1967 Dexter Press Cubs

A project that I started back in January has now been completed--I've got the 12-player 1967 Dexter Press Cubs set finished.

I got off to a great start by picking up six of the 12 in one lot back in January.  Even better, it was only two buck for the six--a real bargain (more about the bargain here).  I added a couple more singles over the next month.  But since then, nothing.

It often seems to happen this way--big start, add a few more, and then nothing. Since February I've been waiting for the email from Ebay that tells me another lot of these is available.  There were a few auctions, but none had the four I was looking for--Ernie Banks, Glenn Beckert, Ken Holtzman, and Randy Hundley.

And then a few weeks ago an auction popped up with six Cubs cards, including all four I needed.  There was a problem,  though.  The cards were at one time taped and they all had yellow cellophane tape residue on the top.

My choices were to go for the slightly damaged cards or wait for who knows how much longer for another lot to show up.  And then another issue arose--the price rose quickly and soon the high bid was over $30.  I wasn't going to get a bargain like I did with my first lot, and the high price was for some low condition cards.

With a couple days left in the auction, I was faced with another dilemma.  A second lot popped...this time with four cards, and three of the four of my missing ones were in the lot.  The seller also had a separate auction for the fourth I needed--Ernie Banks.  And the condition of these was much better.

I decided to pass on the first lot and go all in on the second and the Ernie.  It turned out to be the right move.  No one else bid on the lot and I was able to get the Ernie, too.  Not only did I get the cards, but I paid just a little more than half of what the yellow tape cards went for.

Enough with the story--let's get to the cards.  They all feature pictures taken at the Cubs spring home in Scottsdale, Arizona.  And they all show the home pinstripes.  The checklist includes Hall of Famers (Banks, Santo, and Williams), other key parts of the '69 Cubs (Beckert, Holtzman, Hundley) and several lesser-knows (George Altman, John Boccabella, Ray Culp, Cal Koonce, Adolfo Phillips, and Lee Thomas).

The most glaring omission would be Fergie Jenkins.  But he hadn't established himself yet so it not surprising that he's not included.  Shortstop Don Kessinger didn't make the set either, but otherwise the big names are all here.