Collecting the Sox: Bobbleheads - Harry Potter Devers

If you're following me on Instagram (and really why aren't you?) you know I've been showing off my bobblehead collection periodically one by one. I realized that I should be doing that here as well so everyone can see them. So, let's continue the "Collecting the Sox" series to show some of the things a Red Sox fan might collect.

Like this one...

This one comes from the Salem Red Sox minor league team. It features Rafael Devers wearing his Gryffindor robes, wand at the ready. Another movie cross promotion making its way into the collection.

Once again, pretty basic design here. Could be anyone wearing the robes. The S on the hat is really the only thing making it even slightly unique. But, once again...if you're a Red Sox fan, and even a slight Harry Potter fan, you need to have this in your collection. Right?

What do you think of it?

Collecting the Sox - Baseballs: 2019 Opening Day

If you're following me on Instagram (and really why aren't you?) you know I've been showing off my baseball collection periodically one by one. I realized that I should be doing that here as well so everyone can see them. So, let's continue the "Collecting the Sox" series to show some of the things a Red Sox fan might collect.

Like this baseball...

For a ling time I collected pins when I went to games. But, as pics got more expensive, and slightly more awkward to display, I reverted to baseballs. Obviously, they're a great baseball collectible. Most of the big games and events have baseballs specific to them. 

Like 2019 Opening Day. This was a fun day to commemorate. You may imagine that there was a fun pregame ceremony for tbhis one. The classic logo on the front is a pretty common way to go with these, but unlike last time there's no added color. It's actually a pretty bland ball. But, a good ceremony. 

Makes for a nice collectible.

What do you think?

Collecting the Sox - Baseballs: 2018 Opening Day

If you're following me on Instagram (and really why aren't you?) you know I've been showing off my baseball collection periodically one by one. I realized that I should be doing that here as well so everyone can see them. So, let's continue the "Collecting the Sox" series to show some of the things a Red Sox fan might collect.

Like this baseball...

For a ling time I collected pins when I went to games. But, as pics got more expensive, and slightly more awkward to display, I reverted to baseballs. Obviously, they're a great baseball collectible. Most of the big games and events have baseballs specific to them. 

Like 2018 Opening Day. Naturally, some balls are more impressive than others. But, this ball has a nice pop of color on it that I enjoy. The classic logo on the front is a pretty common way to go with these. 

Makes for a nice collectible.

What do you think?

Collecting the Sox: Bobbleheads - Jedi Mookie

If you're following me on Instagram (and really why aren't you?) you know I've been showing off my bobblehead collection periodically one by one. I realized that I should be doing that here as well so everyone can see them. So, let's continue the "Collecting the Sox" series to show some of the things a Red Sox fan might collect.

Like this one...

This is, of course, a bobblehead from Star Wars night in 2017. Recently, the Sox have been on a bit of a jersey kick when it comes to Star Wars. But, I definitely mis the bobbleheads.

Admittedly, there's nothing super creative about this offering. Just Mookie in jedi robes using a lightsaber as a bat. (I fell like that wouldn't work very well.) But, as a Sox collector who is also a Star Wars fan, this fits into the collection very nicely.

What do you think of it?

Collecting the Sox: Bobblehead Trio

If you're following me on Instagram (and really why aren't you?) you know I've been showing off my bobblehead collection periodically one by one. I realized that I should be doing that here as well so everyone can see them. So, I'm reviving an old "Collecting the Sox" series to show some of the things a Red Sox fan might collect.

Let's start things off with a three bobblehead set...

This trio might be a lot of fun, or it might make you a little sad...depending on your point of view. They were given away during separate games during the 2018 season. So, you have to attend all three games (or try your luck on ebay) to complete the set.

Which I think is fun. I feel like the Betts one would be odd to have just on its own, but the other two would look perfectly fine alone if you only collect Xander. But, together, they make for a great presentation piece and a callback to one of the great Red Sox teams.

What do you think of it? Them?

Collecting the Sox: Phantom Tickets

Postseason baseball creates a great many things. It creates heroes. It creates goats. It creates memories. It creates disappointments. It also creates a fun Red Sox collectable. Phantom tickets.

