2023 CARD SHOW - PART 3: THE DEALER WHO COLLECTS - MISCELLANEOUS

THERE WERE OTHER CHEAPO CARDS IN THE BOX ALONG WITH THE ARCHIVES AND IT IS THE LAW THAT I HAVE TO LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE CARD IN ANY BOX WHERE I FIND ONE (1) COOL CARD. THERE WERE NOT ONLY RANDOM-ASS QUARTER CARDS BUT ALSO DOLLAR CARDS AND A FEW TEAM BAGS FULL OF STUFF FROM ASSORTED ODDBALL SETS. THIS LAST THING WILL BECOME VERY IMPORTANT LATER. I ADDED A FEW THINGS TO MY ARCHIVES PILE SHORTLY BEFORE THINGS WENT COMPLETELY OFF THE RAILS. LET'S START WITH THE EXPENSIVE CARDS THAT COST A WHOLE DOLLAR

IF YOU SEE A CARD FROM 1954 FOR A BUCK, YOU BUY IT NO QUESTIONS ASKED NO MATTER WHAT IT IS. IF IT'S A 1954 TOPPS SCOOP CARD OF THE FRIGGIN MOON YOU GRAB IT IMMEDIATELY. LONG TIME READERS KNOW I LOVE CARDS OF SPACE SO THIS FITS INTO THE COLLECTION VERY NICELY. THE SET FEATURES A TON OF HISTORICAL EVENTS INCLUDING QUITE A FEW THAT PRE-DATE AMERICA SO IT'S NEAT TO SEE A CARD LIKE THIS THAT CELEBRATES SOME REAL CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY

THE BACKS ARE COOLER THAN THE FRONTS IN MY OPINION. THEY ALL HAVE A NEWSPAPER HEADLINE DESIGN AND THEY USE ACTUAL EXISTING  NEWSPAPER MASTHEADS. SOMETIMES THE CITY CORRELATES TO THE NEWS EVENT, SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. THE ATLANTA JOURNAL STORY IS FOR THE WRIGHT BROTHERS' FIRST FLIGHT AND THE CONSTITUTION TELLS OF A FLOOD ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. I SHOULD REALLY THINK ABOUT TRACKING DOWN THOSE TWO CARDS ALONG WITH THE CARD DETAILING THE BRAVES' MOVE TO MILWAUKEE EVENTUALLY

THE DOLLAR BOX ALSO HAD ABOUT A DOZEN 2007 GOUDEY SHORT PRINTS WHICH MADE ME SUPER EXCITED. I HAVEN'T ADDED TO THAT SET IN YEARS AND WAS HOPEFUL TO FIND SOME NEW ADDITIONS TO THE BINDER. UNFORTUNATELY THIS MUSIAL WAS THE ONLY ONE I DIDN'T ALREADY HAVE BUT I FOUND A SHORT PRINT MUSIAL FOR A BUCK WHICH IS PRETTY GREAT

THERE WERE SOME RANDO EIGHT FOR A BUCK CARDS ASIDE FROM THE ARCHIVES THAT WAS STUFFED WITH OLD TOPPS INSERTS AND LEGENDS SETS AND SUCH. THE ONLY THINGS I PICKED OUT WERE THESE HORRIBLY ANNOYING 2003 BLUE/RED BACK INSERTS. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST DISASTROUS INSERT SETS OF THE 00S. NOT ONLY DID TOPPS NOT INCLUDE CARD NUMBERS OF ANY KIND ON THE TWO SETS, BUT THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF PLAYER OVERLAP BETWEEN SERIES ONE AND TWO. THE SET ISN'T EVEN 52 CARDS! IT'S 40 EACH SERIES! THE SET WAS COMPLETELY HALF-ASSED BUT I BOUGHT A TRUCKLOAD OF PACKS IN 03 SO I HAVE LIKE HALF THE SET ALREADY. HAD I NOT GOT MY TOPPS INSERT WANTLISTS SORTED THROUGH 2009 THESE WOULD HAVE STAYED IN THE BOX

THESE RED BACKS ARE FROM SERIES TWO. SERIOUSLY, WHY IS THERE NO CARD NUMBER ANYWHERE ON THE CARD? NOT ON THE FRONT, NOT ON THE BACK. THIS ISN'T EVEN THE STUPIDEST INSERT FROM 2003! THE RECORD BREAKERS SET DOES THAT STUPID INITIAL NUMBERING SYSTEM THAT WRECKED SO MANY SETS IN THE 00S

THESE CARDS ARE A WHO'S WHO OF DISREGARDED 00S STARS. J-ROLL HAS AN MVP AT LEAST. I GENERALLY LIKE THE ORIGINAL 51 SET (NOT SO MUCH THE RECENT REIMAGININGS) BUT THE ACTUAL GAME ASPECT OF THE CARDS SEEMS KIND OF AWFUL. HALF THE CARDS ARE BALLS OR STRIKES OR FOULS OR EVEN BALKS AND IT SEEMS LIKE A GAME WOULD TAKE FOREVER WITH ALL THE FULL COUNTS YOU'D END UP WITH AND YOU'D HAVE TO RESHUFFLE THE CARDS A HUNDRED TIMES TO GET THROUGH 9 INNINGS. NOT TO MENTION THE INEVITABILITY OF SOME ASSHOLE KID WITH TOO MUCH POCKET MONEY HOARDING ALL THE AL ZARILLA CARDS AND STASHING A COUPLE IN HIS SOCK TO THROW OUT AT OPPORTUNE TIMES. ANYWAY, WHY DO I COLLECT THIS STUFF

