Oddball Mike Trout Slabbed Tickets

While I have not been collecting tickets with the same fervor I did a couple of years ago, I still have plenty from that time period to scan in, write up, and share. I still enjoy tickets immensely but without my PSA employee discount to slab them for a reasonable fee, I have moved away from chasing them.

I will get them all documented and displayed despite my shift. Today's tickets are season ticket stock variations of a ticket I posted almost a year ago. Mike Trout signed with the Angels and took his first batting practice session as a member of the franchise way back on July the 2nd in 2009.

These are extremely low POP mostly because who would think to get this slabbed? Well, this weird guy decided it would be a good use of funds and I do not regret the decision to slab a handful of these fun oddities.

They are most welcome in my Millville Meteor PC.

April 18th, 1948: Roy Campanella "Debuts" -- PSA 2 Stub!

Here's an item I never even considered owning as I never considered its existence being a thing. I somehow stumbled upon it up on eBay and quickly threw a bid on without giving it much thought, as it was already PSA graded and I knew it was rare and not something I would come across many more times, if at all. A reasonable sum of money later and this beauty was mine and instantly becomes one of the more unique pieces in my Roy Campanella PC.

Before he laced up the cleats in an official MLB game a few days after this stub was put into use, Campy appeared in a New York-centric Exhibition game between the Dodgers and the Yankees held at Yankee Stadium. I have not been able to locate a box score for the game but knowing it's a Roy Debut of sorts and is about as rookie as rookie gets is a great feeling.

PSA has graded a grand total of three of these stubs, with my 2 being the only 2 and the highest graded of them all. Oh, and I did locate a great photo of another participant in the exhibition, and said photo is attributed to that very day. One Jack Roosevelt Robinson was just beginning his second campaign alongside the rookie backstop of my Dodger dreams.

Jackie Robinson, Jews, and My Birthday -- To Quote Rick James, It's A Celebration Bitches!

July 17th of 1947 was one of the key reasons that today's featured ticket stub was a must-have for my ticket collection. July 17th is my birthday, first and foremost, and owning a stub from a vintage Dodgers game on that date is just cool. When the legendary Jackie Robinson has career hit number 101 in that game and is a rookie, well, a trifecta of awesomeness has occurred!

The Pirates clobbered the Blue Crew on that day, but a certain Pirate made a contribution I had to have noted on the flip. Hall of Famer Hank Greenberg launched career homer number 321 while driving in two and walking twice. I only think of him as a Tiger but as one of the game's preeminent Jewish players I was thrilled he was a big part of this game along with Jackie.

Any item added to my modest but growing Jackie Collection is a welcome and cherished piece of history in my eyes. Rookie year pieces are harder and harder to come by without breaking the bank. When I bought this, I believe I paid $20 for this and $20 for another rookie year offering from the same seller. You can't touch '47 Dodger stubs at that price anymore so I am very pleased to have stumbled upon them when I did and had the foresight to buy them.

A Jackie Robinson Rookie Ticket!!!

Jackie Robinson items from 1947 are not always easy to come by and when they do appear they are more often than not too expensive for my taste. I have a range, but Jackie rookie stuff and that range don't always see eye to eye. That makes it all the more imperative that when something does pop up -- and it is not insanely priced -- I jump on it and don't miss my chance.

Somewhere in 2020 I stumbled upon a pair of amazing and well-loved ticket stubs from the year of our Blue Crew Lord Jackie Robinson, 1947. I had recently developed a liking for tickets and the history behind them and was also putting effort into building a modest Jackie PC at the same time. These stubs were a perfect target if the price remained reasonable. Much to my surprise, they were far more than that....they were cheap!

I paid roughly $20 per stub and knew once in-hand the next stop would be the PSA grading room for protective slabbing and long-term value. Not that I will part with them, but the value added is undeniable.

June 3rd of 1947 saw the Dodgers play Pittsburgh in a double-header and sweep both games. A lot happened within those two contests....

• Hank Greenberg: 3 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, one RBI
• Ralph Kiner: Career HR # 29, 4 RBI, 2 runs, 2 hits
• Pee Wee Reese: 4 hits, 3 walks, 3 runs
• JACKIE ROBINSON: Single, Double, 1 Walk, 3 Runs, Career Stolen Base # 7

I wish I had remembered to ask for the SB to be on the flip and perhaps one day I will send it in to be re-holdered and the label amended. I would have surmised this would end up as Authentic due to the paper loss on the front, but I will gladly take a straight grade of 1.

Mike Trout Signs, Takes Batting Practice

Weird items hold a special place in my heart -- read into that what you will. I find the unique in our hobby to be fascinating, and while unique is a broad and "to each their own" term, I think consensus can be found more often than not on what falls into or at the least leans into that category. A ticket from the Angels' game on the day in which Mike Trout was signed following his draft certainly is in that realm, and is certainly cool on top of that. 

This fun piece popped up on eBay in one of my many random searches and it instantly appealed to me with its story and interesting nature. I'm a giant Mike Trout fan and when my love of tickets is added in, this was an easy call for a small amount of money. Trout also took batting practice at Angels Stadium for the first time on July 2nd of 2009.

This oddball item, not surprisingly, is POP 1 as in the only one PSA has ever graded. For the price it was an easy "grade it" decision even knowing the grade would be middle of the road and factoring in that it's only Box Office Stock. I will take the 5 and enjoy this piece of Angels history!

Luka and The Big Easy

One more rookie ticket for the week as Luka and the Mavs fell by two in the Big Easy back on December 28th of 2018. PSA deemed it a 5.

Doncic put up a ton of points with 34, in addition to 2 boards and 3 dimes.

LeBron and Dallas

Another rookie ticket of LeBron enters my collection with this PSA 6 offering from a February 18th contest in 2004. A new ticket is always a good day in my book.

The King put up 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 9 helpers as the Cavs fell to Dallas.

Doncic and His First 30-Point Game

This week will have a number of succinct, not super interesting posts. I'm short on both time and the desire to think of witty things to say. So here's a new addition to my Luka Doncic and Ticket PCs.

This PSA 6 graded full is from Luka's first career 30-point outing, a close loss to the Spurs during his rookie campaign on October 29th of 2018.

Luka put up 31 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists.

Stat-Sheet Stuffing Success

Season Ticket stock is more difficult to track down in my experience but well worth it when you can find it for an affordable price. I had some good fortune in locking down some lots of tickets in 2020-2022 and one such lot included a handful of LeBron James rookie year fulls.

I also learned that for basketball limiting myself to a search of, say, 2003 for LBJ would not be the most fruitful approach. Basketball seasons span two years and not everyone lists a 2004 ticket that occurs pre-summer months as a rookie even though it very much is. Some good deals utilizing this tactic were had and I was very happy this bad boy returned from PSA as a 5.

The King put up 21 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 5 big blocks in a nail-biting victory over New Orleans on February 23rd of 2004. One of the things I admire so much about James is how easily his skill set spans every aspect of the game, allowing him to dominate on both ends and stuff the stat sheet full of value.

Mike Trout's 1st Three-Something

Here's a fun little addition to my Mike Trout Collection that I thought I already owned but apparently do not. Or I do and I can't find the first one -- either way, I spent little to buy it raw on eBay and little (relatively speaking) to grade it. So, a happy pickup no matter the situation.

A first cup of coffee Trout recorded his very first three-hit game on September 3rd of 2011 in a win over Minnesota. Mike drew a walk and drove in career RBI number 14 as well. PSA deemed this newest ticket score a solid 6.

Sometimes The Grade Exceeds The Actual Athletic Performance

As I sift through the many LeBron James rookie year tickets I snatched from eBay and sent in to PSA for grading I am finding a mix of condition and mostly excellent to fricking amazing performances from the '03 1st overall selection. However, every rookie has an off game and today's showcased addition to my Ticket Collection is one such occurrence.

LBJ had an off night on February 11th of 2004 as the Nets took down the Cavs in a blowout. LeBron only put up 9 points to go along with 2 rebounds and 5 assists in the contest. I was pleasantly surprised when it returned from its vacation at Collectors as it came back to me a strong 8.

A win for me and my King James Collection.

Taking A Bite Out of Luka

Just a quick and to the point post today on another Luka Doncic rookie year ticket pickup. This one returned from PSA as a 6 and hails from an October 26th, 2018 matchup against the Toronto Raptors.

Luka put up 22 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists in the defeat.

Shipping Up To Boston

LeBron James and the Boston Celtics have had many a classic contest as the rivals have gone at it since James entered the league twenty years ago. I distinctly remember the playoff game where The King had 45 points, 15 boards, and 5 helpers as he absolutely dominated the C's while with the Heat. This is not a ticket from that legendary game but it does hail from another contest where he put a beating on the Boston players defending him.

The Cavs lost this December 13th, 2003 game against their Northeast opponent but a fresh-faced rookie from Akron put up a stellar 37 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists while still a young pup in the Association. PSA gave this a 5 and while it's faded on the front it did not cost a ton to acquire or grade, making it an even more enjoyable addition to a pair of PCs.

Luka Light, But That's Alright

Rookie year tickets are some of my ticket collecting favorites to chase and acquire as they are far more affordable than a debut and still hold that air of "rookie" cool and attractiveness. Well, they do to me at least. I chased and secured a handful of Luka Doncic items to fit this collecting joy during the pandemic.