Phantom tickets are ticket stubs to games that never happened. Those can occur during the regular season if there’s a rain out, for instance, that is never made up. But, it’s much more prevalent during the playoffs. Due to the nature of the bracket system, fans and teams don’t know when or where games will be played until very late in the process. If the Red Sox waited until they made it to the ALCS, for instance, before they printed up and sold the ALCS tickets, they’d run out of time. So, they have to be printed and distributed well in advance.

The problem with that is, of course, sometimes the Sox don’t then make it to the ALCS. 

Enter the phantom ticket.

I’ve heard of people specializing in this type of collectable. As a baseball-wide type thing, I can see the appeal. It’s a unique collectable that has a curiosity aspect to it. Just about every team has one for any number of years. A potential checklist of items to add you your collection would be large, and ever-growing. The thrill of the chase would always be there.

As a team collectable, I can see the plusses and minuses. On the one hand, if a game isn’t played for a good reason, it might be fun to have a stub in your collection. I think it’d be neat to have the Red Sox World Series tickets for game six or seven of the 2004 World Series. It would be a constant reminder that the Sox swept the series, and therefore didn’t need those games. Or, tickets to the 2016 Wild Card game played in Fenway Park. Those would be a constant reminder that the Red Sox won the division this year, so didn’t need to play in the Wild Card Game.

But what about the other side of it? Not sure how I’d feel about having 2003 Red Sox World Series tickets sitting on my shelf. Talk about a never-ending kick in the gut. Or tickets to the 2011 playoffs. Or 2016 ALCS. Bleh.

I have often thought about going for phantom tickets from other teams. As the converse of the paragraph above, wouldn’t it be neat to have Yankees 2004 World Series tickets?  Or 2007 Indians? That would be another fun reminder that those teams didn’t need those tickets because the Red Sox won the Series that year. Maybe a collection of game six tickets for the other AL teams that didn’t make the Series in 2013. That would make for a fun little display. Game six tickets with the Red Sox, Tigers, Rays, Indians, and A’s logos on them all framed up in a row. Maybe there are even tickets out there of AL teams that didn’t even make the playoffs. That could be a great item.

So, as with any great collectable, there are some options there for a fun addition to your Red Sox collection. The possibilities are almost endless.

Do you have any phantom ticket stubs?

Collecting the Sox: Star Wars

Is it me, or is Star Wars a bigger deal than it used to be?

I don’t know if it’s just another example of social media exploding the impact of everyday things into our lives. People on twitter need something to talk about, so it seems like whatever is going on that day is the most important thing in the world. Like a striped dress, for instance. Or is it that Star Wars has been around so long that expanding generations is stretching the impact? The one Star Wars geek who saw the movie 336 times in 1977 is now a 50-year old with two kids and a grandkid? So, what used to be one fan has become four? But, I don’t see that same thing happening with other movies. Maybe it’s the power of Disney? After all, if they can make obscure Marvel characters into mega-hits, imagine what they can do with something that already has a fan base.

Whatever it is, there is a lot more Star Wars stuff around these days. That, of course, means it has also snuck into Red Sox collecting. As I mentioned with Disney crossovers, it’s only natural for such dual marketing to have appeal.

Again, this is a pretty new thing. I don’t remember a lot of it happening over the years. In fact, the only Star Wars item currently in my collection is a Star Tours baseball from Disney World in my baseball collection. It’s not even a Red Sox item. But, that has changed. Last season, major league baseball really promoted the “May the Fourth” Star Wars festivities. (Social media turning a small clever day into a national holiday?) The Red Sox gave away statues of baseballs made to look like the Death Star. I don’t have one of these, and the prices they go for on eBay mean I probably won’t ever have one. (Those prices also show how popular Star Wars Red Sox items apparently are.) Which is one reason I’m going to be sure to get to the Star Wars Night game next year. I don’t want to have to go to the secondary market for the BB-8 baseball statue!

Along with the in-park giveaways, MLB came out with a Star Wars clothing line. There were several t-shirts available. They were made for every team, with just the logos changing on a standard design. Along with generic designs, there were some that were pretty clever. One of my favorites showed a picture of Han Solo, with the words “Boston scored first.” This was especially interesting to me because it referenced the debate among die-hard Star Wars fans over a change made to Episode IV. I was surprised that MLB assumed people would understand the reference. Just another example of how big Star Wars has gotten. If the Red Sox offer more of these shirts again this year, I’ll definitely try to add one to my collection.