1983 TOPPS FOOTBALL INSERT STICKERS I KNOW WHY I COLLECT. I FRIGGIN LOVE 1983 TOPPS FOOTBALL. IT'S GOT A GREAT DESIGN AND HAD A COOL INSERT GIMMICK WITH THE STICKER CARDS. I BOUGHT A BUNCH OF PACKS IN THE DAY BUT A LOT OF THE STICKERS DETERIORATED AND THE BORDERS FELL OFF. THERE WAS A TEAM BAG FULL OF THEM FOR A QUARTER A POP AND I MANAGED TO FIND FIVE I NEEDED. JOE THEISMANN WAS A HUGE STAR IN THE 80S AND IS STILL A POPULAR ANNOUNCER BUT WHEN I HEAR ABOUT HIM TODAY IT'S USUALLY IN REFERENCE TO THAT LEG INJURY. LIFE AIN'T FAIR

THESE ARE SOME GREAT 80S FOOTBALL NAMES. THIS LITTLE PILE BROUGHT A WHOLE LOT OF NICE NOSTALGIA TO ME. THE DESIGN IS PRETTY AWESOME AS WELL. CAN YOU TELL I WAS RUNNING ON FUMES WHEN I WROTE THIS. IT'S BEEN A ROUGH YEAR

THERE'S NOT ONLY STICKERS, BUT PUZZLES! THERE WERE THREE DIFFERENT PUZZLES ON THE BACK WITH PICS FROM THE SUPER BOWL I DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE CLOSE TO A COMPLETE PUZZLE BUT A LOT OF THE CARDS HAVE THESE COMPLETED PUZZLE BACKS SINCE THE SET IS NOT DIVISIBLE BY NINE

THERE WERE ALSO A DECENT PILE OF 1991 ARCHIVES CARDS IN THE BOX. I'M FAIRLY CLOSE TO COMPLETING THAT SET SO THE ONLY ONE I NEEDED WAS THIS SATCHEL PAIGE CARD. I WOULDA BOUGHT IT ANYWAY OF COURSE BUT I DID JUST PROUDLY PUT IT INTO THE BINDER TO COMPLETE A PAGE JUST MOMENTS AGO. REMEMBER WHEN I SAID THE SELLER WAS CHATTING WITH ME ABOUT ARCHIVES SETS IN THE LAST POST? THAT WAS PLOTTING, THAT WAS SCHEMING. HE SAW A BIG FAT FISH IN FRONT OF HIM AND THAT FISH WAS ABOUT TO GET A HOOK. HE ASKED IF I WAS COLLECTING THE 91 ARCHIVES SET AND I REPLIED WITH A HELL YEAH. WOULD I LIKE SOME MORE 91 ARCHIVES? HE ASKED AND PULLED OUT A MONSTER BOX OF CARDS. A MONSTER BOX PRICED AT TWENTY-FIVE BUCKS (SOUND FAMILIAR?) THAT WAS FILLED WITH CARDS INCLUDING AN ENTIRE ROW OF ARCHIVES AND OTHER ASSORTED LEGENDS SETS 

OH NOEZ! YA BOY'S IN TROUBLE. WILL I ESCAPE THE LURE OF YET ANOTHER BOX FULL OF JUNK OR AM I WALKING OUT OF THE SHOW EARLY WITH A GIANT BOX-O-CRAP UNDER MY ARM? IF YOU READ THE FIRST POST YOU CAN PROBABLY FIGURE IT OUT, BUT IF YOU DIDN'T! YA GOTTA WAIT UNTIL NEXT WEEK TO FIND OUT

OH LAWD YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR 😱

HAPPY BLOG BIRTHDAY

I'VE TOLD THIS STORY A DOZEN TIMES BEFORE BUT THIS BLOG GOT ITS START ON DECEMBER 26TH A MILLION YEARS AGO WHEN I GOT A NEW SCANNER FOR CHRISTMAS AND USED IT TO CREATE THIS IMAGE OF THE CARD I'VE HAD IN MY COLLECTION THE LONGEST AND USED THAT TO CREATE A CARD BLOG COPYING A DOZEN OTHER BETTER ONES I LIKED TO READ

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL I WAS DOING AT FIRST BUT THEN I GOT SUPER POPULAR AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING AND I GOT HELLA PROLIFIC WHILE NOT KNOWING WHAT I WAS DOING THEN I THOUGHT I KNEW WHAT I WAS DOING BUT I DIDN'T THEN I GOT KICKED IN THE DICK METAPHORICALLY SEVERAL TIMES AFTER WRITING STUFF WHEN I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING THEN I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING AND THEN I BARELY DID ANYTHING THEN I SAID SCREW IT I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING BUT I'LL DO SOMETHING AND NOW WE'VE GONE FULL CIRCLE AND I'VE STARTED POSTING REGULARLY AGAIN AND JUST LIKE AT THE BEGINNING I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL I'M DOING

ONE THING I DID MANAGE TO DO THIS YEAR IS FINISH SOME STUFF I STARTED. IT TOOK A WHILE BUT I DID IT. THEN I STARTED LIKE THREE OTHER THINGS AND NOW I'M STARING A COUPLE HUNDRED DRAFT POSTS IN THE FACE. ALL WHILE NEGLECTING ALL THE OTHER POSTS I SHOULD HAVE WRITTEN MONTHS AGO, SOME OF WHICH ARE MIXED UP IN THAT DRAFT FOLDER. AS A BLOG BIRTHDAY PRESENT TO MYSELF I HAVE DECIDED TO COMPLETELY IGNORE ANYTHING AND POST NOTHING ELSE THE REST OF THE YEAR EXCEPT FOR THE ONE THING THAT'S ALREADY SCHEDULED. IF I GET STUFF WRITTEN, GREAT! I'LL BE AHEAD OF THE GAME NEXT YEAR. IF I DON'T, OH WELL! IT'S JUST SHITPOSTING ABOUT BASEBALL CARDS. MAYBE I'LL GET SOME STUFF ORGANIZED OR PUT AWAY OR GET SOME PACKAGES MAILED OR COLLAPSE IN A HEAP ON THE FLOOR AND LIE THERE TWITCHING FOR A WEEK. SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE! OR MAYBE I'LL DO NOTHING! IT DON'T MATTER. NONE OF THIS MATTERS

