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I received a two-card envelope from The Collective Mind a short time ago. Both cards were Dodgers of the vintage type, both former want list material.

I did own the 1961 Post Maury Wills card already but this one is unmarked, whereas the other one I received 12 years ago had some updates.

At the time of receiving the "updated" card, I mentioned that I appreciated this kind of an update. Wills had an exceptional 1962 season and whoever owned this card absolutely had to get that season down in writing and where better than on the man's own card.

It's all there in ballpoint pen -- games played, at-bats, hits, home runs, RBIs and batting average -- from the fabled 1962 season (nothing about his then-record 104 stolen bases though). And his position is specified, too, instead of the vague "infielder."

Now, I like the update but I have never been someone who could handle writing on cards. Even as a kid I never did that stuff. There's just something I don't like about it, I don't know if I could tell you what it was. The other day in that indoor flea market, I walked past a bunch of old albums. Staring back at me was a photo of Loretta Lynn but her eyes had been erased and drawn in with pen. I instinctively recoiled in horror inside.

So, no, I've never been a graffiti artist. And I like my cards unmarked if at all possible. I'll take pen marks over stains or something with corners cut off but it's usually a deal breaker, unless the mark is on the back or super faint.

So, I was in the market for another '61 Post Wills.

 

The other card from Greg is this 1955 Odbert "Bert" Hamric card, not exactly one of the 1955 Dodgers you hear about over and over, but it's part of the set, dammit!

It's a nice, super-sharp specimen, too, seems almost unnatural for a mid-1950s card.

I'm down to needing three Dodgers to finish the '55 set -- all high-numbers, of course, and two are Hall of Famers. I should make finishing this set a priority.

But I might have to resort to settling for cards with writing on them.

(P.S.: Since people seemed to be interested in the ducks and pigs, here's a pig photo from the weekend: