Yankees Beverage Cup

Whenever I went to a baseball game as a kid, I always enjoyed the "free" plastic cup that came along with your drink. It was a great souvenir, plus you got 24 ounces of Coke! I have quite a few cups from the Oakland Coliseum, featuring Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire, and even Walt Weiss, but none of them ever featured Rickey.



I didn't get it from the stadium, but this "Collector's Series '87" cup from Yankee Stadium does feature Rickey, and probably came complete with a $10 beer. An artistic rendering of an action shot of Rickey is featured on one side of the cup, and in profile on the other.



I love the list of events that fans had to look forward to in 1987. I bet they had a sell-out crowd on the 4th of July for the Miami Sound Machine concert!

Topps Base Cards: 1980-1985

Despite what it may look like based on previous posts, I do actually collect "normal" Rickey Henderson cards, in addition to all of the oddball items that I've shared so far. I decided that it would be more fun to start the blog by showcasing some of the more interesting pieces I've collected through the years, but I also have a lot of great cards that I'd like to share as well!

The best place to start any discussion of Rickey Henderson cards is at the beginning, his 1980 Topps Rookie Card, the Holy Grail of any Rickey collection. (Yes, I know he has a few minor league cards out there, but we'll ignore those for now.)

I just love the cartoons that Topps used to put on the back of their cards. It was a great way to keep me interested in even the "commons," as I was usually entertained by the stats they decided to feature.

The next two photos showcase all of the Rickey cards included in the Topps base set from 1980-1985, his first stint with the Oakland A's, and some of the best years of his career.









Hopefully you enjoyed your first glimpse into my Rickey Henderson card collection, as there's plenty more to come!

Stolen Base Record Photo Viewer

I went to quite a few Oakland A's games in 1991, but was unable to make it to the game when Rickey finally broke the all-time stolen base record. Fortunately, this little photo viewer perfectly captures the moment.







I purchased this plastic viewer at the Oakland Coliseum some time during the summer of 1991. On one side it commemorates Rickey's 939th stolen base, which he achieved on May 1, 1991 to pass Lou Brock on the all-time list. I've taken apart the end of the viewer to show the picture inside, showing Rickey holding aloft third base in celebratory fashion.

Topps Triple Headers Ball

Here's another oddball Rickey non-card item produced by Topps. It's a 1992 Triple Headers plastic baseball, about the size of a ping-pong ball, complete with a 16-year-old bag of hard candies. The set contained 26 different balls, one for each AL and NL team, with the A's ball #11 of 14 in the AL set.

It seems to be a follow-up to the 1991 SuperStar Stand-Ups set, with one small difference. Unlike the Stand-Ups, which had a sliding door to access the candy, these balls are solid and have no openings. Topps basically just decided to add a bag of candy to the box.




The ball itself includes pictures of Rickey Henderson, Dave Henderson, and Jose Canseco, along with facsimile signatures. It's interesting to note that the A's ball shown on the box must have been a preproduction mock-up, as it's different from the one actually produced. On the real ball, the photos of Canseco and Hendu have been flipped, and Rickey's signature has been lowered. Also included in the box was an ad for a subscription to Topps magazine featuring Rickey on the cover (which will be looked at in more detail at a later date).

This last picture is for Mario over at Wax Heaven. Enjoy the disembodied Canseco head!

Topps 3-D Cards

The 1985 Topps 3-D card, with Rickey in his A's uniform, is one of my favorite cards in my collection. I really like the way the 3-D effect actually makes him jump off of the card! The cards are blank backed (except for a few pieces of double-stick tape), and are approximately 4"x6" large.




The card above is from the 1985 Topps 3-D set, and is number 10 of 30. Rickey was actually traded to the Yankees before the 1985 season began, but he didn't show up as a Yankee until the 1986 Topps 3-D set, where he's number 11 of 30.

Two 8x10 Collectible Photos

Both of the pictures below are on cardboard paper stock, and are more like large thin cards than actual photographs. The first picture was printed in 1990 by the Collectors Marketing Corporation. I vividly remember buying this particular picture, which I found at the checkstand of my local grocery store. I also always found it amusing that Rickey was wearing #22 in the picture, instead of his typical #24.



This next picture, part of a collection of Line Drive photos, was printed in 1991 by Impel Marketing, but is of a very similar design to the previous one.

Rookie Card Coffee Mug

This ceramic coffee mug features the front of Rickey's 1980 Topps rookie card on one side, and the back of the card on the other. Along with the A's logo on the side of the mug, it says "Topps Rookie Card" above the words "Rookie Ball," which I'm assuming is the name of the collection.







The mug was produced for Topps by Sports Nostalgia and the R&N China Company. There's no date on the mug itself, but I believe that it was produced around 1992.

Tuff Stuff Postcards

The Rickey cards below are postcard sized, and cut from an issue of Tuff Stuff magazine, which I surprisingly don't actually have. The card on the left is a replica of the April 1991 issue's cover (minus the green box with his name at the bottom), which I'm assuming is the issue in which these cards were included, but I'm not positive. Does anyone have a copy of this issue that they could check?





