I received my first package of tickets from Ben W last week or so. Today the last package came… All the way from London! In it were the following tickets:
Lyman Bostock Cycle 07.24.1976 (unsigned)
Rob Manfred ticket from 04.05.2015 @ Cubs with “1st Game as Commissioner”
Lou Piniella ticket from his managerial debut 04.08.1986 @ Yankees (unsigned)
A pair of Pat Gillick tickets from 04.07.1978 Blue Jays @ Tigers with “1st Game as GM” and “HOF 2011”
Emmitt Ashford, the first black umpire, ticket from his first game on 1966 Opening Day at the Washington Senators. I hope to donate this ticket to the Negro League Museum soon.
Ben has a tremendous collection that he is selling pieces of. I am fortunate enough to have been able to acquire a VERY small part of it!
Category: Bought
Just the Ticket!
I met Ben W years ago at Twinsfest. We did a couple trades if memory serves me right over the years. Ben moved to England recently and reached out that he was planning on selling his collection and wanted to see if I was interested in anything. I went through his list and picked some out. He still had a couple of the tickets at his parents’ home in the Twin Cities and some with him in England. Today I received three of my purchase that were from his parents. Today’s part included:
Brian Cashman GM Debut
Adam Wainwright MLB Debut
Terry Francona Managerial Debut that was signed
I love these and look forward to the package coming from England with the second part of the purchase!
Sweet Chiles O’ Mine!
One of the toughest living person’s autographs to get for a Twins collector is Rich Chiles. I have sent my 1978 and 1979 cards with a cash donation to him a couple times and never got a response. When Brian F (abcunlimited.net) posted he had one for sale from a collection he purchased, I jumped on it. Today I received that along with a 1974 Frank Quilici managers card signed by Frank as well as Ralph Rowe and Vern Morgan. Both of these cards were the last ones I needed to complete each respective year’s signed sets! What a great mail day!
Twins Cards!
A couple months ago I purchased a Louie Varland card from Mike E who I connected with via a Facebook sale post. Mike just got back from a trip to Twins spring training and was able to get a bunch of cards, including some 2025 Topps, signed by the Twins. I was able to acquire the following from Mike:
2022 Topps Jorge Alcala #US201
2024 Topps Simeon Woods Richardson (Full name!) #US295
2024 Topps Jair Camargo #US314
2024 Topps Twin Pillars Byron Buxton #US289
2025 Topps Jorge Alcala #336
2025 Topps Willie Castro #155
2025 Topps Joe Ryan #40
2025 Topps Brooks Lee #317
2025 Topps Jose Miranda #310
2025 Topps Royce Lewis #59
I am excited to knock off some 2025 Topps already and look forward to working with Mike again soon when the AAA season kicks off. Mike is in Iowa and sees the Iowa Cubs, and visitors like the St Paul Saints.