I AM STILL HAVING FUN DOING THIS NONSENSE AND I'VE EVEN POSTED MORE STUFF THIS YEAR THAN I HAD THE PREVIOUS FOUR YEARS COMBINED. THAT DRAFT FOLDER THO. AND THE IMAGE FOLDER WITH HUNDREDS OF PHOTOS FOR EVEN MORE POSTS. HOO BOY. I'M NOT GONNA THINK ABOUT THAT RIGHT NOW, I'M ON BREAK FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR. WHICH IS LESS THAN A WEEK BUT WHATEVER. AS A SPECIAL TREAT I'VE DUG DEEP IN THAT DRAFT FOLDER AND FOUND THREE POSTS FROM A VINTAGE CARD SHOW IN SEPTEMBER 2013 THAT NEVER GOT WRITTEN AND I'M GONNA SHOW THEM OFF NOW. ONE MORE THING FINISHED IN 2023!

IN 2013 I WAS STILL FULL STEAM AHEAD TRYING TO COMPLETE MY 1974 TOPPS SET WHICH MEANS CHASING THAT RATBAG PETE ROSE. HE'S ONE OF THE LAST DAMN CARDS I NEED FOR EVERY DANG SET AND I HATE IT. GO CHECK MY 1976 TOPPS NEEDS, I'M EXTRA MAD AT PETE AT THE MOMENT. I GOT NOTHING AGAINST BOBBY MURCER. I DON'T REMEMBER EXACLY WHEN I COMPLETED THE '74 SET AND I'M STILL LOOKING FOR THOSE DUMB SAN DIEGO LARGE AND SMALL PRINT FRIESLEBEN ROOKIES BUT I'M PRETTY SURE THIS WASN'T ANYWHERE NEAR THE LAST CARD I NEEDED. I WONDER WHAT IT WAS? MAYBE I CAN FIND IT IN THE BLOG

OH SONOVABITCH 

THE BACK FEATURES A BOBBY BONDS 1973 ALL STAR MVP PUZZLE. WHY HAVEN'T I PUT THESE PUZZLES TOGETHER AND TAKEN A PHOTO YET?? ONE MORE THING FOR ME TO DO IN 2024

I REALLY LIKE THIS 1955 TOPPS ALL-AMERICAN SET BUT SOMEWHERE AROUND 20-15 YEARS AGO OR SO I STOPPED BEING ABLE TO FIND THEM FOR A BUCK APIECE. I ALREADY HAD THE GEORGIA BULLDOGS CARD AND I COULD BUY TWO OR THREE 50'S BASEBALL COMMONS FOR THE SAME PRICE AS AN ALL-AMERICAN SO I FOOLISHLY KEPT PASSING THEM UP. NOW YOU CAN HARDLY FIND THEM AT ANY PRICE. I'M PRETTY SURE THIS WAS THE LAST '55 ALL-AMERICAN EVER SOLD FOR A BUCK

BENNIE OOSTERBAAN IS A GREAT NAME AND MICHIGAN IS A PREMIER COLLEGE FOOTBALL CLUB. THIS CARD IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION TOO, SO MUCH CHARACTER. YOU DON'T SEE THIS KIND OF CARD ENTOMBED IN A PLASTIC CASE. OR MAYBE YOU DO, THESE CARDS REALLY HAVE GOTTEN EXPENSIVE

I COULD NEVER LEAVE A VINTAGE CARD SHOW WITHOUT RAIDING THE BARGAIN NON-SPORTS BOX AND I GOT A PRIMO CARD THAT SEPTEMBER SHOW. DA VINCI WAS A FAVORITE ARTIST OF MINE WHEN I WAS A KID BECAUSE NOT ONLY DID HE DO THE SUPER FAMOUS PAINTING BUT ALSO A BUNCH OF SCIENCY STUFF AS WELL. HE WAS WAY COOLER THAN MICHAELANGELO, DONATELLO OR RAFAEL. I WAS ALREADY A BIG FAN OF THIS 1952 TOPPS LOOK 'N SEE SET AND WAS STOKED TO FIND LEO. NOT ENOUGH TO YA KNOW - WRITE THE GODDAMN POST - BUT SUPER STOKED ALL THE SAME

THE GIMMICK OF THIS SET IS YOU COULD HOLD UP A PIECE OF RED CELLOPHANE TO THE BACK OF THE CARD AND SEE A SEECRIT PITCHUR! YOU DON'T NEED NO CELLOPHANE FOR THIS ONE, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT THAT BLOB BEHIND THE TEXT LOOKS LIKE. OL' SMILIN' LISA IS EVERYWHERE, INCLUDING ON TRADING CARDS. REMEMBER A COUPLE YEARS AGO WHEN SOME NEWFANGLED SET PUT A MONA LISA ROOKIE CARD GIMMICK IN THEIR SET? HOGWASH! SHE WAS HIDING ON THE BACK OF A CARD IN 1952 ALL ALONG

I REALLY HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE CARD IDIOCY THIS YEAR BECAUSE THERE'S TWO AND A HALF BOXES OF ONLINE DIME BOX CARD POSTS LEFT AS WELL AS THREE QUARTERS OF A JUNK BOX, AND MORE CARD SHOW POSTS AND A BIG COMC ORDER ON THE WAY AND OH GOD I NEED TO WRITE UP SOME PACKAGE POSTS AND ACK THERE'S TOO MUCH TO DO! I'M OUTTA HERE! SEE Y'ALL NEXT YEAR!

