Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Card #577: 1995 Collector's Edge Excalibur Sword and Stone Diamond #58




       I was excited to have this card join the Hoard.  The 1995 Excalibur set had so many variations, it's tough to find them all.  I have the plain version of this card, as well as the silver and bronze editions, so being able to nab the diamond edition was a great find.

      This set also comes in a die cut edition.  Hopefully I'll find the diamond example of that at a future date.

      Anytime I can add a card from the era of Herschel's playing career, it makes my day.  It's getting harder and harder, because I already have most of them,  but several inserts or parallels are still needed.

      This is number 577 on the march to 600.

Saturday, March 25, 2017

Ticket Stubs from Herschel's College Career Part Three



     This is the third in a series that depicts ticket stubs from games during Herschel's college days at Georgia.

     Today's game was the final regular season game for Walker.  Of course, no one knew it at the time.  The game took place on November 27th, 1982 against in state rival, Georgia Tech.  The meetings between the two teams were so emotional, they were dubbed, "Clean Old Fashioned Hate".

     Herschel carried 27 times for 162 yards,  as the Bulldogs won easily,  38-18.  Walker would  go on to play Penn State in the 1983 Sugar Bowl, but would lose that contest.

     Most expected him to return for his senior year and rewrite the record book, but he shocked the sports world by signing with the New Jersey Generals of the U.S.F.L., on  February 23rd, 1983.

     Here is the stub from his last game ever at Sanford Stadium in Georgia.

     

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

2011 Upper Deck Exquisite Inscriptions Joins the Hoard



     Welcome card #576 to the Hoard.  A 2011 Upper Deck Exquisite Inscriptions autographed card of Herschel Walker.

     This insert set of the 2011 Exquisite set features 20 former college football greats, who have autographed each card, then added a brief inscription, hence the name.

     I got into a little bidding war to get this baby, and had to delve into 3 figure territory.   I'll justify it by saying there's not many out there, and I wanted to snag it while I could.

   

Monday, March 20, 2017

Ticket Stubs from Herschel's College Career Part Two



     This is the second of three parts featuring ticket stubs that I have in my collection.  This game took place on November 13th, 1982.  The game took place at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn.
     Here is the stub from that game:



     Auburn was trying to knock off Georgia, who was the #1 team in the country, and they almost succeeded. The Bulldogs needed a fourth quarter comeback in order to pull out a 19-14 victory.

    The win insured Georgia of their third straight Southeastern Conference Championship, and a spot in the Sugar Bowl.

    Once again, Herschel Walker had a tremendous game. He rushed for 177 yards on 31 carries, and in the game, became the first junior to go over 5,000 rushing for a career.  Walker also had two touchdowns in the game.

     The annual game between Auburn and Georgia is referred to as "The Deep South's Oldest Rivalry".

Saturday, March 18, 2017

Ticket Stubs from Herschel's College Career Part One

   

     I have a few ticket stubs from Herschel Walker's college career at Georgia in my collection.  Sadly, I didn't attend any of these games myself, but was able to acquire the stubs as a memento at a later date.

     Here is one from the South Carolina vs Georgia game on November 1st, 1980.




     This game was one of the highlights of Walker's storied career at the University of Georgia.  It was a match up between Herschel, the freshman sensation, and Heisman trophy front runner, George Rogers, South Carolina's feature running back.

      At the time, Rogers had a long streak of 100 yard rushing games going, while Walker, though having made a big splash as he burst onto the scene in the 1980 season, was figured by most to be not quite as good as the senior Gamecock running back.

      The score was very close, with the Georgia Bulldogs winning 13-10, but on the individual front, Herschel won the day.

      He carried the ball a then record 43 times, for 219 yards.  George Rogers was able to keep his 100 yards per game streak alive, finishing with 168 on 35 carries, but his costly fumble late in the game erased any chance of a South Carolina comeback.

     The highlight of Herschel's day was a 76 yard scamper down the right sideline at Sanford Stadium. It is in the top three or four of his most legendary carries.

      Three South Carolina defenders had an angle to tackle him,  but Herschel used his world class speed to outrun all of them for a touchdown.

      Herschel had been held down in the first half, and this play, which occurred early in the third quarter, was a real spark for the home team.

       The September 1981 issue of "This Week in Augusta" magazine showed a photograph of the famous run on the cover.

       Here it is, depicting Walker streaking past a stunned Carolina sideline for a touchdown.

       Watch for another ticket stub, and the story of the game behind it, coming soon.

Monday, March 13, 2017

Card #575 2011 Upper Deck Exquisite Legacy Signatures



     Here is my latest acquisition to the Hoard.   A 2011 Upper Deck Exquisite Legacy Signature of  Herschel Walker.

     This is card #575 on my march to 600.  A very sharp looking card, with a bold autograph.

     

Sunday, March 12, 2017

1990 Ace Novelty Co. MVP Pin and Card




         Manufactured in Taiwan, in 1990,  by the Ace Novelty Co. , this was a 68 player set featuring a face shot pin of each player, along with a corresponding trading card.

         In the case of Herschel Walker, the card is his 1990 Score card #34.  This was the first edition of the set,  There is also a 1991 version, in which Herschel is also included.