Although you can't tell based on the scan, the replica cover card is card number 10, described as "original art by Dan Reilly." The card back that describes "a miniature replica of the April 1991 cover" is actually the reverse of the Reilly portrait card. Obviously the backs on these two cards are switched, which I can only assume to be true of all those that were printed.

Micro Stars Figurine

This little plastic Rickey figure is about 2 inches tall, and is from the 1995 Collector's Edition of The Original Micro Stars. It's not the best representation of Rickey, but you can see a slight resemblance.

It was produced by Creative Images International, who had an MLBPA license, but not an MLB license, which explains the lack of team logos on the jersey and hat.

The reverse of the backer card contains a short bio about Rickey, as well as a list of all 50 players available in the set. This included future Hall of Famers such as Cal Ripken Jr. and Wade Boggs, and "stars" of the day such as Ken Hill of the Expos and David Nied of the Rockies.

Topps Superstar Stand-Ups

I want to start today's post by thanking the Cardboard Junkie for "pimpin' " my blog! I hope everyone who clicked over here from his site enjoys what they see.

In 1991, while Topps was celebrating "40 Years of Baseball," they produced a candy collectible called Superstar Stand-Ups. These plastic containers are still full of baseball-shaped candies, with the Topps logo on one side, and baseball-related sayings such as "Home Run" and "Strike Out" on the other.




Shown above are both the red and white version of the Rickey Stand-Up, which is number 19 in the set. I think there might also be a blue version in the set, but I'm not 100% sure. If anyone out there knows an answer, please let me know. The entire series contained 36 stars of the day, everyone from Jim Abbott to Robin Yount.

1987 Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Cards

In 1987 Kraft produced a 48-card set called "Home Run Heroes," which could be found on the back of Macaroni and Cheese boxes. The first two pictures below are of a complete box, still full of mac and cheese. I wouldn't be surprised it you could still eat it today!

The panels on the back of the boxes actually contained several different player combinations, four of which are shown below. Rickey (card number 31 in the set) is paired with Fernando Valenzuela (as in the full box), but also with Vince Coleman, Jeff Reardon, and Pete Rose.

1982 7-Eleven Cup and Flyer

Throughout his career, Rickey proved to be very popular with advertisers, and was frequently included in food-related card sets and collectibles. The 7-Eleven cup below was produced in 1982, and was one of 20 in the complete set, which were sold along with a Slurpee at 7-Eleven convenience stores.

The following promotional flyer shows all 20 cups that were available in the complete set. It's interesting to note that a lot of ex- and future-A's players (and coaches) are pictured here while playing for different teams. Carney Lansford (Red Sox), Vida Blue (Royals), Rollie Fingers (Brewers), and Art Howe (Astros) were all included in the set.

The "kid" who owned my cup before me obviously didn't follow the directions at the bottom of this flyer, as my cup looks to have taken quite a few trips through the dishwasher.

Let the Countdown Begin...

...Until Rickey Henderson's induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. When the 2008 inductees are announced this Tuesday, there will only be one year remaining until Rickey's inevitable induction in 2009. What better time could there be to begin this blog?

I've been collecting Rickey Henderson memorabilia for about 20 years now, and have acquired a wide variety of cards, figures, magazines, posters, and other random collectibles. I hope to share a small piece of my collection with you on a daily basis, with the goal of completing it by the time he's inducted into the Hall in 2009.

The best place to begin would be at the beginning, with a very common but important piece of my collection:

1987 Topps #311

I received my first ever pack of baseball cards at a birthday party in 1987, and it included this Rickey Henderson Topps "Turn Back the Clock" card. I was a big Oakland A's fan at the time, but was too young to remember when he was a member of the A's, as he was playing for the Yankees at the time. Luckily for me, he was traded back to the green and gold in 1989.

The first "real" collectible posted on this blog is a fuzzy green Rickey wristband. These were called "Foto Sweats" and were an officially licensed MLB/MLBPA product produced in 1990/1991 by Fotoball USA (better known for producing baseballs adorned with similar player photos).

So begins my foray into blogging, and the display of my Rickey Henderson collectibles. I sure hope you enjoyed what you saw, and that you come back to see all the Rickey items I have to share!

Rickey Henderson Items for Sale or Trade

As part of a much needed "Spring" cleaning, I've finally started to go through and collect all of my duplicate Rickey items, which I'm beginning to list below. My plan is to continue to update this as I uncover new items, so if you're interested, be sure to check back (although I can't guarantee how often this will actually be updated).

Although I'm always up for trading first, I've listed a price along with the item (not including shipping), in case anyone is just interested in buying. The list below includes mainly non-card memorabilia items, while a list of all of the Rickey Henderson cards that I have for trade/sale can be found here. For many of the items, I only have one available, so please don't hesitate to let me know if you see something that you like. If you're interested in anything on any of the lists (I'm definitely willing to work out a price on multiple items), or have any further questions, please send me an e-mail.

2009 Induction Weekend Program -- Commemorative Induction Ceremony Program given to all in attendance at the 2009 Hall of Fame induction. Includes numerous pictures and articles on Rickey, a must-have for any collector! -- $10


2009 Official Hall of Fame Cache -- This is the official cache sold by the Hall of Fame, and cancelled by the post office on the day of the 2009 induction. Note: the white circle in the upper right hand corner is on the plastic case and not the cache -- $40


2009 Hall of Fame "Induction News" -- Commemorative Hall of Fame brochure given out only during Induction Weekend. Cover and inside flap both include a picture of Rickey. Also contains a schedule of the weekend's events as well as short bios of the inductees -- $5



2009 Hall of Fame Postcard -- Official Hall of Fame postcard released the day of Rickey's induction -- $3





2009 Hall of Fame Induction Catalog -- Catalog filled with all of the Rickey items (sample page shown above) that were available to purchase during induction weekend, from bats and balls to pins and plaques -- $5



2009 Hall of Fame Museum Ticket -- Although Rickey is not pictured on the item, it is a unique collectible. The ticket is from July 25, 2009, the day before the induction ceremony, and Rickey's last day prior to becoming a Hall of Famer -- $20



2009 Hall of Fame Induction Day Card -- 8" x 10" card produced by PhotoFile to commemorate Rickey's induction -- $5



2009 Hall of Fame Guide -- Brochure mentions Rickey in "Inductee Row" section, and also includes a picture of Rickey & Jim Rice "Memories & Dreams" Magazine -- $3



2009 Hall of Fame Member Benefits brochure -- Includes picture of Rickey and Jim Rice "Memories & Dreams" magazine on inside flap -- $3



2009 Hall of Fame Membership $5 coupon -- Includes 2009 Induction logo, direct from Hall of Fame Shop, printed in color on regular paper -- $2



2009 Hall of Fame Weekend DVD pre-order slip -- Includes 2009 Induction logo, direct from Hall of Fame Shop, printed in B&W on regular paper -- $2




2009 "Upstate Life" Magazine -- Magazine includes a great cover image of Rickey, as well as a couple of short articles inside, including the full page picture of Rickey and Rice included above -- $10



2009 Autograph Signing Appearance sheet -- Day after induction, direct from Cooperstown, printed in B&W on regular paper -- $2


2009 Oakland Athletics Banner -- Stadium Giveaway on August 2, 2009 during "Rickey Weekend." Oversize cloth banner measures approximately 3' x 5' and comes in original unopened package -- $30




1990 Oakland Athletics Magazine -- A's Magazine featuring awesome cover art of the Man of Steal! The magazines spine and corners do show some wear (with a crease in the lower right corner), but it doesn't take away from the image. Includes a nice article about Rickey inside, as well as numerous pictures and advertisements in which he's included -- SOLD


2009 Rickey Henderson Field Dedication Program -- Given to attendees at the renaming of the Field of Dreams in Oakland to Rickey Henderson Field. The single-fold (one piece of paper folded in half) program is printed on a thick glossy paper. The inside of the program lists the speakers and acknowledgements, while the back includes a history of the field --$10


2009 Rickey Henderson Field Dedication Flyer -- This 8 1/2 x 11" flyer / poster was created for the dedication of Rickey Henderson Field in July 2009. Only a few of these were printed at the time (to be posted around the schools campus), and very few if any were actually saved (I've never seen an original). This is a reprint from the original source file (given to me by the guy who created it), printed on the same paper as the programs above -- $5




2009 Rickey Henderson Field Dedication Hat -- These hats were only sold during the dedication of Rickey Henderson Field in July 2009. After the ceremony, I purchased all of the remaining stock, and have never seen them for sale anywhere else. The hats featured an embroidered Rickey Henderson Field logo, and are adjustable to fit almost any size via a velcro strap on the back -- $20


1986 New York Yankees Pocket Schedule -- Yankees Magazine and Budweiser sponsor variations available -- $3


2009 Oakland A's Pocket Schedule -- Budweiser and Capitol Corridor sponsor variations are available -- $3



1999 Salvino Bammers 7th Inning Stretch Bear -- This beanie bear of Rickey Henderson with the New York Mets is brand new with tags -- $15


1988 Peter David Pin -- SOLD


1999 New York Mets Pocket Schedule -- Sponsored by Chase on the back -- $3


1984 Slurpee Ad Sheet -- Square cutout from full sheet measures approximately 2" x 2" -- $3



2009 R. Plate Postcard -- Two different postcards are available, 3,000 Hits and Yankees Legends, with Dimaggio, Ruth, and Mantle -- $5 each


1982 McWilliams Postcard -- This nice vintage postcard is numbered 82-118 -- SOLD

After looking over all of the oddball items above, don't forget to check out the complete list of Rickey Henderson cards that I have for trade/sale here.