2023 CARD SHOW - PART 2: THE DEALER WHO COLLECTS - ARCHIVES

AFTER CRACKING OPEN THE WALLET AT THE MAGICAL QUARTER BOX I CONTINUED DOWN THE BACK ROW OF THE SHOW. OTHER THAN PATRICK'S TABLE, I HAVE HAD LITTLE LUCK HERE AS IT IS USUALLY POPULATED BY SLAB SELLERS AND DUDES WITH THOSE GRAY PLASTIC CARD BINS THAT LOOK LIKE YOU'RE BUYING SOMETHING FROM GRAINGER INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY INSTEAD OF BASEBALL CARDS. THERE WAS EVEN A GUY WHO SOLD NOTHING BUT POLITICAL MEMORABILIA AT THE END. HOWEVER! RIGHT THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROW WAS A TABLE WITH ACTUAL CARDBOARD BOXES, SOME RANDOM MEMORABILIA AND ALMOST NOTHING ENTOMBED IN PLASTIC. THE FIRST THING THAT CAUGHT MY EYE WAS A ROW IN A BOX FILLED WITH RANDOM MINI SETS FOR TWO FOR FIVE DOLLARS. STUFF LIKE OLD 80S AND 90S BOX SETS AND SUCH. I WAS CONTEMPLATING A SET OF 1988 DONRUSS POP-UPS WHEN SOMETHING CAUGHT MY EYE: TWO ROWS FILLED WITH EARLY 00S ARCHIVES AND FAN FAVORITES 

AND NOT ONLY ARCHIVES CARDS BUT EIGHT FOR A DOLLAR ARCHIVES CARDS! I IMMEDIATELY ABANDONED THE SETS, PULLED UP THE WANTLIST AND STARTED DIGGING. I HAVE FOUND EXACTLY THREE CARDS I NEEDED FROM THESE 2001-2005 CARDS IN THE PAST FIVE - MAYBE TEN? - YEARS SO I WAS COMPLETELY PSYCHED TO SEE TWO WHOLE ROWS OF THEM TO DIG THROUGH NO MATTER HOW MANY I ULTIMATELY FOUND. THE SELLER SAW ME ATTACKING THE BOX WITH PURPOSE AND RECOGNIZED ME AS A FELLOW FREAK JUST AS I HAD RECOGNIZED THE DUDE MONOPOLIZING THE VINTAGE BOXES IN THE PREVIOUS POST. HE CHATTED WITH ME ABOUT ARCHIVES, ASKING IF I KNEWTHE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 2001 AND 2002'S BACKS AND WHEN I REPLIED IN THE AFFERMATIVE WAS LIKE "OK YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING" AND LET ME DIG. AND DIG I DID. OH MY GOD DID I DIG. AND HOO BOY DID I PUT A MASSIVE DENT IN THOSE LISTS

FIRST UP IS 2001 ARCHVES. I BOUGHT A SHITLOAD OF THIS STUFF IN 2001 AND MOSTLY COMPLETED THE SET BUT I WAS STILL MISSING A DOZEN CARDS AFTER IT WAS ALL SAID AND DONE. ONE IS AN ANDY PAFKO CARD I TRADED AND THE OTHER IS A JIM BOUTON CARD I'M CONVINCED IS HIDING IN A BOX SOMEWHERE, BUT A DOZEN CARDS WAS ON THE LIST. I KNOCKED THAT DOWN TO SEVEN WITH THESE FIVE. I WOULDA BOUGHT CASEY AND MINNIE REGARDLESS OF THE WANTLIST. THE WORLD SERIES CARD IS MAURY WILLS' STEALTH ROOKIE CARD THAT ALLOWED TOPPS TO USE THIS 1960 CARD AS MAURY'S RC INSTEAD OF HIS 1967 CARD WITH THE PIRATES OR THE FAKE 1962 CARD THEY USED IN THE 75 MVP, 82 K-MART, AND 87 TURN BACK THE CLOCK CARDS. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SUPER FUNNY ON AN ARCHIVES CARD. THE STEVE CARLTON HIGHLIGHTS CARD IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE FRUSTRATIONS I HAD WITH THIS SET. THERE WERE WAY TOO MANY CARDS IN THERE WHERE IT WAS FAR EASIER TO FIND THE ACTUAL VERSION INSTEAD OF THE ARCHIVES VERSION. I'M ALSO EXTREMELY THANKFUL I HAD THE FORESIGHT TO PUT THE DESIGN YEAR OF THE CARDIN MY WANTLIST AS THE CARD NUMBER ON 2001 ARCHIVES CARDS IS NOT ONLY MICROSCOPIC, BUT HIDDEN RANDOMLY ABOUT THE CARD ON WHEREEVER TOPPS CRAMMED THE COPYRIGHT LINE. THE SELLER ALSO COLLECTED THIS SET AND HAD IT COMPLETED EXCEPT FOR ONE VARIATION. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THERE WERE VARIATIONS. MAN IT'S GREAT WHEN ACTUAL COLLECTORS SELL THEIR CARDS 

THE 2001 AND 2002 ARCHIVES WERE ALL MIXED UP IN THEIR ROW BUT THAT WASN'T A BIG PROBLEM AS THEY ARE ON VERY DIFFERENT CARD STOCK AND THE 02 VERSION HAS A COPYRIGHT BAR ON THE BOTTOM OF THE BACK WITH A STILL TINY, BUT READABLE CARD NUMBER. WHILE THE 2001 SET'S THEME WAS FIRST AND LAST TOPPS CARDS FOR A VARIETY OF RETIRED PLAYERS, THE 2002 SET WAS LESS THAN HALF THE SIZE AND FEATURED PLAYERS ON THE DESIGN OF THEIR 'BEST' YEAR. I KNOCKED OUT A FEW GOOD ONES HERE WITH SANTO, SANDBERG AND A PAIR OF PALMERS. THESE KNOCK THE 02 LIST DOWN TO FOUR CARDS. I WAS A GOOD BOX DIGGER AND SEPARATED THE 02S FROM THE 01S AND PUT THEM BACK WHERE THEY BELONGED. THIS WAS DONE FOR PURELY SELFISH REASONS AS IT MADE THE 02S EASIER TO LOOK THROUGH BUT IT'S STILL A NICE THING TO DO

THE OTHER ROW OF CARDS WERE ALL-TIME FAN FAVORITES CARDS FROM 2003-2005. THESE SETS SHIFTED THE ARCHIVES BRAND FROM REPRINTS OF EXISTING CARDS TO NEW CARDS OF OLD PLAYERS ON OLD DESIGNS. ALL THREE SETS PUT TOGETHER TOTAL 442 CARDS, WHICH IS LESS THAN THE ORIGINAL 2001 RELEASE AT 450. THE BOX HAD VERY FEW 2004 CARDS IN IT AND I DID NOT NEED ANY 2003 CARDS BECAUSE REASONS (FORESHADOWING A POST THAT WILL GO UP SIX MONTHS FROM NOW) BUT DAMN DID I FIND A SHITLOAD OF 2005 CARDS I NEEDED. TWENTY-FIVE CARDS TOTAL! THAT'S ONE-SIXTH OF THE WHOLE SET! IF MY WANTLIST IS CORRECT I'VE GOT FIVE MORE CARDS TO GO ON THIS ONE. THERE IS A 99% PROBABILITY THAT IT IS NOT SO WHEN I FINISH WRITING I'M ADDING ALL THESE CARDS TO THE BINDER TO SEE HOW WRONG IT IS. IN THE MEANTIME, HERE'S ALL THE ONES I'M CERTAIN I HAVE

BO JACKSON IS A HUGE GET HERE BECAUSE WHILE BO JACKSON CARDS ARE FAIRLY PLENTIFUL IN QUARTER BOXES, TRYING TO FIND ANY ONE SPECIFIC BO CARD ONLINE WILL GET SPENDY. THE CURRENT CHEAPEST I CAN FIND ONLINE IS THREE BUCKS, MORE THAN I PAID FOR ALL OF THESE COMBINED. JIM LEYLAND BECAME A HALL OF FAMER ALL OF A SUDDEN, SOMETHING FREEHAN SHOULD HAVE BEEN A WHILE AGO. IT IS SOMEWHAT OF A CHOICE TO HAVE LEYLANDS CARD BE ON THE 1991 DESIGN INSTEAD OF THE 1997 DESIGN. I MEAN, I GET IT, BUT I'D INTERPRET HIS BEST SEASON A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY THAN TOPPS DID. IT'S NICE TO SEE THE 1986 DESIGN, THANKS JESSE

 

HERE'S A NICE GROUP OF GUYS WHO WEREN'T REALLY SUPERSTARS BUT DESERVE TO BE REMEMBERED MORE THAN THEY ARE. PEPITONE IS OF COURSE A STAR OF JIM BOUTON'S BALL FOUR AND QUITE A CHARACTER IN HIS OWN RIGHT. MIKE NORRIS IS A MEMBER OF THE 20 WIN BLACK ACES CLUB. ROGER CRAIG WAS A GOOD PITCHER FOR THE DODGERS (AND TERRIBLE ONE FOR THE METS) BEFORE WRECKING A BUNCH OF ELBOWS TEACHING THE SPLIT FINGER FASTBALL. GANT WAS A NICE FIND ON THAT GREAT 1991 DESIGN. ALL THESE CARDS ARE REALLY GOOD INTERPRETATIONS OF THE ORIGINAL DESIGN AND WOULD FIT IN WELL WITH THEIR ORIGINAL SETS

METS AND TWINS. UGH. I DEFER ON THIS QUARTET

THAT CLEON JONES CARD IS PRETTY DOPE THOUGH

JOHNNY PODRES IS THE ONLY HORIZONTAL DESIGN SO IT GETS A SOLO PHOTO. I GOTTA SAY THIS CARD DON'T LOOK GREAT. IT'S DIFFICULT TO REALLY CAPTURE THE VIBE OF 50S CARDS AND TOPPS DID NOT SUCCEED HERE. POOR JOHNNY LOOKS LIKE TED TURNER COLORIZED HIM

MOAR HALL OF FAMERS! I'M NOT A HUGE JOE MORGAN FAN BUT THE 1975 DESIGN LOOKS GREAT, ESPECIALLY THE ALL STAR CARDS. I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT PHOTO, THAT DOESN'T LOOK VERY 1975ISH. THE MARICHAL LOOKS FANTASTIC, THAT COULD ABSOLUTELY BE A 64 CARD. JEFFREY LEONARD WAS A REALLY GOOD PLAYER BACK IN THE ERA WHERE 20 DINGERS MEANT YOU WERE A POWER HITTER. I ALWAYS FELT JEFFREY CAUGHT TOO MUCH FLACK WHEN HE WAS PLAYING AND HIS B-R BULLPEN ENTRY CONFIRMS THIS. PENITENTARY FACE?? JESUS. MAN IT WAS NICE WHEN WE COULD GET GUYS LIKE JOSE OQUENDO IN SETS LIKE THIS. YES, I DID HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK THE 2023 PANINI CHRONICLES CHECKLIST TO MAKE SURE THAT ERA WASN'T NOW

1976 DESIGN OSCAR GAMBLE IS AN INSPIRED CHOICE. AT ONE POINT IN TIME TOPPS REALLY DID CARE ABOUT THEIR CARDS. THE 84 HERNANDEZ LOOKS OK BUT IT WILL NEVER MATCH THE ORIGNAL BOOTY CARD. MY ONLY INTEREST IN THE JOCKETTY CARD IS THE ODDITY OF USING A 2004 CARD DESIGN IN A 2005 ARCHIVES SET. THE ROD CAREW CARD FUCKING RULES. OF COURSE ALL ROD CAREW CARDS FUCKING RULE. THEY'RE ROD CAREW CARDS

THE LAST BATCH IS THREE GREAT LOOKING CARDS AND SCOTT BROSIUS. OF COURSE THE 1998 SET IS RATHER AWFUL ITSELF, I'M REALLY WONDERING WHY I THOUGHT IT WAS FANTASTIC WHEN IT CAME OUT NOW. THAT CEPEDA CARD IS VERY 1962 (ALTHOUGH THE ORIGINAL IS ONE OF THE BEST CARDS IN THE SET) AND I ALMOST THOUGHT THEY JUST REPRINTED DIBBLE'S ORIGINAL 1990 CARD HERE. THAT RAINES CARD IS ONE OF MY FAVES, DIG THAT CAMERA IN THE BACKGROUND. GREAT STUFF

I ALSO HAD TO PICK UP A FEW CARDS THAT WERE NOT ON MY WANT LISTS. FLOATY HEAD BOUTON LOOKS LIKE HE'S ABOUT TO CHANT MEKKA-LEKKA-HI MEKKA-HINEY-HO. 1995 LEMMER IS NOT OPTIONAL EVEN THOUGH I ALREADY HAVE THREE OF THEM INCLUDING THE AUTOGRAPHED VERSION. AND THE SATCHEL IS GOING IN MY 1953 BINDER AS A PLACEHOLDER. THIS IS NOT THE LAST TIME YOU'LL BE SEEING THAT SATCHEL BY THE WAY

UP NEXT: SOME JUNK THAT SETS UP THE FOLLOWING PICKUPS. THIS DUDE GETS FOUR POSTS

BIRTHDAY BOOLSHEET BLASTER: PART 10 - BRAVES

I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED TO SEE A BRAVES TEAM PILE IN THE CRAPOLA BOX. I EXPECTED MOST OR ALL OF THE BRAVES TO BE YOINKED OUT AND PUT IN THE 50 CENT BRAVES BOXES BUT I GUESS THOSE WERE GETTING A LITTLE FULL AS WELL SO I GOT A NICE PILE OF THIRTY SEVEN BRAVES. IT'S NOT EVEN THE SMALLEST TEAM PILE IN THE BOX!

ONLY ONE OF THE FOUR BRAVES IN THE 87 TRADED SET MADE IT INTO THE BOX. I NEED IT FOR THE SET, SO THAT'S NICE AT LEAST

1987 TOPPS TRADED COUNT: 15/132

THERE WERE TWELVE 2002 TOPPS CARDS IN THE PILE BUT I'M ONLY ADDING SIX OF THEM TO THE SECOND SET BECAUSE HALF THE PILE IS NEEDED FOR MY TEAM SET

SINCE I ALREADY HAVE THE ENTIRE 2002 BASE SET, A SECOND TEAM SET IS KIND OF A LUXURY, BUT IT MAKES THE TEAM BINDERS LOOK NICE. LOOKING AT MY SET WANT LIST AND TEAM WANT LIST I COULD PROBABLY COMPLETE A FEW SETS IF I RAIDED MY BINDERS. HMMMM

2002 TOPPS COUNT: 86/718

SO THERE'S NOT ONLY BRAVES IN THE BULLSHIT BLASTER BUT VINTAGE BRAVES. 1978 IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE SETS BUT I'VE COMPLETED THE BASE SET AND THE TEAM SET SO IT'S HARD TO JUSTIFY PICKING UP RANDOM CARDS FROM THE SET WHEN I SEE THEM. I WILL ABSOLUTELY TAKE THEM JUST OUTTA NOWHERE THOUGH. THIS IS A GOOD MIX OF PLAYERS TOO, ALL STAR WILLIE MONTANEZ, GOOD OL' CHANNEL 17, LONG TIME UTILITY GUY JERRY ROYSTER AND ROOKIE OF THE YEAR GARY MATTHEWS. IF WE PLAY THE GAME ON THE BACK OF THE CARDS WE GET A GROUND OUT AND STRIKEOUT BOOKENDED BY GAME INSTRUCTIONS. THAT'S HOW IT GOES SOMETIMES

THERE'S ALSO A TEAM CARD IN THERE AND IT ISN'T EVEN MARKED UP OR NOTHIN. THERE IS A COOL ARTICLE FROM SPORTS COLLECTORS DAILY ON THE SURPRISING PLAYERS THAT TURNED UP ON TEAM CARDS OVER THE YEARS THAT'S WELL WORTH A READ. I'D LOOK UP WHO IS ON THIS CARD BUT I AM TRYING TO GET THIS WRITTEN BEFORE I HAVE TO GO RUN ERRANDS THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON SO THERE'S NO TIME. I'M PRETTY SURE THAT'S SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE FORD FRICK AWARD YEARS AGO ERNIE JOHNSON SR. ON THE LEFT OF THE TOP ROW THOUGH

I ALSO LOVE 1980 CARDS AND WE HAVE A BRUCE BENEDICT ROOKIE CARD RIGHT HERE. I'M GLAD MY LCS COMPLETELY DISREGARDS VINTAGE TOPPS AFTER ABOUT 1974

SINCE THERE'S SO FEW CARDS IN THE PILE I'M SHOWING THEM ALL OFF EVEN IF I HAVE NOTHING TO SAY. MAN, THERE'S A LOT OF COLORS ON THIS CARD

