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MARK DIFELICE BASEBALL CARDS FOR SALE ON COMC

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Mark DiFelice was a major league starting pitcher who played for the Cincinnati Reds, Boston Red Sox, and Toronto Blue Jays from 1995 to 2002. While he never achieved superstar status, DiFelice had a lengthy MLB career and many baseball card collectors enjoy collecting his rookie cards and cards from his years playing in the major leagues. One of the top sites to find Mark DiFelice cards available for purchase is COMC, or Cardboard Connection. This article will provide a biography of DiFelice’s playing career, an overview of his notable baseball cards, as well as tips for collectors looking to buy his cards on COMC.

DiFelice was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 5th round of the 1991 MLB Draft out of Archbishop Molloy High School in New York. He made his MLB debut with the Reds in 1995 and had some early success, recording a win in his first career start. In 1995 and 1996 with Cincinnati, DiFelice showed promise as a starter and swingman, making 38 total appearances including 25 starts over those two seasons. He posted a 10-9 record and 4.33 ERA during his time with the Reds.

Prior to the 1998 season, DiFelice was traded from Cincinnati to the Boston Red Sox. He became a full time member of the Red Sox starting rotation in 1998 and 1999. In 1998, he set career highs in starts (31), innings pitched (181), and strikeouts (112) while going 11-9 with a 4.30 ERA for Boston. His 1998 Donruss Studio #247 card is one of his more commonly found rookie cards available on COMC. DiFelice remained in Boston’s rotation the following season in 1999 but saw his ERA rise to 5.15 in 31 games started.

After the 1999 season, DiFelice signed as a free agent with the Toronto Blue Jays, where he spent his final 3 MLB seasons from 2000-2002. He was used mainly as a swingman and spot starter for Toronto, making 54 total appearances over those 3 years including 30 starts. His production declined but he provided useful innings for the Blue Jays in a middle relief/starter role. DiFelice’s final MLB season was in 2002 at age 31 when he posted a 5.24 ERA in 14 games/8 starts before being released by Toronto in August. He briefly signed with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays afterward but did not appear in any more big league games, effectively ending his 7-year MLB career.

Over his MLB tenure from 1995-2002, DiFelice had a career record of 48-46 with a 4.71 ERA in 175 total games pitched, 113 of them as a starting pitcher. While never an All-Star, DiFelice demonstrated durability by averaging over 150 innings pitched per season from 1998-2000 as a full time starter. He carved out an impressive 8 year professional career after being drafted in the later rounds out of high school.

When searching for Mark DiFelice baseball cards on COMC, there are several notable rookie and base cards that regularly appear in search results:

1996 Upper Deck #677: One of DiFelice’s flagship rookie cards from his early seasons with the Reds. Generally sells in the $5-10 range on COMC depending on condition.

1998 Donruss Studio #247: As mentioned, his true rookie card and one of his commons from his peak years with the Red Sox. Also around the $5-10 range based on grade.

2000 Topps #662: Comes from DiFelice’s first season with the Blue Jays and shows him in the Toronto uniform. Can be found for under $5.

2002 Upper Deck #358: His final major release card before retiring. Lower print run sets from his later years tend to have fewer copies available.

1999 Stadium Club #238: Popular insert set places DiFelice in 3D Stadium photo style. Can sell for $3-5 depending on condition.

COMC typically has at least several hundred total copies of DiFelice’s common base cards available at any given time across all sport sets from the 1990s-2000s. Condition is crucial – highest grades in NM-MT condition typically sell quickest, while more worn copies may sit unsold for longer periods. Price is also impacted based on the rare parallel or insert cards versus the common base cards. Overall DiFelice doesn’t carry huge collector value, but his cards can make for affordable editions to Reds, Red Sox, and Blue Jays PC’s of the late 90s-early 2000s era.

In summary, Mark DiFelice developed into a serviceable major league pitcher who provided useful innings for three different MLB teams over the course of an eight year professional career. While not a true star, DiFelice’s career featured some notable accomplishments and his more prominent baseball cards remain widely obtainable for collectors on online marketplaces like COMC. From common yearly issues to popular inserts, finding DiFelice cardboard in a variety of price ranges is very possible for those looking to build a collection of this durable 1990s-2000s hurler.

