22 Films Make Ultimate Baseball Movie Trading Card Set

22 Films Make Ultimate Baseball Movie Trading Card Set – The release of 2016 Topps Archives Baseball Cards is set for tomorrow, Wednesday, June 1st, 2016. This set is always eagerly anticipated by collectors. This year’s release has garnered attention from some mainstream media sources. The inclusion of an insert set, and autographs, from the cast of the legendary baseball movie, Bull Durham, has created a lot of buzz both in and outside of the hobby.
The 2016 Topps Archives Baseball Cards, Bull Durham Autograph Checklist includes:

• Kevin Costner as Crash Davis
• Susan Sarandon as Annie Savoy
• Tim Robbins as Nuke LaLoosh
• David Neidorf as Bobby
• William O’Leary as Jimmy
• Robert Wuhl as Larry Hockett
• Jenny Robertson as Millie
• Ron Shelton – Writer/Director
• Tom Silardi as Tony

The fact that Topps was able to secure autographs from the film’s three leading actors in Costner, Sarandon and Robbins should be applauded. There is no doubt these cards will go for BIG BUCKS on the secondary market.
Not surprisingly, the inclusion of these cards, has generated quite the conversation on social media about, the desire for a comprehensive baseball movie themed, baseball card set.  As a collector, myself, I have often thought about how great such a set would be for the hobby. It would certainly garner interest from collectors, baseball fans, movie-goers and sports media. It’s wide ranging appeal would certainly influence potential new collectors.
It’s been disappointing to not see one come to fruition. However, it is certainly understandable as to why it hasn’t been accomplished, two words – logistical nightmare. In addition to having to negotiate image rights with each different film studio, the company taking on the task would also have to individually negotiate autograph deals with each actor. That’s a LOT of legwork.
Let’s say for the sake of fun that we live in a perfect world and all the above legal business has been taken care of and such a project is ready to move forward. May I present to you, my vision for the perfect baseball movie themed baseball card set.

22 Films Make Ultimate Baseball Movie Trading Card Set – The Basics

First things first. Given that there have been so many baseball movies produced, the first thing to decide would be whether or not to produce one all encompassing set or divide it into two series. For the ease of writing this article I’m going to go with two series. At the end, will be a list of movies for the second series. From the configuration laid out below, it will give you an idea of what autographs, relics, memorabilia and inserts would be included.
The basics of the set would consist of a 300-350 card base set with NO short prints and NO parallels. The base set would be laid out to include still images from the films and character biographies.
The number of cards per film would be determined by the number needed to give a solid overview of the story-line. There would be two insert sets: Movie Posters and Quotes.

22 Films Make Ultimate Baseball Movie Trading Card Set – The Films

Secondly, here is a list of the films to be featured in the set, the producing/distributing studio, year released and key actors to be included.

Pride of the Yankees, 1942 (Samuel Goldwyn Productions/RKO)

• Gary Cooper
• Teresa Wright
• Walter Brennan
• Babe Ruth
• Lou Gehrig (Did not appear in the movie)

Set Elements

Single Cut Autographs

• Gary Cooper
• Babe Ruth

Dual Cut Autograph

• Gary Cooper & Lou Gehrig

Movie Quotes – Audio Booklet Cards

•  Lou Gehrig’s Retirement Speech Excerpts

Field of Dreams, 1989 (Universal)

• Kevin Costner (Ray Kinsella)
• Amy Madigan (Annie Kinsella)
• James Earl Jones (Terence Mann)
• Ray Liotta (Shoeless Joe Jackson)
• Burt Lancaster (Dr. Archibald “Moonlight” Graham)
• Dweir Brown (John Kinsella)
• Art LaFleur (Chick Gandil)
• Michael Milhoan (Buck Weaver)
• Steve Eastin (Eddie Cicotte)
• Charles Hoyes (Swede Risberg)

Set Elements

Single Autographs

• Kevin Costner
• Amy Madigan
• James Earl Jones
• Ray Liotta
• Burt Lancaster

Dual Autographs

• Kevin Costner/Amy Madigan
• James Earl Jones/Burt Lancaster
• Kevin Costner/Ray Liotta
• Kevin Costner/Dweir Brown

