And The SEC Winner Is...

First things first - Happy New Year! May you complete all your collecting goals for 2018!

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When I initially came up with the idea of taking all the cards I picked from last spring's 30 Day Challenge and pitting them against each other in a bracket format, I didn't know what kind of reception it would get. My blog was new, and the number of visitors was minuscule. There was a point early on when I wondered what I would do if no one voted. That fear never came into play thanks to all of you. The challenge evolved from the early rounds where 1 vote chose the winner, to the final vote, where I had a record number of votes. You shared your insights into your decision making, and made my humble little blog a better place because of it. So again, I thank you!

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Without further ado, may I present the people's champion...

It's good to be king!

 There was a point where I thought Tiant had a chance, but this card was pretty much the favorite from the very beginning. My only regret about this card winning is that this was one of the few cards from the 30 Day Challenge that I had to cheat with because I didn't own a viable card for that particular day. Still, it was amazing to discover that playable record/card exists, and hopefully someday I'll be able to find one. Ernie Banks is a worthy champion!

Thank you one last time to everyone that voted. A special thanks to Kin who voted every week, and was kind enough to even plug my little competition. I had fun doing this, and I hope you enjoyed it as well!

Single Elimination Challenge - The Finals!

Extra! Final Match Up Set!

This is it - the last match-up of my Single Elimination Challenge! After over 6 months of voting, you good readers have determined the final two cards. There were many great cards contending, but in the end we have a pair of 1960's vintage! Because this is the finals, and because it just happens to fall at this particular point on the calendar (Sorry, I won't be posting on Christmas!), voting for this match-up will last 2 weeks.  I'll announce the winner in the beginning of the new year.

1962 Auravision Records Ernie Banks	VS	1968 Topps #532 Luis Tiant

Ernie Banks
Bracket Round: defeated Tim Wallach (4-1)
Sweet 16 Round: defeated Ozzie Guillen (3-0)
Quarterfinals: defeated "Cool Papa" Bell (5-1)
Semifinals: defeated Al Schacht (4-3)
Quotable Ernie Banks:

Luis Tiant
Bracket Round: defeated Mariano Rivera (1-0)
Sweet 16 Round: defeated Randy Johnson (2-2 tiebreaker)
Quarterfinal Round: defeated Amos Otis (6-1)
Semifinals: defeated Rickey Henderson (4-3)
Quotable Luis Tiant:

The final vote is now in your hands. Comment below and let me know who should win. I'll also accept votes from the TCDB thread for this match-up. Only one can claim the title! Who will it be?

SEC - Semifinals Match Up #2

Extra! Ernie earns the win!

The first card in our finals is set! Honestly, a part of me is sad that Schacht's smiling glare couldn't pull out the win, but Banks has been steamrolling through and has to be considered the favorite to win it all. Still, the Challenge continues, and Banks awaits his final opponent!

1980 Topps #482 Rickey Henderson (RC)	VS	1968 Topps #532 Luis Tiant

Rickey Henderson
Bracket Round: defeated Lee Evans (1-0)
Sweet 16 Round: defeated Paul Molitor (3-2) 
Quarterfinal Round: defeated Andrew McCutchen (5-4)
Recommended Reading: "Off Base: Confessions Of A Thief"

Luis Tiant
Bracket Round: defeated Mariano Rivera (1-0)
Sweet 16 Round: defeated Randy Johnson (2-2 tiebreaker)
Quarterfinal Round: defeated Amos Otis (6-1)
Recommended Reading: "El Tiante: The Luis Tiant Story"

The voting booths are open! Comment below to cast your vote! (You can also vote on this TCDB thread!) Who's your pick?

SEC - Semifinals Match Up #1

"El Tiante" scores record 6 votes!

Our field of four is set! We kick December off with a truly heavyweight bout. Both of these cards have used their oddball charm to win over voters time and again. Both are great men who excelled at putting smiles on faces.

1962 Auravision Records Ernie Banks	VS	1987 Conlon World Wide Sports Series 2 #9 Al Schacht

Ernie Banks
Bracket Round: defeated Tim Wallach (4-1)
Sweet 16 Round: defeated Ozzie Guillen (3-0)
Quarterfinals: defeated "Cool Papa" Bell (5-1)
Recommended Reading: "Mr. Cub"

Al Schacht
Bracket Round: defeated William O'Leary (1-1 Tie Breaker)
Sweet 16 Round: defeated the 2004 World Champion Boston Red Sox (3-1)
Quarterfinals: defeated Gil McDougald (4-2)
Recommended Reading: "G I Had Fun"

Comment below to vote! You can also visit the Trading Card Database and vote on the thread for this post!

SEC - Quarterfinals Match Up #4

Read all about it! Schacht doesn't clown around!

We've reached our last Quarterfinal pairing! Both of these cards have their own reason for being great, but only one gets a shot in the semifinals!

