DAMN IT, ANOTHER AMBITIOUS PROJECT

PRIMARILY A CATCHER BUT PLAYED A LITTLE FIRST.

I attended my final card show of the year on Saturday, obtaining a couple Archives inserts and a sweet 1962 Bob Gibson and '55 Hal Newhouser.

The big news is I unexpectedly fell into another project to pursue in '13.

The dealer who had the Newhouser also had other high-grade '55s, including two Orioles, both rookie cards incidentally: Gus Triandos and Billy O'Dell. Fifty-fives this good deserve a home.

AN ORIOLE ALL-STAR IN '58 AND '59.

And some teammates. So while the time might not be right, I'm going to build a high-grade team set of the second-ever year of the major-league Baltimore Orioles.

There are 14 cards. I now have two. It took me about 10 years on and off to build my only other team set, the '71 Orioles. That was started before the Internet became a gateway to fill want lists quickly; this set will present different challenges, namely scarcity of quality '55s and cost.

PRINCE HAL WAS ELECTED TO THE HALL OF FAME IN '92.

Fortunately, there's time. Unless I come to my senses about buying baseball cards.

I usually don't like adding a new project unless I finish one. And try as I might, I couldn't polish off the '73 or Archives sets.

I picked up three cheap high-number '73s off eBay last month, leaving me a tantalizing three short, not counting the blue team checklist cards. I'm missing one short-print Archives card, Mitch Williams.

Three blank pockets in one album, one in the other. That kind of bugs me. And now a new project.  

Fortunately, I have time. Unless ...

NOT BAD FOR A 50-YEAR-OLD CARD.