Six-Autograph Booklet

• Ray Liotta (Shoeless Joe Jackson)
• Burt Lancaster (Dr. Archibald “Moonlight” Graham)
• Art LaFleur (Chick Gandil)
• Michael Milhoan (Buck Weaver)
• Steve Eastin (Eddie Cicotte)
• Charles Hoyes (Swede Risberg)

Relics/Memorabilia

• Corn Husk Cards (from the actual Field of Dreams)
• Field of Dreams Infield Dirt Capsule Cards (from the actual Field of Dreams)
• Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella (Redemption for an autographed, first-edition copy of the book in which the movie is based.)
• UltraViolet/Vudu Digital Download

Movie Quotes – Audio Booklet Cards

• James Earl Jones as Terrence Mann “The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it’s a part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good and that could be again. Oh… people will come Ray. People will most definitely come.”

Scene Capture – Video Screen Cards

• Is This Heaven?/You Wanna Have a Catch? (Kevin Costner and Dweir Brown)

The Natural, 1984 (TriStar Pictures)

• Robert Redford (Roy Hobbs)
• Robert Duvall (Max Mercy)
• Glenn Close (Iris Gaines)
• Kim Basinger (Memo Paris)
• Wilford Brimley (Pop Fisher)
• Barbara Hershey (Harriet Bird)
• Robert Prosky (The Judge)
• Richard Farnsworth (Red Blow)
• Joe Don Baker (“The Whammer”)
• Darren McGavin (Gus Sands)
• Michael Madsen (Bartholomew “Bump” Bailey)

Set Elements

Single Autographs

• Robert Redford
• Robert Duvall
• Glenn Close
• Kim Basinger
• Wilford Brimley
• Michael Madsen

Dual Autographs

• Robert Redford/Robert Duvall
• Glenn Close/Kim Basinger
• Robert Redford/Glenn Close
• Robert Redford/Barbara Hershey

Triple Autographs

• Kim Basinger/Wilford Brimley/Darren McGavin
• Robert Redford/Joe Don Baker/Robert Duvall
• Robert Prosky/Wilford Brimley/Darren McGavin

Relics/Memorabilia

• “Wonder Boy” Manufactured Bat Barrel Relic Cards
• Glenn Close “Lady in White” Wardrobe Relics
• Silver Bullet Manufactured Relic Cards
• New York Knights Film Used Jersey Relic Cards
• UltraViolet/Vudu Digital Download

Scene Capture – Video Screen Cards

• Knock the Cover Off the Ball (Famous home run scene)

Bull Durham, 1988 (Orion Pictures)

• Kevin Costner (“Crash” Davis)
• Susan Sarandon (Annie Savoy)
• Tim Robbins (Ebby Calvin “Nuke” LaLoosh)
• Trey Wilson (Joe “Skip” Riggins)
• Robert Wuhl (Larry Hockett)
• William O’Leary (Jimmy)
• Jenny Robertson (Millie)
• Danny Gans (Deke)
• Max Patkin (Himself)

Set Elements

Single Autographs

• Kevin Costner
• Susan Sarandon
• Tim Robbins
• Robert Wuhl (Larry Hockett)
• Max Patkin (Himself)

Cut Signature

• Trey Wilson

Dual Autographs

• Kevin Costner/Tim Robbins
• Kevin Costner/Susan Sarandon
• Susan Sarandon/Tim Robbins
• William O’Leary/Jenny Robertson

Triple Autographs

• Kevin Costner/Tim Robbins/Susan Sarandon

Relics/Memorabilia

• Durham Bull Outfield Sign Relic Cards
• “Nuke” Laloosh Shower Shoe Relic Cards
• UltraViolet/Vudu Digital Download
• Cast Signed Movie Poster (via redemption)

Movie Quotes – Audio Booklet Cards

• Kevin Costner as “Crash Davis” – “Your shower shoes have fungus on them. You’ll never make it to the bigs with fungus on your shower shoes. Think classy, you’ll be classy. Win 20 in the show, you can let the fungus grow back on your shower shoes and the press’ll think you’re colorful. Until you win 20 in the show, however, it means you’re a slob.”
  • Parallel – Audio Booklet/”Nuke” Laloosh Shower Shoe Relic Card

Scene Capture – Video Screen Cards

• Lollygaggers (Trey Wilson and Robert Wuhl)
• Rainout/Natural Disaster (Kevin Costner and team)

A League of Their Own, 1992 (Columbia/Parkway Pictures)

• Tom Hanks – Jimmy Dugan (manager)
• Geena Davis – Dorothy “Dottie” Hinson (#8, catcher/assistant manager)
• Madonna – “All the Way” Mae Mordabito (#5, center field)
• Lori Petty – Kit Keller (#23, pitcher)
• Rosie O’Donnell – Doris Murphy (#22, third base)
• Jon Lovitz – Ernie Capadino, AAGPBL scout
• Garry Marshall – Walter Harvey, candy bar mogul and AAGPBL founder
• Penny Marshall – Director

Set Elements

Single Autographs

• Tom Hanks
• Geena Davis
• Madonna
• Lori Petty
• Rosie O’Donnell
• Jon Lovitz
• Garry Marshall
• Penny Marshall

Dual Autographs

• Tom Hanks/Geena Davis
• Geena Davis/Lori Petty
• Garry Marshall/Penny Marshall
• Madonna/Rosie O’Donnell

Triple Autograph

• Tom Hanks/Geena Davis/Penny Marshall

Cut Signatures

• Dorothy “Dottie” Kamenshek

Relics/Memorabilia

• Rockford Peaches Film Worn Uniform Wardrobe Cards
• Racine Belles Film Worn Uniform Wardrobe Cards
• AAGPBL Replic Patch Box Toppers
• AAGPBL Baseball Card Set by Larry Fritsch (via redemption)
• UltraViolet/Vudu Digital Download

Movie Quotes – Audio Booklet Cards
Tom Hanks as Jimmy Dugan (manager) – “Are you crying? Are you crying? Are you crying?! There’s no crying! There’s no crying in baseball!”
Madonna as Mae Mordabito – “What if at a key moment in the game my, my uniform bursts open and, uh, oops, my bosoms come flying out? That, that might draw a crowd, right?”
Rosie O’Donnell as Doris Murphy – “You think there are men in this country who ain’t seen your bosoms?”

Major League, 1989 (Paramount)

• Tom Berenger (Jake Taylor)
• Charlie Sheen (Ricky “Wild Thing” Vaughn)
• Corbin Bernsen (Roger Dorn)
• Margaret Whitton (Rachel Phelps)
• James Gammon (Lou Brown)
• Rene Russo (Lynn Weslin)
• Bob Uecker (Harry Doyle)
• Wesley Snipes (Willie Mays Hayes)
• Charles Cyphers (Charlie Donovan)
• Chelcie Ross (Eddie Harris)
• Dennis Haysbert (Pedro Cerrano)
• Andy Romano (Pepper Leach)
• Steve Yeager (Duke Temple)
• Peter Vuckovich (Clu Haywood)
• Willie Mueller (The Duke)
• Stacy Carroll (Suzanne Dorn)

Set Elements

Single Autographs

• Full Cast

Dual Autographs

• Tom Berenger/Rene Russo
• Charlie Sheen/Tom Berenger
• Charlie Sheen/Stacy Carroll
• Corbin Bernsen/Stacy Carrol
• Margaret Whitton/James Gammon

Triple Autograph

• Tom Berenger/Charlie Sheen/Corbin Bernsen

Quad Autograph

• Tom Berenger/Charlie Sheen/Corbin Bernsen/Wesley Snipes

Relics/Memorabilia/Inserts

• Willie Mays Hayes Film Worn Batting Gloves Relic Cards
• Jubu Replica Bobblehead (via redemption)
• Rachel Phelps Strip Puzzle Box Topper
• Cast Signed Poster (via redemption)
• Cast Signed Baseball (via redemption)
• UltraViolet/Vudu Digital Download