1968 Topps #532 Luis Tiant	VS	1972 Kellogg's #2 Amos Otis

Luis Tiant
Bracket Round: defeated Mariano Rivera (1-0)
Sweet 16 Round: defeated Randy Johnson (2-2 tiebreaker)
Name Anagram: A Lint Suit

Amos Otis
Bracket Round: defeated Bo Jackson (1-1 tiebreaker)
Sweet 16 Round: defeated Terry Francona (1-1 tiebreaker)
Name Anagram: A Miss Too

As always, leave a comment with your vote, or vote on this TCDB thread!

SEC - Quarterfinals Match Up #3

Henderson swipes another victory!

It's time to go old-school! We have a vintage card against a card using a vintage photo! Which old-timer will win?

1987 Conlon World Wide Sports Series 2 #9 Al Schacht	VS	1955 Bowman #9 Gil McDougald

Al Schacht
Bracket Round: defeated William O'Leary (1-1 Tie Breaker)
Sweet 16 Round: defeated the 2004 World Champion Boston Red Sox (3-1)
Name Anagram: Cash Latch

Gil McDougald
Bracket Round: defeated Dave Stewart (3-0)
Sweet 16 Round: defeated Ken Griffey Jr (3-2)
Name Anagram: Dull Magic God

Vote now to help decide who gets to advance! Comment with you vote below or comment on this TCDB thread!

SEC - Quarterfinals Match Up #2

Extra! Banks moves on to Semifinals!

I'm interested in seeing how this week's match-up plays out. On one hand, Rickey's rookie is an iconic card and definitely the more valuable. However, it terms of photography and card design, the McCutchen has the advantage. It is truly a great looking card.

2015 Topps Pittsburgh Pirates #PIP-1 Andrew McCutchen	VS	1980 Topps #482 Rickey Henderson (RC)

Andrew McCutchen
Bracket Round: defeated Dustin Pedroia (3-1)
Sweet 16 round: defeated Roger Clemens (5-3)
Name Anagram: Mr Chanced New Cut (fitting given he cut off his famous dreads...)

Rickey Henderson
Bracket Round: defeated Lee Evans (1-0)
Sweet 16 Round: defeated Paul Molitor (3-2)
Name Anagram: Skinny Hero Creed

It's time to vote! Which is the better card? Comment below with your vote (or vote on the TCDB thread here! I'll count that too!)

SEC - Quarterfinals Match Up #1

Read all about it! Amos advances!

Two rounds have come and gone! We've separated the wheat from the chaff, and now it's time to pit the heavyweights against each other. Let the Quarterfinals begin!

We start things off with 2 oddball sets depicting 2 Hall of Fame players. Both played in the Negro Leagues, although only one was given the chance to show their greatness as a Major Leaguer.

This week opening quarterfinal match-up:

1962 Auravision Records Ernie Banks	VS	1989 Kahn's Cooperstown Collection "Cool Papa" Bell

Ernie Banks
Bracket Round: defeated Tim Wallach (4-1)
Sweet 16 Round: defeated Ozzie Guillen (3-0)
Name Anagram: Sneaker Bin

Cool Papa Bell
Bracket Round: defeated Roberto Alomar (2-0)
Sweet 16 Round: defeated Smoky Burgess (3-2)
Name Anagram: All Bloop Pace

Comment below and vote for your choice!

SEC - "Sweet 16" Match Up #8

Read all about it! Griffey no match for iconic set!

It's the last round of the Sweet 16! If you like predominately blue cards with compliments of red in them, then boy do I have a match up for you! It a battle of iconic blue uniforms!

1985 Topps #578 Terry Francona	VS	1972 Kellogg's #2 Amos Otis

Terry Francona
Bracket Round: defeated Ted Williams (1-0)
Fun Fact: Due to a lost bet, Francona has an "I love Manny Ramierez" tattoo on an undisclosed location of his body.

Amos Otis
Bracket Round: defeated Bo Jackson (1-1 tiebreaker)
Fun Fact: Otis's favorite breakfast cereal is Raisin Bran. He is credited with convincing the executives of Kellogg's to up the raisin allowance to two scoops.

SEC - "Sweet 16" Match Up #7

Extra! Extra! Henderson Steals Victory!

This week is the ultimate vintage vs. junk wax smack down! Only one can advance!

1955 Bowman #9 Gil McDougald	VS	1989 Donruss #33 Ken Griffey Jr. (RC, RR)

Gil McDonald
Bracket Round: defeated Dave Stewart (3-0)
Fun Fact: To get this particular pose, McDougald was asked how he had to hold the TV antennae in order to get the evening news.

Ken Griffey Jr.
Bracket Round: defeated Max Scherzer (2-1)
Fun Fact: Ken's son is named Ken Griffey Jr. Jr., and has stipulated in his will that every future generation of Griffeys should have a Ken with an additional Jr at the end.

Voting is now open - it's an All-Time Great vs an All-Time Great Set! Comment and let your voice be heard!

