APRIL 2024 CARD SHOW PART 7: VINTAGE TABLE SCROUNGING

THE NATIONAL IS THIS WEEK AND I'VE BEEN STARING AT MY COMC POSTS WITH NO WORDS COMING OUT FOR WEEKS SO THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO BLOW THROUGH THE REST OF THE CARD SHOW PICKUPS FROM THREE MONTHS AGO. TODAY WE HAVE THE COOL VINTAGE TABLE THAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU SEE WHEN YOU ENTER THE SHOW. I USUALLY MAKE IT THE LAST STOP ON THE WAY OUT THE DOOR SO I CAN FIND SOME COOL OLD STUFF AND GET RID OF WHATEVER CASH IS SOMEHOW LEFT IN MY POCKET. THIS TIME I HAD AN ACTUAL PLAN THOUGH. THE VINTAGE CARDS AT THIS TABLE ARE ALWAYS PRICED IN SHARPIE ON THE PENNY SLEEVE WITH ONE EXCEPTION: LOOSEY CARDS IN THE SET BOXES. THOSE ARE ALWAYS PRICED AT A QUARTER A POP. MY MISSION WAS TO ATTACK THE QUARTER LOOSEYS I NEEDED OUT OF THE BASEBALL SETS I WAS BUILDING AND THE BASKETBALL BOX. I DID VERY WELL FOR MYSELF

BUT FIRST, LET ME SHOW YOU MY DICK 

WHAT

IT'S JUST MY POLE

A BAD PICTURE OF THIS CARD IS BY FAR MY MOST POPULAR POST ON BLUESKY AND WHY NOT? IT'S A STONE COLD CLASSIC. MY NEBULOUS GOALS FOR 2024 INCLUDED COMPLETING 1975 TOPPS, OR MAYBE 1977 TOPPS. STILL NOT QUITE SURE. WELL, I'M PRETTY SURE I'M NOT COMPLETING EITHER ONE OF THEM THIS YEAR BUT I'M GOING TO DO MY BEST TO WHITTLE DOWN MY LISTS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. THIS WAS THE ONLY LOOSE CARD I NEEDED FROM THE '75 BOX BUT WHAT A CARD. I ALMOST HOOTED AND HOLLERED RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SHOW WHEN I SAW IT. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THIS CARD ELUDED ME FOR ALMOST 50 YEARS BUT I TRACKED ONE DOWN! AND IF I SEE ANOTHER I'LL BUY IT AGAIN, SEE IF I DON'T

MY 1977 LIST IS SOMEHOW LARGER THAN MY 75 LIST SO IT'S NOT SURPRISING I FOUND TWICE AS MANY CARDS. TWO GOOD ONES TOO! A SUPER BEAT UP HALL OF FAMER AND A HALL OF FAME NAME. THERE ARE TONS MORE CARD FROM 75 AND 77 AT THAT TABLE SO NEXT TIME I WILL BE LOOKING FOR SUPER EXPENSIVE CARDS. SOME ARE THIRTY-FIVE CENTS! I WAS LASER FOCUSED ON THE QUARTER CARDS THOUGH SO I MOVED ON TO THE BASKETBALL BOX AND PROCEEDED TO CLEAN IT OUT

1971-72 TOPPS BASKETBALL IS THE OLDEST STANDARD SIZED BASKETBALL SET THAT IS EASY TO FIND. YES, THEY HAD A STANDARD SIZED SET IN 1957-58, BUT IF YOU FIND ANY OF THOSE IN A QUARTER BOX YOU NEED TO BUY THEM ALL IMMEDIATELY. THIS IS A REALLY ATTRACTIVE DESIGN WITH THE CITY NAME IN FUNKY LETTERING AND A PHOTO ON TOP OF A SOLID COLOR BACKGROUND. TEAMS HAVE THEIR OWN COLOR COMBOS WHICH CAN HAVE THE SAME COLOR FOR THE CITY AND THE BACKGROUND LIKE WITH CLEVELAND'S GREEN HERE OR DIFFERENT COLORS AS WITH THE KNICKS' BLUE AND YELLOW. ALL EXCEPT FOR THE CINCINNATI ROYALS FOR SOME REASON WHO HAVE A COUPLE DIFFERENT BACKGROUND COLORS. IT LOOKS A LOT LIKE A REIMAGINING OF THE 1969 FOOTBALL SET. THESE TWO CARDS ARE BEAT TO HELL BUT THEY STILL LOOK GREAT

THESE TWO WEREN'T CREASED UP BUT THEY ARE OFF CENTER. THIS IS HONESTLY A BONUS, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT'S POSSIBLE TO PLAY A GAME OF "WHO'S ON THE OTHER CARD" SINCE THE TEAM AND POSITION IS CUT OFF. HOWIE KOMIVES IS UNDERNEATH A HAWKS CARD! SINCE THE POSITION IS FORWARD-CENTER WE CAN CONFIRM THAT I HAVE A SLIVER OF JIM DAVIS' CARD. LEROY'S CARD PARTNER IS A PISTONS GUARD MEANING THAT HOWIE MIGHT BE THE ONE! SADLY I PUT THEM TOGETHER AND WHILE THE NAMES MATCH UP PRETTY WELL THE LEFT-RIGHT BORDERS DO NOT, SO THIS IS NOT THE OFF CENTER PARTNER. OTHER POSSIBILITIES ARE JIMMY WALKER AND DAVE BING

