bdj610's Topps Baseball Card Blog: anniversary post

Showing posts with label anniversary post. Show all posts

Thursday, May 21, 2015

This Blog is Seven Years Old??! Well Happy Anniversary!!!

While sitting here in front of the computer this morning, it occurred to me.

It's May 21, 2015.

I've been busy with work and we're due for a three-day weekend soon.

But there's one thing I forgot to do and I want to get this out of the way before the end of the month.

On May 8, 2008, after years of reading message boards and then discovering that there are these websites written by collectors called blogs, I decided to create one of my own. And for the last seven years, through good times and those not so good, this blog has become one of the best outlets I have ever found to share and grow my collection of Topps baseball cards.

When I started, I had an official count of 38,749 cards in my collection. That number has more than doubled. But I lost count, so I am in the process of doing a card census in an attempt to re-connect with the cards that have been in carefully placed in binders and may not have seen the light of day in a while.

In seven years, the Hobby Blogging Community has grown exponentially. There have been some lean times as many of the bloggers that were around when I started have either left, moved onto other mediums, or update their pages as often as I do (which if you still come here every so often is few and far between...and I apologize). But I am so happy for those who have kept their voices strong and continually surprise us readers with unique points of view on their own forums and pages and will continue to support them while happily discovering new writers and blogs that talk about our shared Hobby.

Now, just like the Hobby, this blog has evolved. While I might not get back to posting random cards of the day like I used to, I would like to make a better effort of getting back to posting on a more frequent basis. I've made this promise many times on many of my posts but have found less time to keep this commitment. It is my hope that as soon as I am able to get my work priorities in order (and I'm almost there...trust me), I will be able to put more energy into my writing, and do more to promote this Hobby in my small part of cyberspace.

I would like to thank those that have loyally followed this blog through the boom and bust periods (there are people who still read this blog, right?). Thank you to those who continue to share their points of view here and on their own sites and on other forms of social media. Thank you for reading what I've had to say. As long as I am collecting (and I don't plan on stopping any time soon), I will continue to write about the cards that matter to me and the cards that are part of my ever-growing collection (which in 2015 will include the eponymous Series 2 and Update sets, Gypsy Queen, Allen & Ginter's, and the 32 retail team sets).

Year seven on this humble, little blog may have started slowly, but better times are ahead.

Until then, Happy Anniversary to bdj610's Topps Baseball Card Blog!!!

(the words to the song for those who either can't access the video, or for those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing)

(Gioacchino Rossini; arr. William Hanna / Joseph Barbera)
Practically a restaurant standard, most people don't realize that these lyrics, to the tune of "The William Tell Overture", were written by Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera for the episode titled "The Hot Piano".

Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Haaappy Anniversary

Pour a cheerful toast and fill it
Happy Anniversary
But be careful you don't spill it
Happy Anniversary

Ooooo Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Haaappy Anniversary

(Fred and Wilma Talking)

Ooooo Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Haaappy Anniversary

(Fred Talking)

Happy she and happy he
They're both as happy as can be
Celebrating merrily
their happy anniversary

(Fred and Wilma Talking)

Ooooo Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Haaappy Anniversary

(Fred Talking)

Ooooo Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Haaappy Anniversary

We now state emphatically
its happy anniversary
Not another day could be
a happy anniversary

Ooooo Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy (slow)
Happy (slow)
Happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy (fast) Anniversary!!!

And may our collections grow today, tomorrow, and forever more!!!

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Thursday, May 22, 2014

bdj610's Topps Baseball Card Blog...At 6 Years Old!!!

On May 8, 2008, I made the leap into what was back then a very small community of bloggers who shared a common love of a Hobby...of baseball card collecting.

And in the six years that this humble, little blog has been online, the Hobby Blogging Community has evolved. Many of the writers who were around when I started have moved on to other endeavors. Others have made their presences known in other social media outlets. A few went on year-long sabbaticals. Some have left the Hobby for good.

Those who have stuck around through the good times and the bad times in the Hobby Blogging Community have seen a lot of changes. It is inevitable. Change is a constant. And all the stubborn Sheldons in the world can not stop change.