Eight Men Out, 1988 (Orion Pictures)

• Jace Alexander (Dickey Kerr)
• John Anderson (Kenesaw Mountain Landis)
• Gordon Clapp (Ray Schalk)
• John Cusack (Buck Weaver)
• Don Harvey (Swede Risberg)
• Bill Irwin (Eddie Collins)
• Clifton James (Charles Comiskey)
• Perry Lang (Fred McMullin)
• Michael Lerner (Arnold Rothstein)
• Christopher Lloyd (Bill Burns)
• John Mahoney (Kid Gleason)
• Michael Mantell (Abe Attell)
• James Read (Lefty Williamse)
• Michael Rooker (Chick Gandil)
• John Sayles (Ring Lardner)
• Charlie Sheen (Happy Felsch)
• David Strathairn (Eddie Cicotte)
• D. B. Sweeney (Shoeless Joe Jackson)
• Studs Terkel (Hugh Fullerton)
• Kevin Tighe (Sport Sullivan)

Set Elements

Single Autographs

• Full cast as listed above

Cut Autogaphs

• Charles Comiskey
• Kenesaw Mountain Landis

Relics/Memorabilia/Inserts

• Replica Newspaper Headlines
• 1919 White Sox Mini Pennant
  • Parallel – “Black Sox” Mini Pennant
• 1919 Cincinnati Reds Mini Pennant 
• Film Worn Uniform Relic Cards
• Full-sized Vintage Newspaper (via redemption)
• 1919 World Series Program (via redemption)
• UltraViolet/Vudu Digital Download

Moneyball, 2011 (Columbia)

• Brad Pitt (Billy Beane), general manager of the Oakland Athletics
• Jonah Hill (Peter Brand), Beane’s assistant general manager
• Philip Seymour Hoffman (Art Howe), the manager of the Oakland Athletics
• Chris Pratt (Scott Hatteberg), A’s first baseman
• Stephen Bishop (David Justice), A’s outfielder
• Royce Clayton (Miguel Tejada), A’s shortstop

Set Elements

Single Autographs

• Brad Pitt (Billy Beane), general manager of the Oakland Athletics
• Jonah Hill (Peter Brand), Beane’s assistant general manager
• Philip Seymour Hoffman (Art Howe), the manager of the Oakland Athletics
• Chris Pratt (Scott Hatteberg), A’s first baseman

Dual Autographs

• Brad Pitt/Billy Beane
• Brad Pitt/Philip Seymour Hoffman
• Brad Pitt/Jonah Hill

Relics/Memorabilia/Inserts

• Moneyball by Michael Lewis (Redemption for an autographed, first-edition copy of the book in which the movie is based.)
• Billy Beane Autographed Baseball (via redemption)
• 2002 Oakland A’s team Signed Baseball (via redemption)
• 2003 Oakland A’s team Signed Baseball (via redemption)
• UltraViolet/Vudu Digital Download

22 Films Make Ultimate Baseball Movie Trading Card Set . . . Continued

So as you can see, these 22 Films Make Ultimate Baseball Movie Trading Card Set, really would be a monumental labor of love and a logistical nightmare. Just the sheer quantity to choose from presents its own issues. As part of the 22 films, here are the ones I would include in a second series.

• Bang the Drum Slowly
• 42
• 61*
• Mr. 3,000
• The Rookie
• Angels in the Outfield
• The Babe
• Fever Pitch
• For the Love of the Game
• Mr. Baseball
• The Fan
• Sandlot
• Cobb
• Trouble with the Curve

The above list provides for a whole lot more great autograph content including: Robert DeNiro, John Goodman, Tom Selleck, Danny Glover, Tommy Lee Jones, Jimmy Fallon, Drew Barrymoore, Bernie Mac, Dennis Quaid and Clint Eastwood just to name a few!
Now for a product name . . .  Baseball Goes to the Movies, Baseball at the Movies, Cinema Stars on the Diamond, Hollywood – Baseball Style . . . .

22 Films Make Ultimate Baseball Movie Trading Card Set