by Jeff Figler, Collectibles Editor, HOFN.com As baseball cards have become a part of American tradition and folklore, it is interesting to see how its evolution developed. A thumbnail sketch is as follows. It is hard to imagine that baseball cards were first issued in 1887 by a few of the existing tobacco companies of that era. A New York company, Goodwin & Company, issued the N172 series in Old Judge and Gypsy Queen cigarette packs. More than 500 players are pictured, and as some players… Continue

If you were watching NBA basketball during the JFK, LBJ, and Nixon presidential era, you must have fallen off your chair when ABC/ESPN broadcaster Jeff Van Gundy recently proclaimed Kobe Bryant the greatest Lakers’ player of all-time. Hell, he doesn’t even make my top four (yet). What makes Van Gundy’s comment even more surprising is that he was born in 1962 and comes from a basketball family. His father, Bill, was head coach at Brockport State University, so I know he recalls the names West an… Continue

Friday, April 17, 2009 Send the college hoopsters back to school for their finals and “bracket fans” (posing as basketball fans) back to whatever they do during the regular basketball season. March Madness is over and the real basketball season begins. It’s NBA Playoff time. The greatest athletes in the world, a.k.a. professional basketball players, begin their quest for that elusive ring and NBA glory. Not everyone can boast of 11 or six rings as can Bill Russell and Michael Jordon, respectiv… Continue

Sunday, April 12, 2009 The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame recently announced its 2009 Induction Class – and it could be one of its greatest classes ever. Hell, anything in basketball including Michael Jordon’s name has to be considered one of the best. Joining Jordon are fellow players David Robinson and John Stockton, plus Coaches Jerry Sloan and Vivian Stringer. And while all may be deserving of this great honor, I continue to wonder why Artis Gilmore has been the forgotten man in… Continue

Wednesday, March 25, 2009 Curt Schilling: A Hall of Famer? Since the announced retirement of Curt Schilling, the question du jour is whether or not he should be voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. My initial, knee-jerk reaction was no. However, I’m now having second thoughts. I am not a stat machine, so if you’re looking for all the numbers, you can look ‘em up on numerous sites. However, what I do know is that Schilling has 216 wins; six all-star appearances; one World Serie… Continue