This blog, as well, has been through a lot of changes as well. What started out as a blog to share my collection with the world became one of information, sharing the Hobby news that was relevant to me and my collection. I shared the cards that I had acquired through trades, through shows, and through the kindness of random strangers who somehow stumbled into my little world and helped grow my collection. The blog, in a way, has become my way to communicate with those who shared my passion for the Hobby, whether they were down the street or around the world.

I have noticed that my activity here has been lessened by work and by outside commitments. The Hobby has taken a back seat as my children have gotten older and are now (gasp) moving on to high school and middle school. Their lives have gotten busier with their activities, and as such, our lives (meaning my wife's and mine) have been busy as well.

This post is by no means an announcement that I am ending the blog, nor am I leaving the Hobby Blogging Community. It is quite the contrary. But as I have posted less and less here, the number of readers have dropped as well, to the point that my relevance here may be gone.

The blog will go on. When I can get here.

On a happier note, I looked back at the first post of this blog. I can't believe that in six years that my collection has grown to the where it is now. On May 8, 2008, I had 38,749 cards in my official collection. Six years later, that number has increased by 60 percent. My collection now consists of 62,043 cards. Almost all are in binders that sit on a shelf in my basement. This total does not include the thousands upon thousands of cards that sit in boxes in a closet.

I have my 2014 Topps Series 1 set, the Gypsy Queen set, and pretty soon, the 32 team sets. I am looking forward to add the Archives set, the Allen & Ginter set, and more importantly, Series 2 and the Update Series to my growing collection.

I do realize that all things will come to an end. I have mentioned before that the players I grew up idolizing are no longer in the game, some already earning their way to legendary stature in Cooperstown. Other than an ever shrinking number of players, almost everyone playing in the MLB are younger than I am...and soon, kids my children's age will be making their journeys to the big leagues. When that happens, I will have to decide if I should continue, or just call it a career.

But until then, Happy Anniversary to bdj610's Topps Baseball Card Blog!!!

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Happy 5th Anniversary to bdj610's Topps Baseball Card Blog!!!

I can't believe I forgot this. But on May 8, 2008, I wrote my first post on this humble, little blog. It is now May 21, 2013. That means that I've been around for five years!

Whoa!!!

This blog has been around for FIVE YEARS!!!

Happy Anniversary to Me!!!

(the words to the song for those who either can't access the video, or for those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing)

(Gioacchino Rossini; arr. William Hanna / Joseph Barbera)
Practically a restaurant standard, most people don't realize that these lyrics, to the tune of "The William Tell Overture", were written by Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera for the episode titled "The Hot Piano".

Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Haaappy Anniversary

Pour a cheerful toast and fill it
Happy Anniversary
But be careful you don't spill it
Happy Anniversary

Ooooo Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Haaappy Anniversary

(Fred and Wilma Talking)

Ooooo Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Haaappy Anniversary

(Fred Talking)

Happy she and happy he
They're both as happy as can be
Celebrating merrily
their happy anniversary

(Fred and Wilma Talking)

Ooooo Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Haaappy Anniversary

(Fred Talking)

Ooooo Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Haaappy Anniversary

We now state emphatically
its happy anniversary
Not another day could be
a happy anniversary

Ooooo Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy (slow)
Happy (slow)
Happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy (fast) Anniversary!!!

Well, let's see what has happened to me and my collection in the last five years. When I first started this blog, I had 38,749 cards in my official collection. I had every set from 1976 through 2008 Topps Series 1, along with a number of complete insert sets from 1995 through 2008. I also owned the following sets that are part of my collection:

2001 Topps Archives, 2002 Topps Archives: Best Years;
2003-2005 Topps All-Time Fan Favorites;
2003 Topps Shoebox Collection;
2002-2003 Topps T206 series I, II, and III;
2003-2004 Topps T205 series I and II;
2004-2005 Topps Cracker Jack;
2005-2006 Topps Turkey Red;
2006-2007 Topps Allen & Ginter;
1986-1990 Topps Mini Leader Cards;
1984-1986 Topps Super;
1988-1990 Topps Big;
1983-1990 Topps All-Star Glossy Send-In Sets;
1984-1991 Topps All-Star Glossy Sets;
1987-1991 Topps All-Star Glossy Rookie Sets;
1990-1992 Major League Debut;
2005 Topps Rookie Cup;
2006-2007 Topps 14-Card Team Sets, all 30 of them;
2005 Topps Hot Button;

