Ok baseball fans, here's an interesting question.

[the 'stache]

With all the serious talk that's been going on, I thought a light hearted topic might be fun. Anticipate silliness, and some eye rolls, but participate if you dare.

You are friends with Dr. Emmett Brown (yes, I realize he is a fictional character. Bear with me). After the rousing success of the DeLorean time machine, "Doc" has decided to give time travel another go, only this time, no Libyans will be involved. There will be no cool cars, no 88 miles per hour, or one-point-twenty-one jiggawatts. Just pure, unadulterated time travel.


Seriously, though. Would you let this man send you back in time?

The new time machine has one limitation. Because of power limitations ("Doc" spent most of his family's fortune, after all), you can only go back in time for ten minutes before you need to come home. As baseball fans, and baseball card collectors, what would you choose to do with your ten minutes?

Clearly, ten minutes is not enough time to take in a game. You might be able to locate an old store with baseball cards for sale, though....


Woolworths circa 1952? Yes, please!

Maybe instead you'd use your ten minutes to change something that happened in the past:

"Roberto, don't get in that plane."

or...

"Hey Fred, make sure to touch second before running off the field."

or...

"Mr. Branca, maybe you should avoid throwing Bobby any curve balls today."

or...

"Hey, Thurman, your wife called. You'll have to practice landings another day."

or...

"Mick, did you know there's a sprinkler head in left center field?

How would you use your ten minutes?

[Cardboard Junkie]

I would travel all the way back to 2012, to see how those "Black Swamp" cards were replicated.Dave.

[Sean]

My first thought is that I would go back to 1918 and shoot Chick Gandil before he ever thought of throwing the 1919 World Series.

But on second thought, baseball needed a wake up call to bring in Commissioner Landis to clean up the sport, so maybe that's not such a good idea.

[z28jd]

I could think of a lot of games, but probably the one that annoyed me the most was the Armando Galarraga 28 out perfect game. I'd definitely hand Jim Joyce a pair of glasses and explain to him how to tell whose foot touches a bag first. It needs to be repeated often that since that game, Galarraga has a 5-16 career record and he spent this entire past season in AAA. He had a 21-18 career record at the time. I still get mad watching that replay.

[vintagecpa]

I'd go back about 25 years and buy some shares of Cisco, Microsoft and Apple. I would have enough money to buy any cardboard at today's prices.

Baseball related, I would go back about 11 months and explain the infield fly rule to a couple of umps before a one game playoff.

[EvilKing00]

I would go back to the day yahoo came out as an IPO, and STOP my self from selling it 10 min after I bought it. I made $1000 in 10 min....UGH what a fool. I still keep the bought receipt in my card collection cabinet to remind my self of the idiocy.

Anyway - if we aren't talking about making money.......

My other option would be to go back to that Babe Ruth called shot game and see what really happened.

[ZenPop]

I've just finished reading a bunch of great time travel stories (Stephen King's excellent "11/22/63" and Audrey Niffenegger's "The Time Traveller's Wife" and Kate Atkinson's "Life After Life" and Octavia Butler's "Kindred"... highly recommended all!) ...

First of all: Need WAY more than 10 minutes!!!!! How about an hour? Or a Day? (so we could take in an actual game??!!!!

But your thread, your rules...

On the serious front (Baseball-wise only): Yeah... Stop Clemente and others from getting on that plane... or distract Carl Mays or Ray Chapman...

On the lighter side: Visiting that card store you pictured with a wad of cash... or (even better) a T206 factory with a wad of cash and a "I Love Honus!" sign.

[Stonepony]

Pretty easy, I'd go back to 1970 and play catch with my dad

[PolarBear]

I would hand Billy Sianis a can of Glade on his way into the stadium.

[slipk1068]

Originally Posted by Sean

My first thought is that I would go back to 1918 and shoot Chick Gandil before he ever thought of throwing the 1919 World Series.

