WASTING SOME MONEY AT THE FLEA MARKET - PART 3: KID'S STUFF

HERE'S THE GRAND FINALE OF THE FLEA MARKET POSTS. PART 1: RANDOM JUNK, PART 2: BASEBALL IMMORTALS, NOW ON TO PART 3: SILLY RABBIT, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS FOR KIDS

I FEEL LIKE I SAY THIS EVERY TIME I POST SOMETHING I GOT FROM THE LAST BASEBALL CARD SELLER LEFT AT MY LOCAL FLEA MARKET, BUT IF YOU'RE WILLING TO DIG DEEP, YOU CAN FIND SOME COOL DEALS AMONG THE OVERPRICED JUNK WAX. THIS LITTLE PACKAGE HERE WAS PRICED AT 6 CARDS FOR THREE BUCKS. FIFTY CENTS A CARD. WITH JESSE OWENS ON THE FRONT! NOT BAD. PLUS THERE WERE MORE THAN SIX CARDS IN THE PACK, I GUESS HE JUST KEPT PUTTING MORE IN THERE. WHILE I DO NOT SPECIFICALLY COLLECT SI FOR KIDS CARDS, I'VE ACCUMULATED A FEW THROUGH THE YEARS AND THIS SEEMED LIKE A GOOD PICKUP FOR THE PRICE OF A RETAIL PACK YOU CAN'T EVEN BUY ANYMORE THANKS TO FLIPPERS

FIRST CARD: 1990 JESSE OWENS. SI FOR KIDS SETS ARE A GREAT PLACE TO FIND CARDS OF PEOPLE WHO PARTICIPATED IN SPORTS OTHER THAN THE BIG TEAM SPORTS. JESSE HAS 163 CARDS PER TCDB GOING BACK TO 1936, SO IT'S NOT LIKE HE HAS NO OTHER CARDS OUT THERE, BUT OWENS IS SO ICONIC ANY CARD OF HIM IS A GOOD ONE. I WASN'T AWARE THAT SI FOR KIDS EVEN MADE CARDS BACK WHEN I WAS STILL TECHNICALLY A KID BUT IT WOULDN'T HAVE MATTERED BECAUSE AT THAT AGE I WANTED THE ACTUAL MAGAZINE, NOT SOME BABY STUFF EVEN IF THERE WERE CARDS IN THERE

SECOND CARD: 1991 RON GANT. GOODNESS GRACIOUS, LOOK AT THAT BORDER. WE ARE TRULY IN THE 1990S. I KNEW I WAS BUYING THE PACK WHEN I SPOTTED THIS ONE, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S A DECENT CHANCE I ALREADY HAVE IT. THIS CARD IS FRESH OFF HIS 30/30 YEAR. GANT WAS SO DAMN GOOD, THAT ATV ACCIDENT IS ONE OF THE GREAT TRAGEDIES OF THE ATLANTA SPORTS CURSE

THIRD CARD: 1990 GORDIE HOWE. I'M SLOWLY BUT SURELY GETTING SOME OF MY HOCKEY CARDS SORTED OUT IN HOPES OF MAYBE UNLOADING THEM SOME TIME SOON BUT GORDIE IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES AND I'VE BEEN PICKING OUT ANY OF HIS THAT I FIND. I SADLY HAVE NO VINTAGE ONES BUT HE'S GOT A TON OF CARDS ON INSERTS AND LEGENDS SETS FROM HIS POST-PLAYING DAYS

FOURTH CARD: 1990 WILMA RUDOLPH. THE DECEMBER 1990 ISSUE OF SI FOR KIDS HAD AN ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC LINEUP OF TRADING CARDS. CHECK IT OUT: BILLIE JEAN KING, JESSE OWENS, WILT CHAMBERLAIN, PELE, JACKIE ROBINSON, BABE DIDRICKSON ZAHARIAS, BABE RUTH, GORDIE HOWE AND WILMA RUDOLPH. NOT GOING TO FIND A MUCH BETTER LINEUP THAN THAT. I ALREADY HAVE A COUPLE OTHER WILMA RUDOLPH CARDS FROM OLYMPICS SETS BUT SHE DOESN'T HAVE TOO MANY CARDS OUT THERE AND THIS IS A NICE LOOKING ONE WITH THAT WOOD BORDER

FIFTH CARD: 1989 OZZIE SMITH. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO SHORTAGE OF OZZIE SMITH CARDS, BUT THEY'RE ALL PRETTY COOL NEVERTHELESS. THIS MIGHT BE MY OLDEST SI FOR KIDS CARD NOW AND I'M IMPRESSED THAT THEY USED THESE FUNKY BORDERS AS EARLY AS 89

SIXTH CARD: 1990 SCOTTIE PIPPEN. BASKETBALL CARDS WERE STILL SOMEWHAT OUTSIDE OF THE MAINSTREAM IN 1990. THIS IS A PRETTY NICE EARLY CARD OF SCOTTIE. THAT'S THREE HALL OF FAMERS, TWO OLYMPIC LEGENDS AND A BRAVES FAVORITE IN THE SIX-CARD PACK. EVERYTHING ELSE IN HERE IS GRAVY

CARD SEVEN: 1990 MICHELLE GILMAN. THIS IS THE ONLY MICHELLE GILMAN CARD EVER CREATED BECAUSE HER TWO SUBSEQUENT SI FOR KIDS CARDS CAME OUT AFTER SHE GOT MARRIED AND BECAME MICHELLE GOULD. IF YOU WANT THE ROOKIE CARD OF THE GREATEST RAQUETBALL PLAYER EVER, YOU NEED THIS ONE. I'M A LITTLE MIFFED SHE GOT A BASKETBALL TRIVIA QUESTION ON HER CARD INSTEAD OF ONE FOR RAQUETBALL LIKE ON HER OTHER CARDS. I DON'T CARE THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO TIE IN HER HOME STATE OF OREGON, THAT STILL SEEMS A LITTLE DISRESPECTFUL. SPOILER: THIS IS MY FAVORITE CARD IN THE PACK BY FAR AND I'M NOT KIDDING

EIGHTH CARD: 1990 GEORGE BRETT. ANOTHER HALL OF FAMER FROM A MISSOURI BASED TEAM. JUST NOTICING NOW THAT SI FOR KIDS KEPT THE SAME BORDER FROM 1989 TO 1990 BUT CHANGED THE COLOR FROM BLUE TO GREEN. WHO KNEW 1991 DONRUSS WAS RIPPING OFF SI FOR KIDS?

LAST CARD: 1990 TONY HAWK. SO. UHHH. APPARENTLY THIS IS TONY HAWK'S GODDAMN ROOKIE CARD*. I JUST LOOKED AT SOME ONLINE PRICES FOR THIS THING AND HOLY FUCKING SHIT. I CAN UNDERSTAND IT THOUGH, IT IS THE FIRST CARD OF THE MICHELLE GOULD OF SKATEBOARDING AFTER ALL. MAY I REMIND YOU, THIS WAS AN EXTRA CARD ON THE BACK OF THE PACK. I KINDA FEEL A LITTLE BAD NOW BUT I DIDN'T PRICE THE THING AND THAT PACK HAD BEEN SITTING IN A CASE FOR A HOT MINUTE WHEN I FOUND IT. YOU GOTTA KEEP DIGGING AT YOUR LOCAL FLEA MARKET, KIDS. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT DEALS YOU MIGHT FIND

*ROOKIE CARDS ARE FAKE AND MADE UP AND TOTALLY A MARKETING SCHEME AND I'M A JUST A LITTLE BIT GLAD THEY HAVE COMPELTELY BRAINWASHED THE POPULACE AT THE MOMENT