Since then, I have added 20,191 cards to the collection, which comes to 4000 plus per year. I now have all the base and traded cards from 2008 Topps 2 through 2013 Topps Series 1, along with almost all of the basic insert cards that come with these sets. I also have added the following sets to my ever growing collection:

2012 Topps Archives;
2009-2010 Topps T206;
2010 Topps National Chicle;
2007 Topps Turkey Red;
2008-2012 Topps Allen & Ginter;
2011-2013 Topps Gypsy Queen;
2010-2012 Topps MiLB Pro Debut;
2008 Topps 14-Card Team Sets, all 30 of them;
2009 Topps 15-Card Team Sets, all 30 of them;
2010-13 Topps 17-Card Team Sets, all 30 of them;
2011-13 Topps 17-Card All-Star Team Sets, all 6 of them;

In five years, this blog has gained 230 followers and over 354,000 pageviews (according to Blogger), and almost 200,000 hits (according to sitemeter). Thanks to the blog, I have also been interviewed by the Tampa Tribune and Sports Collectors Daily, and was part of the Topps Blog (when they had one) Roundtable. All this because I wanted to add my voice to what was then a very small but growing segment in the Hobby.

I am so happy to see that blogging about baseball cards, and sports cards for that matter, has grown into what it is today. The Sports Card Blogroll, which will also turn five years old in a couple of months, has seen well over 700 blogs in its lifetime listed in the main section (a post about the SCBR's anniversary will come when it is time).

I am not going to promise what I'm going to write about in the coming year. I have found that for one reason or another, I have not been able to keep my word on those (Topps Archives project...cough cough - Topps 300 cough cough). But I do know this. Whenever Topps, or anything else piques my interest in this Hobby that we all know and love, rest assured that it will be discussed here.

I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to read this one-trick pony of a blog. Thank you for your comments, your e-mails, for the cards sent via trades and gifts to me over the years (the Hobby Blogging Community is still one of the most generous I have ever had the honor of being a part of). Thanks to all those who gave me advice about writing a blog when I first started, and those of you who asked me for my own opinions on how a blog should be written. I have enjoyed the past five years and look forward to many more, especially since Topps has the exclusive license to themselves until the end of the decade.

Now it's time to get to work and put those retail sets in binders...

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Happy 4th Anniversary to bdj610's Topps Baseball Card Blog!!!

On May 8, 2008, I started this humble, little blog. That means this past Tuesday, the blog turned four years old.

So...

Happy Anniversary to Me!!! (Note, I have run this same post for previous anniversaries...feel free to enjoy once again now!!!)

(the words to the song for those who either can't access the video, or for those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing)

(Gioacchino Rossini; arr. William Hanna / Joseph Barbera)
Practically a restaurant standard, most people don't realize that these lyrics, to the tune of "The William Tell Overture", were written by Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera for the episode titled "The Hot Piano".

Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Haaappy Anniversary

Pour a cheerful toast and fill it
Happy Anniversary
But be careful you don't spill it
Happy Anniversary

Ooooo Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Haaappy Anniversary

(Fred and Wilma Talking)

Ooooo Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Haaappy Anniversary

(Fred Talking)

Happy she and happy he
They're both as happy as can be
Celebrating merrily
their happy anniversary

(Fred and Wilma Talking)

Ooooo Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Haaappy Anniversary

(Fred Talking)

Ooooo Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Haaappy Anniversary

We now state emphatically
its happy anniversary
Not another day could be
a happy anniversary

Ooooo Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy (slow)
Happy (slow)
Happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy (fast) Anniversary!!!

