Happy Birthday Frank Robinson!!!

Frank is turning 76 today and he is still the only player in MLB history to win MVP awards in both leagues. He powered his way into the Hall of Fame by hitting a then MLB rookie record 38 home runs on his way to winning the 1956 NL Rookie of the Year award. He went on to hit 586 home runs for his career, ended up with 2943 hits, 1812 RBIs, a .294 batting average, he played for four Pennant-winners, won two World Series titles, and hit for the AL Triple Crown in 1966. He also holds the distinction of being the first African-American manager at the Major League level. He was a first ballot inductee, in the class that featured Hank Aaron, in 1982.

Here it is...

Two for Tuesday

A two for Tuesday special: a dual signed Upper Deck featuring two Cy Young award winning San Diego Padres: Jake Peavy (2007) and Gaylord Perry (1978)

It is Peavy's only Cy Young award to date and it was the second of two for Perry, who became the first pitcher to win an award in each league.

Here it is...

Pretty cool huh?

Happy Birthday Ted Williams!!!

The "Splendid Splinter" would've been 93 today, he passed away in 2002. He wanted people to see him walking down the street and say "There goes the greatest hitter who ever lived." He more than lived up to that billing, winning two Triple Crown awards (1942, 1947), he is the most recent player to hit .400 or better during a season (.401, 1941), he was a veteran of two wars (World War II, Korea), he won two AL MVP awards (1946, 1949), very nearly became the only player to ever win three Triple Crowns when he lost the batting title to George Kell in the last game of the 1953 season, he also just missed out on hitting .400 again sixteen years after the first time he did it but hit .388 for the season in 1957, and he hit a home run in his last at bat.

He went on to be inducted into the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame.

Williams made his last official baseball appearances in the 1999 All-Star Game and World Series when he was elected as part of Major League Baseball's 30-man All-Century Team.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame on his first ballot in 1966 and ended up with a career batting average of .344 and 521 home runs.

Here is the moment you've all been waiting for...

The Perry Brothers

The Perry brothers have more combined wins than any brother combo in Major League history, with the exception of the Niekro brothers. Gaylord is the oldest brother who won 314 games, became the first player in the MLB to win Cy Young Awards in both leagues (AL 1972, NL 1978), and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991. Jim went on to have a decent career of his own by winning 215 games and winning the 1970 AL Cy Young Award.

Here's a Jim Perry signed 1973 Topps.

 And here's a ball signed by Gaylord Perry.