WASTING SOME MONEY AT THE FLEA MARKET - PART 2: IMMORTALS

A BRIEF RECAP OF MY LAST WASTING MONEY AT THE FLEA MARKET POST - I FOUND SOME BOXES OF OLD HALL OF FAME CARDS, PICKED UP A VINTAGE FLEER CARD, A FEW INSERTS OUT OF FIFTY CENT BOXES AND NABBED A GINTER MINI INSERT OF A FISH. THE STAN MUSIAL INSERTS WERE NOT THE ONLY THING I GOT FROM THE FIFTY CENT HALL OF FAME BOX, I ALSO FOUND THESE:

A BIG HONKIN' PILE OF BASEBALL IMMORTALS CARDS! I LOVE THE HELL OUT OF THESE THINGS AS THEY WERE RELEASED RIGHT AS I STARTED COLLECTING AND WERE EVERYWHERE FOR A WHILE BUT THEY WERE ALSO TOO EXPENSIVE FOR ME TO PICK UP A SET SO I HAVE TO ADMIRE THEM FROM AFAR. OTHER THAN THE RANDOM ONES I PICKED UP IN CARD COLLECTOR KITS OR RANDOM JUNK BAGS FROM TOYS R US. I FOUND THIRTEEN OF THEM AND NOW YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THEM ALL

AAWWWWW YEAAAAH ERNIE BANKS IN THE CHEAP(ish) BOX AND NOT THE EXPENSIVE BOX. I KNOW THE ENTIRE SET IS HALL OF FAMERS BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF STAR STARS IN THIS PILE AND IT'S NICE TO GET THEM REASONABLY CHEAP. SO APPARENTLY THIS SET IS TECHNICALLY CALLED 1980-1987 SSPC HALL OF FAME. I'VE ALWAYS KNOWN IT AS BASEBALL IMMORTALS, THERE AIN'T NO SSPC ANYWHERE ON THAT CARD

ANOTHER CHEEP BIG SOOPASTAR IN WHITEY FORD. HE'S MAYBE NOT QUITE IN THAT TOP TOP TIER OF HALL OF FAMERS BUT BUT HE'S A YANKEE SO THAT BUMPS UP THE PRICES A SMIDGE. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THESE BACKS. THE YELLOW IS VERY SOOTHING AND THE BIO WRITEUPS ARE GREAT. THE TRIVIA QUESTION ON THIS CARD MAKE ME THINK THAT THIS RECORD HAD TO HAVE BEEN BROKEN BY NOW WITH ALL THE DINGERS FLYING OUT THE PARKS LATELY. SURPRISIINGLY THE CURRENT RECORD IS HELD BY FELLOW HALL OF FAMER BERT BLYLEVEN WITH 50 IN 1986. PITCHERS ARE GIVING UP MORE HOME RUNS BUT THEY SURE AREN'T THROWING AS MANY INNINGS

OUT OF ALL THE CARDS IN THIS LOT THIS WAS THE ONLY ONE I ALREADY HAD. WELL ALMOST. THERE WERE TWO OTHER CARDS THAT WERE DOUBLES BUT NOT QUITE THE SAME. IF YOU INSIST ON MASTER SETS, THIS ONE IS A NIGHTMARE. EVERY ORIGINAL SERIES BASE CARD HAS THREE DIFFERENT VERSIONS: 1ST PRINTING WITH A MLB LOGO NEXT TO THE CARD NUMBER, 1ST PRINTING WITH NO MLB LOGO, AND NO FIRST PRINTING OR MLB LOGO ON THE BACK. THEN THERE'S SOME EXTRA ERROR CARDS FOR SOME PLAYERS AND THE HIGH NUMBERED UPDATE CARDS HAVE THEIR OWN WEIRDNESS. BUT THIS DUKE IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS MY OTHER DUKE 

