is fine, except Jeff kept repeating this line, much to the chagrine of our teacher who told him to stop it. Jeff kept on
saying, amost singing, "I SAW JERRY WEST... I SAW JER-RY WE-EST.... I SAW JER-RRRY WE-ESST," etc., etc. Well the teacher had enough and escorted Mr. Jeff outside
to the back, outside of the classroom. And there Mr. Jeff proceeded to go into his 4-word song... "I SAW JER-RY WE-EST...." Why I remember this, I do not know. Jeff, if you
are reading this, I hope you did see Jerry West.
basketball) when we were sick. We would rip into these packs and I really liked the bright colors Topps used in the 1971 and 1972 Topps sets. This is one of my favorites
featuring Laker great, Jerry West. In the 3rd grade I remember we were watching some film and Jerry West was in it. Some kid, I can only remember his first name, Jeff;
anyway Jeff said out loud that he saw Jerry West. Well this is fine, except Jeff kept repeating this line, much to the chagrine of our teacher who told him to stop it. Jeff kept on
saying, amost singing, "I SAW JERRY WEST... I SAW JER-RY WE-EST.... I SAW JER-RRRY WE-ESST," etc., etc. Well the teacher had enough and escorted Mr. Jeff outside
to the back, outside of the classroom. And there Mr. Jeff proceeded to go into his 4-word song... "I SAW JER-RY WE-EST...." Why I remember this, I do not know. Jeff, if you
are reading this, I hope you did see Jerry West.
1973 Topps #130 Pete Maravich
****** This page is currently under construction. Please check back soon for more great basketball cards! ******
The Duke says...
"What in the HELL am I doing here???
"What in the HELL am I doing here???