December 22nd of 2018 saw the Doncic-led Mavs narrowly fall to the Steph Curry/Kevin Durant Warriors as Luka had 19 points, 3 boards, and 5 dimes. PSA sent this back to me as an 8 and it fits nicely into my very modest Luka PC.

LeBron and New Orleans, Circa 2003

Here's another affordable and newly slabbed LeBron James rookie year ticket to add to my James and Ticket PCs. I went through a phase of searching these out and snagged some nice additions that were graded when you could actually grade tickets for less than an arm and a leg.

This one came back a PSA 4 (as it has a fat crease much more visible from the reverse) and is Box Office stock. The King had 22 points, 6 boards, and 2 assists in a December 23rd, 2003 victory over New Orleans.

Clayton Kershaw and His Only Homer!

One of the cooler sports moments I recall watching came on April 1st of 2013. The Dodgers faced off on that eventful Opening Day against San Fran and I believe I was taking in the game with my pops. It was a nail-biting experience as neither offense got much going. When all was said and done, one single run crossed the plate and that runner did so in the most unexpected of ways....

Clayton Kershaw walloped his first and to this day only career home run off of reliever George Kontos in the 8th inning to provide the sole support for his sixth career shutout. He struck out seven while allowing four measly singles to the Giants. With the DH now in both leagues, the chances he hits another are sliiiiiiim.

Kershaw completed his Maddux in style and when I began collecting tickets I knew I had to pick this one up and add it to my Kid K PC. I've acquired a few over time -- a pair of PSA 8s and one PSA 6. All were bought raw and sent in for the slab treatment. My favorite, of course, has Clayton adorning the face of the ticket. Snagging one with Matt Kemp on it was an added bonus.

Do you have any memorable moments in the regular season burned into your brain? This game and Kersh's no-hitter are almost certainly my Top 2.

A Sweet Ass Rodgers "Debut" Ticket

Here's a random ticket I chased after the thought of owning it randomly crossed my mind. There was no real reason to want it or search for it or buy it or grade it, but do all of those things I did. Although Aaron Rodgers did not see action until Week 5 of his rookie season he was on the active roster for Week 1 of the '05 campaign.

That small fact was enough for me to chase this theoretical "debut" item and add it to my Rodgers PC and my Ticket Collection. It returned from PSA as a 5 and although Rodgers was on the sidelines the whole game I like the fact that it's the first time he was in uniform for a regular season game in his Hall of Fame career.

LeBron James, Circa 2002

I landed another high school LeBron James ticket for my PC of the new Scoring King. I snatched this up ungraded from eBay and sent it off to PSA for protection and display purposes. It returned a PSA 2 and I'm honestly surprised when any high school ticket is better than that, even taking into consideration how much hype and attention James earned at that young of an age. Tickets were not anywhere near as collectible then as they are now.

This presentable full ticket from a regional semifinal victory in the 2002 OHSAA Tournament was a very cool find and score as the game took place in the Cavaliers' arena. LBJ put up an all-around stellar game in a blowout win with 16 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, and six blocks.

Jackie Robinson HR Ticket!

Since my entry into the ticket world there have been a few must-haves on my mental list of things to find on my eBay adventures. Some have proven easier than others and some have proven to be more expensive than others. When those two categories overlap, I am an unhappy collector indeed. What that has to do with today's showcased piece, I don't know, as it wasn't overly expensive and wasn't the hardest thing to track down. Rambling, I am.

Nabbing a stub from a game in which the one and only Jackie Robinson went deep was an absolute collecting necessity and eventually patience paid off with this beauty from a 1952 contest against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Jackie left the yard for the 75th time in his illustrious career while driving in three runs, walking twice, and scoring one run. Other notables from the game:

• Roy Campanella had a hit
• Duke Snider had two hits, a walk, and a run scored
• Gil Hodges had a hit and a run scored
• Pee Wee Reese had a hit, a RBI, and a run scored
• Carl Erskine threw a complete-game shutout
• Ralph Kiner had a hit and a walk

After purchasing this raw online, I sent it in for grading and got a 3 from PSA.

Anyone else start dabbling in tickets or think they might?

That Time LeBron James Almost Outscored The Other Team By Himself

With LeBron becoming the NBA's Scoring King I felt it was appropriate to finally get this beautiful ticket stub scanned in, written up, and posted. I randomly stumbled upon it on an eBay outing and could not resist once I looked up how The King faired in the contest. I sent it off to PSA and was very happy with the return of a 5.

James was still in high school and led his St. Vincent-St. Mary squad to a commanding victory on January 14 of 2003. LBJ put up a whopping 50 points on 19 of 25 shooting. He added 9 boards, 2 dimes, and 11 3-pointers (Steph, eat your heart out!).

The 50 points is made even more impressive by the fact that the opponent that day only scored 56 as an entire unit. This stub also felt like a must purchase with the reverse featuring my name!

A welcome addition to my collection of stubs and fulls!