THIS IS ONE OF THE AFOREMENTIONED HIGH NUMBERS AND YES, THERE IS WEIRDNESS. FIRST OF ALL, THIS WAS ANOTHER DOUBLE. I HAD BROCK ALREADY - BUT WITH A YELLOW AND GREEN BORDER. THIS IS HOW I FOUND OUT THERE WERE COLOR VARIATIONS ALONG WITH THE 1ST PRINTING AND LOGO NONSENSE. NOT EVEN COUNTING THE HANDFUL OF ERRORS FROM THE ORIGINAL SET, THAT IS WAY TOO MANY VARIATIONS. LUCKILY, THE ONLY COLOR VARIATIONS ARE IN THE SECOND UPDATE OF HALL OF FAMERS ELECTED IN 1985 AND 1986. IF YOU LOOK AT THE NAME AND DATE TEXT ON THE FRONT YOU'LL NOTICE IT IS SLIGHTLY SMALLER THAN THE TEXT ON THE ORIGINAL SERIES CARDS. DIFFERENT TEXT ON THE UPDATE SERIES CARDS IS GOING TO BE A THEME, SO PREPARE YOURSELF. ALSO WHILE THE REST OF THE SET IS MORE OR LESS ORDERED BY THE YEAR OF INDUCTION TO THE HALL OF FAME, THIS SECOND SERIES HAS THE 1986 INDUCTEES BEFORE THE 1985 INDUCTEES. AND JUST FOR GOOD MEASURE THE YEAR IS WAY OFF CENTER IN THE PENNANT ON THIS CARD. SO MUCH WEIRDNESS

ALSO SOMETHING I JUST NOTICED WHILE TYPING THIS UP - SSPC DITCHED THE TRIVIA QUESTION FOR THE SECOND AND THIRD UPDATES. I WAS WONDERING WHY THE BACKS LOOKED SO BARREN

CY FREAKIN YOUNG. SO HALL OF FAMERY HE'S GOT AN AWARD NAMED AFTER HIM. THIS PHOTO'S GOTTA BE THE ONE USED ON HIS T206 PORTRAIT CARD, RIGHT? IT'S EVEN GOT THE SAME GREEN BACKGROUND

ALL RIGHTY, HERE WE GO. OUR FIRST CARD FROM THE FIRST UPDATE SERIES FEATURING PLAYERS INDUCTED INTO THE HALL OF FAME FROM 1981-1984. DO YOU NOTICE A DIFFERENCE? ARE YOUR EYES BLEEDING YET? YEP, THAT'S RIGHT, THEY USED A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FONT FOR THE TEXT ON THE UPDATE CARDS. EXCEPT SERIES TWO, WHICH WENT BACK TO THE ORIGINAL FONT, JUST SMALLER. EVEN THE 1ST PRINTING LINE IS DIFFERENT! IT'S IN UPPER AND LOWERCASE NOW. NEXT TIME YOU SEE A TOPPS REPRINT OR ARCHIVES CARD WITH HORRIBLY BUTCHERED TEXT REMEMBER THE SSPC HALL OF FAME UPDATES AND SHED A SINGLE TEAR 

RAJAH IS THE SECOND BRAVES PLAYER IN THIS LOT ALONG WITH CY YOUNG. THIRD IF YOU COUNT KING KELLY WHO IS THE TRIVIA ANSWER ON CY'S CARD. HE'S ANOTHER INNER CIRCLE HALL OF FAMER KINDA GUY BUT DOES ANYONE REALLY THINK ABOUT HIM ANYMORE? OR MOST OF THE PRE-INTEGRATION GUYS FOR THAT MATTER

300 WINS, TWO WORLD SERIES RINGS, TWO TRIPLE CROWNS, AN MVP AWARD AND PROBABLY WOULDA HAD A FEW CY YOUNGS IF THEY EXISTED WHEN HE PITCHED. DAMN GOOD PITCHER. I WAS ABOUT TO MAKE A SNARKY JOKE ABOUT HOW NOWADAYS HE WOULDN'T GET ELECTED UNTIL LIKE THE 6TH BALLOT BUT I CHECKED THE ACTUAL VOTE TOTALS AND IT DID TAKE HIM FOUR BALLOTS TO GET IN. AND THEN HE GOT SIX MORE VOTES IN 1960 FOR NO APPARENT REASON. IT'S REALLY HARD TO SNARK ON A PROCESS THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN SO FUCKED UP