But on second thought, baseball needed a wake up call to bring in Commissioner Landis to clean up the sport, so maybe that's not such a good idea.

Landis was a buffoon. If anything, go back and shoot Comiskey, not Gandil.

[mattsey9]

2003 NLCS, 8th inning. "Hey guys, the next pitch is getting hit this way. Stand back and let Alou make the catch. That goes double for you, Bartman."

[ZenPop]

ooh... two more things:

1. Appear at the Polo Grounds in 1951 in the exact seat (with glove) to catch Bobby Thomson's Shot Heard Round The World. I'd hold the ball up, smile at Pafko and take in the joy... and come home with an amazing souvenir to top it all off!

2. Kill the Rally Monkey in 2002.

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by Cardboard Junkie

I would travel all the way back to 2012, to see how those "Black Swamp" cards were replicated.Dave.

Be nice, Dave. I got a good chuckle, though.

Originally Posted by Sean

My first thought is that I would go back to 1918 and shoot Chick Gandil before he ever thought of throwing the 1919 World Series.

But on second thought, baseball needed a wake up call to bring in Commissioner Landis to clean up the sport, so maybe that's not such a good idea.

Sean, The 1918 World Series is one of the things I first thought of. But with only ten minutes, I had no idea what to do. With that time restriction, I don't think there's any way I could stop it from happening. I might find Shoeless Joe Jackson and tackle him, or tell him "hey man, they're going to find out. And it will cost you the Baseball Hall of Fame". Well, after I explained to him what the Baseball Hall of Fame was going to be.

If I were going to shoot anybody, I imagine I'd be looking to shoot Arnold Rothstein. But that would end up making Boardwalk Empire a lot less interesting. So, there is that.

Originally Posted by z28jd

I could think of a lot of games, but probably the one that annoyed me the most was the Armando Galarraga 28 out perfect game. I'd definitely hand Jim Joyce a pair of glasses and explain to him how to tell whose foot touches a bag first. It needs to be repeated often that since that game, Galarraga has a 5-16 career record and he spent this entire past season in AAA. He had a 21-18 career record at the time. I still get mad watching that replay.

You're not alone, John. That was one of the worst calls I've ever seen. I don't fume like I did when it happened, as Joyce came out and apologized. But he still screwed Galarraga, and cost us a really nice moment in baseball history.

Originally Posted by vintagecpa

I'd go back about 25 years and buy some shares of Cisco, Microsoft and Apple. I would have enough money to buy any cardboard at today's prices.

Baseball related, I would go back about 11 months and explain the infield fly rule to a couple of umps before a one game playoff.

You're talking my language now, Mike! Before I screwed my back up, I worked several IPOs. Let me say, there are two times a broker loathes: tax season (especially right before the April 15th deadline--as a CPA, I know you understand! Nothing like spending ten hours on the phone with a client digging through reorganization histories to come up with cost basis), and the time between when a company making it's initial offering has started allocating shares, and when it gets to the secondary market. Thinking about that is making my temples ache, haha!

Originally Posted by EvilKing00

I would go back to the day yahoo came out as an IPO, and STOP my self from selling it 10 min after I bought it. I made $1000 in 10 min....UGH what a fool. I still keep the bought receipt in my card collection cabinet to remind my self of the idiocy.

Anyway - if we aren't talking about making money.......

My other option would be to go back to that Babe Ruth called shot game and see what really happened.

Steve, this is another one I thought of, though I don't know if ten minutes would be enough for me. I'd want to see the events leading up to the point and bomb. If I recall, the Cubs fans at Wrigley were giving it too him pretty good.

As far as Yahoo's IPO. Ouch. The IPO price was $24.50, and it's at $28.17 now. But it's also split like 5 times.

Originally Posted by ZenPop

I've just finished reading a bunch of great time travel stories (Stephen King's excellent "11/22/63" and Audrey Niffenegger's "The Time Traveller's Wife" and Kate Atkinson's "Life After Life" and Octavia Butler's "Kindred"... highly recommended all!) ...