THE LAST OF THE 71-72S ARE A TRIO FROM BUFFALO WHO GOT THE PINK INK. IT WAS A ODD DAY FOR ME WHEN I LEARNED THERE WAS A SECOND BRAVES TEAM IN A DIFFERENT SPORT AND I'M STILL NOT QUITE SURE WHY YOUNGER ME DIDN'T FEEL COMPELLED TO COLLECT 'EM ALL OUT OF SPITE. TWO OF THESE GUYS DO HAVE AN ATLANTA CONNECTION AS BOB KAUFFMAN FINISHED HIS CAREER WITH THE HAWKS AND JERRY CHAMBERS IS ACTUALLY PICURED IN THE WEIRD BLUE AND GREEN PETE MARAVICH-ERA HAWKS UNI

HERE ARE SOME SLIGHTLY LESS BEAUTIFUL 1973-74 TOPPS BASKETBALL CARDS. REMEMBER THAT LOU HUDSON COMC POST WHERE I STATED THAT THIS WHOLE SET LOOKS LIKE A MUGSHOT GALLERY? CAN YOU SEE WHY I SAID THAT NOW? HOW IN THE HELL DID THE 70S NBA END UP THE INTERNATIONAL JUGGERNAUT IT IS TODAY?? LEBRON JAMES IS THE US FLAG BEARER AT THE OLYMPICS FFS. HOW DID WE GET FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL GYMS TO THAT???

EVEN WITH MUGSHOTS, ABA CARDS ARE ALWAYS AWESOME. THESE TWO TEAMS WERE BOTH COMPLETE DISASTERS. THE MEMPHIS TAMS BEGAN LIFE AS THE NEW ORLEANS BUCCANEERS BEFORE MOVING TO MEMPHIS AND BECOMING THE PROS. THE TEAM ALMOST FOLDED BUT WAS BOUGHT BY CHARLES FINLEY (YES, THE A'S CHARLIE FINLEY) WHO RENAMED THE TEAM TO THE TAMS WHICH WAS AN ACRONYM OF TENNESSEE-ARKANSAS-MISSISSIPPI. THE LEAGUE TOOK OVER THE TEAM TWO YEARS LATER AND IT SPENT ITS LAST SEASON AS THE SOUNDS, A NAME THAT WOULD BE LATER BE YOINKED BY NASHVILLE FOR THEIR MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAM. THE VIRGINIA SQUIRES STARTED OUT AS THE OAKLAND OAKS WHO ACTUALLY WON AN ABA CHAMPIONSHIP BUT DIDN'T DRAW CROWDS SO THEY MOVED TO WASHINGTON DC. THE BALTIMORE BULLETS WANTED TO MOVE TO WASHINGTON SO THE LEAGUE MADE THE TEAM RELOCATE TO NORFOLK AND BECOME THE VIRGINIA SQUIRES. THE SQUIRES HAD BOTH DR. J AND GEORGE GERVIN BUT THE TEAM WAS BROKE AND EVENTUALLY TRADED THEM BOTH FOR A PILE OF CASH. BOTH TEAMS FINALLY FLOPPED IN THE 1975-76 SEASON. MEMPHIS WAS SOLD TO OWNERS IN BALTIMORE WHO PLAYED THREE EXHIBITION GAMES AS THE BALTIMORE CLAWS BEFORE BEING DUMPED BY THE LEAGUE. THE SQUIRES MANAGED TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE SEASON BUT WERE CONTRACTED BY THE ABA A MONTH BEFORE THE MERGER. THE ABA WAS WILD AND EVERY CARD IS A TREASURE

HEY LOOK I GOT TWO BUCKS. THE 1975-76 IS ANOTHER GREAT ONE WITH A VERY SIMPLE DESIGN, A GOOD MIX OF MUGSHOTS AND DARK ACTION SHOTS AND THE LAST APPEARANCE OF ABA TEAMS. IT'S ALSO THE LARGEST VINTAGE BASKETBALL SET AT 330 CARDS SO IT'S A BEAST TO COLLECT. ONCE AGAIN EACH TEAM GETS THEIR OWN COLOR COMBO AND I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT THE HAWKS GET THAT SOOTHING BLUE-GREEN THEME THAT MANY ATLANTA BRAVES SETS GOT THROUGH THE YEARS

I DIDN'T REALIZE I HAD TWO BLAZERS CARD UNTIL AFTER I TOOK THE PICTURE SO THEY DIDN'T GET GROUPED TOGETHER LIKE THE BUCKS DID. YOU CAN SEE A NICE WAX STAIN ON THE FRONT OF JOHN JOHNSON'S CARD THANKS TO THE BLACK BACKGROUND. THERE'S ALSO ONE ON RON RILEY'S CARD BUT IT'S HARDER TO SEE. THAT CARD ALSO LOOKS LIKE IT GOT RUN OVER BY AN OFFICE CHAIR