THIS IS THE SECOND ONE THAT I KINDA ALREADY HAD BUT ALSO SORTA DIDN'T. NO DIFFERENCE ON THE FRONT THIS TIME BUT MY OTHER STAN MUSIAL HAS A SMALL MLB LOGO TO THE LEFT OF THE CARD NUMBER. THAT'S THE ONLY ONE I HAVE WITH THE MLB LOGO, I HAVE NO IDEA IF THEY ARE SCARCE OR NOT AND I DON'T REALLY EVEN WANT TO KNOW. IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TWO OF THE SAME CARD, YOU CAN DO WORSE THAN STAN THE MAN

ANOTHER 1ST UPDATE DODGER CARD. GREAT CARD BUT THE PLAYER NAME WEIRDS ME OUT

 P E E   W E E   R E E S E

I LIKE THAT THE TRIVIA QUESTIONS FOR THE UPDATE CARDS ARE ABOUT THE PLAYER ON THE CARD. I HAVE NO IDEA IF THE REST OF THE QUESTIONS ARE THE SAME AND AM TOO LAZY TO FIND OUT. CHECK YOURSELF AND LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENTS*

EARLY WYNN IS GREAT BECAUSE HE'S A HALL OF FAMER BUT EVEN THE GREEDIEST SELLERS KINDA FORGET HE IS ONE EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE SO IT'S EASY TO PICK UP HIS CARDS CHEAP. HE'S GOT SOME GOOD LOOKING CARDS TOO, I'M ESPECIALLY FOND OF HIS 1960 TOPPS #1 CARD. LIKE LEFTY, HE WON EXACTLY 300 GAMES IN HIS CAREER. THAT LAST SEASON WITH CLEVELAND WASN'T IN VAIN

"CATFISH" HALL OF FAME CARD FROM THE THIRD AND LAST UPDATE IN 1987. THE FONT CHANGES YET AGAIN, BACK TO THE SERIFS FROM THE FIRST UPDATE, JUST SLIGHTLY SMALLER. IT'S PROBABLY A GOOD THING THEY STOPPED MAKING UPDATES, IF THEY KEPT ON SWITCHING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN STYLES AND MAKING THE TEXT SLIGHTLY SMALLER EACH TIME IMAGINE HOW TINY THE LETTERS WOULD BE BY THE LATE 90S

IT'S STILL MAKES ME LAUGH THAT BASEBALL OWNERS USED TO HAVE SO MUCH DAMN CONTROL OVER THEIR PLAYERS THEY COULD LITERALLY GO UP TO A PLAYER AND SAY FUCK YOU, YOUR NAME IS "CATFISH" NOW. GOD BLESS MARVIN MILLER

START WITH A CUB, END WITH A CUB. MAYBE THE MOST DISAPPOINTING THING ABOUT THIS SET IS THE FACT IT IS COMPLETE AT 199 CARDS, MEANING THE LAST PAGE IN A BINDER WOULD BE POOR RAY DANDRIDGE ALL BY HIMSELF.  IF I GET TO THE POINT WHERE I HAVE ENOUGH OF THESE CARDS TO PUT IN PAGES I WILL PROBABLY FILL OUT THAT LAST PAGE WITH SOME BIG LEAGUE CHEW HOME RUN LEGENDS CARDS, WHICH HAS AN ALMOST IDENTICAL DESIGN. I HAVE SIX OF THEM INCLUDING A HANK AARON I ACTUALLY PULLED FROM A POUCH MYSELF! IT GOT KINDA MOOSHED INSIDE THE POUCH BUT A FIRST PACK-PULLED HANK CARD IS NOTHING TO SNEEZE AT. IF I SOMEHOW COMPLETE THAT SET I'LL HAVE TO IMPROVISE. MAYBE SOME ACTUAL 1975 CARDS, PERHAPS?

THIS POST TOOK A WHILE TO FINISH AND IN THE MEANTIME I GOT MY ACT TOGETHER AND ADDED MY NEEDS TO A WANTLIST. PLEASE NOTE I ALREADY HAVE TWO OR THREE PEOPLE OFFERING ME CARDS NOW THAT I AM BACK TO POSTING  AND UNFORTUNATELY I AM BUSY AND LAZY AND IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER DOLDRUMS SO IT MIGHT BE A BIT BEFORE I RESPOND. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

*LOOK AT ME, DRIVING ENGAGEMENT. IT'S LIKE I'M A REAL INTERNET INFLUENCER

WASTING SOME MONEY AT THE FLEA MARKET - PART 1: RANDOM JUNK

DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND MY CONTROL I DID NOT GET TO GO TO THE FLEA MARKET ALL SUMMER LONG. KIND OF A DICK MOVE BECAUSE ONE OF THE SELLERS HAD SEALED COPIES OF TOPPS MAGAZINE AND I TOLD HIM I WAS INTERESTED IN MORE AND THEN GHOSTED HIM. I FINALLY GOT BACK AT THE BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER AND IMMEDIATELY DROPPED TWENTY BUCKS ON RECORDS. MY RECORD PLAYER DOESN'T EVEN WORK AT THE MOMENT. I SAVED A COUPLE BUCKS FOR SOME WEIRD JUNK AT THE CARD BOOTH THOUGH. HERE'S THE ODDBALL STUFF THAT DIDN'T FIT IN WITH THE REST

1960 FLEER JIMMY FOXX

ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I LOOKED AT WAS A COUPLE BOXES OF OLD HALL OF FAME CARDS. ONE BOX WAS FILLED WITH STUFF THAT WAS 50 CENTS A POP, YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF THAT IN THIS AND THE NEXT POST. THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE WHERE CARDS WERE PRICED AS MARKED. JUST ABOUT EVERY CARD IN THESE BOXES WERE FROM LEGENDS SETS FROM THE 80S TO 00S. ONE CARD HOWEVER WAS FROM A 60'S LEGEND SET

I'M NOT GOING TO BE ARROGANT ENOUGH TO CONSIDER MYSELF AN EXPERT AT AUTHENTICATING VINTAGE CARDS. I'VE SEEN A TON OF THEM THOUGH AND I HAVE A PRETTY GOOD FEEL FOR WHEN THEY ARE REAL. PRETTY SURE THIS ONE'S AUTHENTIC, IT'S GOT THE LOOK THE FEEL AND THE SMELL OF A VINTAGE 1960 FLEER CARD, ALTHOUGH I DON'T SEE MANY IN DECENT CONDITION LIKE THIS ONE. FOR SOME REASON THIS WAS PRICED AT TWO BUCKS. NOW, PRICES AT THIS PLACE ARE CHAOTIC AT BEST BUT I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT WAS THAT CHEAP 

2011 TOPPS THE LOST CARDS STAN MUSIAL '55 AND '57

IN 2011 TOPPS HAD A SMALL INSERT SET FEATURING MOCK UPS OF BIG NAME CARDS THAT WERE MISSING FROM VINTAGE TOPPS SETS OF THE 50S

IT'S A PRETTY NICE LITTLE SET, FILLED WITH BIG NAMES ALTHOUGH 40% OF THE SET IS STAN MUSIAL. STOOPID BOWMAN

MIXED IN AMONG THE LEGENDS CARDS WERE THESE TWO LOST CARDS OF STAN MUSIAL. I KNEW I HAD SOME OF THESE CARDS BUT HAD NO IDEA WHICH ONES I WAS MISSING. I THREW CAUTION TO THE WIND AND GRABBED THEM BOTH

GOT HOME, TOOK A LOOK AND NEEDED THEM BOTH. THINGS WORK OUT SOMETIMES!