First of all: Need WAY more than 10 minutes!!!!! How about an hour? Or a Day? (so we could take in an actual game??!!!!

But your thread, your rules...

On the serious front (Baseball-wise only): Yeah... Stop Clemente and others from getting on that plane... or distract Carl Mays or Ray Chapman...

On the lighter side: Visiting that card store you pictured with a wad of cash... or (even better) a T206 factory with a wad of cash and a "I Love Honus!" sign.

Oh yeah, John. I know we'd need more than ten minutes. Maybe I'd sell some of my stock to get Doc a little more money for the juice. But, you see, the problem is if we make it an hour, then we'll all want two. Then it becomes a day, then a week. Pretty soon you're sending postcards from outside Yankee Stadium watching the '27 Yankees win it all.

Chapman's beaning did cross my mind. That was a tragedy

Two others crossed my mind. Tony Conigliaro and Herb Score.

Originally Posted by Stonepony

Pretty easy, I'd go back to 1970 and play catch with my dad

That's a great idea, Dave Every time I see the end of Field of Dreams, I can't help but tear up. Thankfully for me, my dad is still with me. But I can't play baseball anymore because of physical limitations. I might go back in time to when I wasn't so dinged up, and throw it around with him again.



Great answers so far, everybody! Keep up the creativity!

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by slipk1068

Landis was a buffoon. If anything, go back and shoot Comiskey, not Gandil.

You could shoot the old Roman, but I'm not sure if he could be killed. Like the T-1000 terminator.

[kmac32]

That's easy!!! October 5, 1921 at the Polo Grounds for the 1921 World Series to see my Great Great Uncle Elmer Miller get the first ever Yankee hit in a World Series.

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by PolarBear

I would hand Billy Sianis a can of Glade on his way into the stadium.

Ah, Don, you're a Cubs fan, I see?!

I'll pay Doc to let you go back twice. Then you can smack Steve Bartman before that foul ball comes close to him. It might be a bit of overkill with the curse taken care of, but one can never be too sure. I would like to see you and Cubbie fanatics everywhere have a chance to gather around State Street and Michigan Avenue to celebrate a Series win! Good peeps in Chicago, and they've stayed loyal through a lot of bad years. Gotta respect that!

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by mattsey9

2003 NLCS, 8th inning. "Hey guys, the next pitch is getting hit this way. Stand back and let Alou make the catch. That goes double for you, Bartman."

Mike, since Don is going "back in time" to '45 so he can head off the Billy Goat curse, I have no doubt that Bartman will let Moises catch it. It will be as if neither ever happened.

I would really love to see the Cubs get back to the Series. I want the Brewers to get there, too, but the diehard Cubbie fans deserve it more.

Originally Posted by kmac32

That's easy!!! October 5, 1921 at the Polo Grounds for the 1921 World Series to see my Great Great Uncle Elmer Miller get the first ever Yankee hit in a World Series.

Don, I wish I could make this happen for you. What a thrill that would be, huh?

[PolarBear]

Originally Posted by the 'stache

Ah, Don, you're a Cubs fan, I see?!

I'll pay Doc to let you go back twice. Then you can smack Steve Bartman before that foul ball comes close to him. It might be a bit of overkill with the curse taken care of, but one can never be too sure. I would like to see you and Cubbie fanatics everywhere have a chance to gather around State Street and Michigan Avenue to celebrate a Series win! Good peeps in Chicago, and they've stayed loyal through a lot of bad years. Gotta respect that!

Ha ha, well yes and no. After the 2008 debacle, I gave up again. As George Will said "Cubs fans are 90% scar tissue."

[EvilKing00]

Originally Posted by the 'stache

Steve, this is another one I thought of, though I don't know if ten minutes would be enough for me. I'd want to see the events leading up to the point and bomb. If I recall, the Cubs fans at Wrigley were giving it too him pretty good.