A WHILE BACK THERE WAS A BIG BOX OF 1977-78 AND 1979-80 COMMONS AT THE SHOW AND I CHOSE TO BUY UP ALL THE 79-80S AND SAVE THE 77-78S FOR THE NEXT TIME AND I NEVER SAW THEM AGAIN. I REGRET THIS NOW AS THESE SEEM TO BE HARDER AND HARDER TO FIND FOR SOME REASON, I EVEN HAVE MORE OF THE 76-77 GIANT-SIZED CARDS. I FOUND A COUPLE AT LEAST

HERE'S ONE OF THOSE 1979-80S THAT I ALREADY HAVE BUT ARTIS GILMORE IS MY FAVORITE 70S PLAYER SO I'M NEVER GOING TO PASS HIM UP IN A QUARTER BOX. I THINK I MIGHT HAVE FOUR OF THESE CARDS NOW AND I'LL BUY IT AGAIN

I PASSED UP ON THIS ONE ON MY PREVIOUS CARD SHOW TRIP AND IT HAUNTED ME. THANKFULLY NO ONE ELSE COLLECTS CARDS THAT HAD A SHEET WITH WET INK PLOPPED ON TOP OF IT AND IT WAS STILL THERE. I'VE SOMEHOW ACCUMULATED A FEW OF THESE, SOME OF THEM ON PURPOSE

AFTER DOING SO WELL WITH THE BASKETBALL I CHECKED OUT THE FOOTBALL BOX IN HOPES OF KNOCKING SOME OFF THE WANTLIST. JOHN STALLWORTH IS A HELLUVA GOOD FIND FOR A 1982 SET I'M GETTING QUITE CLOSE TO COMPLETING

THE LAST TWO CARDS I PICKED UP WERE THESE TWO FROM 1981 TOPPS THAT I LATER FOUND I ALREADY HAD. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW I SCREWED THAT UP BUT I THINK I MIGHT HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT MY 1982 FOOTBALL NEEDS BY ACCIDENT. QUITE SILLY SINCE I HAD JUST PICKED OUT A CARD FROM THAT SET, I DESERVE THAT LOOK FROM RAYMOND. IT ALL WORKED OUT SINCE I ANDED UP PAYING FIVE BUCKS FOR EVERYTHING. HOORAY! THAT MEANS I HAD SOME MONEY LEFT, WHICH MEANS THERE'S ONE FINAL CARD SHOW POST TO COME. 

APRIL 2024 CARD SHOW PREVIEW

 THIS PAST WEEKEND I SOMEHOW HAD BOTH TIME AND A LITTLE MONEY AT THE SAME TIME AS THE MONTHLY CARD SHOW SO I TOOK A LITTLE TRIP AND HAD A LITTLE FUN. I HAD TO BE SUPER EXTRA CHEAP (THAT MURPH THERE WAS THE MOST EXPENSIVE THING I BOUGHT) BUT I HIT ALL MY FAVORITE TABLES AND WAS SUCCESSFUL AT THE ONE GOAL I SET FOR MYSELF. I AM EVENTUALLY GOING TO DO A SERIES OF POSTS ON THE SHOW BUT I HAVE OVER A HUNDRED CARDS THAT NEED PICTURED TAKEN, CROPPED AND UPLOADED SO HERE'S A SORT OF TOP TEN LIST OF MY PICKUPS IN THE MEANTIME. I WILL LIKELY SHOW THEM ALL OFF AGAIN IN THE SUBSEQUENT POSTS, PLACE YOUR BETS NOW ON HOW MANY JOKES I RECYCLE

HERE'S A FULL PHOTO OF ALL THE PICKUPS. THE PILES AT THE BOTTOM ARE LEFT TO RIGHT:  QUARTER BOX, DIME BOX, FIVE DOLLARS WORTH OF VINTAGE AND THREE FOR A DOLLAR BOX. THAT'S NINE OR TEN POSTS RIGHT THERE DEPENDING ON HOW I DEAL WITH THAT FIVE DOLLAR PILE. THE FIRST CARD IN THE TOP TEN LIST IS WHICHEVER OF THE TWO 1987 FLEER BOX BOTTOM PANALS YOU PREFER. DO YOU LIKE THE BASE PANEL WITH DALE MURPHY? OR PERHAPS THE TOUGH STICKER BOX BOTTOM WITH BOB HORNER? IF YOU CAN'T CHOOSE, THEN CHOOSE BOTH. I WON'T STOP YOU. THIS IS THE ONLY PICTURE YOU'RE GETTING THOUGH BECAUSE I TOOK MULTIPLE SHOTS OF THEM AND THEY ALL TURNED OUT BLURRY FOR SOME REASON AND I'M NOT DOING IT AGAIN

DALE HERE IS THE LAST CARD I NEEDED FOR MY 1981 FLEER SET. THIS IS SOMEWHAT AWKWARD BECAUSE I HAVE A POST LINED UP FOR THE PENULTIMATE AND NEXT-TO-NEXT-TO-LAST CARDS I NEEDED FOR THE SET SCHEDULED IN A COUPLE MONTHS IN MY COMC BLACK FRIDAY POSTS. THEY'RE GOOD CARDS AND YOU'LL FIND OUT WHY THIS WASN'T IN THAT COMC PACKAGE THEN. BUT RIGHT NOW AT THIS VERY MOMENT, THE 81 FLEER BINDER IS COMPLETELY COMPLETE. EXCEPT FOR THIRTY-SEVEN ERROR CARDS. AND ABOUT A HUNDRED AND THIRTY STICKER CARDS. BUT THE SET! IS! COMPLEEEEETEEEE!!!