THIS PHOTO IS NOT ONLY OUT OF FOCUS BUT I ALSO FORGOT TO CROP IT. I RETOOK THE PICTURE OF THE 1978 CARDS BECAUSE THEY DESERVE TO LOOK NICE BUT I CAN'T BE ARSED WITH THIS ONE

NOW WE REACH THE BIG STACK OF UPPER DECK COMMONS THAT WE GET WITH EVERY TEAM. THESE ARE JUNK BUT I WILL ALWAYS APPRECIATE FRANCISCO CABRERA'S CONTRIBUTION TO HUMANITY

I'M TEMPTED TO COMPARE THE GIANT STACK OF 1992 UPPER DECK TO 2002 TOPPS WHEN THIS IS ALL SAID AND DONE, BUT UPPER DECK'S CARD STOCK IS THINNER SO TOPPS WILL END UP WINNING NO MATTER WHAT. IT DOES IRK ME THAT I STILL HAVE NOT FOUND A 1992 CARD I NEED TO FINISH THE SET OUT OF THEM ALL. JUST ONE IN THE BOX AND I WILL BE HAPPY

1993 UPPER DECK IS NOT JUNK EVEN THOUGH IT'S IN THE RIGHT ERA AND PROBABLY HAD JUST AS MANY CARDS PRINTED. YES, THERE ARE MILLIONS OF THIS BRIAN HUNTER CARD BUT HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE PERMANENTLY BRICKED OR HAVE THE DREADED 93 UPPER DECK SNOW FROM CARDS STICKING TOGETHER? JUST COMPARE THIS CARD COMMEMORATING THE DEMISE OF A POOR BAT TO THAT BRIAN HUNTER TOPPS CARD ABOVE THAT I COULDN'T BE BOTHERED TO CORP. JUNK 1993 UPPER DECK DOES NOT EXIST. EXCEPT FOR THE ONES YOU CAN BUILD A HOUSE WITH

LEMKE!!! FROM MY FAVORITE DONRUSS SET!!! LE EPIC WIN!!! 

WE WIND UP THE PILE WITH A COUPLE ROYAL ROOKIES. STEVE TORREALBA MADE IT TO THE BIGS WITH THE BRAVES IN 2001 AND 2002 AND WAS A GOOD ENOUGH PROSPECT TO GET A COUPLE SHORT PRINTED ROOKIE PROSPECT CARDS. I HAD NO IDEA WHO KENNY NELSON SO I LOOKED HIM UP AND DISCOVERED THIS ISN'T KENNY NELSON IT'S BUBBA NELSON. BUBBA WAS ALL OVER THE PLACE IN PROSPECT SUBSETS IN THE EARLY 00S. IN ADDITION TO THE GAWDAWFUL CARD DESIGN ROYAL ROOKIE DEPRIVED US OF A BUBBA CARD. UNFORGIVABLE. I HAVE ABOUT SIX COPIES OF BOTH THESE CARDS AS THESE PACKS WERE RIPPED LIKE CRAZY FOR AUTOGRAPHS AND NO ONE WANTS THE BASE

THAT WAS A NICE LITTLE PILE OF BRAVES AND THE NEXT BULLSHIT BLASTER POST IS EVEN NICER BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE TO DO A LOT OF WRITING

ONLINE MEGA BOX - PART 9

A NICE MIX WITH A HEAVY DOSE OF FEETSBALL. STARTING OFF ON A HIGH NOTE TOO

1999 FLEER ULTRA ANDRUW JONES

CATEGORY - BRAVES

THIS CARD WAS JUST SITTING OUT THERE ON THE SITE FOR A WHILE AND EVENTUALLY I HAD TO BRING IT HOME. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT PLAY THIS IS FROM AND I'M A BIT SKEPTICAL THAT IT ISN'T ONE OF THE MANY POSED OVER THE WALL CATCH SHOTS THAT HAPPENED ON CARDS IN THE 90S. THE FANS IN THE STANDS AND THE SLIGHTLY GRAINY PHOTO MAKES ME WONDER THOUGH. EITHER WAY IT'S A GREAT PICTURE ON A GOOD LOOKING CARD

1982 TOPPS STANLEY MORGAN

CATEGORY - WANTLIST

1982 TOPPS WAS THE FIRST FOOTBALL SET THAT REALLY CAPTURED MY ATTENTION. I THINK I MAY HAVE OPENED A PACK OF THE 81 VERSION JUST BECAUSE IT WAS A PACK OF CARDS TO OPEN BUT THE 82 SET REALLY STOOD OUT WITH THAT LITTLE FOOTBALL HELMET ON IT. TOPPS FINALLY GOT THE LICENSE TO SHOW OFF LOGOS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FOREVER AND LIKE THEY DID WITH 2010 TOPPS BASEBALL, THEY REALLY FLAUNTED IT. I REALLY THINK THIS SET ALONG WITH THE FLEER LOGO STICKERS HELPED JUMP START MY LIFELONG OBSESSION WITH TEAM LOGOS. I LIKE THIS PICTURE OF STANLEY, HALF-ON HELMET PHOTOS ARE A NICE CHANGE OF PACE IN VINTAGE TOPPS SETS FROM ALL THE BLURRY ACTION SHOTS AND PICS OF GUYS SITTING ON THE BENCH

1995 PINNACLE ERNIE MILLS TROPHY COLLECTION

CATEGORY - DUFEX

BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE

1995 PINNACLE IRVING FRYAR TROPHY COLLECTION

CATEGORY - DUFEX

MAN I LOVE THE DUFEX. I GOT A BIG PILE OF THIS SET OUT OF A JUNK BINDER I PICKED UP FROM THE LOCAL CARD SHOP BACK WHEN THEY COST TEN BUCKS A BINDER INSTEAD OF FIFTY. I MIGHT ALREADY HAVE THESE TWO BUT WHO CARES. MOAR SHINIES FOR ME! MILLS WAS A PRETTY GOOD RECEIVER BUT FRYAR WAS A FIVE TIME PRO BOWLER. I WISH I KNOW HOW THESE THINGS WERE MADE, THEY ARE INCREDIBLY INTRICATE AND IT HAS TO BE COMPLICATED