As far as Yahoo's IPO. Ouch. The IPO price was $24.50, and it's at $28.17 now. But it's also split like 5 times.

Well of curse I would not still have it, I would of sold it before the crash, lmao.

[obcbobd]

Originally Posted by Stonepony

Pretty easy, I'd go back to 1970 and play catch with my dad

Wow, how could I choose anything else?

[atx840]

Not a big BB fan, so an old cardboard travel it would be.

I'd love to be on the print shop floor during the T206s. Take it all in, uncut sheets, the plates, presses. Specifically to see the proofs being made, or brown OM/Lenox ink switch or the ghost back sheets being printed.

Simple pleasures.

[Cardboard Junkie]

This one wouldn't suck: Show up at Topps in 1960 when Sy was ready to load up those valueless 52 high # cases and dump em. I could take a few cases off his hands and save him a few bucks.Dave.

[kmac32]

Originally Posted by the 'stache

Mike, since Don is going "back in time" to '45 so he can head off the Billy Goat curse, I have no doubt that Bartman will let Moises catch it. It will be as if neither ever happened.

I would really love to see the Cubs get back to the Series. I want the Brewers to get there, too, but the diehard Cubbie fans deserve it more.



Don, I wish I could make this happen for you. What a thrill that would be, huh?

While I was there, you'll pick up some E121-80 cards including the Ruths examples in mint plus condition. :-)

[Joe_G.]

Originally Posted by z28jd

I could think of a lot of games, but probably the one that annoyed me the most was the Armando Galarraga 28 out perfect game. I'd definitely hand Jim Joyce a pair of glasses and explain to him how to tell whose foot touches a bag first. It needs to be repeated often that since that game, Galarraga has a 5-16 career record and he spent this entire past season in AAA. He had a 21-18 career record at the time. I still get mad watching that replay.

Good one John, I watched that game in its entirety and couldn't believe it. I felt he had many good games left in him but he has struggled. My wife and I continue to root for him. Armando seems like a top notch guy in all respects.

Not sure what would top my list, but one card related possibility would be to travel back to the summer of 1888, downtown Detroit, Woodward Ave, right outside the several prevalent cigar and cigarette stores. I'd take my 1887 Coin collection and buy up all the 1888 Old Judge cigarettes they had in hopes of landing a few Detroits. The non-Detroits would be pretty cool as well (maybe some Maroons, Brewers, Omahogs, Prohibitionists, etc). Maybe I'd even get lucky and find the Anson in Uniform or Deacon White portrait "chase card"

[drmondobueno]

On a personal level, I would go back into the early '30's to see my grandfather play against the barnstormers of the time, be they Ruth and bunch or the Negro league players. I would tell my grandma NOT to toss out my Dad and uncle's baseball cards and brainwash my Dad to stick with IBM and forget about racing his Willys after the war!! Think I could do all this in ten...

[Texxxx]

I would like to go through Charles Conlon's dumpster after he through away a big chunk of his plates.

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by kmac32

While I was there, you'll pick up some E121-80 cards including the Ruths examples in mint plus condition. :-)

That sounds really good to me!

[DHogan]

I would go back to see Ty Cobb play. Or Ruth, Gehrig or.... you get the idea.

[Cardboard Junkie]

Originally Posted by DHogan

I would go back to see Ty Cobb play. Or Ruth, Gehrig or.... you get the idea.

Yeah! This! To see Cobb! I think I remember reading about some game where Cobb and Kid Elberfeld went at it, throughout the game and in the parking lot after. Now THAT would be something! Get The Peach to sign a couple of green portrait/ty cobb backs for ya!

[Moonlight Graham]

I'd go to Shoeless Joe's liquor store and try to have him explain to me-in 10 minutes-what really happened in the 1919 Series

[the 'stache]

I'm assuming that Doc's machine can direct beam you there. After all, what good is a ten minute trip if you spent the whole time traveling to where you want to go?