I LOVE FINDING EXTRA-ODD ODDBALL CARDS IN CHEAPO BOXES I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE AND THIS ONE COUNTS. AT LEAST I THOUGHT I'D NEVER SEEN ONE OF THESE BEFORE BUT IT TURNS OUT IT'S FROM THE 1993-95 SPORTS STARS USA BOOTLEG SERIES THAT I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH. I KNEW I RECOGNIZED THAT CRACKED ICE-STYLE FOIL FROM OTHER CARDS. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THEY GOT AWAY WITH USING LOGOS ON THEIR UNLICENSED SET BUT THE EARLY 90S WERE WILD. THERE'S A SURPRISE ON THE BACK BUT I'LL SAVE THAT FOR THE ACTUAL QUARTER BOX POST

I THINK I AM OFFICIALLY COLLECTING ANY MINOR LEAGUE TRAINER CARDS I FIND FROM NOW ON. NORMALLY WHEN I COME ACROSS AN ABANDONED MINOR LEAGUE TEAM SET IN A DIME BOX I LOOK FOR ANY PLAYERS WHO MADE THE BIGS. THIS TIME I WAS ALL "I HOPE THERE'S A TRAINER, I HOPE THERE'S A TRAINER, I HOPE THERE'S A TRAINER... YES!!" I HOPE BARNEY'S HAVING A GOOD TIME OUT THERE WHEREVER HE IS

THERE WERE A BUNCH OF TOPPS BUNT CARDS IN THE DIME BOX BUT UNFORTUNATELY THEY WERE 2017 BUNT WHICH DON'T CARE FOR.THIS MCCUTCHEN INSERT WAS TOO PRETTY TO LEAVE BEHIND THOUGH. I'M NOT SURE HOW 'IMAGE USED IN AN OBITUARY' ENDED UP BEING THE THEME OF AN INSERT SET BUT I'M GLAD I FOUND THIS ONE

YOU ALWAYS LEARN SOMETHING NEW AT EVERY CARD SHOW. AT THIS SHOW I LEARNED THAT PRESS PASS RELEASED AN ELVIS SET THE YEAR HE WOULD HAVE TURNED 75, AND THAT ELVIS WAS IN A MOVIE WITH MARY TYLER MOORE. I TOOK ONE LOOK AT ELVIS LEERING AT NUN ASS AND KNEW THIS CARD WAS COMING HOME WITH ME. THIS IS THE WILDEST CARD I'VE SEEN ALL YEAR AND I'VE SEEON SOME SHIT

THE AFOREMENTIONED GOAL FOR THIS CARD SHOW WAS TO FINALLY PICK UP SOME 1977 TOPPS CARDS SINCE I'M OSTENSIBLY FOCUSING ON COMPLETING THAT SET THIS YEAR. NEWS FLASH: I AM NOT FINISHING THIS SET THIS YEAR. I WILL BE CHIPPING AWAY AT THE WANTLIST AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY. A HALL OF FAME CARD IS ONE OF THE BIGGER CHIPS OFF THE LIST. OF COURSE I BOUGHT THIS BEAT UP MESS FOR CHEAP INSTEAD OF GETTING A NICE ONE IN EX CONDITION FOR A BUCK OR TWO. THEY BOTH FIT IN THE BINDER POCKET

THIS ONE WAS FROM THE THREE FOR A DOLLAR BOX. THERE WAS A NICE MIX OF OLD BASEBALL BASKETBALL AND HOCKEY IN THERE AND I HAD TO MAKE A LOT OF TOUGH CHOICES AS IT WAS THE LAST BOX I SCROUNGED THROUGH AS I WAS EXITING THE SHOW. THIS WAS NOT A TOUGH CHOICE AS I LOWKEY COLLECT KENTUCKY COLONELS CARDS AS MY FAVORITE ABA TEAM. MY ABA FAVE ARTIS GILMORE IS NOT ON THIS CARD BUT YOU KNOW WHO IS? HALL OF FAMERS JULIUS ERVING AND GEORGE MCGINNIS. JUST PUT DOCTOR J IN YOUR EBAY TITLE AND YOU'LL TRIPLE THE BIDS

ANOTHER DUMB THING I'VE BEEN BUYING A LOT MORE OF LATELY ARE EXCESSIVELY MARKED CHECKLISTS. I DON'T WANT THE ONES WITH HALF THE BOXES NEATLY MARKED, I WANT THE RUINED ONES WITH THREE DIFFERENT COLORS OF PEN INK, PENCIL SCRIBBLES AND DIFFERENT MARKINGS POSSIBLY TO INDICATE DOUBLES OR A SECOND SET. THOSE ARE THE CHECKLISTS I WANT. IT HELPS WHEN THERE'S A HEADSHOT OF A RECENTLY MINTED MVP ON THE CARD AS WELL

