2023 COMC BINGE - PART 7: GLORIOUS GLOSSIES

RACK PACK GLOSSY  ALL-STARS WERE THE FIRST REAL INSERT CARDS I PULLED FROM PACKS AND I'VE BEEN OBSESSED WITH THEM FOR A WHILE. I GUESS DONRUSS PUZZLE PIECES AND STICKER CARDS WERE TECHNICALLY THE VERY FIRST INSERTS I CAME ACROSS BUT THOSE DIDN'T FEEL LIKE INSERTS. THESE WERE THE FIRST CARDS I CAME ACROSS THAT HAD THAT SPECIAL SHINY FEEL.  I FOUND THE TOUGH 1991 MAIL-IN GLOSSY  ALL STAR SET AT AN ANTIQUE MALL LAST YEAR SO I AM NOW IN THE STRETCH RUN ON COMPLETING THE ENTIRE SERIES. HERE'S TWO MORE SETS CHECKED OFF THE LIST

1985 TOPPS CAL RIPKEN JR. GLOSSY ALL STAR

OLD FRIEND CAL RIPKEN JR. I ALWAYS COMPLAIN ABOUT PETE ROSE AND NOLAN RYAN BEING THE LAST GUYS I NEED FOR EVERY SET BUT CAL HAS BEEN THE STRAGGLER IS A WHOLE BUNCHA SETS I'VE TRIED TO COMPLETE. I GUESS I DON'T MIND PICKING UP CALS BECAUSE 80S SUPERSTAR CARDS ARE WAY CHEAPER THAN 70S SUPERSTAR CARDS. PLUS I WOULDN'T GO AS FAR AS TO SAY HE SAVED BASEBALL IN 1995 BUT THAT STREAK CHASE SURE DID HELP A LOT

TWO SIMPLE COLORS. THESE BACKS ARE SO SIMPLE AND SO COMFORTING. I MISS HAVING A SIMPLE INSERT YOU COULD COUNT ON YEAR AFTER YEAR

I HAVE THESE SETS IN A BINDER AND PUT IN THE NEXT SET RIGHT AFTER THE PREVIOUS ONE SO I DON'T WASTE FIVE POCKETS PER SET SO YOU SEE CARD NUMBER ONE OF THE 1986 SET IN THE COMPLETED PAGE PIC. REGGIE IN THE CENTER SQUARE IS MY FAVORITE ON THIS PAGE BUT I APPRECIATE THE ALL-STAR CARD OF CHET LEMON WHO IS SUPER UNDERRATED. HIS STATS AREN'T FLASHY BUT HE WAS A GREAT HITTER IN AN ERA WHEN THOSE WERE SCARCE

1988 TOPPS DARRYL STRAWBERRY GLOSSY ALL-STAR

I'M ALSO NOT SURPRISED THAT A DARRYL STRAWBERRY AT THE HEIGHT OF HIS CAREER IS THE SET CAPPER FOR THE 1988 GLOSSIES. I BOUGHT A BUNCH OF RACK PACKS IN 1988 BUT BACK THEN I BOUGHT PACKS ON VIBES, NOT SET BUILDING SO I NEVER PICKED UP THE STRAWMAN. IF I HOPPED IN THE TIME TRAVEL DEVICE AND WENT BACK TO MCCRORY'S TO BUY SOME PACKS YOU BET I WOULD BE LEAVING WITH 22 RACKS AND A COMPLETE SET, BUT THAT'S JUST NOT HOW I DID THINGS BACK THEN. THIS IS ASSUMING STRAWBERRY WAS EVEN AVAILABLE, PEOPLE SCOOPING UP ALL THE GOOD PACKS OUT OF RETAIL IS NOT A NEW PHENOMENON

YEAH, THIS BACK IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE RIPKEN BACK EXCEPT FOR SOME OF THE EXT BUT IT'S JUST SO PRETTY. I'D GET THIS AS A TATTOO IF I COULD FIGURE OUT WHAT PLAYER TO GET

(IT'S REGGIE, I'D GET REGGIE)

ONCE AGAIN WE GET A MANAGER AND THIS COMPLETE PAGE'S UNDERRATED ALL-STAR IS JACK CLARK. ANOTHER GUY WHO PLAYED IN THE 70S WHO DIDN'T HAVE EYE-POPPING STATS OTHER THAN HIS 35 HOMER SEASON IN 87 BUT WAS WAY BETTER THAN WE REMEMBER. HERE'S A FUN GAME: RANK CHET LEMON, JACK CLARK AND DARRYL STRAWBERRY BY WAR AND THEN GO CHECK THEIR STATS AND SEE HOW YOU DID. 

I NOW AM DOWN TO NEEDING FIVE CARDS TO COMPLETE THE RUN AND THE ONLY HALL OF FAMER IS KIRBY PUCKETT. NO WAIT, TED SIMMONS IS IN THE HALL NOW TOO. TEDDY HIGUERA IS NOT IN THE HALL OF FAME, I'M SURE OF THAT. I COULD KNOCK THEM ALL OUT CHEAP ONLINE RIGHT NOW BUT I STILL HAVE A DREAM OF FINDING A RACK PACK WITH A CARD I NEED ON THE FRONT. YOU CAN'T GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS!