Cleveland has three pro sports teams - the Indians, the Browns, and the Cavaliers.
The Indians were one run away from winning the World Series in 1997 and 2016. The Browns are one of only four NFL franchises never to have played in a Super Bowl.
In 2016 the Cavaliers defeated Golden State in the NBA Finals, bringing the first championship to "Believeland" since Jim Brown carried the Browns to the 1964 NFL title.
The Cavs and Warriors have faced off in each of the last three Finals, and both teams are powerful but vulnerable this season.
Billy Kingsley's cousin Kevin Love has recently gone public about his battle with anxiety. Head coach Tyronn Lue just took a leave of absence from the team, and the whole city is on edge over the pending free agency of the biggest star in the game, Akron's own LeBron James.
This is something you might not see again on the Sports Card Tour: my best card representing a city (with more than one team) is a basketball card. I bought this on eBay after LeBron won his second championship in Miami; it was the only Cavs card of King James in my collection - until Billy hooked me up with some of these:
The Franchise insert was actually pulled from a basketball repack I bought at Target, at the beginning of my basketball card collecting renaissance. I think I got the Topps '58 insert on COMC.
During the 2015 NBA Finals, Matthew Dellavedova cards were red-hot on COMC (and other places, I'm assuming?) I loved the way Delly played 'D' so I waited for his cards to cool off a bit and then plucked a few off the site. The Hot Signatures auto was $2.65.
I had a Cleveland Browns autographed card in my collection - but it was recently sent to Angus in exchange for the Brett Favre Prilosec set and a sparkly Dustin Pedroia. This Cameron Erving card should be arriving in Canada soon.
The QB class of '99 rears its ugly head again. Tim Couch couldn't even crack the Packers roster as a backup to Brett Favre. If I ever collect another football card set it will be 1986 Topps; that set is highly underrated IMO.
I actually had a bit of a Bernie Kosar collection for a while..only base cards though.
When I was a kid I had a Kosar Starting Lineup figure; I must have taken it into the bath tub or something because part of the paint chipped off and before long I had a "Kosap" figure.
I'll be honest...this is probably my best Browns card:
This guy owes us money. I've added him to my Debtor Hall of Shame.
My Indians cards are much more interesting.
This Al Rosen was the first '56 Topps card I upgraded. Bob Lemon isn't the only Hall of Fame pitcher named Bob in my Tribe...
This Feller auto/relic was part of my first official COMC order. It's a stickergraph and a pants swatch, and this set had a lot of low numbered relic variations - which might explain why this was only $40.27 (that and Feller lived to be 92 so he signed a lot of cards.)
More modern Fellers. "Bullet Bob" is a perfect subject for Archives. Grady Sizemore was another player I used to collect. Still have a bunch of his base cards in my binders.
Some more vintage COMC finds. I had no problem paying $3.65 for the Bobby Avila. At $2.85 I was on the fence about Brodowksi but eventually pulled the trigger. I'm glad I did; the print spots nearly scared me away but they're minuscule in-hand.
Indians card I'd like to own: I want a Terry Francona manager card, but I need the Francisco Lindor SP for my 2017 Topps Heritage set build (photo variation preferred.)
Browns card I'd like to own: A Joe Thomas card. I stopped collecting football cards before his HOF-worthy career began, but I really should pick up a card or two of the trail-blazing Brown.
Cavaliers card I'd like to own:This swirly, whirly Kyrie Irving rookie:
Favorite Indians player: Does Edwin Encarnacion's imaginary parrot Edwing count?
Favorite Browns player: Don't have one. Let's see who they draft with their #1 overall pick.
Favorite Cavaliers player: Love or LeBron
Next tour stop: Dallas
p.s. The winner of the Cincinnati contest is...Collecting Cutch. Tony Perez is the Reds legend missing from my collection. Congrats, Brian! I'll try to find something to send your way soon.
Thanks for reading!
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Love the Feller card! In my teens, I got his autograph at an old-timer game in Montreal. All the other kids near the edge of the field were trying to get the opposition team's (off-hand, I don't remember who) backup catcher, or someone like that, and I saw that Bob Feller was just standing there. I called him over, chatted with him for a minute and he signed the back of my ticket stub. No other kids came over while I was talking with him.
ReplyDeleteThat's a nice sampling of Browns cards, and I'll let you know when the Erving shows up. Thanks!
That's must have been a thrill to meet a baseball legend and chat with him. I guess those kids had no idea who he was.
DeleteI will check through my Lindor cards to see if I have an extra '17 Heritage card for you. If not, I will keep an eye out for one for you. Also, I will keep an eye at the one flea market for a Joe Thomas card since I am not a Browns fan or collector.
ReplyDeleteThat would be great. Keep me posted on that. Thanks!
DeleteFavorite Cleveland Indian: Omar Vizquel
ReplyDeleteFavorite Cleveland Brown: ?????
Favorite Cleveland Cavalier: Mark Price
I think I should have done all-time favorites like you're doing. It would be a lot easier.
DeleteIf I did current rosters... I wouldn't be able to come up with a Browns or Cavaliers player.
DeleteFavorite current Cleveland Indian: Francisco Lindor
Glad I was able to help! My most wanted Cavs card is a LeBron autograph. Can't afford it, won't likely happen.
ReplyDeleteI cant imagine how much a LeBron auto would cost. Maybe you'll hit the jackpot and pull one out of a pack.
DeleteMy favorite Indian would have to be Jim Thome even though he played for a few teams other than Cleveland. Love the Bob Feller card as well.
ReplyDeleteThome is definitely likeable. I'm surprised no one mentioned Kenny Lofton, I think he was my favorite Indian in the 90's.
DeleteLaughed out loud at that Joe Thomas picture. Thanks to Tribecards who was such a wonderful, generous blogger I've become an Indians fan (when they're not playing the Yankees). I was pulling hard for them to beat the Cubs in '16.
ReplyDelete