1977 TOPPS IS MY OFFICIAL SET BUILDING FOCUS RIGHT NOW BUT 1975 TOPPS IS WAY MORE FUN TO BUY SO I HAVE BEEN DOING JUST THAT. I'M NOT COMPLETING THAT SET THIS YEAR EITHER AS I HAVE SOME DAUNTING ROOKIES AND SOME BIG STARS STILL STARING ME DOWN. NOT THE BIG ROOKIES THANKFULLY BUT THERE'S ABOUT TEN CARDS I WILL HAVE TO ACTUALLY SPEND REAL MONEY ON. THIS WAS THE MOST ICONIC I HAD LEFT THOUGH AND I ALMOST MADE ASCENE WHEN I FOUND IT HIDING AMONGST SOME '75 COMMONS. I HAVE ABOUT FORTY CARDS LEFT FOR THE SET BUT WITH THIS ONE IN THE BINDER WE CAN DEFINITELY SAY I'M ON THE HOME STRETCH NOW

CANADA CUSTOMS BLASTER - PART 1: VINTAGEY GOODNESS

FORGOING THE WEEK IN REVIEW POST AGAIN AS I WAS SICK AS A DOG MOST OF THE WEEK AND NO ONE NEEDS A POST LIKE 

BEST SLEEP I HAD THIS WEEK

IT WAS THE NIGHT I GOT DESPERATE AND TOOK A SHOT OF NYQUIL, BY THE WAY. NOT A WHOLE LOT HAPPENED. I SLEPT A LOT, READ A MYSTERY NOVEL, FARTED ABOUT MOSTLY. THOSE POSTS MIGHT END UP A BI-WEEKLY AFFAIR ANYWAY. HOWEVER! THIS IS IN SOME WAY A WEEK IN REVIEW POST AS ON TUESDAY DURING THE TWO-HOUR PERIOD WHERE I WAS ACTUALLY AWAKE THIS ARRIVED:

A BRAND NEW PACKAGE FROM BASEBALLCARDSTORE.CA WITH ALL THE STUFF I GOT FROM LATE NOVEMERISH TO THE MIDDLE OF JANUARY. THE US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION AGENCY KNEW MY PICKUPS WERE PRETTY AWESOME AND HAD THEMSELVES A PEEK AT THEM. THERE WERE EVEN A COUPLE CARDS I DIDN'T BUY SITTING ON TOP! I AM HORRIBLY BACKED UP ON DRAFT POSTS AND I HAVE DECREED TO MYSELF THAT I AM POSTING EVERY PACKAGE AS IT COMES IN SO THE ONLINE BLASTER CARDS FROM LAST YEAR ARE GOING TO BE POSTED ALONG WITH THE ONLINE BLASTER CARDDS FROM THIS YEAR CONCURRENTLY. THE MORE RECENT BLASTERS HAVE SOME WILD STUFF I WANT TO SHOW OFF BADLY ANYWAY. WHAT WILL THIS MEAN WHEN THE NEXT PACKAGE COMES IN AND I STILL HAVE 15 POSTS LEFT FOR THIS ONE? THAT'S FUTURE ME'S PROBLEM. IN THE MEANTIME I HAVE SORTED THIS SUCKER INTO APPROPRIATELY THEMED POSTS. DON'T WORRY, THERE'S STILL QUITE A FEW CHAOS POSTS, I HAVEN'T GOTTEN THAT FOCUSED YET. WE'RE GONNA START WITH THE GOOD GOOD STUFF

CATEGORY: VINTAGE WANTLIST

THIS IS EVERYTHING ON GOOD OL' FASHIONED CARDBOARD I PICKED UP FOR MY WANTLIST. THERE IS A LOT OF VINTAGE POSTED TO THE SITE AND IT KINDA KILLS ME NOT TO PICK IT ALL UP BECAUSE I'VE ALREADY COMPLETED EVERY TOPPS SET FROM THE 80S AND HALF FROM THE 70S. HOCKEY AND FOOTBALL SETS HAVE NOT BEEN COMPLETED THOUGH. AND THE FIRST TWO CARDS HERE ARE ONES I DIDN'T EVEN BUY! I HAVE KEPT A SOMEWHAT DETAILED LIST OF CARDS I PICK UP EVER SINCE I BOUGHT MY FOURTH 1993 TOPPS MADDUX/CLEMENS ALL STAR CARD AND THESE TWO AIN'T ON THAT LIST. A LITTLE BONUS FOR BEING A GOOD CUSTOMER PERHAPS? I APPRECIATE IT A LOT BECAUSE I LOVE THESE TWO SETS 

1985-86 TOPPS HOCKEY KEVIN DINEEN RC

EVER SINCE I DISCOVERED I HAD OVER 90% OF THE 85-86 TOPPS SET I'VE BEEN LOOKING TO FINISH THAT ONE UP. WELL, FINISH IT UP EXCEPT FOR THE MARIO LEMIEUX ROOKIE. I HAVE A REPRINT FOR THAT ONE. THE GRETZKY WON'T BE SUPER CHEAP BUT I HAVE ALREADY SCOPED OUT PRICES ON COMC AND MOST OF THE REST CAN BE HAD FOR UNDER A BUCK EACH. PLUS YOU NEVER KNOW, I MIGHT GET LUCKY AT A CARD SHOW WHERE A ROGUE HOCKEY SELLER SHOWS UP. DINEEN WAS A PRETTY DANG GOOD PLAYER AND ROOKIES ARE ALWAYS A LITTLE TOUGHER TO PICK UP. PLUS THAT WHALERS LOGO IS AWESOME AND LOOKS GREAT ON 80S PRINTING

1984-85 TOPPS HOCKEY DAVE ANDREYCHUK RC

ANOTHER ROOKIE CARD! OF A HALL OF FAMER!!THIS IS SUPER COOL AS I HONESTLY LIKE THE 84-85 DESIGN EVEN BETTER THAN 85-86. BUT I NEED 60 CARDS FOR 84-85 AND ONLY 20 FOR 85-86 AND I'M LAZY, LOL. HEY, HOCKEY CARDS AREN'T EXACLY COMMON IN GEORGIA! THIS SET REMINDS ME A LOT OF THE 1983 TOPPS SET AND I THINK IT'S KINDA NEAT THAT THE PORTRAIT ON THIS CARD IS THE SAME ONE USED ON HIS O-PEE-CHEE TEAM LEADER CARD

1984-85 TOPPS HOCKEY EDDIE MIO

EDDIE'S NOT A ROOKIE CARD BUT APPARENTLY IT'S A SHORT PRINT? I AM LEARNING EXACTLY NOW THAT THIS SET HAS SHORT PRINTS. OOF. GOALIE CARDS ARE GREAT AND THIS IS A GOOD LOOKING ONE. THE RED WINGS ARE KINDA SORTA MY NHL TEAM NOW SINCE MY HOMETOWN TEAMS KEEP RUNNING AWAY. NO REAL REASON OTHER THAN I LIKE THEIR LOGO AND ENJOYED PLAYING THE WINGS ON NHL 93 ON MY SUPER NINTENDO. SPEAKING OF RED WINGS THE YZERMAN ROOKIE IS ONE I STILL NEED FOR THIS SET, BUT I PICKED UP A REPRINT CARD OFF THE SITE A WEEK OR TWO AGO THAT MIGHT BE FILLING IN FOR THE TIME BEING

1984-85 TOPPS HOCKEY GLEN HANLON

ANOTHER SHORT PRINT? I HAD TO CHECK OUT THIS SHORT PRINT BUSINESS AND THERE'S 66 IN THE SET, PROBABLY DUE TO HOW THEY WERE LAID OUT ON THE PRINTING SHEETS. I ALREADY HAVE 40 OF THEM AND I'M HONESTLY FAR MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE TWO GRETZKYS AND ROOKIES I NEED. HANLON HERE KNOCKS OFF ANOTHER GOALIE CARD. THIS IS DEFINITELY ONE OF THE HANDFUL OF HOCKEY SETS I KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR AND I'LL PICK AWAY AT IT SLOWLY BUT SURELY

1987-88 TOPPS HOCKEY BOB MURRAY

1987 TOPPS HOCKEY ALSO DOES THE WOOD GRAIN BORDER, KINDA. I LIKE THIS DESIGN FOR IT'S SIMPLICITY. HOCKEY STICK, HOCKEY PUCK AND A LITTLE COLORFUL CORNER FOR THE POSITION. VERY ELEGANT. I DON'T HAVE A TON OF CARDS FOR MOST TOPPS HOCKEY SETS SO HAVE NOT TAKEN THE TIME TO WANTLIST THEM YET. SO WHEN I SEE A VINTAGE CARD ON THE SITE LIKE THIS I HAVE TO LOOK AT THE CARD NUMBER AND DIG THROUGH MY CARDS TO SEE IF I NEED IT. I NEED TO FIX THIS SOON BECAUSE IF I DO END UP AT THAT CARD SHOW WITH THE ROGUE HOCKEY DEALER AND DO NOT HAVE THEM I WILL LIKELY START CRYING RIGHT THEN AND THERE. IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHY I FOCUS ON TOPPS AND NOT O-PEE-CHEE CARDS IT'S BECAUSE I HAVE HARDLY ANY O-PEE-CHEE CARDS LOL

1989-90 TOPPS HOCKEY JOHN VANBIESBROUCK

THIS IS THE FIRST HOCKEY SET WHERE I SAW A TON OF PACKS BEING SOLD EVERYWHERE. I DIDN'T TAKE ADVANTAGE AND BUY ENOUGH TO GET CLOSE TO THE SET, BUT I HAVE A FEW AND I STILL SEE LOOSE PACKS HERE AND THERE. THIS IS A PRETTY WILD DESIGN FOR THE LATE 90S, I GUESS THE SIDE BORDERS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SHIMMERY ICE OR SOMETHING? I GOT ANOTHER GOALIE HERE, I'VE BEEN A FAN OF THE BEEZ FOR A WHILE AND PICKED UP A LOT OF HIS PANTHERS CARDS IN THE 90S. I SHOULD REALLY PUT TOGETHER THIS WANTLIST, SURE IT HAS 198 CARDS INSTEAD OF 165, BUT THAT JUST MEANS IT HAS DOUBLE PRINTED CARDS INSTEAD OF SINGLE PRINTS

