It's the Fourth of July!!! Happy Independence Day!!! Now with Lists!!!

It's July 4, everybody. On this day 234 years ago, 56 men got together and drafted what was to become one of the most important documents in the history of the United States of America.


All 56 men who signed this important piece of paper were honored with an insert set included in 2006 Topps called Signers of the Declaration of Independence. The front of all 56 cards featured the above painting by John Trumbull, the backs each contained a piece of a puzzle that when put together displayed the full Declaration of Independence.

Now, if you recall, in 2006, Topps honored all 56 of these brave men by including them in an insert set called 2006 Topps Signers of the Declaration of Independence. Each card featured the above picture, along with a tiny headshot of the man being featured. Instead of putting a brief biography about said signer on the back of the card, there in its place was a piece of a puzzle that when you put all 56 cards together, you get your own copy of the Declaration. I've actually done this, it's a lot of fun to look at. And if I ever do buy another set of these cards (good luck finding one...), I will frame them to display the historic document.

If you still need a checklist, or would like to get a brief history lesson, click on each of the names below, courtesy of ColonialHall.com:

Abraham Clark , NJ
Arthur Middleton, SC
Benjamin Franklin, PA
Benjamin Harrison, VA
Benjamin Rush, PA
Button Gwinnett, GA
Caesar Rodney, DE
Carter Braxton, VA
Charles Carrol, MD
Edward Rutledge, SC
Elbridge Gerry, MA
Francis Hopkinson, NJ
Francis Lewis, NY
Francis Lightfoot Lee, VA
George Clymer, PA
George Read, DE
George Ross, PA
George Taylor, PA
George Walton, GA
George Wythe, VA
James Smith, PA
James Wilson, PA
John Adams, MA
John Hancock, MA
John Hart, NJ
John Morton, PA
John Penn, NC
John Witherspoon, NJ
Joseph Hewes, NC
Josiah Bartlett, NH
Lewis Morris, NY
Lyman Hall, GA
Matthew Thornton, NH
Oliver Wolcott, CT
Philip Livingston, NY
Richard Henry Lee, VA
Richard Stockton, NJ
Robert Morris, PA
Robert Treat Paine, MA
Roger Sherman, CT
Samuel Adams, MA
Samuel Chase, MD
Samuel Huntington, CT
Stephen Hopkins, RI
Thomas Heyward, SC
Thomas Jefferson, VA
Thomas Lynch, SC
Thomas M' Kean, DE
Thomas Nelson, Jr., VA
Thomas Stone, MD
William Ellery,RI
William Floyd, NY
William Hooper, NC
William Paca, MD
William Whipple, NH
William Williams, CT

And finally, as this is a baseball card blog, it would only be appropriate to wish a big Happy Birthday to the 48 (as of July 3, 2010) men who made their debut in Major League Baseball and born on the 4th of July (that last part sounds like a movie title). So on behalf of everyone at this humble, little blog, a big "Happy Birthday to You" goes out to (from youngest to oldest):

Sergio Santos, 1983
Francisco Cruceta, 1981
Jeff Harris, 1974
Jay Canizaro, 1973
Brendan Donnelly, 1971
Vinny Castilla, 1967
Jose Oquendo, 1963
Johnny Abrego, 1962
Jim Beattie, 1954
Dan Larson, 1954
Wayne Nordhagen, 1948
Ed Armbrister, 1948
Jim Nelson, 1947
Jim Minshall, 1947
Joe Henderson, 1946
Fred Rico, 1944
Hal Lanier, 1942
Gordon Seyfried, 1937
Bobby Malkmus, 1931
Chuck Tanner, 1929
Bill Tremel, 1929
Bill Tuttle, 1929
Babe Birrer, 1928
Loren Bain, 1922
Mike Palagyi, 1917
Ed Cotter, 1904
Mel Ingram, 1904
Dot Fulghum, 1900
Wes Kingdon, 1900
Bobby Murray, 1898
Stump Edington, 1891
Milt Reed, 1890
Duke Kenworthy, 1886
Jack Warhop, 1884
Lou Manske, 1884
George Mullin, 1880
Pinky Swander, 1880
Frank Millard, 1865
Fred Donovan, 1864
Charlie Bastian, 1860
Mickey Welch HOF, 1859
Eddie Fusselback, 1858
Chris Fulmer, 1858
Chief Roseman, 1856
Bill Sullivan, 1853
Jerry Turbidy, 1852




So Happy Birthday, gentlemen. And Happy Birthday America.

And many more!!!

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama