The Sports Bookie - Bob D'Angelo

Collect call: 2013 Bowman baseball

Collectors who love rookies and prospect cards always enjoy opening boxes of Bowman baseball, and this year should be no exception.

Connors holds serve in autobiography

Tennis balls to the wall. That describes Jimmy Connors, who could be electrifying, crass, exhilarating, sarcastic, gutsy, childish, confrontational and funny — in the same match.

Fans were never cheated when Connors played a match. “This is boxing at 90 feet,” he writes in…

Gateway to a dramatic season

Trivia time: name the starting catcher on Opening Day for the 1964 St. Louis Cardinals. Here’s a hint: he later parlayed his baseball career into a successful stint as a sportscaster.

It wasn’t Tim McCarver.

It was Bob Uecker.

That’s one of the…

Panini reviving Pinnacle baseball

For better or worse, if ever a baseball card product represented the 1990s, it was the Pinnacle brand put out by Score from 1992 to 1998. The debut set was a 620-card effort, released in two 310-card series. Sets were issued through 1998, when Pinnacle filed for bankruptcy in July…

Topps, MLS announce partnership

Topps is producing its first set of Major League Soccer cards in July, but the card company will be getting its kicks for a much longer period of time.

On Monday, Topps and MLS announced a multiyear agreement that makes Topps the official trading card producer of Major…

Dialing up an album-oriented site for collectors

Former Brandon resident Sergio Dubois has a picture-perfect idea for collectors who like to showcase their sports cards.

If you’re a card trader, you’re visual-minded. You want to see a photo of that coveted card, or you want others to see that hot autograph or relic card you want to…

The bridge between Yankee dynasties

The 1947 season was a landmark year in major-league baseball, as Jackie Robinson broke the color line. It also was a pivotal season for the New York Yankees, although it would not become apparent until years later.

The Yankees managed by Joe McCarthy won…

Panini gaining Momentum with football product

Panini America offered a preview of its Momentum Football product, which will be released in late July.

Last year’s product offered a hit per pack, and the RPS rookie card was particularly well-received. This year’s set will…

Ryu is first redemption card for 2013 Bowman baseball

Redeeming quality? Topps believes its Lucky Redemption program warranted a return, so there will be five redemption cards for collectors to find when 2013 Bowman baseball hits the shelves on Wednesday.

I am not a big fan of redemption cards, because I like to…

Panini previews Score football’s Hot Rookie insert set

Now that the NFL draft is over, the graphic designers at Panini America have been working feverishly to create the 50-card Hot Rookies insert set that will be part of the 2013 Score Football set.

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