JERRY REED BASEBALL CARDS FOR SALE ON COMC

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Jerry Reed was an American country musician, session guitarist, songwriter, comedian, and actor who passed away in 2008 at the age of 71. Though best known as a country music singer and for his roles in films such as ‘Smokey and the Bandit,’ Reed began his career in the 1950s as a session musician in Nashville, playing guitar on recording sessions for artists such as Elvis Presley, Chet Atkins, and Marty Robbins.

Reed likely never imagined at the height of his music career that over 60 years later, collectors would be seeking out Jerry Reed baseball cards from his time as a young athlete prior to establishing himself as a musician. A small set of rare vintage cards featuring Jerry Reed from his teenage baseball playing days in the early 1950s have become highly sought after pieces for collectors on Comic Connect (COMC), one of the largest online marketplaces for buying and selling collectibles.

Born in 1937 in Atlanta, Georgia, Jerry Reed Roberts (he later changed his name professionally to Jerry Reed) showed athletic prowess from a young age. He excelled at baseball and briefly attended Brenau College on a baseball scholarship. During his teenage years in the early 1950s, the burgeoning musician had hopes of a professional baseball career. It was around this time that a small set of Jerry Reed baseball cards were produced by Conlon Companies, likely in short print runs distributed locally in Georgia.

Only a tiny handful of these exceedingly rare Jerry Reed baseball cards are known to exist today. They depict a clean-cut teenage Jerry Reed in a baseball uniform from his time playing for the Conlon Cardinals, an amateur/semi-pro baseball team sponsored by Conlon Chewing Gum and based in Newnan, Georgia. The simple, yet historic, cards show a photo of Reed on the front alongside basic stats and info about his playing career up to that point on the back.

Because they were produced in such tiny quantities over 60 years ago specifically for local/regional distribution, finding high grade, intact examples of Jerry Reed’s baseball cards in modern times is no simple task. Serious vintage card collectors who seek out obscure and rare pieces to populate the edges of their collections covet these windows into Reed’s early life and career prior to widespread fame and fortune in country music.

As one of the most respected online marketplaces for vintage and modern collectibles, Comic Connect (COMC) frequently hosts listings of the elusive Jerry Reed baseball cards when they surface from an elderly Georgian who held onto a reminder of their community’s native son or from an estate sale of a dedicated memorabilia collector. Buyers eagerly watch for when the highly conditioned gems become available, knowing just how few high grade copies remain in the collecting population after six decades of existence.

On COMC, Jerry Reed baseball cards in top-shelf near mint to mint condition regularly sell in the $150-300 range when they pop up, with the most pristine specimens occasionally reaching the $400-500 range if two or more qualified bidders get involved in a bidding war for the rare piece of sports and entertainment history. Copies that have issues such as creasing, corners cuts or edge wear may sell in the $75-150 range depending on the extent of the flaws for more casual collectors looking to add any example of the historic card to their holdings.

Beyond their obvious rarity and appeal to vintage baseball card collectors, the Jerry Reed cards also intrigue country music and memorabilia aficionados. They represent one of the only widely distributed works that depict Reed prior to leaving behind baseball hopes to pursue music full-time. For country music historians, they offer a unique snapshot into Reed’s early life ambitions before the success of songs like “Guitar Man,” “U.S. Male,” and “When You’re Hot, You’re Hot” redefined him as an entertainer for generations.

Interestingly, Jerry Reed himself was actually quite athletically talented beyond just baseball in his youth according to those who knew him. He also showed prowess in basketball and was said to have nearly walked on to the University of Georgia basketball team before deciding to focus exclusively on a musical career. This makes his baseball cards an especially fascinating period piece from what could have been an alternate path as a professional athlete had his musical talents not developed and defined his legacy.

While Jerry Reed may primarily be remembered today as one of country music’s great singer-songwriters and character actors from the 1970s, the scant few baseball cards produced of the teenage Reed offer collectors and historians a singular portal into his early ambitions and athletic talent that nearly defined his future before the guitar became his passion and professional path. Rarely do such obscure period relics from a celebrity’s youth pop up in the collecting world, making these Jerry Reed cards highly valued one-of-a-kind editions for vintage enthusiasts when they surface on COMC or in the broader marketplace.

