Buzz had a hunch, cross-checked the schedule and ... won again.

This month's ball in the Collecting Game-used series is another that simply came to me via a grab bag where all I knew was the date of the game -- and I specifically chose a game between the Seattle Mariners and Chicago White Sox back in May because of something that happened on this day this season. For just $35 (shipped), I added a game-used piece of Cal Raleigh's 60-homer campaign to my collection and the team may not have even realized it. In fact, I did this twice ... so there will be a sequel to this in a future post.

This wasn't just some ball used during one of the 159 games Big Dumper played this season -- it's from the game where he launched his 16th homer of his historic campaign and Raleigh handled the ball on all but one of its plays during its life in The Show.

Keep reading to see the details this time ... and the ball in action.

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Here's this month's roundup of items that have recently caught my eye as a buyer ...

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MY BEAR NECESSITY
The Item: Paul "Bear" Bryant autographed & dated/inscribed (Oct. 18, 1976) 8-by-10 photo (BAS authenticated)
The Price: $219 ... high for me but it's the perfect item for me
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This was a jaw-dropper of a find for me during a random search of Mill Creek Sports' superstore for autographed stuff earlier this year and I've saved it for football season, specifically this month, to present it and tell its story. It's personalized and that makes it perfect for me this time ... and to top that, the signed date -- the legendary Alabama Crimson Tide football coach and football icon who won 323 games dated everything signed like this -- might as well be on Buzz's actual birthday. (It's close ... close enough.) The odds of this existing or one being signed on my actual birthday? Well, I'm sure there were a number of things to sign on this Monday and I'm also very sure he wasn't sitting down to sign requests on a gameday when I kicked things off in the world. So, this is perhaps as close as it can get. The quality and condition of the photo are perfect and the ink is perfectly legible, too. Now, is his autograph really rare? Not particularly, but he died in January 1983 well before sit-down and paid signing sessions were en vogue for sports legends and he's still in high, historic demand despite Nick Saban equaling him and/or re-writing the Alabama record book in more recent years. It's the perfect item at a perfect price and it will always be mine.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this ... but football cards are here.

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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What's Buzzing: Cam Schlittler makes some Yankees and MLB history, NFL Week 5, Topps NBA and more in this Friday edition.

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1 -- Cam Schlittler makes a little history + more Yankees chatter

2 -- MLB threads are here

3 -- NFL Week 5 is upon us

4 -- Topps NBA reactions 

5 -- Showing off some Disney Chrome sketch cards

6 -- Inside a high-end NBA case

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Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

What: 2025 Panini National Treasures baseball cards
Arrives: Nov. 19
Box basics: Eight autograph or memorabilia cards per 10-card box (four boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: The 12th edition of National Treasures baseball cards arrives with a handful of today's young stars, other notables from the prospect ranks and many icons from rich history of the game's past all in one spot.

Keep reading for more as well as a full gallery of images.

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What's Buzzing: Dodgers advance in MLB postseason, NFL Week 5 is here, MVP chatter, a grading question, a SpongeBob thread and ... Living Set NBA?

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1 -- The MLB postseason threads are here

2 -- NFL Week 5 is upon us

3 -- Talking Topps Now and Living Sets

4 -- A grading question 

5 -- A SpongeBob thread

6 -- Still pondering the MVP ... 

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Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

What: 2025 Topps Update baseball cards
Arrives: Nov. 12
Box basics: One auto or Relic per 20-pack hobby box (12 per case) or one auto and two Relics per 10-pack jumbo box (six per case)
Odds: Click here
Checklist: Click here
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: The full hobby details for the Update series of Topps' flagship baseball cards are still to come, but the box subject has been teased and it's Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong.

Keep reading for more info and a full gallery of images for this one once they are available.

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Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading ... so here's this month's grading diary.

