Boog & the Moose

I recently picked up a couple of cards on eBay that had been on my want list for quite some time.  The first was the 1964 Topps Stand-up of Boog Powell.  I usually like to pick-up raw cards instead of graded ones, and this card is getting harder and harder to find in an ungraded state.  This one isn't perfect, but it's pretty darn good for less than $15.  Looks like a picture of Boog standing on the dugout steps or something, but when taken out of context and floated against a solid color background, it looks like some sort of dance step that Peter Boyle's monster in Young Frankenstein might have favored.

The second card is a 1934-36 Diamond Stars card of Julius 'Moose' Solters, who played for the St. Louis Browns back in the 30's.  This card is part of my un-ending quest to track down as many St. Louis Browns cards as I can, since they were the franchise that would become the current Baltimore Orioles in 1954.

I really like the deco backgrounds on the Diamond Stars cards, and the bright colors.  I think they are right up near the top of my favorite card design list.  There is a lengthy article about Moose on the SABR website which goes into many interesting details of his life and baseball career.  Unfortunately, his career came to and end in 1941 after being hit in the head with an errant throw during pre-game warmups.  This incident was blamed for his loss of sight, which left him blind just two years later.  Even with the disability, it seems that Moose had a full life and a loving family, and lived until 1975.

Of course, Boog and Moose both fit in that category of easy, fun stadium noises that anyone who goes to a ballgame can make.  Come on, say it with me  --    

                         Booooooooooooooog

                                                                               Moooooooooooose

And for the 2014 Orioles, Cruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuz, who has put a grin on the faces of all of the O's faithful.