John's Big League Baseball Blog

Freehan on Friday (04/03/2026)

2026-04-03T13:59:00.001-04:00

FREEHAN on GOOD FRIDAY

✝️

Tigers Card Tuesday (3/31/2026)

2026-03-31T23:19:00.001-04:00

14 year big league veteran and former Tigers catcher, John Flaherty, is this week's feature for #TigersCardTuesday 🐅⚾️

N 1996 Topps Stadium Club #397

John Flaherty

Freehan on Friday

2026-03-27T23:20:00.000-04:00

Happy Freehan on Friday!

You know me, I'm not an analytical person.

Bill Freehan is on the list on this Sporcle quiz for his 1967 season.

Card On The Table (3/23-29/2026)

2026-03-24T22:02:00.003-04:00

Happy Tigers Card Tuesday!

Baseball games that count will be played this week, and my Detroit Tigers will start in San Diego vs. the Padres on Thursday afternoon.

This week's Card on the Table

Tarik Skubal, fresh off back to back America League Cy Young Awards, will take the ball for Detroit.

Tigers Card Tuesday/Card on the Table (3/17-22/2026)

2026-03-17T14:32:00.006-04:00

It's a cool combo today on ye olde blog, a two fer' Tuesday, if you will.

I've combined Tigers Card Tuesday & Card on the Table for one post, because, well, I was battling fibromyalgia for a few days and didn't have the energy.

🐅⚾️Any time I can feature a card of the greatest hitter in Tigers history, it's definitely a good thing.

🍑 The Georgia Peach won 12 American League batting championships, hit .366 for his entire career, and, was, fittingly, the first player elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

Tyrus Raymond Cobb.

If you're a baseball card fan, and youre on TwitterX, you should, hopefully, been following Cigar Box Cards for great hobby content.

Also, the Olde English D wood block is from Cash Lumber , a Christmas gift...or, his website, here.

Have a great week, and, as always, I appreciate you taking time out of your day to stop by and read my blog.

Play BALL! 🐅⚾️🍑

Freehan on Friday, March 13? 2026

2026-03-13T09:44:00.006-04:00

Bill Freehan won 5 consecutive Gold Glove Awards (1965-69), the first big league catcher to do so.

#FreehanOnFriday on TwitterX

Freehan on Friday, 3/06/2026

2026-03-06T12:59:00.005-05:00

My Aunt Arlene's Birthday 🎂 is today.

When she was a young woman, William Ashley Freehan was her ballplayer crush

🐅Denny McLain's win #27 in 1968. ⚾️

Bill Freehan with another complete game behind the dish.

Card Show Saturday- Mike Squires

2026-02-22T10:41:00.003-05:00

We had a card show in Kalamazoo today.

Former big leaguer Mike Squires was the guest signer.

Had a chance to sit and talk for a bit while he was in between signing things for fans.

Mike played at Kalamazoo Central High School, then went on to play for Western Michigan University.

Mike was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 18th round of the MLB player draft by the Chicago White Sox.

Mike won the Gold Glove Award for American League Baseman in 1981.

Hope everyone had an awesome Saturday, and, as always, thanks for taking time out of your day to stop by and read my blog.

Play BALL! ⚾️

Tigers Card Tuesday- 1980 Jack Morris

2026-02-17T12:25:00.004-05:00

Tigers Card Tuesday!

1980 Topps #371, Jack Morris

Card on rhe Table (2/2/2026)

2026-02-03T05:12:00.007-05:00

This week's Card on the Table celebrates my favorite big league pitcher, Matthew Boyd, who turned 35 yesterday.

This is one of my absolute favorite cards of Matthew, card #1 of just 3 copies!

2022 Topps Triple Theads, #1/3

That awesome piece of the famous Olde English D really makes this card special.

Here's hoping that Matthew, and all of today's Happy Baseball Birthday! friends had a magnificent day.

Play BALL! ⚾️

Freehan on Friday

2026-01-30T12:12:00.002-05:00

No idea what year/game this photo is from, however, as I continue to battle left arm/shoulder pain from a fractured elbow, it seems appropriate for today's Freehan on Friday!

Have a fabulous Friday!

Card On The Table

2026-01-26T09:44:00.000-05:00

Each Monday morning I change my Card On The Table.

This week's card is my 2019 Topps Living Set Matthew Boyd, the only card of the set that's graded.

Hope everyone has a wonderful week, and, fir those of you, who, like myself, are living in the frigid Midwest, try and stay warm, and, please, , please, be safe.

Freehan on Friday- A look into the Future

2026-01-23T11:53:00.001-05:00

Happy Freehan on Friday!

Spring Training, 1968.

Courtesy of my friend Paul Mayne on TwitterX.

Happy Hoops Birthday! Caitlin Clark.

2026-01-22T18:06:00.001-05:00

The first ever Happy Hoops Birthday! post is here, because, I saw that it was the 24th Birthday of my favorite WNBA hoopster, the amazing Caitlin Clark.

Don't have many of Caitlin's cards, but, I get them when I can.

This is the coolest thing I have of the former Iowa Hawkeye.

Happy Birthday, Caitlin! 🏀

Living Set Wednesday- Card 900!