1996 SCORE SELECT TEAM NUCLEUS - GARY SHEFFIELD, CHARLES JOHNSON, ANDRE DAWSON

I'M A SUCKER FOR ANY 90S INSERTS, ESPECIALLY ONES THAT ARE SHINY AND FOILY AND PLASTIC. THIS HAD BEEN HIDING IN A DIFFERENT 50 CENT BOX FOR A VERY LONG TIME AND I FINALLY RESCUED IT. THIS IS A HEAVY LINEUP OF PLAYERS FOR THE MARLINS, CHARLES JOHNSON WAS THEIR FIRST DRAFT PICK AND AN ALL-STAR, SHEFFIELD WAS AWESOME EVEN THOUGH NO ONE LIKES HIM BUT ME, AND HAWK IS A HALL OF FAMER. IT'S KIND OF BITTERSWEET SEEING THEM ALL ON A TEAM NUCLEUS CARD AS DAWSON WOULD RETIRE AFTER THE 96 SEASON AND SHEFF AND CHARLES WOULD GET TRADED TO THE DODGERS IN THE FIRE SALE TWO YEARS LATER

1996 UPPER DECK RUN PRODUCERS TIM SALMON

90S INSERT: CHECK. DIE CUT: CHECK. WEIRD SUPER THICK TWO TIERED DESIGN: CHECK. BOTTOM LAYER IS RED FOIL: CHECK. TOP LAYER HAS SPOT COATING OF A WEIRD WAXY PLASTICY SUBSTANCE THAT KINDA SORTA HAS THE TEXTURE OF HOME PLATE: CHECK. ALSO IN THE RANDOM 50 CENT BOX THAT IS 90% BASE CARD OF MINOR STARS FROM THE EARLY 90S: CHECKITY CHECK CHECK CHECK

I BOUGHT A LOT OF UPPER DECK IN 1996 AND I'M GOING TO BE HONEST, THE COMBINATION OF A SUPER THICK CARD THAT WAS ALSO DIE CUT MEANT THAT THESE INSERTS WERE SUPER EASY TO FIND USING ILLICIT MEANS. AS A RESULT I HAVE QUITE A FEW OF THEM AND I PROBABLY ALREADY HAD THIS ONE. I COULDN'T PASS IT UP JUST FOR THE NOSTALGIA VALUE HOWEVER. BY THE WAY THE WEIRD PLASTIC TEXTURE IS ALSO ON THE HOME PLATE ON THE BACK. YOU'RE ONLY GETTING THAT ATTENTION TO DETAIL ON AN INSERT CARD IN THE 90S, THAT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN TODAY

2021 ALLEN & GINTER MASCOTS IN REAL LIFE MARLIN

I NO LONGER HAVE THE MEANS TO BUY A CRAPTON OF ALLEN & GINTER PACKS EVERY YEAR TO ACCUMULATE A GOOD MIX OF MINI INSERTS BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN I DON'T STILL LOVE THEM. THEY ARE VERY TRICKY TO FIND THOUGH AND I TRY TO SNATCH THEM UP WHENEVER THEY CROSS MY PATH. THIS IS MY FIRST MINI INSERT OF ANY KIND FROM 2021 GINTER, WHICH IS GOOD. IT ALSO MEANS I NEED TO FIND A NEW SHEET TO PUT IN THE MINI INSERT BINDER, WHICH IS BAD

ALLEN AND GINTER HAD ALREADY DONE A FULL SIZED INSERT SET OF MASCOTS IRL A COUPLE YEARS EARLIER BUT I SEE NO PROBLEM WITH REPEATING IT FOR THE MINI CROWD. I AM SAD THAT MY OWN TEAM'S MASCOT IS ENTIRELY INAPPROPRIATE FOR SUCH A SET. IF YOU IGNORED THE HISTORICAL LOGO AND USED BLOOPER AS THE MASCOT IN REAL LIFE HE IS BASICALLY A BEIGE SHAG CARPET SO THAT'S NOT A GREAT SUBJECT FOR A MINI CARD. BIG FISHIES ARE COOL HOWEVER, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE A GREAT DISLIKE FOR THE ACTUAL TEAM. I DID NOT NEED TO KNOW THAT THEIR FISHIE NOW HAS BUSHIER EYEBROWS, THAT JUST SEEMS ODD

STAY TUNE FOR PART TWO: THE IMMORTALS