SEC - "Sweet 16" Match Up #6

Bell Stays Cool In The Face of Smokey

On to the next contestants! This week we have the rookie cards of 2 Hall of Famers! Both members of the 3,000 hit club! Both in the Top-20 in career Runs scored. These guys could hit!

1980 Topps #482 Rickey Henderson (RC)	VS	1978 Topps #707 Rookie Shortstops

Rickey Henderson
Bracket Round: defeated Lee Evans (1-0)
Fun Fact: Rickey proved an old adage wrong when he stole first during a regular season game. Rickey simply dropped his bat and ran to first. The home plate umpire was so confused he initially ruled it a hit by pitch, even though Rickey was already on first when the ball made it to the catcher's mitt.

Paul Molitor
Bracket Round: defeated Dom DiMaggio (1-0)
Fun Fact:The 4 shortstops formed a barbershop quartet while in the minors. The musical venture was short lived when they realized none of them could sing.

Who gets another at-bat in the tournament? Leave a comment with your vote!

SEC - "Sweet 16" Match Up #4

Schacht Gets Last Laugh! Read All About It!

As sad as I am seeing another Red Sox card fall by the wayside, I can't argue one bit with the Al Schacht victory. It's such a great card! It was the visible top card in a pack of repacks and I knew I had to own it.

This week, we have two masterful pitchers. One is one of the greatest strikeout artists of all time and a Hall of Famer. The other is a beloved baseball personality with one of the best windups in baseball.

1968 Topps #532 Luis Tiant	VS	1992 Leaf - Black Gold #302 Randy Johnson

Luis Tiant
Bracket Round: defeated Mariano Rivera (1-0)
Fun Fact: Topp's initial plan was to make this set out of actual burlap. The project was scraped when kids complained about the cards getting tangled up in their bike spokes.

Randy Johnson
Bracket Round: defeated Dave Parker (1-0)
Fun Fact: Every March 24th, birds from all over the world descend upon Randy Johnson's car and cover it with poop. Ornithologists believe this is direct retaliation for the shocking death of one of their own.

The voting booths are open! Comment on this post and help decide which card is better!

SEC - "Sweet 16" Match Up #3

McCutchen advances!

Now that's what I'm talking about! A little pleading on the TCDB forums and I've set a new high in votes! Thanks to everyone that came and visited the blog! Let's keep it up! On to our next competitors:

2004 Topps World Champions Boston Red Sox #54 Team Celebration WS	VS	1987 Conlon World Wide Sports Series 2 #9 Al Schacht

2004 World Series Champion
Bracket Round: defeated Billy Martin (2-1)
Fun Fact:This historical World Series win forced the writers of the movie "Fever Pitch" to change the Jimmy Fallon/Drew Barrymore film from a shock horror gore-fest to a romantic comedy.

Al Schacht
Bracket Round: defeated William O'Leary (1-1 Tie Breaker)
Fun Fact: If you have a starring contest with this card, not only will Al Schacht always win, but he will also read your thoughts.

SEC - "Sweet 16" Match Up #2

Extra! Banks takes down Guillen!

An easy win for Ernie. I almost want to label him as the favorite to win it all.It's hard to bet against a playable record card, but who knows! Next up, we have two former MVPs squaring off for your votes.

1985 Leaf/Donruss #99 Roger Clemens	VS	2015 Topps Pittsburgh Pirates #PIP-1 Andrew McCutchen

Roger Clemens
Bracket Round: defeated Jose Berrios (3-2)
Fun Fact: Canadian company Leaf had to modify its original logo because too many people confused the maple leaf with a pot leaf.

Andrew McCutchen
Bracket Round: defeated Dustin Pedroia (3-1)
Fun Fact: Andrew's recent haircut was the result of losing a cage match to former wrestler Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake.

Your votes decide the winner! Comment below and let me know who is the real MVP!

SEC - Bracket Match Up #16

Extra! Extra! Griffey Gets One By Scherzer!

Happy Labor Day! I hope you're one of the lucky ones that have today off, and that today is nice and relaxing.

Well, this is it! The final match-up of the opening round! We'll start the "Sweet 16" next week, but before we do, our last contestant must be chosen. It's the greatest Red Sox player of all time against the greatest Red Sox manager of all time!

1985 Topps #578 Terry Francona	VS	1992 Upper Deck - Ted Williams Heroes  #30 Ted Williams

The Case For Terry Francona: Who doesn't love the Expos? Tito went from a promising but short baseball career to a almost certain Hall of Fame manager. Topps 1985 was an underrated design.

The Case For Ted Williams: Recently, Joey Votto almost broke Ted's record of consecutive multi-hit games. Ted keeps the record at 21 straight games with at least two hits. That's insane! This is a great sepia-toned photograph of the Hall of Famer doing what he did best.

As always, your votes decide the winner! Comment below and let me know which card you like best!