Beyond that, I’m sure there are other crossover collectables out there that would appeal to Red Sox Star Wars fans. Do you know of any? I’m sure that there are even more in the works. Considering how often Mickey Mouse shoes up in Red Sox gear, I wonder if Darth Vader can be far behind. 

Do you have a favorite Red Sox Star Wars collectable?

Collecting the Sox: Schedule Cards

Schedule Cards

OK. I have no idea what these are. I’m also having a tough time deciding if they’re the strangest Red Sox collectible out there, or the greatest collectible in the history of time.

Or, maybe a little bit of both.

A friend of mine handed these to me the other day. Apparently he was fortunate enough to go to a Red Sox game during the last home stand, and have seats in one of the suites. Inside there was a basket or bowl full of these packs.

Looks like a pack of baseball cards to me. But, it calls itself a “schedule calendar.” Huh?

Here’s what is inside.

They’re schedule cards. They’re basically baseball cards, showing the 2015 Red Sox schedule. Clearly, they’re sponsored by jetBlue. Each card has one month’s schedule on the back with a clever illustration on the front commemorating an important Red Sox event that occurred during that month. The back also has a short write up on the event being depicted. As a special feature, some away games are marked with a jet icon to show that you can “fly non-stop to these games.” (I assume that means from Boston…and on jetBlue.)

How fantastic is that? Is it a baseball card? Is it a David Ortiz card? Is it a pocket schedule? It’s all in one!

But, the bigger question to me is their intended purpose. Since they depict the 2015 schedule, I can only assume they were meant to be distributed before the season. But, the guy who got the packs had been to Spring Training, in jetBlue Park, no less, and did not remember seeing these packs. I have another friend who actually flew on jetBlue to Spring Training, and she didn’t see the packs either. So, where were they distributed? When?

And, why the packs? I only have the one open pack, but I assume they’re all the same. I’m guessing that other packs didn’t contain different months, or even different card fronts. Was there a purpose to having people open a pack in order to see the schedule?

What are you supposed to do with the cards? Does each month’s card go in your wallet, to be replaced as each new month arrives? Or are they stacked on your desk, with the current month on top?

Or, am I thinking too much? Is it just a gimmick by jetBlue to do something different as a giveaway? Is it just a clever way to get the name out there that some people can have fun with? If that’s the case, I guess it worked like a charm.

After all, I’m still talking about it.

Collecting the Sox: Disney Crossovers

In addition to my (very healthy) obsession with the Boston Red Sox, I am also a bit of a Disney freak. (Again, it’s very healthy) More than just the movies or the characters, I’m obsessed with the company itself. The way they built themselves such a dominating empire is fascinating to me. I mean, I walked into a Toys R Us recently. There are around ten aisles with toys in them. One was all Disney owned Star Wars stuff. One was Disney owned Marvel. One was Disney owned Pixar. One was Disney Princess merchandise. One was Legos, of which about half were Disney themes. And those were just the dedicated aisles. How can you not be amazed that half the toy store is dominated by one company?

So, imagine how excited I get when the two obsessions are able to overlap! (And, how excited I was when Disney sold the Angels!)

Thankfully, again since Disney is so huge, it happens quite a bit. And, it’s wonderful. It allows me the chance to add a lot of variety to my collection. That’s really the appeal of any crossover collection. My Red Sox collection is able to branch out into other areas and pick the best portions of other collecting opportunities. Really, it’s applying a focus to the collection, which helps things from getting too large. In my case, I don’t need to add on an extra room to house both a Red Sox collection AND a Disney collection. I can sneak the Disney stuff into the Red Sox. Perfect.

Like I said, it’s easy to do.

The Red Sox team store even sells Disney items. How easy is that? I’ve seen a stuffed Mickey Mouse wearing a Red Sox uniform. There were some great 8x10 pictures of Mickey, Donald Duck, and Goofy playing baseball in Fenway wearing their Sox uniform. I’ve seen pins of Mickey wearing Sox gear. There’s even a Mickey Mouse statue in Fenway Park moved there from the All-Star game in Anaheim. Of course, you can buy miniature versions of the statue to put on your desk.