I'd love to see him play. Maybe I'd have to go back again.

[KCRfan1]

Originally Posted by Stonepony

Pretty easy, I'd go back to 1970 and play catch with my dad

Nice memories I'm sure. For me, should have went to see my dad before he passed away. Long story behind that, but I should not have waited.

[slipk1068]

Originally Posted by Cardboard Junkie

Yeah! This! To see Cobb! I think I remember reading about some game where Cobb and Kid Elberfeld went at it, throughout the game and in the parking lot after. Now THAT would be something! Get The Peach to sign a couple of green portrait/ty cobb backs for ya!

I know Cobb went at it with many players. If I had to see a Cobb fight, it would probably be Cobb vs Boss Schmidt locked in a hotel room. Tyrus didn't do too well that day...

[slipk1068]

Originally Posted by KCRfan1

Nice memories I'm sure. For me, should have went to see my dad before he passed away. Long story behind that, but I should not have waited.

I feel same way about my grandfather. I went to see him in the hospital the night before his heart surgery. I only stayed about an hour because I was so hungry. I left him because I wanted to eat, and he didn't make it through the surgery. Image burned in my memory of him walking with me to the elevator because I suspect he didn't want me to leave. Definitely one of the biggest regrets in my life that I didn't stay with him longer.

The way I deal with that is, I know that he knows what is in my heart.

I am sure your dad knows what is in your heart.

[AMBST95]

Jeffrey Maier never makes it to Game 1 of the 1996 ALCS.

[MooseDog]

Telling Eckersley that Gibson would be sitting on a back door slider in game 1 of the 1988 World Series.

A hard fastball inside and Gibby strikes out looking.

[Buythatcard]

I would go back to 1908 and tell Honus that smoking is good for you.

This would change the meaning of "The Holy Grail"

[auggiedoggy]

Bill,

I seem to recall a thread where we talked about jumping in the Delorean and going back in time for a baseball card shopping spree. I talked about the obvious issues of time travel, i.e. not having the currency of the time period nor the proper clothing, which would make us stand out like a sore thumb to the people back in that time period. We would probably look like alien spacemen to them! Let's assume that as we are transported back in time our cloths and money magically change to that of our target destination, which for me would be New York city during the Spring of 1909.
Ten minutes is not a lot of time but I'd spend my time buying up all the cigarette packs I could.

Oh and why Spring? Something to do with a certain player's card whose production was cut short that year.

[steve B]

Originally Posted by atx840

Not a big BB fan, so an old cardboard travel it would be.

I'd love to be on the print shop floor during the T206s. Take it all in, uncut sheets, the plates, presses. Specifically to see the proofs being made, or brown OM/Lenox ink switch or the ghost back sheets being printed.

Simple pleasures.

I'd pick the moments when the sheets with Wagner were being put in the dumpster.

Maybe the doc could be convinced to build the time machine in a van instead of the Delorean?

Second choice mught be when the 52 high number cases were being loaded on the barge.

Heck, with the proceeds from either I could make a second trip, or third.


Steve B

[leaflover]

I would like to go back to a time and watch a game, when the players wore Baseball uniforms.
That is... KNEE LENGTH PANTS!

At present, if I was Bud Selig I would order the umpires to call the low strikes.
Then when the batter turns around crying his eyes out have the umpire simply say "Gimmie a break son wear a baseball uniform that will show where your knees are".

[PolarBear]

I would go back to the Yankee's spring training in 1920 and give Babe Ruth 15 cases of special "hot dog sauce", which of course contains anabolic steroids.

Fast forward to 1935. Babe Ruth wraps up his major league career with 1280 home runs and his single season record of 96 still remains unbroken.

Bonds, Rodriguez, McGwire, Sosa? Never heard of them.

