By Chris Olds | Beckett Baseball Editor | Commentary & Opinion

Sometimes, my grand ideas don’t aways go to plan.

Not long ago, I wrote about one of my rarest graded cards and how I planned to have it be among my first registered cards. I was wrong and I was as predictable as can be once I saw that the Beckett Graded Registry was live today. I went back to my well — and instead registered my toughest find.

My first registry is “For Major Leaguers only” and it’s for the toughest not-supposed-to-be-tough-set I know, the 1989 Major League Movie collection. You see, the Registry isn’t for just the 1952 Topps collectors of the world — it’s for any weird little niche you can find. And mine? Well, you all know by now …

I’ve seen just two factory-sealed sets show up on eBay in five years or so and I paid dearly for this one. I recently let the second go unsold on eBay because, while I want to own as many sets as possible, I’d rather not pay even more dearily (sure, that’s a word) for a second, even though it may have graded out even better than mine. (Why? I’m a bit like Jake Taylor in one regard … something about “league minimum.”)

I entered all 11 of my cards in the set and it’s an underachieving bunch if there ever was one. It’s an authenticated-only set — a move because I knew that the wear of just being shrink-wrapped for all those years since my set was handed to an extra at Milwaukee’s County Stadium during filming was not conducive to a Pristine 10. Or even a Gem Mint 9.5.  I knew that it wouldn’t be pretty — even though I treated my cards like Honus Wagner T206s as I carefully opened the set, so I opted for a move that meant all of the slabs had matching blue labels.

This morning, I entered all 11 cards and the Registry tallied up my points — 11 out of 111.1 possible. My set? Complete at 100 percent. Its GPA? A big ol’ zero.

But my position? No 1.

Now I’m pretty sure that there won’t be many collectors out there with these kinds of stats, but are there other collectors with graded copies of the set?

Well, according to the population report, there aren’t any. Not a single BGS 1 of the bunch, let alone any Pristine 10s.

So, for now, I definitely can say that my No. 1-ranking feels comfy.

My 1952 Topps ranking? Well, we’ll not even go there …

Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball magazine. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.

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Look for more on sports-related entertainment collectibles in the upcoming Sports Movies Issue of Beckett Sports Card Monthly, which begins shipping to hobby shops on April 3.

Join Beckett Baseball‘s Chris Olds as he completes a collecting journey of sorts with a recent mailday for an item he has written about several times in the past.

What is it? What did it cost? Watch and find out …

By Chris Olds | Beckett Baseball Editor | Commentary

We’re coming down the home stretch in preparations for the Sports Movie Issue of Beckett Sports Card Monthly and we’re now at the point where we know what won’t be making the cut for print because of real estate.

You know, space.

While its story will briefly be told as part of my admitting I have one big-league obsession, I wanted to ensure that some recently received scans of what remains my biggest baseball card collecting nemesis — the 1989 Major League Movie set — could be seen by many.

It’s not an expensive set at all but it’s one that I have never seen in-person, let alone had a chance to own. It’s a real 11-card set of slightly over-sized photos featuring the stars of David S. Ward’s first baseball movie.

How obscure are they?

“I had lunch with [writer and director] David Ward a few years back and brought in a set,” said Miles Levy, who represents Corbin Bernsen aka Roger Dorn, “and he didn’t even own one.”

No wonder I can’t find one …

See all 11 cards — and learn a little more about the set — after the jump.

The cards are a blue-bordered 1974 Topps knockoff with a Super Bubble gum logo and what appears to be an early production logo for the film that can also be seen on a few other items. The set was reportedly given to a few thousand fans in attendance during filming  in Milwaukee. (That’s right … the baseball scenes weren’t filmed in Cleveland.)

It’s the only set that is anything close to officially licensed for the film, and it has all the legends in there, Tom Berenger, Dennis Haysbert, Charlie Sheen, Wesley Snipes and so on … all that’s missing is Jobu – and there’s a story there to be told, too.

I first learned of this set’s existence in 2009 – it’s been in the Beckett.com database all along — and I still haven’t landed one.

I know of four people who say they own the set, but two wouldn’t cough it up for this potential buyer and two simply haven’t found them. One, a reader named Jason, was kind enough to send the scans that you see here, though, so I can give you a rundown of the cards.

The cards are not numbered — they’re blank backs — so here they are in alphabetical order by character.

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Lou Brown – James Gammon is the only member of the cast who is no longer with us as he died last year at age 70. His gravelly voice made many a line in the film legendary — and we all know what he thought of contracts and sportswriters, which just added to the greatness of this manager.

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Pedro Cerrano — Sure, Dennis Haysbert has his Fans of the Game cards and even more cardboard as the president in 24. But there’s only one Pedro Cerrano — and this is the one real card that shows this slugger in uniform.

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Roger Dorn – You just love to hate Corbin Bernsen’s character in the film and there’s something about this pose that’s, well, just plain Dorn. (The photos in this set have not appeared on any other memorabilia or marketing materials that this fan knows about, either.)

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Eddie Harris – How early on were these cards made? Well, Chelcie Ross’ memorable Bardahl-, Vagisil- and Jalapeno-abusing veteran never went by the name Steve in the film. It was either a last-minute change or Harry Doyle (who sadly doesn’t have a card in this set) had one too many Jacks while calling the action.

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Willie Mays Hayes – Wesley Snipes might not have truly gotten into this role just yet but we’ll never know for sure as those memorable cleats have been cropped off of this photo. This card also is from early on as he’s firmly a center fielder in the film, not a lefty.

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Pepper Leach – Andy Romano’s part as pitching coach isn’t quite extensive in this film, but that didn’t stop him from being on a card. Note the typo on his position — what should have been 3B coach — and the fact that he’s standing at first. (We won’t mention how, in the final bunt scene, he’s not the 3B coach relaying signs, either … )

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Jake Taylor – Tom Berenger’s leading man status isn’t quite affirmed here (Rene Russo would need to be nearby) in the photo but he is listed as the team captain  as well as catcher. That’s different for a baseball card …

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Ricky Vaughn — It’s a shame that Charlie Sheen’s haircut and glasses weren’t seen here — or the nickname “Wild Thing” — as they truly are movie-defining and character-defining aspects that would have led to cardboard perfection. I guess this one left the surprises for the theater.

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Steve Yeager – The only true Major Leaguer of the bunch was Yeager, a former Los Angeles Dodgers catcher and the 1981 World Series MVP, who worked as a technical advisor on the film while also playing batting coach Duke Temple. He also stood in for Berenger on action scenes that required hits or a believable throw.

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The Manager & Coaches – Rounding out the set are a pair of group-shot cards … one of the coaches and one of the star players (up top). These also are classics  — as if there wasn’t enough of that already with a set like this one.

Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball magazine. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.