A HIGH-GRADE DOMINATOR
The Card: Paul Skenes 2025 Topps Heritage
The Reason Bought: I'll fully admit I'm a sucker for high-grade Heritage Rookie Cards and, while this isn't an RC, this one captured my attention just like one as I've ripped my fair share of Heritage this year and, well, not much of the cards that matter that I pulled could have checked in at a perfect grade. All that perfection, the clean photo and the color scheme here got me to bite.
The Grade: CGC 10 (Pristine)

Reality Check: I didn't check the pop report before grabbing it, so it was an extra bonus to see that it's the lone card in the top slot with a decent number of cards below it -- and that goes as low as a CGC 7. That reinforces that Heritage isn't the easiest grade. That makes this one even more of a win in my book.

Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.

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What's Buzzing: Shohei Ohtani powers Dodgers in postseason opener, signed books, Disney Chrome, 2025 Donruss NFL and more.

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1 -- The MLB postseason threads are here

2 -- NFL Week 5 is upon us

3 -- The 2025 Donruss NFL reactions 

4 -- An attempt at a WWE Hall of Fame Rookie Card checklist

5 -- Still talking Disney Chrome

6 -- Checking in on the signed books thread

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Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

With these Ticket Stud or Ticket Dud stories I'm turning just a tiny bit of that energy just a few degrees away from cards (we'll still have plenty of them here) for a different kind of cardboard. What am I doing? Simple ... this is an occasional dip into some random ticket lots -- a show and tell showing something small with a story.

This time? A ticket to an MLB game ... that never happened.

Keep reading to see the details this time ... and tell me if you think it's a Ticket Stud or a Ticket Dud.

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What's Buzzing: The MLB postseason is here, Topps Update chatter, new Bowman Chrome pulls, NFL talk, card show oddities and more.

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1 -- The MLB postseason is set ... all your thoughts are here

2 -- Talking Topps Update 

3 -- Highlights from new Bowman Chrome boxes

4 -- All your football chatter is here

5 -- MLB farewells

6 -- Card show oddities

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Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

What's Buzzing: NFL Week 4 chatter, talking overtime, NBA and eBay, new pulls, MLB postseason and the clock is ticking for Phillies Karen. (Deadline is tomorrow.)

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1 -- NFL Week 4 reactions

2 -- Talking overtime 

3 -- NBA and eBay ... 

4 -- Box breaks are here

5 -- The MLB postseason is set and all your chatter is here

6 -- Phillies Karen: The new offer stands for a few more days

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Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

What's Buzzing: J-Rod, Big Dumper, Russell Wilson, Phillies Karen, college football and NFL Week 4 are today's topics.

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1 -- NFL Week 4 is here

2 -- Checking in on J-Rod chatter after his 30-30 year

3 -- LOL

4 -- College football reactions

5 -- Big Dumper

6 -- Phillies Karen: The new offer stands for a few more days

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Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

What's Buzzing: Disney Chrome heaters, NFL chatter, Big Dumper ends regular season vs. Dodgers, Phillies Karen and more.

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1 -- All your Disney Chrome chatter

2 -- College football is on their minds

3 -- Reactions to Diamond Icons

4 -- Readying for NFL Week 4

5 -- Big Dumper chatter

6 -- Phillies Karen: The new offer stands for a few more days

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Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

What: 2025 Topps Diamond Icons baseball cards
Arrives: Oct. 22
Box basics: Nine autographs and one Relic per 11-card box (two boxes per case)
Checklist: TBD
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: This high-end line arrives once again with a base card in every box this time along with plenty of hits.

Keep reading for more as well as a full gallery of images.

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What's Buzzing: Pro Football Hall off Fame candidates, Nick Kurtz, NFL chatter, Big Dumper, Phillies Karen and ... trading Caleb Williams for Joe Burrow?

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1 -- Candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2026

2 -- LOL

3 -- Nick Kurtz is legit

4 -- Readying for NFL Week 4

5 -- Big Dumper chatter

6 -- Phillies Karen: The new offer stands for a few more days

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Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The pack: 1989 Fleer baseball cello pack
Where to buy: Will take some looking ... BlowoutCards.com for other Retro Rips

What's inside this pack? Keep reading ...

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What's Buzzing: Big Dumper homers twice to reach 60, NFL Week 4, Aaron Judge, Kyle Schwarber, Phillies Karen and more.

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1 -- Big Dumper joins the 60-homer club

2 -- Readying for NFL Week 4

3 -- Checking in on the Aaron Judge thread (two homers there, too)

4 -- Kyle Schwarber is also having a year

5 -- More NFL chatter is here

6 -- Phillies Karen: The new offer stands for a few more days

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Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

What's Buzzing: NFL and MLB chatter, Russell Wilson, Phillies Karen and remembering Rudi Johnson.

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1 -- Readying for NFL Week 4

2 -- Talkin' baseball

3 -- LOL

4 -- Collectors remember Rudi Johnson

5 -- More NFL chatter is here

6 -- Phillies Karen: The new offer stands

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Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

The story of this baseball is a whole lot of ... Bananas.

This extra item in my Collecting Game-used series this month is easily the most-unique baseball in my collection -- and part of this appealing story happened absolutely thanks to some dumb luck. (Again ... some of my best finds have happened that way.) What's the deal? One day when looking into baseball cards for the traveling road show and pop culture phenomenon that is the Savannah Bananas -- think baseball meets a circus with side helpings of Zubaz-era WWF and some Talladega Nights-style NASCAR bombast with game rules even quirkier than both -- I stumbled upon a new part of the official team store. The Bananas now sell game-used stuff with full databased authentication and some supreme stickered specificity just like MLB.

While I picked off my ball simply because it was among the cheapest options, it's actually one with a story and some unique documented game-use that's quite unique within this spectacle on the diamond. In fact, it's absolutely one to chew on ... and when you do that you won't even be the first.

Huh? Keep reading to see the details this time ... and the ball in action.

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What: 2025 Leaf Vivid baseball cards
Arrives: Oct. 31
Box basics: Seven autos per nine-card hobby box (12 boxes per case) or 10 autos per 12-card jumbo box (eight per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: A new year of Vivid baseball includes base cards in the mix -- every one of them a 1/1 creation -- alongside the autographs that are a majority of what's found in both formats for this release.

Keep reading for more info, images and a full checklist of inclusions.

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What: 2025 Topps Holiday baseball cards
Arrives: Oct. 22
Box basics: One autograph, Relic or Chrome variation in mega boxes -- TBD on other two formats, advent calendar or tin (also with three-tin hobby & retail boxes ... full details below)
Checklist: Click here
Odds: Click here
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: The annual Holiday version of Topps baseball cards is on its way with some variety on formats -- each with some exclusive parallels -- and some new looks.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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What's Buzzing: NFL Week 4, Jasson Dominguez bust chatter, Phillies Karen, Leaf Trinity and ... Judge or Big Dumper?

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1 -- Readying for NFL Week 4

2 -- Pondering the AL MVP

3 -- Is Jasson Dominguez a bust? (Or was he overrated to start?)

4 -- Breaking down some Leaf Trinity

5 -- More NFL chatter is here

6 -- Phillies Karen: The new offer stands

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Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

Mystery Box Buzz Break is a new series here on The Buzz -- it's essentially a Buzz Break but only for "mystery boxes" that seem to be everywhere these days -- and not just in the sports realm. Like this and want to see more? Is there a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The mystery box: Boston Red Sox Mystery Publications Grab Bag
Where to buy: Via Red Sox on MLB.com (find new MLB cards at BlowoutCards.com)

Keep reading for a full breakdown and a gallery of what was in this box. (Yes, it was a box and not a bag ... but that's their image.)

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What's Buzzing: NFL chatter, Big Dumper homers again, new NBA topics, a Kenny Lofton story and more.

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1 -- Reactions to NFL Week 3

2 -- And many more NFL discussions are here

3 -- Big Dumper homers again -- 58 on the year

4 -- Plenty of NBA talk

5 -- A Kenny Lofton story

6 -- Phillies Karen: The new offer stands

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Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

What's Buzzing: A big day of WWE and AEW, readying for a new NFL week, Big Dumper homers again, Topps Holiday and more.

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1 -- Readying for NFL Week 3

2 -- Wrestling chatter after a big Saturday for WWE & AEW

3 -- Big Dumper's homer passes Griffey for Seattle record

4 -- Nothing.

5 -- Reactions to Topps Holiday

6 -- Phillies Karen: The new offer stands

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Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.