Since I kept track of this last year, I think I'll do it again. Since May 8, 2011, I:

added 2,877 cards to my official collection
wrote 192 posts (not all necessarily about baseball cards)
had more than 40,000 people find their way here, and 60,000 plus hits to show for it
been added to at least 30 blogs on their blogrolls (this is a liberal estimate)
gained 36 followers (I'm finally at 200 followers...YAY!!!)
added 100 plus blogs to the Sports Card Blogroll, and most importantly
earned acceptance into this wonderful world called the Hobby Blogging Community

I want to thank everyone who's ever found their way here and decided to come back. Thank you very much for joining me on my journey as I continue building onto my collection. It is the hope for year 4 of bdj610's Topps Baseball Card Blog that I not only show off more of my growing collection or give my opinions about the Hobby topic of the day, but also to inform, possibly to entertain, to show more cards that might have never seen the light of day, and to become a stronger voice in the hobby (this last one will take some time...).

To celebrate the fourth anniversary of this dog and pony show, I'm going to try and bring back a number of segments that have not been featured in a while, including (yes, I promised this last year...maybe...):

the ever popular "Topps Cards that Make You Go...What??! of the Week"
the return of the "2011 Topps Archives Project" (I swear, I'll get this going again as part of "What I Should Have Written in 2011") especially now that there will be a 2012 Topps Archives

Future topics for the upcoming year will also include:

A tournament of my past All-Star Teams to determine the best of All-Time
As you probably know, one of the coolest things Topps included on the backs of each card in Series 1 was a mention of a card from the past 60 years that shared the same card number. Before Series 2 arrives in June, we will list the cards mentioned. This will be a feature of "What I Should Have Written in 2011."
Coming in June, the return of the Random Card of the Day...if I'm allowed to do some heavy typing.

Thank you for reading. Continue to enjoy the journey.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Happy 3rd Anniversary to bdj610's Topps Baseball Card Blog!!!

On May 8, 2008, I started this humble, little blog. That means this past Sunday, the blog turned three years old.

So...

Happy Anniversary to Me!!! (Note, I ran this last year...feel free to enjoy once again now!!!)

(the words to the song for those who either can't access the video, or for those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing)

(Gioacchino Rossini; arr. William Hanna / Joseph Barbera)
Practically a restaurant standard, most people don't realize that these lyrics, to the tune of "The William Tell Overture", were written by Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera for the episode titled "The Hot Piano".

Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Haaappy Anniversary

Pour a cheerful toast and fill it
Happy Anniversary
But be careful you don't spill it
Happy Anniversary

Ooooo Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Haaappy Anniversary

(Fred and Wilma Talking)

Ooooo Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Haaappy Anniversary

(Fred Talking)

Happy she and happy he
They're both as happy as can be
Celebrating merrily
their happy anniversary

(Fred and Wilma Talking)

Ooooo Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Haaappy Anniversary

(Fred Talking)

Ooooo Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Haaappy Anniversary

We now state emphatically
its happy anniversary
Not another day could be
a happy anniversary

Ooooo Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy (slow)
Happy (slow)
Happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy (fast) Anniversary!!!

Since I kept track of this last year, I think I'll do it again. Since May 8, 2010, I:

added 2,485 cards to my official collection
wrote 446 posts (not all necessarily about baseball cards)
had more than 43,000 people find their way here, and 64,000 plus hits to show for it
been added to at least 30 blogs on their blogrolls (this is a liberal estimate)
gained 37 followers
added 150 plus blogs to the Sports Card Blogroll, and most importantly
earned acceptance into this wonderful world called the Hobby Blogging Community

I want to thank everyone who's ever found their way here and decided to come back. Thank you very much for joining me on my journey as I continue building onto my collection. It is the hope for year 3 of bdj610's Topps Baseball Card Blog that I not only show off more of my growing collection or give my opinions about the Hobby topic of the day, but also to inform, possibly to entertain, to show more cards that might have never seen the light of day, and to become a stronger voice in the hobby (this last one will take some time...).

To celebrate the third anniversary of this dog and pony show, I'm bringing back a number of segments that have not been featured in a while, including:

the ever popular "Topps Cards that Make You Go...What??! of the Week"
the return of the "2011 Topps Archives Project" (I swear, I'll get this going again)
more "Cards that Will Never See the Light of Day...EVER!!!", and
everybody's favorite guessing game, "If This is His Topps Card, Then What Card is This???"