It also goes the other way. I’ve mentioned before that I saw Red Sox clothes being sold in EPCOT. Disney also sells collectable statues called Vinylmations. One of those depicts the Red Sox.

So, whether it’s Disney trying to harness the collectability of the Red Sox, or the Red Sox hitching their star to Walt Disney, there are plenty of opportunities to build both collections at once. You could practically devote an entire shelf in your Red Sox room to Disney. It makes both collections even more fun.

Which is really the point of any collection.

Do you have a favorite Disney Red Sox (or baseball) collectable?

Collecting the Sox: How do You Display Autographed Books?

This year, Santa brought me a couple autographed books. None of them happened to be Red Sox books (although, Scribe by Bob Ryan might be close). But, it brought up an interesting dilemma. What do I do with these books? How should I display them?

I do have a couple autographed Red Sox books. One is Jerry Remy's Watching Baseball. This one I had signed during a Remy Appearance as Red Sox Nation president. It wasn't a book signing, it just happened to be the best Remy item I had for an autograph. So, I was just thrusting the book in front of him as he moved down the crowd. He hesitated just a bit before he went ahead and just signed the cover of the book. That book displays nicely, just like an autographed picture of Remy would. But, that hesitation is what causes the display problems with other books. They're all signed inside the book.

That's the case with the other Red Sox autographed book I have. When I received a copy of Fenway Fever to review, the author was kind enough to sign it. But, it's on the inside, like all other book autographs. You don't know it's any different until you open it. So, sitting on my shelf, it could be any book. The only way to see the signature is to display it propped open to the title page. Not only is this a little hard to do, but it makes the item less attractive to look at. A black and white title page is much less visually appealing that a colorful binding or dust jacket.

My newest additions may have some assistance along those lines. They weren't signed at a book signing. They were purchased pre-signed. As I assume many bookstores do, my local Books-a-Million has several such titles pre-signed by the author. In these cases a sticker is placed on the front of the book signifying it as an "Autographed Copy." So, I could display the books with the front cover showing, and you could tell it was something special by the presence of the sticker. It's not quite the same as displaying an autograph, though. It's sort of like displaying an autographed baseball in its box, but just writing who signed it on the box. Sure, you know it;s something different, but there's still not the great display. I like my collectibles to have great display value.

But, that might be the best I can do. I don't want a bunch of propped-open books on my shelf. But, I do want it to look different than other books in my collection. So, at the moment displaying the front cover will be the way I go.

Unless you have another idea...

Collecting the Sox: Jeter Infestation

As people have been yammering on about Derek Jeter this week, a question came to my mind.

Do I have anything Jeter in my collection?

Obviously, I wouldn’t seek out anything Jeter to add. But, by accident? Maybe he shows up somewhere with a Red Sox player, forcing me to add him?

As it turns out, it has happened three times.

This 1999 Topps card is the first. I was annoyed at the time that I needed to include Jeter in my Nomar binder. I’m annoyed now that I had to add ARod and Jeter. My how times have changed. I’m actually surprised that I don’t have more cards of the “shortstops” which contain Jeter. This is the only one of the trio. With all that star power, I’m amazed companies weren’t popping out cards like this in every set. Which, I suppose, they might have. They’ve just managed to escape my grasp.

The second one is this 2004 Topps AL Batting Leaders card. Jeter just snuck onto the corner of the card. I guess if I’m forced to have him on a card, it’s nice to have him so completely overshadowed by two Red Sox players. I was initially surprised that I didn’t have more of Jeter on similar league leaders cards, where he was stuck on cards with Red Sox players. Then I remembered that Jeter didn’t usually lead the league in anything important, so it probably shouldn’t have been surprising at all.

Finally we have this 2009 WBC walk-off card. As I’m looking at it, I notice two things. First, now that Victorino is on the Sox, this card has two Red Sox players on it. Second, I’m not sure this card belongs in my Red Sox binder. Wouldn’t this be similar to the College Cards post from a little bit ago? Nobody on the card is listed as a member of the Red Sox. The Card is clearly a “Team USA” card. The only thing it has going for it that the 1992 Topps Traded Nomar doesn’t is that Youkilis was actually a member of the Red Sox the year this card came out. I wonder if that’s enough? Especially now that he’s moved on to two other teams since his time in Boston. Maybe I should rid myself of this Jeter card on principle.

That’s it. I was pleasantly surprised when that’s all that came from the binders. Three cards are easy to pass by when needed.

Phew.

How often has Derek Jeter infested your Red Sox collection?

Collecting the Sox: Collegiate Cards

I have an  unopened set of 1992 Topps Traded in my card cabinet. I’m sure I’m not alone in that. After all, many collectors jumped on those sets when they came out for one big reason.

The Team USA cards.

Everyone missed the boat when  Topps released Olympic cards in 1985. We almost all had it figured out in 1988. By 1992, we knew what we were doing. So, I’m sure any number of you either had, or still have this set. The weird part is why I still have this set.

As I’ve mentioned many times, I keep cards for ten years. Well, I keep non-Red Sox, non-star cards for ten years. After a decade, they get cleared out to make room for the new releases. So, when the 2014 sets were released, out got the 2004. Some went to the Phillies Room, some went to other places. Some will find their way to the trash heap. (As few as humanly possible will end up there) So, why haven’t I opened up this set that’s more than 20 years old, taken the Red Sox and gotten rid of the rest?

Because of two cards I don’t know what to do with.

Two Team USA cards.

Of course, I’m talking about the cards for Jason Varitek and Nomar Garicaparra. Two Red Sox icons had their first cards in this set, as members of Team USA. I can’t decide whether or not to put them in my Red Sox binder, so I’m avoiding the issue. It was easier when Nomar was still on the Sox. As a Red Sox lifer, it was easy to include the Team USA in the binder for the only team he’d ever played for. But, that’s not true anymore. It’s not like the Red Sox could lay claim to every card he ever appeared on.The Varitek was even tougher, since he started with the Mariners organization. By rights anything before he was a pro should be a Mariner card, right? But it’s Tek! He’s the Captain. Does anyone think of him as anything but a Red Sox?

It’s not just those two who have questions in my collection. I have a Mo Vaughn card from his days in the Cape Cod League. Obvously, like Nomar, we was drafted by the Red Sox on his way to a stellar career in Boston. But, like Nomar, he then left. Played for a couple other teams. The Mo card used to be in my Red Sox collection. But now?

Obviously, if it’s a minor league card, it belongs to whatever organization the card is from. So, any Varitek minor league cards would not make my Red Sox collection. But, items from his college years are without official affiliations. So, it’s a judgement call. I just don’t know what that call is.

Would a college card make your team collection?

Collecting the Sox: Dunkin’ Donuts

Happy Donut Day!

I’m going to start this off with a question. People collect items dealing with corporations all the time. Coca-Cola collections and Ford Motor Company collections are everywhere. You even get to say you collect “Disneyana” if you collect things dealing with a certain company.

Why did I find it odd to think people would collect Dunkin’ Donuts items?

To be fair to myself, I’m not sure that anyone actually does collect them. But, it really shouldn’t seem weird to me. Maybe it’s because I don’t see all that much merchandise around very often.

But, that doesn’t mean you can’t collect it. Even your Red Sox collection can have a “Dunkin’ Donuts” theme.

Really.

I’ve talked about collecting Red Sox magnet schedules. Just about every one that I’ve seen has proudly displayed the “Dunkin’ Donuts” logo. Thankfully it’s not the focus of the magnet. But, if you collect the Sox and DD, there’s an item for you.

In 2004, they even printed a special magnet that retold the playoff results for the new World Champions. Naturally, their logo was right there on front.

I remember them handing out posters one year. They were very well done. I have the Jonathan Papelbon one hanging on my ceiling.

Their cups have been known to feature the Red Sox as well. I’m sure there are many other items that you could go after as well. In store promotional items perhaps?

They also have a fairly prominent sign in Fenway. What if you collected pictures, or baseball cards, that showed that sign? That would definitely add focus.

Clearly, if you love the Red Sox and you run on Dunkin’, there’s a collection just waiting for you. Most of these items are pretty cheap. The ones I’ve talked about were given away, as a matter of fact. Variety is certainly there. Since many of these items will be “in the moment” it also naturally has that “traveling through time” aspect that I require from any collection. Heck, I can travel back to any year I want by looking at the Dunkin’ Donuts magnet schedule. What a great collection.

What’s in your Dunkin’ Donuts collection?