          I actually own both the pin and the card in loose form,  but I hadn't seen it in it's original packaging.  I was able to acquire it at a good price, and so here it is:




Friday, March 10, 2017

2016 Panini Honors Recollection Collection joins the Hoard



                I just picked up a 2016 Panini Honors Recollection Collection autographed card of Herschel Walker.


               Panini appears to be a hot item in trading cards the last couple of years.   Their National Treasures set,  Immaculate Collection, and Honors set,  are popular, among others.

               This autographed card is from the Honors set.   It's the same design from the 2008 Donruss Playoff Silver Signatures set,  which I also need in my collection.

                Welcome card #574 as I strive for 600 different Walker cards.

Thursday, March 9, 2017

U.S.F.L. Kickoff Magazine featuring Herschel Walker



          Kickoff Magazine was the official magazine of the United States Football League, and was sold at the various stadiums of the league during games.

         From what I could garner, Herschel Walker appeared on the cover of the magazine three times.



             The top issue is from the inaugural 1983 season,  the second is from year two, in 1984, and features the top players from the first season, Herschel being one of them.   Finally, the third issue is from the final season in 1985.
         
              Originally I thought that the "Herschel Does It",  shown on the cover, was in reference  to his setting the all time season pro football rushing record that year,  but in actuality, it refers to him setting a new single game rushing record of  233 yards against the Houston Gamblers on April 7th, 1985.

             Herschel also set another league record that day for the longest run from scrimmage on an 88 yard scamper.

Monday, March 6, 2017

Herschel in the Superstars®



          Most athletes probably think they could hold their own in a sport other than their chosen one.  Take that idea, and  a bunch of world class athletes, and have them perform in a series of decathlon type events, and you have the basic idea of the Superstars® competition.

        Anything and everything you want to know about this televised sporting event of the past can be found at a wonderful website run by James Medler.  Visit www.thesuperstars.org  to see what I mean.

        The images in this post are courtesy of Jim at thesuperstars.org.

        Herschel's first foray into the competition was in 1986.  He did not do well, finishing seventh. He himself describes it in his autobiography, "Breaking Free".  Walker explains that he didn't even make the finals, and finished dead last in the tennis competition that year.

        As an example of his dedication and perseverance,  Herschel said in the book that he practiced tennis "like a madman", and in the following year's competition, 1987, he not only finished first in the tennis event, but won the overall title, the first of  two that he would win, as he also copped the title in 1988.

      Also in 1988, Herschel was on the winning team for the NFC Superteams competition vs the AFC.

      His next entry would be in 1989.  He narrowly missed out on a third straight title, losing to wide receiver, Willie Gault, in the finals.

     Then in 1991, he finished second to baseball player, Kelly Gruber, in that year's finals.
   
     In 1993, Herschel made the finals, but had a tough go of it.  He went off course in the bike race and was blown out in the 100 yd dash by high jumper, Mike Powell, who ran a then record 9.22 seconds.  Walker finished only 6th in that year's competition.

     In my opinion, Walker's final competition in 1998 was perhaps his most impressive.  He finished 3rd overall, but at age 36, he lifted 320 lbs overhead, to win the weightlifting portion, and just nipped a 26 year old Kordell Stewart at the tape, to win the 100 meter dash in a time of  10.24.

     Herschel also set a record in the half mile bike race, with a time of  1:09.61

     Here's a look at Walker over the years in the event:


                      in the kayaking race.




      second from left in the 100 yard dash.

                             

          powering up 320 lbs.

                                 
             
            beating a 10 years younger, Kordell Stewart in the 100 meter dash.


              Though I have no Herschel memorabilia that pertains to his time in the Superstars competition, I thought it was a neat part of his athletic career, and wanted to include it in the hoard.

Saturday, March 4, 2017

1983 Herschel Bio's by Jeff Prugh

         

           When Herschel Walker left the University of Georgia after his junior year to join the United States Football League, it was an unprecedented move that made national headlines.  Underclassmen were prohibited from joining the National Football League at that time, though Herschel appeared ready to challenge that in court, and would probably have won.

           In the end, it didn't matter, because the U.S.F.L. had no such restrictions, and in 1983, they made Herschel Walker the highest paid football player in history, to that point.

          The story was such a big deal at the time that former L.A. Express sportswriter, Jeff Prugh, turned out two biographies of Walker during that year.
         
          The first, The Herschel Walker Story,  came out in August of 1983.


      Though I watched Herschel on TV from his freshman year in college, I didn't really start collecting his stuff until he was with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1993.
     
       Like it is with most single player collectors, I wasn't aware of a lot of items when they first came out.  I picked this up years later online.


          Prugh's second book about Herschel was written for the Random House Sports Library series.
It's entitled: Herschel Walker: From the Georgia backwoods to the Heisman Trophy and the Pros.
          This book came out in October of 1983.
         I found this copy at a yard sale in 1993.  I sent it to Herschel in care of the Eagles, and though it took about 4 months, I received it back with a sharp looking autograph.  I had the book framed and mounted it to display.

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

2008 SP Rookie Threads Legendary #'s 99 Joins The Hoard






          Welcome a new addition to the Herschel Hoard.   This is a 2008 SP Rookie Thread Legendary Numbers card of Herschel Walker.

          This particular version is serial numbered to 99, and has a jersey swatch in the form of two stars.   I also have the one that is numbered to 50.  In that version, the swatch forms the players initials.

           This is card 573 as I work toward my goal of 600 different Walker cards.