1983 TOPPS FOOTBALL KEN ANDERSON RECORD BREAKER

I HAVE DECIDED THAT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER I AM COMPLETING A 1980S FOOTBALL SET THIS YEAR SOMEHOW. THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE TO THIS GOAL IS SIMPLY DECIDING WHICH ONE. I NEED LESS THAN 20 CARDS FOR NO LESS THAN 4 SETS: 1983, 1985, 1986 AND 1988. 88 IS CLOSEST BUT I'M MISSING THE BO JACKSON ROOKIE, BUT NOT REALLY CARD THAT IS EXPENSIVE AS HELL AND I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIND IN A STORE AT ANY PRICE. 1983 HAS SENTIMENTAL VALUE AS IT WAS THE FIRST FOOTBALL SET I REALLY TRIED TO BUILD. PLUS MARCUS ALLEN'S ROOKIE CARD IS WAY CHEAPER THAN BO'S. THE ACTUAL FIRST SET I COMPLETE WILL PROBABLY BE 1985 OR 1986 THOUGH AS I CAN PROBABLY PICK UP THE REST OF THOSE SETS FOR LESS THAN A PACK OF TOPPS. THE PLAN IS TO CHECK THE LOCAL CARD SHOPS AND A CARD SHOW FIRST TO SEE WHAT I CAN FIND AND THEN KNOCK OUT THE REST ONLINE. I PUT A HURTIN' ON 1983 HERE THOUGH INCLUDING THAT IMPORTANT CARD #1

1983 TOPPS FOOTBALL JETS TEAM LEADERS

A WEIRD QUIRK OF COLLECITNG THIS SET IS THAT EVEN THOUGH I OPENED A BUNCH OF PACKS BACK IN THE DAY A WHOLE BUNCH OF THE LAST CARDS I NEEDED WERE TEAM LEADER CARDS. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY, THESE AREN'T EVEN CHECKLISTS THAT I MIGHT'VE WRECKED BACK THEN. MY BEST GUESS IS I JUST HAD WEIRD LUCK AND DIDN'T GET THEM OR USED THEM AS TEAM CARDS FOR SOME FORGOTTEN FOOTBALL GAME. ANOTHER BIT OF STRANGENESS ON THESE CARDS IS THAT DUE TO THE STRIKE THERE WERE ONLY 9 GAMES PLAYED IN 1982 SO THE LEADER TOTALS ARE PRETTY ANEMIC, EVEN FOR OLD-SCHOOL FOOTBALL. EVEN THE ROTTENEST TEAMS HAVE A PLAYER WHO GOT A THOUSAND YARDS SOMEWHERE

1983 TOPPS FOOTBALL STEELERS TEAM LEADERS

HELL YEAH STEELERS. ANY FRANCO HARRIS CARD IS AWESOME EVEN IF IT'S A TEAM CARD. I KNOW I DIDN'T HAVE THIS CARD AT ANY POIINT BECAUSE FRANCO WAS ONE OF THE FEW PLAYERS I KNEW ABOUT AS A KID AND I WOULD HAVE REMEMBERED IT

1983 TOPPS FOOTBALL CHARGERS TEAM LEADERS

CHUCK MUNCIE CARDS WITH THE BIG CHUNKY GLASSES ARE EXHIBIT A ON WHY 70S AND 80S FOOTBALL CARDS KICK ASS. I APPRECIATE WES CHANDLER GETTING A THOUSAND YARDS RECEIVING IN A STRIKE YEAR AS WELL. GOOD JOB, WES

1983 TOPPS FOOTBALL WILLIAM ANDERSON STICKER

I'D ALSO LIKE TO COMPLETE THE 80S FOOTBALL INSERT SETS BUT THESE 1983 STICKERS ARE KINDA TOUGH AND THE ONES I HAD WHEN I WAS A KID LOST THEIR STICKY AND THE BORDERS STARTED FALLING OFF. I'M PRETTY CERTAIN I HAVE THIS WILLIAM ANDREWS CARD ALREADY BUT THIS ONE STILL HAS ITS STICK SO I'M COOL WITH DOUBLES IF THAT'S THE CASE

1975 TOPPS TONY PEREZ

HA HA HA! I LULLED YOU INTO COMPLACENCY WITH A BUNCH OF HOCKEY AND FOOTBALL CARDS AND THEN DROPPED THE 1975 HALL OF FAMER CARD ON YA! THIS ISN'T EVEN THE FIRST 1975 HALL OF FAMER I'VE GOTTEN ON THE SITE! JUST WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE THOSE. THE MORE I INSIST I AM WORKING ON THE 1977 SET, THE MORE 1975 CARDS JUMP OUT AT ME. I SHOULD PROBABLY JUST ACCEPT I DON'T HAVE THE FOCUS TO COMPLETE EITHER SET THIS YEAR AND JUST TRY TO WHITTLE DOWN THE WANTLISTS FOR BOTH THE BEST I CAN. WHITTLE THE WANTLISTS AND COMPLETE THE PAGES

I COULDN'T DO A VINTAGE POST WITHOUT A COMPLETED PAGE, NOW COULD I. HOORAY! I'M NOW JUGGLING FOUR DIFFERENT WEEKLY SERIES! FIVE IF YOU INCLUDE THE WEEK IN REVIEW! NEXT WEEK IN PREVIEW: WRITING A LOTTA POSTS

For the Price of a Rack Pack...