I'M NOT SURE WHY THE FOOTBALL PARALLELS ARE CALLED TROPHY COLLECTION INSTEAD OF MUSEUM COLLECTION LIKE IN BASEBALL BUT THE LITTLE TROPHY IS NICE

2007-08 UPPER DECK CHRIS CHELIOS

CATEGORY - PLAYER COLLECTION

WE ARE NOW TRANSITIONING FROM A BUNCH OF ED BELFOUR CARDS TO A BUNCH OF CHRIS CHELIOS CARDS. MY HOCKEY COLLECTION PETERED OUT AFTER ABOUT 2002 ONCE I WENT ALL IN ON TOPPS HERITAGE AND ARCHIVE RETRO SETS SO A 07-08 CARD IS NEW TO ME. THE HOCKEY VERSION OF THIS DESIGN IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FROM THE BASEBALL SET AND HAS BRONZE FOIL INSTEAD OF SILVER AND A TEAM BAR ON THE SIDE. I'M ALSO SHORT OF CHELIOS RED WINGS CARDS IN MY COLLECTION

2016 PANINI CONTENDERS RICHARD SHERMAN OLD SCHOOL COLORS

CATEGORY - INSERT

COOL LOOKING INSERTS CONSISTENTLY DAZZLED ME AND KEPT ME FROM BUYING ALL THE BORING OLD BASE CARDS I ACTUALLY NEED. THIS ONE HAS HOLOFOIL, I NEVER HAD A CHANCE. I ENDED UP PICKING UP ANOTHER RICHARD SHERMAN INSERT LATER SO THIS CARD ENDED UP IN A PACKAGE TO A STANFORD FAN

1994-95 FLEER WESLEY PERSON 1ST YEAR PHENOM

CATEGORY - INSERT

MID 90S FLEER INSERTS ARE BECOMING AN OBSESSION WITH ME. I BOUGHT A TON OF PACKS OF THIS STUFF BUT THIS CARD OF WESLEY ELUDED ME. THIS IS A VERY STRANGE DESIGN, FOUR MONOCHROME COPIES OF THE MAIN PHOTO, WHICH IS BURSTING OUT FROM BEHIND CAUSING THE OTHER PHOTOS TO ROLL UP LIKE 1962 TOPPS

1992-93 UPPER DECK MCDONALDS DAVID ROBINSON

CATEGORY - SUPERSTAR

THERE WERE A LOT OF THESE MCDONALD'S UPPER DECK CARDS ON THE SITE BUT I WAS LAZY AND NEVER DUG UP MY UPPER DECK BOX TO SEE WHICH ONES I NEEDED. I PICKED UP DAVID ROBINSON THOUGH BECAUSE I HAVE SEEMINGLY BOUGHT EVERY SINGLE ROBINSON CARD OFF THE SITE SO FAR

2021 DONRUSS MAX FRIED

CATEGORY - BRAVES

I HAVE A FEELING MAX IS JOINING SHOHEI NEXT YEAR BUT IMMA ENJOY HIM WHILE WE GOT HIM. THIS 2021 DESIGN LOOKS SOMEWHAT SUBDUED FOR NEW DONRUSS COMPARED TO THE REST OF THEIR MADNESS. THIS IS PRACTICALLY ELEGANT

1989 DONRUSS MIKE SCHMIDT

CATEGORY - SUPERSTAR, WANTLIST

I SHOULD HAVE COMPLETED ALL THESE LATE 80S JUNK DONRUSS SETS THREE TIMES OVER BY NOW BUT I HAVE BEEN SLACK ABOUT TRACKING DOWN ALL THE RANDOM COMMONS I NEED. SCHMIDT IS NOT A COMMON AND I PUT THIS CARD IN THE CART NOT EVEN REALIZING IT'S NOT ALREADY IN THE 89D BINDER. 1989 DONRUSS NOW JOINS MY 'NEED FIVE CARDS OR LESS' CLUB IN THE WANTLIST WHICH HAS BEEN SHRINKING THIS YEAR AFTER A FEW TARGETED PICKUPS

1995 SELECT CERTIFIED FRED MCGRIFF

CATEGORY - BRAVES, SHINY

HALL OF FAMER FRED MCGRIFF. OH HOW I LOVE THE SOUND OF THOSE WORDS. HALL OF FAMER FRED MCGRIFF. AWW YEAH, THAT'S THE STUFF. SELECT CERTIFIED HIT LIKE A TRUCK IN 1995. VERY THICC, MUCH SHINY. IT QUICKLY GOT OVERSHADOWED IN THE ESCALATING HIGH-END WARS OF THE LATE 90S BUT IT'S STILL A NICE LOOKING CARD

1994-95 SP CHRIS CHELIOS

CATEGORY - PLAYER COLLECTION

FOR SOME REASON UPPER DECK ABANDONDED THE BEAUTIFUL BLUE AND RED HOLOFOIL FROM THE BASEBALL SP SET FOR THE BASKETBALL AND HOCKEY SETS. THE GOLD FOIL DOES LOOK NICE BUT IMAGINE THIS CARD WITH THAT RED FOIL. HOO MOMMA. IT'S GETTING BEYOND TIME THAT I GET THESE CARDS ADDED TO TCDB SO I CAN START WATCHING NUMBER GO UP

UP NEXT: THE FOLLOWING BATCH IS ALMOST EXCESSIVELY STRANGE BUT THERE'S ALSO A BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT IN THERE TOO SO STAY TUNED