Tim Carroll is not your regular artist. Rather than relying on an easel, palette, paintbrush and canvas his favorite medium is baseball cards. He’s also been known to use such items as rubber stamps, fake $100 bills, and black socks. His artwork usually portrays sports figures but he’s also done pieces on Benjamin Franklin and Abraham Lincoln.
Two of the cards he produced artwork of are cards that I mentioned in my blog on Rookie Cards. Neither of which are cards I own sadly. One is, of course, Mickey Mantle’s 1952 Topps card and the other is Ken Griffey Jr.’s 1989 Upper Deck RC. (more…)
Art By Tim Carroll
The Rookie Cards
My baseball card collection centers around two things. Cards of anyone who have EVER played for the Cincinnati Reds and autographs. However, any good baseball card collector knows and appreciates the significance of rookie cards. They are usually the most highly sought base card of a given player and that is often reflected by their “book value”. “Book values” mean nothing to me as I rarely sell cards and because nothing sells at book, but the pull of the RC still inspires me to acquire cards of guys I wouldn’t otherwise collect. Here are some rookie cards I have, I want, and I’m never going to get. (more…)
This is news?
Manny Ramirez shoved a team traveling secretary to the ground in June and there was virtually no news about it and no response from fans. On Saturday, after hitting his 607th homerun, Ken Griffey Jr. made a throat slash gesture towards Jeff Brantley who was tucked safely away in his booth. Granted this was an on-field gesture and it was inappropriate but how does it get more attention than the Ramirez story? One reason is because Griffey has such a clean slate. But isn’t that sort of backwards? Shouldn’t we be able to forgive and forget easier since he has such a clean record? I think it’s more funny than anything else. No one was hurt. Sure he probably embarrassed himself but that’s at his own expense. I’m sure the Red Sox traveling secretary felt pretty humiliated when he got pushed to the ground by Manny. Manny’s actions held a level (albeit a small one) of actual physical violence. Griffey’s gesture could be perceived as a threat but… honestly? I see it as more of a “go to hell, Brantley” than any sort of threat. So while I do not approve of him doing it, I just don’t see why it’s such a big deal.