Collecting the Sox: K Cards

I was lucky enough to go to Fenway yesterday. If you have any sort of social media presence, you already know that they handed out posters as you walked into the park declaring that “Today We Run as One.” As usual, I happily took the card, and made sure to keep it in good shape during the game. It was a great addition to my “K Cards” collection.

Even though it didn’t have a “K” on it.

I’m sure you know what I’m referring to, though. The K Cards that people hand out before a game are as common as Fenway Franks. You can even see them littering the floor inside the park after the game. I’m not sure why anyone would get rid of them. After all, I’m the one who takes the extras from on top of the recycling bins so that I have even more.

They are a great Red Sox collectable.

One of the best parts about them? They’re free. That’s a pretty good start.

They’re also, apparently, disposable. That makes a collection of them a bit unique. Lots of people have a collection of ticket stubs, although fewer than I’d think. But, not many have a stack of K Cards.

There’s also variety. Sure, a vast majority of them have a giant K on them. But, even that’s usually only on one side. The other side often has some clever slogan. Or, at least a slogan. I’m not sure “Trash the Tribe” qualifies as “clever.”

But that variety also adds to one of my favorite parts of any collection. Being able to walk though time. Since each slogan tends to be “in the moment” looking at them can bring you back. “Trash the Tribe” for instance, is from the Red Sox – Indians matchup in the late nineties. I have one that declares “Nomar’s Back!” from when he returned from injury in 2001. Several of them shout “Pedro Power!” Naturally, some say the Sox should “Cowboy Up!” in 2003 or “Dump the Umps” in 1999. One of my favorites has “Welcome Back Carl” on one side, and “#2 We Need You” on the other. Can you imagine that someone actually printed up cards celebrating the return of Carl Everett?

Really the only downfall to the cards is the displaying of them. Sure, you can just stack them in a pile and flip through them every once in a while. But, they are really meant to be seen. I hang them on the ceiling, since it’s where I have the most open space. That does present a problem with the double-sided ones like the one for Carl. Naturally, that means I need to have two of them. For the ones with a K on one side and a slogan on the other, I usually try to get two as well. But I don’t mind hiding the K side if need be. It makes a great display to look at and remember the games I’ve been to. Which is, of course, the point of any collection.

Anyone else have a K Card collection?

Collecting the Sox: 2007 Champions

2007 World Champions

I was looking at my Red Sox collection the other day when I noticed something. I am severely lacking in collectibles from the 2007 championship when compared to the other two.

(Boy, that was a fun sentence to write.)

Now, I understand the drop off from 2004 to 2007. 2004 was the first one. Who knew if it would ever happen again? So, I took the opportunity to load up on knick-knacks and other wonders of the Red Sox collection. It also didn’t hurt that there seemed to be a lot more stuff available than other years. I think companies knew that all the Red Sox fans were desperate for things declaring “2004 World Champions” and were all more than happy to help us out. Key chains and cups and cards and spoons and everything else.

Then, 2007 came along. Three years later. Companies weren’t quite so eager to produce commemorative items. Plus, I’ll admit, I was less eager to buy it. I already had a 2004 World Series hat. It was only three years old. I didn’t need a new one. I already had a David Ortiz autographed World Series baseball. I didn’t need another one. Besides, I had already taken out a loan to purchase everything I ever wanted from 2004. I couldn’t justify the hit to the bank account again so soon. At that point, I had to wonder how many times I was going to have to do this.

So, I was surprised to see that the 2013 collection took an uptick. You’d think, if anything, it would be even lower. How many newspapers do I really need? Shouldn’t I have already filled up all my available space with the other two? What happened?

I can think of a few possible explanations. First, I was at Fenway for the clincher this year. So, I have a personal connection that I don’t have with the other two. I think that made me a little more eager to celebrate than before. Especially anything specifically relating to game six. It wasn’t just a Red Sox collection. It was a souvenir.

I also think it’s possible that I appreciated this one more than 2007. The one in 2004 ended the drought. 2007 was still in the afterglow from that team. By the time 2013 came along, it had been six years. I am firmly aware that this isn’t going to happen a lot. So, I should be sure and enjoy it while I can. Much like in 2004, I know this could be the last one for a while. (Although, hopefully it’s not.)

