John's Big League Baseball Blog

Tigers Card Tuesday- 1️⃣9️⃣7️⃣1️⃣ Topps Tigers Team

2026-10-27T17:06:50.076-04:00

It's a beautiful day in Kalamazoo, a perfect day to post my 1971 Topps Tigers Card for this week's Tigers Card Tuesday!

1971 Topps

#336

Detroit Tigers

🐅⚾️🐅⚾️🐅⚾️🐅⚾️🐅⚾️🐅⚾️🐅⚾️🐅⚾️

Play BALL!

Card on the Table- Catchers Card of the Day

2026-10-21T12:53:23.441-04:00

It's been an on again, off again, couple of weeks.

Haven't been able to post a catchers card each day, like I wanted to, so, I'm going to try and do better.

Today's Card on the Table is a card I happen to come across going through a binder.

1961 Topps #441, Dick Bertell (RC)

I have about 5 pages of 1961 Topps cards, and, came across a page of 4 cards featuring big league catchers.

Dick Bertell is the first card I'm featuring.

Dick played eight years in the bigs, for the Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants.

Looking forward to sharing the other 1961 catchers cards the next few days.

Thanks, again, for taking time out of your day to stop by and read my blog, I appreciate all of you.

Play BALL! 🐻⚾️

Freehan On Friday- Catcher's RULE Week- Card on the Table

2026-10-16T13:18:22.138-04:00

For today's post I have blended-

FREEHAN on Friday

Catcher's RULE!

Card on the Table

My 2005 Upper Deck Autographed

Bill Freehan AUTO FACTS 541/599

You can visit this week's posts here-

(I got a late start, health related)

Wednesday

Thursday

No one will ever be able to tell me that my hero doesn't have the best autograph of any baseball player.

To see my Top 10 Bill Freehan cards, go here-

My Top 10 Bill Freehan cards.

Thanks, as always, for taking time out of your day to stop by and read my baseball blog, it's much appreciated.

Play BALL! 🐅 ⚾️

Card on the Table- Catchers Week Rolls On!

2026-10-15T12:28:07.342-04:00

If you've read my blog over the years you know that my favorite team that's no longer around/relocated to another city is the old Brooklyn Dodgers.

Roy Campanella is my favorite Dodgers Backstop, playing in Brooklyn from 1948-1957.

Roy never had a chance to play in Los Angeles after being paralyzed as the result of a card accident.

3️⃣6️⃣- Roy wore #36 for the Dodgers.

Appreciate all of you who continue to stop by and read my blog, it means the world to me.

Play BALL! 🚎⚾️

Card on the Table- Catchers Week

2026-10-14T22:21:12.666-04:00

I was gonna post this on Monday.

➡️ My 1990 Senior League Clint Hurdle

Every week I pick a card, usually baseball, to sit on my table next to my bed.

➡️ My 2014 Topps Heritage J.T. Realmuto

This week I decided to make it a week to honor catchers, my All-Time favorite baseball position.

Skipped yesterday as it was a long day at the Battle Creek VA...transportation took a long time as well.

Hope to continue tomorrow...fibromyagia teared it's ugly head tonight, lots of sleep and pain meds.

⚾️ In the comments below, nominte a catcher that you'd like to be featured this week.

➡️ If I have a card of that player, I'll do my bestbtonuse him in a post.

Thanks, as always, for taking time out of your busy day to stop by and read my blog.

Play BALL! ⚾️

Tigers Card Tuesday-Pinktober

2026-10-06T21:46:09.702-04:00

Continuing with the Pinktober Baseball Card theme, this week's Tigers Card Tuesday! is my 1967 Topps Bill Freehan.

1967 Topps #48, Bill Freehan

Have a great week, and, remember, Save the Tatas!

Play BALL! 🐅⚾️

Pinktober Baseball Cards

2026-10-05T23:35:56.338-04:00

Today is October 6th, and, I've always seemed late to the party when posting pink baseball cards to help bring awareness to Breast Cancer.

This week's Card on the Table is a former Tiger, and my All-Time favorite big league pitcher, Matthew Boyd.

It's late on Monday night, a day that saw my fibromyagia beat me up for most of the day, so, this is a quick post to get Breast Cancer Awareness Month started on the blog.

Look forward to reading all the posts this month and see all the cool pink baseball cards.

Have a great week, and, remember, we all need to help Save the Tatas!

Play BALL! ⚾️

Freehan on Friday- Custom fom Cigar Box

2026-09-17T10:50:29.249-04:00

Cigar Box Cards on TweetX, has made some awesome cards for me over tye years.