[flash300]

Don ---That's a good one ruth on roids 1280 might be a little short lol


I would go back to 1986 and grab the 2 pallets of 1986/87 fleer basketball
that were sitting at the price club for $6.00 per box

[alanu]

I'd go back to December 1972 and somehow make sure Roberto got on a better plane to fly the relief supplies Nicaragua.

[ReefBlue]

A couple weeks before the 1919 World Series starts, I'd send the same letter to the Chicago Tribune, whatever Cincinatti paper, every White Sox and Reds player and both team owners, leaking all the information about the impending fix.

That should put the brakes on everything.


To hell with unintended consequences . . .

[dabigyankeeman]

I would to back and tell Mantle not to run after the ball, let DiMaggio only go for it, that there is a drain out there in that outfield!!!

[PolarBear]

Originally Posted by dabigyankeeman

I would to back and tell Mantle not to run after the ball, let DiMaggio only go for it, that there is a drain out there in that outfield!!!

That one was on my mind also. Without that injury and the drinking, Mantle had a shot at being the greatest baseball player of all time.

[t206hound]

I'm going to use "Quantum Leap" rules and only allow myself to travel within my lifetime. Therefore, I will choose it to "leap" to October 14, 2003 at Wrigley Field at the top of the eighth inning. I would inform the gentleman in Aisle 4, Row 8, Seat 113 that there was an emergency that needed his attention and that he would have to vacate his seat. The rest is history...

[AgonyandIvy]

Originally Posted by mattsey9

2003 NLCS, 8th inning. "Hey guys, the next pitch is getting hit this way. Stand back and let Alou make the catch. That goes double for you, Bartman."

+one million billion trillion zillion

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by auggiedoggy

Bill,

I seem to recall a thread where we talked about jumping in the Delorean and going back in time for a baseball card shopping spree. I talked about the obvious issues of time travel, i.e. not having the currency of the time period nor the proper clothing, which would make us stand out like a sore thumb to the people back in that time period. We would probably look like alien spacemen to them! Let's assume that as we are transported back in time our cloths and money magically change to that of our target destination, which for me would be New York city during the Spring of 1909.
Ten minutes is not a lot of time but I'd spend my time buying up all the cigarette packs I could.

Oh and why Spring? Something to do with a certain player's card whose production was cut short that year.

Rob,

I remember it, too. The first thread was more geared towards going back in time, and seeing something you'd enjoy (hence enough time to watch a game, or a series). This is more geared towards going back in time to change something. Ten minutes isn't enough time to catch even one good at bat, but it would be enough time to prevent somebody like Roberto Clemente from getting on a plane that would kill him. It would also be enough time to make sure that Fred Merkle's name was not forever associated with a base running blunder.

The two discussions are similar, but the intent behind the time travel is different. However, I suppose if you had a Delorean, you could accomplish both. But all it would take is catching one game watching Ty Cobb race around the bases for me to forget every other thing I needed to accomplish.

[ReefBlue]

Originally Posted by the 'stache

Rob,

I remember it, too. The first thread was more geared towards going back in time, and seeing something you'd enjoy (hence enough time to watch a game, or a series). This is more geared towards going back in time to change something. Ten minutes isn't enough time to catch even one good at bat, but it would be enough time to prevent somebody like Roberto Clemente from getting on a plane that would kill him. It would also be enough time to make sure that Fred Merkle's name was not forever associated with a base running blunder.

Though people would have to explain how in a ten minute time frame these people would even listen to you. Why would Roberto Clemente listen to someone he's never met before and absolutely change his plans to stop doing something he is passionate about . . . .

We'd all be anachronisms. We wouldn't belong. Best case you could do is get a job working in a store for packs of tobacco that have baseball cards in them in lieu of pay, and even then, you'd need weeks to accumulate anything real.

It'd be like arguing how you could stop the Titanic from sinking. You first have to explain overcoming the crew even listening to you in the first place.

You could also trigger a collecting boom, so that would make old material way more available and less valuable--'hey, that guy is hoarding these baseball cards, maybe we should too.'.