It’s also possible that since the 2013 stuff is newer, it sticks out more. After all, I didn’t sit and take an inventory of all the items to compare. It was just an impression I got. Maybe there’s a significant difference between 2004 and the other two. Maybe I just think there’s a bigger gap between 2013 and 2007 because the stuff is newer, shinier, and looks more out of place.

Whatever the reason, it’s an interesting observation. Interesting how the mind works when it comes to those things. I wonder if I’m different.

Does anyone else notice a dip when it comes to 2007 items in your collection?

Collecting the Sox: The Trophy

One subset of collecting “championships” is the trophy. There might not be anything that screams “the team just won the World Series” quite like the trophy. As such, it can be found on any number of collectables.

 If you like bobbleheads, you can focus your collection to just those with players holding a trophy. Or, make sure you get the Coke cans with a trophy on them. Many baseball cards show people holding the trophy. There are pictures, and t-shirts, and replica trophies, and…you get the idea. The list is endless.

Submitted by Mark

There’s one even more specific collecting area that you can go for. The actual trophy.

The Red Sox have done a great job of sharing the trophy with the fans. I don’t know if this is unique to the Red Sox, or if the other teams do this as well. I’m sure all the trophies re on permanent display somewhere. But, do they bring them around from place to place? The Sox bring it (them) all over so people can get an up-close look at it, and take their picture with it. That allows you to amass quite a collection of yourself with the trophies without as much effort as you might think. Usually the trophies are presented as a part of some other outing. They’re not usually just stuck in a gas station for an hour. They’re at an event with players. Or, at a charity event. Or, at least, a sporting goods store. So, you’re not just chasing down the trophy. You’re at least doing something worthwhile with your time. Then you can take your picture wherever you see it. What a great display that would make.

Submitted by Mark

You can use those pictures to track time, as the trophy collection has grown. You can put a picture of you with just the 2004 trophy next to one of you with two, followed by a shot with all three. What a progression. I have pictures with two trophies, and three trophies. I never got my picture when they only had the one.

Or, maybe as a travel log. How many places can you get a picture of the trophy in? Personally, I have taken the picture of the trophy in two places. I bet many of you have more.

How many places do you have?

Collecting the Sox: Patches

The other day I was doing one of my periodic eBay searches for Red Sox championship items. One of the items that came up included the “B Strong” patche that the Red Sox wore on their uniforms. For some reason, it was the first time that it hit me that collecting uniform patches would be a nice area to get into.

At the moment, I only have a couple patches. One from the 1999 ASG, and one celebrating the 2004 World Championship. Obviously, the 2004 version is different than the ones worn on the uniform. But it gets the idea across. I don’t know that I now have plans to expand on that, but it certainly seems like it could be fun.

The Sox have worn any number of patches on their uniform over the years. It might have been for special events like the ’99 ASG, or Fenway’s 100^th birthday. Or, for participation in the postseason. That definitely allows for a lot of variety in a collection. Every patch would look a little different. There are different shapes and sizes and colors. If you wanted to focus on a specific player, you could do that. Say you loved Dustin Pedroia. You could collect different patches he would have worn, and include the ones from the All Star games he’s appeared in.

I guess my main problem with collecting patches is what to do with them. At the moment, I have one of my patches sitting on a shelf, and the other framed with a ticket stub. If you’re going to display a collection, it needs to be done better than that.

Since they’re patches, the obvious answer is to sew them on something. But what? A jersey is another obvious answer. But, I’m not sure a bunch of patches covering the front of a jersey would be the look I’d be after. You can always just sew them on a Red Sox blanket of some sort. That would look pretty sweet. But, it would be pretty large. You’d need to be able to drape it over the back of a chair or something. Perhaps a shadow box, or memo board they could be hung on the wall with. I’m not really sure. Does anyone have a great display of patches that works well?

I especially like the way patches allow you to follow history. You can see how the patches went from 75^th birthday to 100^th birthday. Or, remember specific events like World Series appearances. I like the idea of sitting back and looking over a collection and traveling back in time. A large group of patches would certainly accomplish that. I also like the “official” feel of it. Despite the modified ’04 patch in my possession, I like things that feel official. I imagine I’m not alone, which is why “locker room” hats and shirts sell so well. Somehow, a patch matching the one the Sox wore on jerseys makes more sense than, say, coke cans that have the same logo on them. Even if they’re just replicas, there’s a feeling that you have a piece of the game. I like that.