...I got all this out of bargain bins at a card show last month. It's like I made my own vintage 1960 card rack pack!

Let's start the post with a Post. A '60 Topps Post. Now I want to find a 1962 Post Wally Post so I can write a post about a Post Post.

Pete Runnels with the Boston Sock Monster logo. Pete is also useful for your '60s ballcard fantasy team since he has multi-positional eligibility and you don't need to write in 2B in pencil because you ran out of second basemen.

Old Barve alert! I already had this card but I needed another one because I am a team set collector which is daft but the card was cheap so leave me alone. One can never have too many Felixes.

Ede Ihr of the dang rotten stupid Posey was out stinkin lousy Giants. Back in the '60s the Giants were sad sacks who always got their hearts broken and how I long for those days to come again. Oh well, go ahead and print up those Giants 2016 World Champion shirts and beat the rush.

Dick pic! Look at the colors on this card. Look at that portrait of Dick staring off into space while his black & white doppelganger watches intently. Look at how the letters in his name are just all over the place like a 7 year old pasted them in like stickers. Look at that stoned-ass Cubs logo. That bear is blazed, I tell you.

Tito! With a cheek full of North Carolina's entire tobacco crop from 1959. Throw in Virginia's crop with the black & white pic. Notice Chief Wahoo is still wearing his American League crown from 1954.

Red and yella, black and white. This card doesn't need any more colors than that, thank you very much. And as far as my '60s card fantasy team is concerned Sammy and Pete Runnels got the whole infield covered.

Jim O'Toole won 81 games for the Reds from 1960-1964 and you don't even know who the heck he is you cretins. "That's because wins is a bullshit stat" you say. Fine then. 21.5 WAR during that time period if you like newfangled stats. I'm not even discussing Vada Pinson with you because someone will throw out the term "Hall of Very Good" and I'll have to punch that someone in the face.

ANOTHER SOCK MONSTER ZOMG. Here's Jerry Casale and I don't know who he is because I'm a cretin too. I'm sure AdamE will tell me because he wants me to trade Jerry to him but Jerry's going in my set so sorry Adam.

Not the Hall of Fame Earl Averill, but his kid which is close enough. With the Super Rare Catcher-Third Base position eligibility. Also that catcher's mitt may in fact be a black hole.

Barry Latman. If his name was Larry Batman he wouldn't be a pitcher. He'd be a CRIMEFIGHTER. Also of note is the fact that the Chicago White Sox used the Pegasus Boots from the Legend of Zelda games as their team logo, decades before the first game came out in 1986. Which didn't even have the Pegasus Boots as an item. Makes you think.

SERIOUSLY THE GIANTS WERE FAR LESS OBNOXIOUS A TEAM (no offense, Night Owl) BEFORE THEY BECAME A FRIGGIN DYNASTY AND SHIT. Here's Hobie the Catcher.
Hobie Hobie Hobie.
It's fun to say Hobie.

Gus is offended by all the Giants I picked up at the card show. I couldn't help it, I needed them for my set. Yeah, I'm building a set of 1960 Topps, you wanna fight about it? Also, cartoon Orioles are adorable.

Jose Pagan plays the Infield! All of it! ALL OF IT

Is it just me or does that uniform look shady. That B on the cap is off. The Sox didn't have stripes on their sleeves. Holy cow that's a '60 photoshooped Cubs uniform. Airbrushed, even. Buzzing Bear replaced by Menacing Sock Monster. Oh, the deception we card collectors have to endure.

Howcome Ted didn't get the airbrush treatment?? "Ah, it's just the Phillies, no one cares about them", says the Topps Airbrush artist as he kicks off work early to get a beer. A single tear rolls down the cheek of an  executive at Fleer headquarters in Philadelphia as he examines his competitor's product. "I shall have my revenge" he mutters through gritted teeth. REVEEEEEENGE

Dangit another stinking Giant. Wait... another fluffy cute Oriole? I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING ANYMORE. This is more confusing than the numbering on 2014 Topps Update.

But wait... Every rack pack always has some inserts!

Rookie Stars! 26 years of Major League experience between these guys when it was all said and done. Not bad for a highish series floaty head rookie combo card.

MVPs! Yogi and Campy. Back when catchers were The Man. Also of note is Campanella with the imaginary card created 20 years later because Topps was in a death battle with Bowman at the time and couldn't make a card for him. It's good to have a monopoly.

Yaz had a rookie card in 1960 Topps and here he is on a '70s card with bitchin' sideburns. Eat yer heart out Milhaus.

Waddya think? Should I have just picked up a rack pack of Topps from Wally World? I didn't get a single parallel in this pack and everyone loves those after all.