His latest is easily my favorite.

My new addition to my Bill Freehan collection, which has been growing ever since I first opened up a pack of cards in 1968.

Cigar Box Cards on X.

Have a great weekend, and, of course, Play BALL! ⚾️

Living Set Wednesday- 9/02/2026

2026-09-02T14:10:51.256-04:00

Each Wednesday Topps releases a new Living Set baseball card.

Today's Card- Travis Bazzana

Card #9️⃣4️⃣1️⃣

➡️ Buy it now. Available for One (1) Week

⚾️ My Living Set Update ⚾️

Total Living Set Cards- 2️⃣9️⃣7️⃣

Total Baseball Cards- 2️⃣7️⃣0️⃣

Last Card I received-

Gaylord Perry, San Francisco Giants

Card # 9️⃣3️⃣2️⃣

Artist 🎨- Gabe Farber

Have a wonderful rest of you week, and, as always, thanks for taking time out of your day to stop by and read my blog.

Play BALL! ⚾️

McGonigle Monday- 8/31/2026

2026-08-31T19:23:54.266-04:00

On Saturday afternoon at Comerica Park, the Tigers beat the Dodgers, 2-1, on a walk off single by Kevin McGonigle.

This picture of Kevin and fellow rookie Max Clark turned into...

...a Topps NOW card...

...and, the same card in a purple variation, on Topps BUNT.

Watching these two amazing young men play baseball bodes well for the future of the Tigers.

The Tigers play in Minnesota starting tonight, and, are hoping the injured Riley Greene will return to the team soon.

Have a great week, and, well, you know what...PLAY BALL! 🐅⚾️

Living Set Wednesday

2026-08-26T22:25:28.375-04:00

Each Wednesday Topps releases a new Living Set baseball card.

Today's Card-

"The Big Train," Walter Johnson!

👉 Coincidentally, it just happens to be the

Happy Baseball Birthday! of Living Set Artist 🎨 Angel Avila!

Angel was the artist on many a Living Set baseball card, and, now, is the exclusive artist for the Living Set Hoops Cards.

⚾️ My Living Set Update ⚾️

Total Living Set Cards- 296

Total Baseball Cards- 269

Last Card I received-

Jakob Marsee, Miami Marlins

Card #915

Artist 🎨- Gabe Farber

Have a wonderful rest of you week, and, as always, thanks for taking time out of your day to stop by and read my blog.

Play BALL! ⚾️

Happy Baseball Birthday! Kevin McGonigle

2026-08-18T18:58:43.528-04:00

⚾️🎂 Happy Baseball Birthday! 🎂⚾️

Best wishes go out to Detroit Tigers rookie SS/3rd Baseman, Kevin McGonigle, on his 22nd Birthday!

McGonigle Monday- Topps BUNT

2026-08-17T20:01:57.768-04:00

Here's all my Kevin McGonigle cards that I've collected so far on Topps BUNT.

⚾️ As I was making this, Kevin his his 13th HR tonight vs the Pirates.

⭐️ This kid, simply put, is a ballplayer. ⭐️

Play BALL! 🐅 ⚾️

Freehan on Friday

2026-08-14T20:54:30.346-04:00

From Cigar Box Cards on TweetX

McGonigle Monday- Card Update

2026-08-10T21:03:14.296-04:00

The Detroit Tigers beat the San Francisco Giants yesterday, 8-0, at Oracle Park , and, are returning home after a very successful 7-2 a saw road trip.

Kevin was 11- 37/.297 on the road trip.

Here's an update on my McGonigle cards.

Have a great week.

Play BALL! ⚾️

Blogger National 2026

2026-08-01T11:50:38.642-04:00

*takes a big ol gulp of Mountain Dew

I always seem to miss the start of this Blogger Bat Around.

Each of the past 4 years, our fellow blogger, Cards Over Coffee , has hosted this for those who can't attend the National Sports Card Convention.

*the NSCC is in Chicago this year, about 2 1/2 hours away from Kalamazoo.

The Summer Of BOYD is a series that I started back in June.

The main reason for The Summer of BOYD was to focus on collecting as many 2025 Topps Chrome Platinum cards of my favorite big league pitcher, Matthew Boyd, as I possibly could.

When it comes to voting for the best card set later on this year, this is going to be my choice.

The Summer Of BOYD isn't limited to Matthew Boyd cards, it's also for any other Boyd cards that I may come across.

🛻 Spencer Boyd, my favorite Nascar Truck Series driver.

Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd

⚓️In the spring/early summer of 1985 I spent time at US Navy "A" School in Meridian, Mississippi, home of Mr. Boyd (and Sela Ward).

Have a great rest of your weekend, and, as always, Play BALL! ⚾️

McGonigle on Monday

2026-07-27T07:41:19.971-04:00

The Tigers bullpen blew up in the last two games vs KC at home.

Rookie shortstop/3rd Baseman Kevin McGonigle collected two base hits and a walk yesterday.

Kevin had 6 base hits last week, and his current batting average currently sits at .281.

Up next- 3 game series vs the Baltimore Orioles at Comerica Park before the team heads back out west.

Hope all of you had a great weekend, and, as always, Play BALL! 🐅⚾️

Freehan On Friday- 1972 ALCS

2026-07-24T13:39:06.886-04:00

Bill is on his way home at Tiger Stadium during the 1972 American League Championship Series vs the Oakland Athletics.

Tigers Card Tuesday- Topps Now /25

2026-07-21T12:03:21.867-04:00

Tigers Card Tuesday!

2026 Topps NOW #277

Dillon Dingler/Kerry Carpenter/Riley Greene/

#06/25

Regular Print Run

Have a terrific Tuesday!

McGonigle Monday- Kevin and The Georgia Peach

2026-07-20T11:14:30.846-04:00

Two.

126 Years.

In the 126 year history of the Detroit Tigers only two players, Ty Cobb, The Georgia Peach, and Tigers rookie Keving McGonigle, have recorded 100 hits in under 100 career games.

🐅⚾️ McGonigle, batting .282 in his rookie campaign, now has 102 hits, including his leadoff home run vs the Angels yesterday in Anaheim.

The Tigers are in Chicago tonight for a three game series vs the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

🐻 I avoided the problem of my Tigers playing against my favorite pitcher, as Matthew Boyd pitched on Saturday (W vs Twins).

Have a great week, and, as always, let's all....Play BALL! ⚾️

Freehan on Friday (7/17/2026)

2026-07-17T11:25:35.322-04:00

Freehan on Friday!

For once, AL Kaline is jealous, because of Bill's smooth looking chapeau!

Tigers Card Tuesday-.2019 Stadium Club Ty Cobb

2026-07-07T23:31:30.066-04:00

This post is happening late on Tuesday night as my fibromyagia had kept me in bed most of the day.

It's summer time, and I knew I needed to post a Ty Cobb card, because, after all, peaches are my favorite fruit, and The Georgia Peach 🍑 is the greatest baseball nickname of all time!

This 2019 Topps Stadium Club card, #215, is a perfect portrait of the legendary "Genius in Spikes"

The cool new baseball sign is from Temu, and it just arrived today.

Temu.com has lots of cool baseball signs.

Hope you're having a great week, and, as always, thanks for taking time out of your busy day to stop by and read my blog.

Play BALL! 🐅⚾️🍑🇺🇸

McGonigle Monday- All Star Weekend

2026-07-06T18:21:53.305-04:00

Hope everyone had a fantastic Fourth of July weekend, it was certainly a memorable one as we celebrated 250 Years of America!

This is such a cool card, looking forward to adding this to my Topps NOW collection.

🇺🇸 Card is available until July 7th.

🐅⚾️ Tigers rookie Kevin McGonigle was selected to his first All Star Game, as a reserve for the American League squad.

Kevin was well represented on Topps BUNT this weekend.

Kevin collected 6 more base hits last week, and is batting .284 in 87 games played.

After a 4-1 road trip vs the Yankees and Rangers, the Tigers are off today and start a home stand tomorrow vs the Athletics.

Let's have a great week, hopefully, the Tigers will be in a better spot in the standings on Sunday night.

Play BALL! 🐅⚾️

Happy Baseball Birthday, America!

2026-07-03T21:37:43.717-04:00

Happy Baseball Birthday, America!

⚾️⚾️⚾️⚾️⚾️⚾️⚾️⚾️⚾️⚾️⚾️⚾️⚾️⚾️⚾️⚾️

2025 Topps Archives Cyber Stats

🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂

McGonigle Monday-

2026-06-29T21:43:21.626-04:00

The Tigers did not play well last week at home, going 2-5 vs the Yankees and Astros.

Kevin McGonigle walked 3 times yesterday.

😵‍💫 Kevin committed his 9th error of the season yesterday vs Houston.

9️⃣- You have to know he was at Yankee Stadium early today working on his defense.

I added my 2nd card of Kevin this past week, from a contest I won on TwitterX.

Have a great week, and, as always, Play BALL! 🐅⚾️