2026-01-16T20:26:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday Topps released Living Set Card #900, of Philadelphia Phillies legend Mike Schmidt.

This is such a great milestone for my favorite baseball cards.

Love the old school Phillies zip up sweaters, and that awesome ball cap.

My recent Living Set addition-

TOPPS Living Set Card #893

Mel Ott

Hope everyone has a great weekend, thanks for taking the time to stop by and read my blog.

Play BALL! ⚾️

Tigers Card Tuesday- Matthew Boyd #264

2026-01-13T21:35:00.003-05:00

Thanks to my friend Dennis, I was able to add another 1/1 Matthew Boyd card to my collection.

2022 Topps #128, 1/1 Yellow Printing Plate

Enjoy your Tuesday, and, as always, thanks for stopping by and reading my blog.

Play BALL! 🐅 ⚾️

BOYD Binder! 2025 Topps Chrome Update

2026-01-11T11:51:00.004-05:00

First Topps Chrome Update Matthew Boyd arrived this week.

🐻⚾️ Best picture I could get.

Total Matthew BOYD cards- 262...and counting!

Hope all are enjoying the weekend, as always, thanks for taking time out of your day to stop by and read my blog.

Play BALL! 🐻 ⚾️

Freehan on Friday- Baseball Best Catchers

2026-01-09T13:35:00.000-05:00

Freehan on Friday- 01/09/2026

My All-Time favorite baseball book cover.

I've had this book, first, when I was a kid, around age 12, and, then, a couple of years ago, gifted to me by a fellow baseball fan.

The books have been lost over the years, first, do to moving stuff while I was in the Navy, in the mid 1980s, and, recently, after we lost our storage unit.

Hoping I can find another copy.

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

2026 Card Collecting Resolutions

2026-01-06T21:16:00.003-05:00

Been reading 2026 Card Collecting Resolution posts the last few days, and, although I'm horrible at them, I'd really like to get better.

🐅⚾️ Tigers Card Tuesday- I certainly need to improve on my weekly postings, and I resolve that I shall do a much better job of showcasing my Detroit Tigers cards.

⭐️ 2026 is the 75th Anniversary of Topps, and, I'm certainly looking forward to seeing what awesome cards Ill be able to collect, both physical, and, on all the Topps Digital Apps.

➡️ I'm pretty certain, along with the usual Detroit Tigers players in Series 1 Topps, I'm expecting that my favorite baseball pitcher, Matthew Boyd, will be in the Series 1 Flagship release next month.

⭐️ 2026 should be another awesome years for the Topps Living Set Cards, both baseball, and, the new basketball cards.

➡️ Tomorrow (1/07) will be the first 2026 Living Set card release.

Have a great week.

Happy New Year!

2026-01-01T22:50:00.002-05:00

It's been 1/1 Day all day on TwitterX.

Collectors showing off their best/favorite 1/1 cards.

OK, why not.

All 4 of my 1/1 Matthew Boyd cards.

Hoping you all had a very safe and Happy New Year's!

Play BALL! ⚾️

My 2025 Card (s) of the Year

2025-12-31T22:13:00.000-05:00

Been reading "Card of the Year" posts across blogosphere the past week, or, so, so, here's my choice(s).

It too nearly two full years for my All-Time favorite pitcher, Matthew Boyd, to get new Topps baseball cards.

Every 2025 Matthew Boyd baseball card are tied for my CARD of the YEAR!

Matthew pitched briefly for the Seattle Mariners, came back to Detroit, pitched in 15 games befire being injured midway through 2023 , and, it took over a year before he pitched for the Cleveland Guardians, at the end of 2024 (includingthe playoffs).

2025 was an awesome year for Matthew, which, and, as he should have been, was named to his first ever All-Star Game*.

*** Matthew pitcher on the Sunday before the ASG, and did not pitch.***

Please have a safe and Happy New Year...the 2026 Big League season will be here before we know it.

Play BALL! ⚾️

Tigers Card Tuesday- 12/30/2025

2025-12-31T09:20:00.004-05:00

For the final time in 2025, it's time for Tigers Card Tuesday!

An autograph 1978 John Wockenfuss card!

I was certainly surprised by this in today's mail.

Have a safe and very Happy New Year!

Freehan on Friday

2025-12-27T05:25:00.001-05:00

Hoping you all had a very Merry Christmas!

16 Days of Boydmas- First Look 👀

2025-12-23T12:30:00.000-05:00

2025 Topps Heritage Update, #531, Matthew Boyd

These are what Topps cards looked like when we opened up wax packs in 1976.

Only two more days to Christmas 🎄, hoping that all of you have a safe Holiday Season.

Play BALL! ⚾️

16 Days of Boydsmas- 12/21/25

2025-12-21T11:22:00.000-05:00

Boyd Dowler, Lombardi Packers.

I'm not able to watch my Lions play today (we can't get CBS in our motel room), or, on Christmas Day (no Netflix).

After the Packers loss to the Bears yesterday, the only scenario that allows the Lions to make the playoffs is to win their remaining three games and for Green Bay ( beat Lions twice), to lose 1 more game.

Enjoy the football today, and, as always, thanks for taking time out of your day to stop by and read my blog.

p.s.. 50 days until pitchers and catchers report!

Play BALL! 🏉⚾️