ALAN BECK BASEBALL CARDS FOR SALE ON COMC

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Alan Beck was an American professional baseball player who played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from 1959 to 1970. While his MLB career was relatively short and unremarkable statistically, Alan Beck baseball cards have become quite collectible in the decades since he retired from playing. This is largely due to his rookie card being one of the more scarce and desirable rookie cards from the early 1960s. As a result, Alan Beck cards can often command high prices when available for sale on websites and marketplaces that cater to sports card collectors.

One of the largest and most reputable online marketplaces for buying and selling sports cards is COMC, short for Cardboard Connection. COMC has built a large business around providing a safe, secure platform for collectors and dealers to buy, sell, and trade cards. Their extensive inventory includes thousands of Alan Beck baseball cards across his playing career with the Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, and Philadelphia Phillies. Given the scarcity and demand for his rookie card, it unsurprisingly tends to be one of the more expensive Beck cards available on COMC at any given time.

Beck’s rookie card is from 1961 Topps and is considered one of the key rookie cards from that entire set, which is one of the most iconic and collected vintage issues. In high grade it can sell for well over $1000 on COMC. Even in lower, EX-MT grades it typically sells in the $300-500 range. This is quite steep compared to what most other non-star players from that era go for. It speaks to both the rarity of finding the card in nice condition after 60+ years as well as collectors’ strong desire to add this piece of cardboard to their vintage rookie collection.

In addition to his rookie, other standout Alan Beck baseball cards that attract serious collector interest on COMC include his 1962 and 1963 Topps issues. These follow-up cards are also quite scarce to find well-centered and in high grades of NM-MT or better. For example, a 1963 Topps Beck in NM-MT condition may sell for $150-250 depending on recent sales comps. His 1964 and 1965 Topps are also on the more desirable side for collectors of cards from the first half of his MLB tenure with the Cubs. Prices tend to range from $50-150 based on grade.

After being traded from the Cubs to the Reds in 1965, Beck’s cards from 1966-1969 with Cincinnati are also in demand on COMC. This includes his 1966, 1967, and 1969 Topps issues which can often sell in the $25-100 range based on factors like centering, corners, and overall appeal. His 1968 Topps is a bit more common so prices tend to be in the $10-50 range. Collectors seem to show the most interest in capturing Beck’s Reds tenure in high grades to complement the scarcer Cubs cards in collections.

Beck’s final MLB season was 1970 when he played very briefly for the Philadelphia Phillies. Reflecting the short stint, his 1970 Topps card has much less collector demand compared to his Cubs and Reds issues. On COMC it typically sells for $5-20 depending on condition, making it one of the more attainable Beck cards for collectors looking to fill out their set. Still, in pristine mint condition even a common 1970 could fetch $30-50 due to strong vintage Phillies collectors.

In addition to his main Topps flagship cards, Alan Beck is also represented in some of the popular oddball and regional sets of the 1950s-60s. This includes issues from Kellogg’s, Post, Red Man, Bazooka, and others. These eccentric parallel cards tend to be quite scarce in any grade. On COMC, mint condition examples can often sell in the $50-150 range. Even well-centered but lower graded copies may find buyers in the $20-50 range due to the niche, specialty nature of these oddballs.

Whether chasing rookie cards or following Beck’s career across his Cubs, Reds, and Phillies tenure, COMC is a great resource for collectors pursuing this underrated player’s cardboard. With reasonable prices, a vast selection across all his major issues, and a trusted buyer/seller system, COMC provides a low-risk way to acquire Alan Beck baseball cards. For those seeking a specific card to add to their vintage collection or fill out their Beck album, perusing his listings regularly is recommended. You never know when a key card in a sought-after grade may become available.

While Alan Beck didn’t have huge MLB stats to write home about, his baseball cards from the 1960s have developed quite a cult following in the collector world. Led by the ultra-scarce 1961 Topps rookie, his Topps flagship issues and oddball parallel cards can be found trading hands regularly on COMC. For fans of vintage Cubs, Reds, and Phillies cards, or collectors pursuing complete rainbow sets from the early 1960s, Alan Beck’s cardboard remains a popular niche collecting segment in today’s sports memorabilia marketplace.

COMC BASEBALL CARDS

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The tradition of including baseball cards in comic books dates back to the golden age of comics in the late 1930s and 1940s. As kids flocked to newsstands and stores to pickup the latest issues of action and superhero titles from publishers like National Periodical Publications (later DC Comics) and Timely Comics (later Marvel), they would often find promotional trading cards for popular baseball players tucked inside.

These early comic book baseball cards helped spark kids’ interests in America’s pastime while also serving as a profitable marketing tool for comic book publishers. Inserting cards from Topps, Bowman, or other card companies was a cheap promotional expense that drove up comic book sales. For children of the era, finding a rare Mickey Mantle or Willie Mays card amidst the pages of Superman or Captain America was always an exciting surprise.

Some of the very first comic book baseball cards appeared in 1938 and 1939 issues of DC’s More Fun Comics. Published by National Periodicals, More Fun featured early Superman stories as well as other lighter comics material. Issues from this period are known to have included cards from the 1939 Play Ball baseball set by Bowman Gum. These early Bowman cards featured rookie versions of legends like Ted Williams, Bob Feller, and Joe DiMaggio.

As World War 2 raged in the early 1940s, the supply of baseball cards grew scarce due to wartime rationing of paper products and other materials. This led Topps and other companies to negotiate deals placing baseball cards directly into comic books as an alternative distribution method. Titles like Marvel Comics from Timely and Action Comics from National were prolific hosts for these inserted baseball cards during the war years.

Some key comic book sets and promotions from the era included:

1941 Topps Baseball: Distributed in issues of Timely/Marvel titles like Captain America Comics and Marvel Mystery Comics. Highlight cards included stars like DiMaggio, Williams, Feller, and Hank Greenberg.

1942/1943 Bowman Baseball: Packaged with DC’s More Fun Comics and All American Comics. Rookies of Stan Musial and Early Wynn were featured alongside holdovers from the 1941 set like Bill Dickey.

1946 Topps Baseball: The first post-war release, inserted into Timely/Marvel titles. Stars like Mickey Owen, Johnny Mize, and Phil Rizzuto now had updated visuals after years away from the hobby.

1947 Topps Baseball: A pioneering set that marked Topps’ first year as the sole producer of modern baseball cards. Distributed extensively in DC and Timely comics that year.

As the 1940s gave way to the 1950s, baseball cards inserted in comic books continued to serve as an introduction to the players and stars of yesteryear for a new generation of young fans. Iconic rookies like Ted Williams, Willie Mays, Sandy Koufax and more first appeared to comic readers in these unofficial “comic book card sets.” By the mid-1950s, direct comic book insertions declined as the baseball card market grew on its own. The tradition had cemented comics’ place in fostering new baseball fandom.

In modern times, the intersection of comics and baseball cards has seen a resurgence. In the 1990s, publishers like Eclipse Comics and Topps cooperated on licensed sets combining characters from books like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with players from the contemporaneous MLB. 2005’s Spider-Man/X-Men/Amazing Fantasy Baseball Card Set from Topps and Marvel fused comics icons with athletes in short printed parallels.

Perhaps the most ambitious project was Topps and Upper Deck’s Comic Images insert sets of the late ’90s/early 2000s. Running over multiple years, Comic Images took characters from titles like Spider-Man, X-Men, Batman and wrapped them high-quality stock baseball cards with fictional biographies. Parallel subsets even mixed players with movie stills from blockbusters like Spider-Man and X-Men.

In 2022, the vintage comic book baseball card tradition was revisited when Topps partnered with KEY Collectibles to include GREEN Lantern and The Amazing Spider-Man foil trading cards in green and red polybagged comic books respectively. Each card paid homage to classic 1940s/1950s designs while spotlighting current MLB stars like Shohei Ohtani alongside the featured comic heroes.

Whether fueling new readers decades ago or collaborating on unique collector’s items today, the relationship between comics and baseball cards persists in bringing two classic American pastimes together. From the earliest surprises found between comic book pages to modern limited vinyl and polybag promotions, these cross-promotions continue introducing new generations to the intersection of childhood enjoyments. The heritage of comic book baseball cards ensures baseball’s roots in the creative hands of comic artists stays as vibrant as the players highlighted within.