Future topics for the upcoming year will also include:

A tournament of my past All-Star Teams to determine the best of All-Time
As you probably know, one of the coolest things Topps included on the backs of each card in Series 1 was a mention of a card from the past 60 years that shared the same card number. Before Series 2 arrives in June, we will list the cards mentioned.
Coming in July, the return of the Random Card of the Day.

Thank you for reading. Continue to enjoy the journey.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Happy 2nd Anniversary to bdj610's Topps Baseball Card Blog!!!

On May 8, 2008, I started this humble, little blog. That means this past Saturday, the blog turned two years old.

So...

Happy Anniversary to Me!!! (Note, I ran this last year...feel free to enjoy once again now!!!)

(the words to the song for those who either can't access the video, or for those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing)

(Gioacchino Rossini; arr. William Hanna / Joseph Barbera)
Practically a restaurant standard, most people don't realize that these lyrics, to the tune of "The William Tell Overture", were written by Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera for the episode titled "The Hot Piano".

Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Haaappy Anniversary

Pour a cheerful toast and fill it
Happy Anniversary
But be careful you don't spill it
Happy Anniversary

Ooooo Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Haaappy Anniversary

(Fred and Wilma Talking)

Ooooo Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Haaappy Anniversary

(Fred Talking)

Happy she and happy he
They're both as happy as can be
Celebrating merrily
their happy anniversary

(Fred and Wilma Talking)

Ooooo Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Haaappy Anniversary

(Fred Talking)

Ooooo Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Haaappy Anniversary

We now state emphatically
its happy anniversary
Not another day could be
a happy anniversary

Ooooo Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary
Happy (slow)
Happy (slow)
Happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy (fast) Anniversary!!!

Since I kept track of this last year, I think I'll do it again. Since May 8, 2009, I:

added 2,258 cards to my official collection
wrote 446 posts (not all necessarily about baseball cards)
had more than 54,000 people find their way here, and 80,000 plus hits to show for it
been added to at least 30 blogs on their blogrolls (this is a liberal estimate)
gained 69 followers (my highest was 58)
added 100 plus blogs to the Sports Card Blogroll, and most importantly
earned acceptance into this wonderful world called the Hobby Blogging Community

I want to thank everyone who's ever found their way here and decided to come back. Thank you very much for joining me on my journey as I continue building onto my collection. It is the hope for year 3 of bdj610's Topps Baseball Card Blog that I not only show off more of my growing collection or give my opinions about the Hobby topic of the day, but also to inform, possibly to entertain, to show more cards that might have never seen the light of day, and to become a stronger voice in the hobby (this last one will take some time...).

To celebrate the second anniversary of this dog and pony show, I'm bringing back a number of segments that have not been featured in a while, including:

the ever popular "Topps Cards that Make You Go...What??! of the Week"
the return of the "2011 Topps Archives Project"
more "Cards that Will Never See the Light of Day...EVER!!!", and
everybody's favorite guessing game, "If This is His Topps Card, Then What Card is This???"

Thank you for reading. Continue to enjoy the journey.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Happy Anniversary to bdj610's Topps Baseball Card Blog!!!

Just for kicks, I went back to my first ever post, and then I realized something...

My first post on this blog was on May 8, 2008. That means it's been one full year since I started this humble, little blog.

So...

Happy Anniversary to Me!!!

added 4,357 cards to my official collection
written 361 posts (not all necessarily about baseball cards, but almost one post a day for a year)
had more than 25,000 people find their way here, and 42,000 plus hits to show for it
been added to at least 50 blogs on their blogrolls (this is a liberal estimate)
gained 56 followers (my highest was 58)
added 200 plus blogs to the Sports Card Blogroll, and most importantly
earned acceptance into this wonderful world called the Hobby Blogging Community

I want to thank everyone who's ever found their way here and decided to come back. Thank you very much for joining me on my journey as I continue building onto my collection. It is the hope for year 2 of bdj610's Topps Baseball Card Blog that I not only show off more of my growing collection or give my opinions about the Hobby topic of the day, but also to inform, possibly to entertain, to show more cards that might have never seen the light of day, and to become a stronger voice in the hobby (this last one will take some time...). Thank you for reading.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama