ONLINE MEGA BOX - PART 30

SO MUCH FOR SPEEDRUNNING THE REST OF THIS BOX LOL. HERE'S A FEW GINTER MINIS WHICH ARE STOOPID HARD TO FIND UNDER THE BEST CONDITIONS. WE'LL START OUT WITH AN ICKY BUG

CATEGORY: MINIS, INSERTS

2015 ALLEN & GINTER A WORLD BENEATH OUR FEET - CALLETA SILKMOTH CATERPILLAR

AROUND 2014 MY SUPPLY OF ALLEN & GINTER PACKS AND CHEAP SINGLES DRIED UP QUICKLY SO I HAVE BEEN FORCED TO COLLECT DIFFERENTLY SINCE THEN. WHILE I AM WORKING ON COMPLETING A FEW OLDER GINTER MINI SETS THE MAIN GOAL GOING FORWARD SINCE 2014 HAS BEEN TO GET JUST ONE DAMN MINI INSERT CARD AS A TYPE CARD FOR EACH SET. I COULD DO THIS QUITE EASILY IF I WENT ONLINE BUT I USUALLY FOCUS ON OLD AND ODDBALL CARDS WHEN I BUY ON COMC. THIS MEANS I HAVE TO RELY ON FATE DROPPING SOME MINIS IN MY LAP. THIS TIME SHE DROPPED A BUG IN MY LAP, WHICH IS USUALLY PRETTY GROSS BUT THIS LITTLE GUY IS KINDA CUTE. I WANT IT OFF MY LAP THOUGH, SHOO

I REALLY LIKE HOW THE NUMBERING PREFIX FOR THIS SET IS BUG-. TOPPS GETS IT RIGHT SOMETIMES. THIS TURNED OUT TO NOT BE MY FIRST BUG CARD AS I ALREADY HAD FIVE OTHER CRITTERS BUT I WILL NEVER TURN DOWN A MINI INSERT JUST BECAUSE I HAVE ONE ALREADY

2019 ALLEN & GINTER IN BLOOM - BUTTERFLY BUSH

THIS ONE DID WIND UP BEING MY FIRST TYPE CARD FOR THIS SET. I GOT THIS ONE MIXED UP WITH AN OLDER SET THAT HAD WILDFLOWER SEEDS EMBEDDED INTO THE CARD SO IF YOUR COLLECTION GETS WIPED OUT IN A FLOOD YOU'LL AT LEAST GET SOME FLOWERS GROWING OUT OF YOUR BINDER. THERE ARE A LOT OF GINTER INSERTS SO I'M NOT SURPRISED THEY ARE RECYCLING SUBJECTS NOW

THIS WAS A REALLY PRETTY CARD, THEN I TURNED IT OVER TO DISCOVER THAT THIS BUSH IS AN INVASIVE SPECIES WIPING OUT THE ENVIRONMENT. I WISH THIS REALLY DID HAVE SOME SEEDS IN IT SO I COULD PLANT IT IN AN ATTEMPT TO CROWD OUT ALL THE WEEDS IN MY YARD WITH PRETTY BUTTERFLY FLOWERS

2020 ALLEN & GINTER 9 WAYS TO FIRST - FIELDER'S CHOICE 

THERE'S NOT A TON OF GINTER MINI INSERTS WITH A BASEBALL THEME BUT THEY'VE BEEN DOING MORE OF THAT THING RECENTLY. THIS SET SHOWS OFF ALL THE WAYS A BATTER CAN GET ONTO FIRST BASE. I CAN'T REMEMBER IF THEY GOT IT RIGHT OR FORGOT ONE BUT IT'S A NEAT LITTLE SET

I ALREADY HAD HIT BY PITCH SO NO TYPE CARD THIS TIME. I DON'T MIND BECAUSE THIS WOULD BE A FUN ONE TO BUILD

2022 ALLEN & GINTER BEARING FRUIT - LUCUMA

I ONLY HAD ONE OTHER MINI INSERT FROM 2022 AND IT WAS THE PRICKLY PEAR FROM THIS SET. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT A LUCUMA IS SO LET'S FLIP THE CARD AND FIND OUT

I STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS AND WILL PROBABLY NEVER EAT ONE SO IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER. MY ALLEN & GINTER CARD FROM THE 1800S WITH A FRUIT THEME IS A QUINCE, ANOTHER FRUIT I WAS WHOLLY UNFAMILIAR WITH SO THIS ONE PAIRS NICELY WITH IT. AS A CARD, NOT A FOOD, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT EITHER TASTE LIKE

2022 ALLEN & GINTER DUCKS - SCOTER

QUACK! IT'S A DUCK! I LIKE HOW ON ALL THE OTHER INSERTS THERE'S THIS LARGE ELABORATE SET NAME PLASTERED ON THE CARD WHILE HERE IT'S JUST A DUCK. NO TITLES, JUST DUCKS. WHAT ELSE COULD IT BE? DUCK CARDS NEED NO LABELS

THERE'S NOT EVEN A TITLE ON THE BACK, WHICH IS VERY UNUSUAL FOR A GINTER CARD. SOME OF THE BEST DESIGNS ON ANY GINTER CARD IS THE ELABORATE TITLE ON THE BACK BUT NOT HERE. DUCKS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES

QUACK.

