Favorite All-Time Baseball Card: Bill Ripken 89 Fleer

This is one in a series of posts that I am writing about my favorite things. What’s your favorite things? Tell me in the comments section or email me from the main page of the site.

I was 14 years old when I heard about the Bill Ripken error card. Was it real, was it an urban legend? Word on the street was there was a Bill Ripken card out there that had a vulgar word written on it. There was no Internet back then to "google" it. There was no EBay back then to purchase it. All you could do was try to find the card in your local card shop (no chance,) or try to find a picture of it in Beckett magazine (if you could find one.)

I opened many Fleer packs that summer, even got a couple Ken Griffey Jr. rookie cards...but no B Rip F&*k Face cards. None to be found at Pete's Card Shop, none at Grandpaw's Attic (the 2 card shops in my hometown in 89.) But, what would I do if I found one anyway? I could only look... at it's height the card was going for $500 bucks.

I eventually purchased the card in 2006 for $7 dollars. It's a mint condition card that I had Billy sign. Eventually, Fleer put out 12 different 1989 Bill Ripken cards, but 1 stood out the most. The mystery surrounding the card and how F&%k Face got on the handle was divulged in this interview with Bill. Yes, on the 20th anniversary of this card, it's still the best out there. It's the error card of all error cards. You can have your cards with pieces of uniforms, bats, and bases...give me F&*k Face.

Apologies to Cal's rookie card, Eddie Murray's rookie card, and all my signed Nick Markakis cards.

Cheers and Hail

Favorite Sports Promotion: The O's Floppy Hat

My favorite sports promotion of all-time is Orioles Floppy Hat night, which just happens to be tonight! If I was anywhere near Camden Yards, I would be heading over there to score this cherished memento. Tonights version is black (I prefer orange) because the O's always wear black during Friday night home games.

These hats were great for fishing trips and just generally hanging out and drinking. I always circled Floppy Hat night on the schedule at the beginning of every year. I wish I still had my old ones, but they are all lost, stolen, or fell apart.

While other promotions may have more glamour or appeal, for my money the floppy hat will always be my favorite.

Apologies to bobble heads, player T's, and all you can eat!

Oh, this seems like a good time to post the greatest 7th inning stretch song ever!Kick it John.

Cheers and Hail

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things

Over the next few weeks I will be randomly posting about my favorite things. For instance, this post is about my favorite all-time NCAA basketball player, Juan Dixon. Moving forward you'll see my favorites in all walks of sports. But enough about that, lets talk about Juan.

Dixon was the 2002 ACC Player of the Year award winner on his way to leading my beloved Terps to the 2002 title. Despite being undersized at a billed 6’3” and 164 lbs, Dixon overcompensated by having “the heart of a tiger” as quoted by his Coach Gary Williams. He holds countless career and single season records at Maryland.

Dixon played a role that I always find myself rooting for, a true underdog. He overcame family tragedy on his way to College Park. It’s well documented that both his parents died from the AIDS virus. He was also lightly recruited out of high school despite a stellar career.

I will never forget the big wins over Duke, and the way he led the underdog Terps to their only title. He turned around so many games with a clutch shot or a big steal. I remember jumping for joy when Michael Jordan made him a first round pick for the Wizards.

Although Juan's pro career has never reached the heights it did in college, he will always have a special place in my heart as my all-time favorite NCAA player.

Apologies to Len Bias, Patrick Ewing, Nik Caner-Medley, Keith Booth, Alonzo Mourning

Trivia: Juan Dixon's older brother Phil lived in the dorm room directly beside Fatpickle in college. Phil was a D-III All-American.

Cheers and Hail