I may have to get more patches.

Collecting the Sox: Yard Sales

One of the more rewarding ways to Collect the Sox is though yard sales. Or, garage sales, or tag sales, or whetever else you want to call them. The Red Sox call theirs a Yard Sale, so let’s go with that. Even, though I’m not really talking about their sale. (Sure, it’s a great way to grab Red Sox stuff. I also can’t believe I haven’t been able to go yet. But, their sale is just too easy.)

There are two things about regular yard sales that make them so much fun. You never know what you’ll find, and the opportunities are everywhere.

The first reason really drives most people to yard sales. What will you find? Where will you find it? I don’t even mean the treasure hunting. Sure, you may find the occasional Ted Williams autographed baseball in a bag of used backyard playthings, or a Tris Speaker rookie card in the pages of an old dictionary. That’s not what gets you up on a Saturday. But, it’s the fact that Red Sox collectibles have infiltrated themselves to such a degree that they can pop up almost anywhere. If you’re looking for furniture, you can do a drive by viewing of a sale. Or, if you want baby clothes, you can fairly quickly see the general age group of a sale and be on your way. Not so with Red Sox collectibles. You can find them in homes of people with kids or grandkids. Couples just starting out, or ones who have amassed clutter for years. You can’t ignore any sale. Who knows who might have an old scorebook from a game they went to years ago. Or a souvenir cup they got on one of their trips to McDonalds. You have to look it all over. It’s part of the hunt.

But, that’s ok, because the volume of stuff out there is so great. With the number of yard sales every weekend, and that quantity of merchandise, you have a high chance of being rewarded for your efforts. And, some of it you really can’t get anywhere else. Sure, you can find anything online these days. But, are you really going to pay to ship a Red Sox drinking glass that you paid a quarter for? Of course not. But, you can grab one at a yard sale. Or a huge framed picture. Or a stuffed animal. Or stuff that doesn’t have enough demand to make it worth listing online, but would still be pretty cool. Even with ebay at your fingertips, the chances of getting some items just aren’t very high.

You’re also not going to break the piggy bank scoping out yard sales. Economical variety. What could be better?

Which makes me wish I went to yard sales more than I do. I love the adventure of it. Walking up the driveway, looking left and right for some red sox peeking out from behind a silverware tray. Anticipation leading to celebration is always a good time.

What’s your favorite Red Sox yard sale purchase?

Collecting the Sox: 2013 World Series

Yeah, this will sound terrible to other fans. But, all these Boston World Championships are starting to get expensive!

I talked about this a few years ago, but it’s worth mentioning again. Collecting things from a Red Sox World Championship might be the most fun aspect of Collecting the Sox.

There’s just so much out there to collect. Both in quantity, and variety. I’ve already purchased as many different newspapers as I can get my hands on proclaiming the World Championship. I’m searching for that perfect photo to hang on the wall. I already bought my commemorative can of Coke. I’m on the hunt for a fantastic baseball.

But, that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

What about DVDs? There’s a ton to choose from. MLB will release its official World Series DVD. How can you not want that? NESN will come out with its own version, recapping the season. You really need both in order to relive the entire season in all its glory. Of course, you also need the DVD box set for the World Series. Who wouldn’t want to have copies of every game of the Series?

Or t-shirts? The official championship shirt is actually half decent this year. I'd consider wearing it. Or, there are tons of less official ones out there. Have a ball!

You like hats? Again, the official locker room version isn't nearly as outlandish as they usually are. But, of course, manufactures have come to your aid if your tastes land elsewhere. 

And that's just the beginning. Keep your eyes open for cereal boxes, magazines, Christmas ornaments, and more! It could go on forever.

The best part of all this? Just about every time you turn around, you're reminded that the Red Sox are the World Champions. It wasn't a dream. Obviously, it really happened. I can't go to a gas station, or book store, or supermarket without all this gear reminding me of that great night. It's like I've been totally immersed in the Red Sox for the week. People keep asking me if my feet have hit the floor yet. How could they, if all these collectibles keep lifting me up again? And, that's what collecting the Sox is all about, right? Reminding you how much fun it is to be a Red Sox fan.

How can that not be a wonderful thing?

What have you picked up already? What are you looking for?