2022 ALLEN & GINTER BASEBALL LEXICON - WEB GEM

THIS IS ANOTHER BASEBALL THEMED MINI SET BUT THIS ONE'S A LITTLE MORE ABSTRACT. BASEBALL TERMS ARE DEPICTED LITERALLY ON THE CARD WHICH WORKS REALLY WELL FOR CAN OF CORN OR GOLDEN SOMBRERO BUT NOT SO MUCH FOR WORM BURNER OR PICKLE. THE WEB GEM HERE IS PROBABLY THE PRETTIEST CARD IN THE SET AND MAKES A NICE TYPE CARD

 I CAN HEAR THE BACK OF THIS CARD EVEN THOUGH I HAVEN'T WATCHED BASEBALL TONIGHT IN MAYBE A DECADE. THIS WILL LOOK GOOD IN THE BINDER BUT I HAVE NO ROOM CURRENTLY AND WILL NEED TO PICK UP SOME NEW PAGES TO PUT ANY CARDS FROM AFTER 2018 IN THERE. I MAY HAVE AN LCS POST COMING UP SOON

UP NEXT: EASING BACK INTO THE CHAOS WITH SOME MORE ALLEN & GINTER

ONLINE MEGA BOX - PART 29

IT'S MINI TIME WOOOOOOOO! IT WAS MINI TIME LAST POST TOO BUT THIS IS ALLEN & GINTER MINI TIME WHICH MEANS WE NOW GET TO PLAY "DOES THIS CARD MAKE THE FRANKENSET?" YOU'D THINK I'D KNOW THIS ALREADY SINCE I FINALLY GOT A NEED LIST TOGETHER FOR MY BASE, A&G BACK AND BLACK BORDER SETS BUT HONESTLY I PICKED OUT THESE CARDS WITH THE ONLY CRITERIA BEING 'OH HEY, THAT'S COOL' AND DISREGARDED THE NUMBERS ON THE BACK COMPLETELY

CATEGORY - MINIS

THE MAJORITY OF CARDS IN MY GINTER MINI BINDERS ARE FROM 2013 AND EARLIER SO ANY RECENT MINIS AUTOMATICALLY GET AN EDGE. ALSO VERY FEW CARDS AREN'T GETTING REPLACED BY JOEY VOTTO 

DID THIS CARD MAKE THE FRANKENSET?

YES

JOEY BOUNCED A 2013 IAN KINSLER MINI. SORRY IAN

ANOTHER 2019 MINI, THIS DESIGN HAS AN EXTRA EDGE BECAUSE OF THE LARGER PHOTO THAT TAKES UP ALMOST THE ENTIRE CARD. THIS REALLY MAKES THESE CARDS STAND OUT AGAINST SOME OF THE OTHER DESIGNS. PLUS BILLY HAMILTON PLAYED FOR THE BRAVES FOR LIKE A WEEK AND A HALF. LONG ENOUGH FOR ME TO REMEMBER HE WAS A BRAVE AT LEAST

DID THIS CARD MAKE THE FRANKENSET?

YES

BILLY REPLACES A 2014 JAY BRUCE MINI. I DON'T HAVE AS MANY 2014 CARDS IN THE BINDER BUT THE GIGANTIC TEAM NAME AT THE TOP OF THE CARD REALLY SQUASHES THE PHOTO. GIANT BILLY OR TINY JAY WASN'T A FAIR FIGHT

YOU ALREADY KNOW TODD HELTON'S IN THAT BINDER, WHO'D HE REPLACE

DID THIS CARD MAKE THE FRANKENSET?

YES - WITH REGRETS

THIS CHOICE WAS TOUGH. YEAH THIS CARD LOOKS GREAT AND IS OF A FRESHLY MINTED HALL OF FAMER BUT THE OTHER CARD NUMBER 105 IN THE BINDER WAS A 2006 ANDY PETTITTE MINI. PETTITE IS ARGUABLY AS GOOD AS HELTON AND IS FROM THE VERY FIRST ALLEN & GINTER SET. WELL, NOT THE FIRST FIRST ALLEN & GINTER SET BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. THE MAIN REASON ANDY GOT BUMPED IS THAT THERE WERE THREE OTHER 2006 MINIS ON THAT PAGE ALREADY. FRANKENSETTING IS HARD SOMETIMES

I DON'T THINK MARTIN MALDONADO WAS MY FIRST 2022 MINI, BUT IT WAS MY FIRST 2022 SHORT PRINT MINI. I HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT IF THIS IS A GOOD DESIGN YET BUT IT SURE IS A LOT OF DESIGN

DID THIS CARD MAKE THE FRANKENSET?

YES

MARTIN REPLACES A 2009 JUSTIN MASTERSON MINI. THERE'S ALREADY AN '09 CARD ON THE PAGE SO UNLIKE ANDY JUSTIN WON'T BE MISSED

IN 2019 TOPPS SOMEHOW GOOFED THE NUMBERING SO BADLY ON THE SET THAT THERE WERE NO CARDS 301-350 AND THE SHORT PRINTS WERE NUMBERED 351-400. HOW THIS HOPPEN? WHO THE HELL KNOWS. THIS SCREWS UP MY FRANKENSET CONCEPT PRETTY BADLY SINCE THE WHOLE POINT OF THE EXERCISE IS TO BUILD A SET NUMBERED UP TO 350 WITH ONE CARD PER NUMBER. I WILL NOT LET TOPPS' SHENANIGANS RUIN MY FUN SO FOR THE SHORT PRINTS OF VICTOR ROBLES AND JORDAN HICKS I MENTALLY SUBTRACTED 50 FROM THEIR CARD NUMBERS. I WILL NOT FORGIVE TOPPS FOR MAKING ME DO MATH

DID THIS CARD MAKE THE FRANKENSET?

NO

CARD NUMBER 361-50 = 311 WHICH IN THE BINDER IS 2007 DAVID ROSS. FORMER BRAVES PLAYER IN FULL CATCHER'S GEAR? NOT BEATING THAT WITH A WONKY NUMBERED CARD.

JORDAN HICKS IS A CARDINAL WITH A GOOFED UP CARD NUMBER. THAT'S TWO STRIKES ON HIM ALREADY

DID THIS CARD MAKE THE FRANKENSET?

NO

CARD NUMBER 355-50 = 305. THAT'S A 2008 RANDY JOHNSON MINI. STRIKE THREE 

JUST LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS. I MEAN, C'MON TOPPS. IT'S OBVIOUS WHICH OF THESE MADE THE BINDER

THE NEXT THREE CARDS ARE ALLEN & GINTER PARALLEL BACKS. THESE HAVE AN ADVANTAGE TO GET IN THE BINDER BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE NEARLY AS MANY OF THESE AS THE BASE MINIS. I'M NOT TOO FAMILIAR WITH TYLER KEPNER'S WORK BUT HIS BOOK A HISTORY OF BASEBALL IN TEN PITCHES IS ONE I'M INTERESTED IN CHECKING OUT

DID THIS CARD MAKE THE FRANKENSET?

YES

TYLER WAS UNCONTESTED AND FILLED AN EMPTY SPACE IN THE BINDER. HOORAY!

I HAVE SO MANY JAVIER BAEZ CARDS AND I DONT' EVEN COLLECT THE GUY. I DON'T HAVE MANY 2021 MINI CARDS AT ALL

DID THIS CARD MAKE THE FRANKENSET?

YES

ANOTHER EMPTY POCKET TO FILL. WAIT, HAVE I MARKED THESE TWO CARDS OFF MY WANTLIST YET?? 😬

THIS CARD OF HILARY KNIGHT WAS THE ONE I THOUGHT WOULD BE THE AUTOMATIC CHOICE FOR THE BINDER. AN ACTUAL WORLD CHAMPION CHOMPING HER OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL? THIS IS THE KIND OF CARD THAT MAKES ALLEN & GINTER WHAT IT IS!

DID THIS CARD MAKE THE FRANKENSET?

YES - AGAIN WITH RESERVATIONS

THIS CARD WAS DEFINITELY IN THE BINDER UNESS IT WAS TRYING TO KNOCK OUT SOMEONE LIKE HANK AARON OR PELE SO A 2008 CARD OF CARLOS PENA DIDN'T STAND A CHANCE. HOWEVER I STILL FELT BAD REMOVING A CARD WITH THE ORIGINAL OLD PLANTER BACK. CARLOS LOOKS REALLY SAD TO BE LEAVING THE BINDER AS WELL. SACRIFICES MUST BE MADE

I MEAN - LOOK AT THAT GOOFY LOGO THAT LOOKS MORE LIKE CAG THAN A&G. I REMOVED OLD PLANTER FOR THAT. REGRETS.

THE LAST FOUR BASE MINIS ARE BLACK BORDER PARALLELS AND I HAVE EVEN LESS OF THOSE (OR IS IT FEWER? YELL ABOUT MY GRAMMAR IN THE COMMENTS) THAN THE A&G BACKS. IT'D BE GREAT IF ALL FOUR FILLED UP EMPTY SPACES BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN I IGNORED MY WANTLIST. ALSO ONCE AGAIN JAVY BAEZ SHOWS UP. HOW DO I GET SO MANY OF HIS CARDS??

DID THIS CARD MAKE THE FRANKENSET?

YES

JAVY'S GOT THAT EMPTY POCKET LUCK TODAY

I INCLUDE THESE RACK PACK EXCLUSIVE GOLD BORDER CARDS IN WITH THE BLACK BORDERS BECAUSE I'M SURE NOT STARTING A FOURTH MINI FRANKENSET FOR THE DAMNED THINGS. I STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANY OF THE GINTER X MINIS OR THE CHROME, LORD KNOWS WHAT I'LL DO WITH THOSE. THEY BOTH HAVE THE FANCY VICTORIAN WROGHT IRON FENCE BORDERS IT'S JUST ONE IS PAINTED BLACK AND ONE IS GILDED. NAME THIS ONE THE FENCE SET AND WE'RE GOOD. THIS FENCE DESIGN IS EXTRA FINICKY FOR 2019. POOR DAVID BOTE LOOKS LIKE HE'S TRAPPED IN AN ARISTOCRAT'S FANCY GARDEN PARTY WONDERING HOW TO MAKE SMALL TALK WITH THE GRAND BARONESS OF GILDERSLEEVE

DID THIS CARD MAKE THE FRANKENSET?

YES

MORE EMPTY POCKET MOJO FOR THE CUBS

MATT CARPENTER IS GIVING ME THE STINK EYE AFTER PUTTING TWO CUBS IN THE BINDER. 'YOU'RE GONNA PUT ME IN THE BINDER TOO, RIIIIGHT?'

DID THIS CARD MAKE THE FRANKENSET?

NO

A 2013 DEREK HOLLAND BLACK MORDER MINI BLOCKS MATT. I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE PUT MATT IN, I ALREADY HAD A 2013 CARD OF ANDRE DAWSON ON THE PAGE, BUT THE COMBINATION OF AN ACTUAL BLACK BORDER CARD THAT WAS ALSO ONE OF THE LAST ONES THAT ACTUALLY HAD A MOSTLY SOLID BLACK BORDER AND NOT A FANCY GARDEN FENCE 

THE 2022 BLACK BORDER PARALLELS LOOK A LOT LIKE THE BASE CARDS JUST WITH A LITTLE EXTRA OOMPH. I DO LIKE THE CHANGE THOUGH, THE PATTERN LOOKS MORE LIKE A FANCY EMBOSSED LEATHER BOUND BOOK THAN SOMETHING TO PUT AROUND THE HYDRANGEAS TO KEEP THE RABBITS OUT. MICHELLE WIE WEST IS ALSO A BREATH OF FRESH AIR AS A RECENT A&G NON-BASEBALL SUBJECT WHO ACTUALLY PLAYS A SPORT AND ISN'T AN INFLUENCER OR YOUTUBER OR PODCASTER

DID THIS CARD MAKE THE FRANKENSET?

YES

THIS ONE BUMPED A 2014 CARD OF CARL CRAWFORD. 2014 WAS THE FIRST YEAR OF THE FIDDLY NOT-COMPLETELY-JET-BLACK BORDERS AND I REALLY DON'T CARE FOR THE DESIGN. IT ALSO LETS YOU KNOW VERY CLEARLY HOW OFF CENTER YOUR CARD IS. NAW, GET OUT 

BONUS! A PIC OF THE COMPLETED PAGE WITH VOTTO AND HELTON

EXTRA BONUS! ALL THE REJECTS

I'M SORRY OLD PLANTER, PLEASE FORGIVE ME...

UP NEXT: MOAR MINIS BUT INSERTS!

ONLINE MEGA BOX - PART 28

A MINI POST FOR SOME MINI CARDS. ENJOY THE TINY

1993 HUMPTY DUMPTY RICKEY HENDERSON

CATEGORY: RICKEY, ODDBALL

MINI RICKEY! AWW HELL YEAH. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT THIS WAS BUT NABBED IT BECAUSE RICKEY AND I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO WAY TO JUDGE THE SIZE OF THESE THINGS BY LOOKING AT A PICTURE SO HERE'S A STANDARD SIZED CARD FOR REFERENCE

SORRY LOU. YEAH, THESE ARE TEENSY, AROUND THE SIZE OF THOSE OLD CRACKER JACK CARDS FROM THE EARLY 90S. THERE'S A SURPRISING AMOUNT CRAMMED ON THE BACK THOUGH

HUMTY DUMPTY IS A BRAND OF SNACKS IN CANADA AND NEW ENGLAND AND THESE CARDS WERE INSERTED INTO POTATO CHIP BAGS IN 1993. I HAD HOPED TO FIND A PICTURE OF A BAG ADVERTISING THE CARDS ON THEM BUT MY GOOGLE-FU HAS BEEN WRECKED BY CRUMMY AI SO I STRUCK OUT. THEY ARE NEAT LITTLE CARDS AND WHEN MORE APPEARED ON THE SITE I GOT MYSELF A LITTLE SAMPLE OF THE 51 CARD SET

HERE'S A LITTLE GROUP OF BRAVES AND STARS INSIDE THE ORIGINAL PACKAGING. THEY ARE SUPER NEAT BUT I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE HOW BEST TO SHOW THEM OFF. MAYBE SOME 50'S BOWMAN SHEETS PERHAPS

2014 PANINI WORLD CUP STICKERS JUAN CARLOS PAREDES, LUKAS PODOLSKI, SHERDAN SHAQIRI

CATEGORY: WANTLIST

I GOT CLOSER TO COMPLETING THE 2014 WORLD CUP STICKER ALBUM THAN I HAD ANY PREVIOUS STICKER ALBUM EVER BUT THAT MEANS I WAS STILL MISSING A TON OF STICKERS BECAUSE THESE THINGS ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO COMPLETE WITHOUT A HUGE BANKROLL. I'M DOWN TO A COUPLE DOZEN NOW I THINK WHICH WOULD BE PRETTY COMPLETABLE IF I HAD THE FOCUS TO KNOCK IT OUT WHICH I DON'T. I'M HAPPY WITH STICKING THESE THREE IN THE ALBUM, ESPECIALLY ARSENAL ALUMNI LUKAS PODOLSKI

1990 UPPER DECK NEW YORK METS HOLOGRAM STICKER

CATEGORY: WANTLIST

SLOOOOOOOOOOOWLY WORKING ON THOSE UPPER DECK HOLOGRAM SETS I SHOULD HAVE FINISHED 30 YEARS AGO IF I DIDN'T DISCARD THE THINGS LIKE A FOOOLISH FOOL. THIS ONE WAS A DEVIL TO TAKE A GOOD PICTURE OF TOO, THE LITTLE METS BRIDGE FLOATS IN FRONT OF THE SKYLINE BASEBALL AND WIGGLES AROUND WHEN YOU MOVE THE STICKER. THIS LOOKS REALLY COOL IN PERSON AND DOESN'T PHOTOGRAPH WORTH SHIT

2019 GOODWIN CHAMPIONS BEN SIMMONS MINI

CATEGORY: MINI

I STOPPED FINDING GOODWIN CHAMPIONS IN GOOD SUPPLY AROUND 2016 OR SO. IT'S A TREAT WHEN I FIND SOME IN A DIME OR QUARTER BOX AND DOUBLY SO WHEN IT'S A MINI CARD. BEN SIMONS WAS A MUCH BIGGER DEAL WHEN THIS CARD WAS ORIGINALLY PULLED FROM A PACK BUT SINCE THEN TRAE YOUNG ENDED THIS MAN'S WHOLE CAREER. AD FAR AS I CAN TELL BEN IS STILL INJURED ON THE NETS' BENCH BUT I'LL STILL HAVE GOOD MEMORIES WHEN I SEE THIS CARD

2011 QYPSY GUEEN GEORGE SISLER MINI

CATEGORY: MINI, BRAVES, SHORT PRINT

I'M NOT CRAZY ABOUT THIS SET BUT I LIKE THIS FIRST RELEASE THAT RIPPED OF THE DESIGN FROM THE 1800S. HALL OF FAMER GEORGE SISLER SPENT THE VAST MAJORITY OF HIS CAREER IN ST. LOUIS BUT GOT SHOWN IN A BRAVES UNIFORM ON THIS CARD. EVEN THOUGH HE PLAYED THE TAIL END OF HIS CAREER IN BOSTON HE WAS STILL OUTRAGEOUSLY GOOD, HITTING .340 IN 1928. THAT DOESN'T HOLD A CANDLE TO HIS 1922 MVP SEASON WHERE HE HIT A BLAZING .420 BUT STILL WAY BETTER THAN HIS OTHER TEAMMATES NOT NAMED ROGERS HORNSBY. I ALSO LIKED THIS CARD FOR THE BACK

THIS IS A RED BACK MINI VARIATION WITH A NICE LADY WHOM I ASSUME IS A QUEEN. THIS IS THE EASIEST MINI PARALLEL TO PULL BUT I LOVE MINI CARDS WITH ODDBALL BACKS LIKE THIS ONE. THAT'S ALL FOR TODAY, BUT YOU ASK - WHERE'S THE ALLEN & GINTER?!?

UP: NEXT: THE ALLEN & GINTER

BLACK FRIDAY COMC PICKUPS - PART 48: UNEXPECTED MINIS

AS I TYPE THIS, ARSENAL IS TOP OF THE LEAGUE. THEY ARE ALSO UTTERLY FUCKED AND ARE GOING TO GOING TO BE IN SECOND PLACE BY THE TIME THIS POST GOES UP. BUT RIGHT NOW, FIRST PLACE, BAYBEE! WHILE SCROUNGING AROUND FOR OLD ENGLISH FOOTBALL CARDS I STUMBLED ACROSS A SET THAT WAS REALLY FAMILIAR BUT HAD NOT SEEN BEFORE. I ALSO MANAGED TO FIND AN AFFORDABLE ADDITION TO MY VINTAGE ARSENAL COLLECTION! AND ASTON VILLA. AND TEAM WALES

1981-82 TOPPS ENGLISH LEAGUE FOOTBALL PAUL DAVIS, PETER NICHOLAS, PETER WITHE

 SO THIS LOOKS KINDA FAMILIAR IF YOU'VE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS BLOG. TOPPS TOOK THE THREE MINI PANEL IDEA THEY USED IN 1980-81 BASKETBALL AND USED IT IN THEIR ENGISH FOOTBALL LEAGUE SET. AND THEY DID IT TWICE! THEY DID IT IN 1980-81 WITH A SET WITH PINK-BACKED PANELS AND THEN AGAIN IN 1981-82 WITH THESE BLUE-BACKED CARDS. BEFORE YOU START TO THINK THESE CARDS WERE MORE OF A SUCCESS ACROSS THE POND, THIS 81-82 SET ENDED UP BEING TOPPS' LAST ENGLISH LEAGUE SET AND MAYBE THE LAST MAINSTREAM CARD SET FOR ENGLISH FOOTBALL UNTIL PRO SET IN 1990. AS FAR AS I CAN TELL PANINI AND MERLIN STICKERS RULED THE ROOST ALL THROUGH THE 80S. UNLIKE THE BASKETBALL SET THE SOCCER VERSION DID NOT HAVE TWO DIFFERENT VARIATIONS FOR EACH PANEL TO DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF CARDS NEEDED FOR A MASTER SET. JUST 66 PANELS FOR THE 198 MINI CARDS IN 80-81. THE BLUE SET HAS A 187 MINIS ON 65 PANELS SOMEHOW SO 8 MINI CARDS ARE TO BE DOUBLE PRINTED INCUDING ARSENAL'S PAT JENNINGS. THIS MEANS NOTHING TO ME UNLESS I DECIDE TO LOSE MY MIND AND START BUILDING TEAM SETS FOR THESE THINGS BUT I'M GOING TO WORK ON JUST GETTING A TYPE CARD OF THESE SETS FOR THE TIME BEING

SO WHO ARE THESE GUYS ANYWAY. I DUNNO, LET'S FIND OUT TOGETHER. PETER WITHE WAS A PRETTY SUCCESSFUL STRIKER WHO SCORED A BUNCH OF GOALS IN THE 70S AND 80S, WON A COUPLE ENGLISH LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS AND SCORED THE ONLY GOAL IN THE EUROPEAN CUP FINAL AGAINST BAYERN MUNICH IN 1982. HE ALSO PLAYED A SEASON WITH THE NASL PORTLAND TIMBERS WHICH IS PRETTY COOL. I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED TO FIND PETER NICHOLAS WAS ALSO AN ARSENAL PLAYER WHEN HE WASN'T MOONLIGHTING WITH THE WELSH NATIONAL TEAM. HE PLAYED FOR A LONG TIME AND HAD HIS BEST SUCCESS WITH CRYSTAL PALACE. PETER LATER BECAME A MANAGER AND WON THE WELSH PREMIER LEAGUE WITH LLANELLI IN 2008. PAUL DAVIS WAS THE REASON I BOUGHT THE CARD, MAINLY BECAUSE HIS PANEL SAID ARSENAL ON IT. THIS TURNS OUT TO BE PAUL'S ROOKIE CARD, FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH. DAVIS PLAYED A TON OF GAMES FOR ARSENAL FROM 1980-1995 AND WON A COUPLE OF LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS AND A FEW CUPS WHILE ON THE TEAM. HE'S ONE OF THE FEW ARSENAL PLAYERS FROM LAST CENTURY WHOSE NAME I RECOGNIZED WHILE SCROUNGING THROUGH THE SOCCER LISTINGS AND THAT COMBINED WITH THIS NEAT LOOKING VERSION OF THE PANEL CARDS I LIKE SO MUCH MADE THIS AN EASY PICKUP. NOW I JUST NEED TO RESIST THE URGE TO BUY A SET OF THE STUFF. TWO SETS, ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW I'LL NEED AN EXTRA ONE TO RIP INTO MINIS

BLACK FRIDAY COMC PICKUPS - PART 22: KNUCKLEHEADS

 M-M-M-MORE M-M-M-MINIS! THIS ONE ISN'T A PRE-WAR VINTAGE CIGARETTE CARD BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN

2013 PANINI GOLDEN AGE THE THREE STOOGES COMEDY ACT AMERICAN CARAMEL MINI

ONE OF MY COLLECTING FAILS IS THAT I STILL HAVE NEVER PICKED UP A VINTAGE FLEER THREE STOOGES CARD. I'VE HAD A COUPLE CHANCES TO GET ONE BUT EVERY TIME I BALKED AT THE PRICES. MAYBE I WAS JUST BITTER THAT THERE'S NO SHEMP CARDS* IN THE SET? PANINI GOLDEN AGE DID HAVE A CARD OF THE SHEMP TEAM IN MINI VERSION YET SO I GRABBED. PANINI GOLDEN AGE IS SO WEIRD, A RETRO-STYLE SET PACKED WITH POP CULTURE GOODNESS THAT SEEMED TO BE EVERYWHERE FOR THREE YEARS AND THEN POOF, IT WAS GONE. LARRY, MOE AND CURLY ALL GOT CARDS IN 2012 ALONG WITH A STOOGES CARD WITH ALL THREE AND THERE WAS THIS CARD IN 2013 ALONG WITH A 9 CARD INSERT SET FEATURING SOME OF THEIR SHORT SUBJECTS. SHEMP IS UNFAIRLY MALIGNED AS A STOOGE AND HIS CARDS ARE HARD TO FIND SO I JUMPED ON THIS QUICK WHEN I SAW IT

THE BACK IS A RIFF ON THE 1910 E-90 BASEBALL CARD BACK. THIS ONE IS BLUE, THEY ALSO COME WITH RED INK. MINI'S WERE ONE PER PACK AND THERE WERE SIX OR SEVEN DIFFERENT FLAVORS AND I CAN'T FIND ODDS FOR ANY OF THEM ANYWHERE SO WHO KNOWS IF THIS IS SCARCE OR NOT. FUNNY THING IS TOPPS HAS THEIR OWN AMERICAN CARAMEL MINI PARALLEL DESIGN IN 2010 TOPPS 206. YOU CAN COLLECT AT LEAST FOUR DIFFERENT CARDS WITH THIS BACK IF YOU SO CHOOSE. I ALSO HAVE AN ATLANTA BRAVES SHIRT THAT INCORPORATES THIS DESIGN ALBEIT VERY SUBTLY. AMERICAN CARAMEL IS WAY MORE POPULAR THAT I IMAGINED

*NO JOE BESSER EITHER BUT THERE ARE A FEW CURLY JOE CARDS? THAT'S THE MOST GALLING PART, NO SHEMP, BUT CURLY JOE. ANOTHER THING THAT SURPRISED ME IS JOE BESSER HAS EXACTLY ZERO CARDS BEFORE A 1997 THREE STOOGES SET. WHILE BESSER IS NOT EXACTLY THE MOST BELOVED STOOGE HE IS DEFINITELY A GREAT COMEDIAN AND WAS VERY FUNNY ON ABBOTT AND COSTELLO AND JACK BENNY PROGRAMS AND WITH HIS OWN SET OF SHORTS. LOONEY TUNES RIPPED OFF HIS MANNERISMS IN SEVERAL CARTOONS, IF THAT'S NOT CONFIRMATION YOU'VE MADE IT I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS

OMG I JUST LOOKED UP SHEMP AND THAT'S HIS FIRST CARD TOO, WTF

Joy of a Completed Inset Set - 2011 Allen & Ginter Step Right Up

Totally passed up the Bed of Nails card in a dime box and panicked when I realized my error. Luckily no one scrounges in dime boxes anymore and it was still waiting there for me when I was able to get back to the shop. Bonus Flower and Treasure card on the bottom of the page because I don't know where to put them in the binder.

Bonus Ginter Insert Question:
If I have one of the 2012 Sea Monkeys cards, and I don't bust it open to free the sea monkeys... am I committing genocide?

Allen & Ginter FrankenSet Hopefuls

If you're hoping for some real posts on this blog anytime soon you're pretty much out of luck. My Ginter box was a dud and I don't really feel like putting the work in to posting it. I'm also just not in the mood to make jokes about baseball cards after the spate of recent news events. Even following the Braves is frustrating because every time I try to watch, listen or read about them it's all Trade Deadline All the Time and I'm kind of tired of hearing how if we don't get another bat immediately, US Treasury Bills will become worthless and the global economy will collapse. Or something. I may be mixing up my manufactured crises. My hobbies aren't distracting me from the horror and ennui of life anymore so I've had to bunker down in the sweet embrace of apathy to make it through the day.

I do still like my A&G FrankenSet though and I am glad I have some new cards to help fill the thing up. Here's a pile of 12 minis from a blaster and a stack of looseys. Let's see who makes the grade, eh?

 #327 David DeJesus SP

Short prints are always good for filling the set. Well, unless they are journeyman platoon players.

Did The Jesus make the Frankenset? - YES. 2008 AJ Peirzynksnzkslnvkzksnzkxkskzsi gets the boot.

 #253 Mike Minor A&G

Ten days from now Minor will be pitching in another organization's rotation after Wren makes a panic move to bring Rick Ankiel Part 2: The Strikeoutening aboard to bolster an anemic lineup. That bat will be gone by next year and all the fans screaming bloody murder that the Braves HAVE to make a move RIGHT NOW will instead bitch and moan unceasingly about how we gave up a quality lefthander for a plate of magic beans.

Did TradeBait make the Frankenset? - NO. Blocked in the Braves organization by Brandon Beachy, blocked in the FrankenSet by a 2006 Ian Kinsler RC.

#19 Daniel Bard A&G

Offcenter toward the bottom on the front, offcenter toward the top on the back. How does that happen in 2011?

Did Pitching Shakespeare make the Frankenset? - NO. There are a handful of untouchable cards in the set and the 2008 Albert Einstein is one of them.

 #285 Alex Rios Black Border

Is Rios playing worth a damn over in Chitown? I haven't been paying attention. 

Did Waiver Wire make the Frankenset? - YES. A 2008 Brandon Phillips got bumped and I'm not too happy about it. Stupid Composition Book border..

#74 Torii Hunter

Torii knows his cardboard greatness peaked in 2007 and he is stoically resigned to this fact. 

Did :O make the Frankenset? - YES. He shoves out a 2007 mini of Ervin Santana.

#231 CJ Wilson A&G

Isn't he the guy who threw the meatball to Princess Fielder in the All-Star Game?. Shoulda walked him and pitched to McCann. He hasn't done much in the All-Star game with the bases loaded.

Did Gopher Ball make the Frankenset? - NO. Even though it's Tadahito Iguchi, I can't replace a 2006 mini unless the card is a slam dunk keeper.

#304 Madison Bumgarner SP

I remember the good ol' days when Madison's dad flipped his shit over a Wax Heaven. Oh sweet memories...

Did the Bum make the Frankenset? - NO. 2008 Victor Hugo makes Bumgarner More Miserables.

#72 Maxim Shmyrev

Ping Pong players? In my Frankenset? It's more likely than you think...

Did Table Tennis make the Frankenset? - YES. Empty slot in the binder. But Brandon Phillips is out in the cold. There is no justice.

#109 Martin Prado

Dagnabbit if ping pong players make the cut Marteeeeeeeeeen damn well better make it in.

Did Marteeeeen make the Frankenset? - YEEEEEEEEEEES! Empty slot in the binder! COMPLETED PAGE! MARTEEEEEEEEEEEEEN

#208 Marco Scutaro A&G

Are Red Sox fans bitching about Scutaro? They can't possibly be bitching about him as much as much as Braves fans bitch about Alex Gonzalez. WHO JUST STRUCK OUT WITH THE BASES LOADED FFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUU.

Did Scooty Poots make the Frankenset? - YES. Three straight empty slots in the binder. I'm on a roll!

#342 Mike Pelfrey SP

woohoo a met. im thrilled

Did im too lazy to think of a witty nickname make the Frankenset? - NO. 2006 Stonewall Jackson, um, Stonewalls him. meh.

#340 Ryan Zimmerman SP

Oddly enough, this and the Pelfrey were in the same pack. Must be the missing mini from my box. How did it get into a Target loosey?.

Did Invader Zim make the Frankenset? - YES. In another move I didn't want to make, 2008 Carl Crawford gets bumped. There were already four other 2008 cards on the page so Zim squeezed in as the 2011 representative.

Out of 12 cards, 7 made it in the binder and Brandon Phillips and Carl Crawford get screwed while a Ping Pong player is added to the set. Not too bad a ratio. I'm done scanning for the night so maybe you'll get to see that completed page tomorrow if I don't succumb to apathy in the meantime.