BLACK FRIDAY COMC PICKUPS - PART 23: COMIX

Y'ALL KNOW I LOVE TO READ COMICS SO HERE'S A COMIC FOR YOU TO READ

1970 TOPPS STORY BOOKLETS REGGIE JACKSON

LATE 60S-EARLY 70S TOPPS INSERT CARDS HAVE BEEN PART OF MY COLLECTION SINCE THE EARLIEST DAYS BUT UNTIL RECENTLY I NEVER BOTHERED TO EVEN ATTEMPT TO COMPLETE ONE OF THE SETS. A FEW YEARS AGO I FINALLY MADE UP SOME WANTLISTS FOR THE THINGS AND IN 2022, I VOWED TO COMPLETE ONE, ANY ONE. I FAILED MISERABLY, BUT I HAVE MADE SOME PROGRESS IN RECENT YEARS. ONE SET I HAD VERY FEW OF UNTIL RECENTLY WAS THE 1970 STORY BOOKLETS INSERT. I DON'T REMEMBER HAVING ANY AS A KID, MY FIRST ONES CAME OUT OF A TEN DOLLAR JUNK BOX I PICKED UP FROM THE FLEA MARKET MAYBE 20 YEARS AGO. I'VE PICKED UP MOST OF THE COMMONS AT THE LOCAL CARD SHOW IN RECENT YEARS AND GRABBING THE REGGIE ONLINE FOR A DECENT PRICE WAS A NO-BRAINER. I CAN SORT OF SEE WHY THESE ELUDED ME FOR SO LONG, THEY ARE ONE OF THE WEIRDER VINTAGE INSERTS AND SINCE THEY CAME OUT OF HIGH SERIES PACKS MAY BE JUST A SMIDGE SCARCER THAN THE SCRATCH OFFS OR POSTERS. I'M STILL NOT SUPER CLOSE TO COMPLETING ANY INSERT SETS, I PROBABLY NEED TO CHOOSE ONE AND GET FOCUSED. I SHOULD ALSO BECOME A BILLIONAIRE WHILE I'M AT IT

THE BACK OF THE BOOKLET SHOWS THE CHECKLIST AND HONESTLY IT'S A PRETTY FASCINATING COLLECTION OF PLAYERS. THERE'S A HANDFUL OF HALL OF FAMERS JOINING REGGIE. MAYS, BANKS, CEPEDA, OLIVA AND GIBSON ALONG WITH A COUPLE PLAYERS WHO HAVE A LEGIT ARGUMENT TO GET IN EVENTUALLY AND SOME COOL GUYS LIKE MIKE CUELLAR, WALT WILLIAMS AND TOMMY HARPER. BUT I WANT TO KNOW MORE DETAIL ON HOW SOME OF THE PLAYER CHOICES WENT DOWN FOR EACH TEAM. WALLY BUNKER WAS LEGIT THE BEST PLAYER ON THE INAUGURAL KANSAS CITY ROYALS SQUAD, SO I GET IT. I ALSO GET AL FERRARA FOR THE PADRES SINCE HE HAD A BETTER TRACK RECORD THAN NATE COLBERT AT THE TIME BUT TONY GONZALEZ MIGHT'VE HAD THE BEST STORY. BUT... DENIS MENKE FOR THE ASTROS? OVER JOE MORGAN, JIM WYNN AND A 20-WIN LARRY DIERKER? MIKE EPSTEIN OVER FRANK HOWARD AND HIS 48 DINGERS IN WASHINGTON? AND ROOKIE BOBBY MURCER FOR THE YANKEES OVER ANOTHER 20 GAME WINNER MEL STOTTLMYRE? ROOKIE CARDS WEREN'T EVEN A THING BACK THEN. AND THE GUY I REALLY WANT TO READ A COMIC ABOUT IS JOE PEPITONE. HONESTLY I CAN SEE ARGUMENTS FOR EVERYONE IN THE CHECKLIST BUT I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW IF THESE GUYS WERE CHOSEN BECAUSE THEY HAD A COOL STORY OR IF THEY WERE JUST THE FIRST GUY WOODY GELLMAN THOUGHT OF WHEN FINALIZING THE CHECKLIST. I AM THANKFUL CEPEDA GOT THE BRAVES NOD SO I HAVE ONE LESS PRICY VINTAGE AARON TO TRACK DOWN

EACH BOOKLET IS MADE UP OF TWO PIECES OF PAPER FOLDED IN HALF TO MAKE A SIX PAGE COMIC WITH THE FRONT COVER AND BACK CHECKLIST. I SCANNED THE INNARDS FOR YOU ALL FOR YOUR READING ENJOYMENT

FOOTBALL REGGIE! I NEED A ROOKIE CARD CUSTOM ON THE 1969 FOOTBALL DESIGN NOW

A LOT OF GREAT PLAYERS CAME OUT OF ARIZONA STATE INCLUDING BOB HORNER WHO HAD WAY WORSE KNEES THAN REGGIE

MOAR COMICS SHOULD HAVE DINGERS LEAVING THE WHOLE DAMN STADIUM BUT MARVEL AND DC ARE COWARDS

TOPPS REFERENCING A POP SONG FROM 1945 IS EXTREMELY ODD, ESPECIALLY SINCE REGGIE REPORTEDLY HAD A ROUGH TIME PLAYING IN BIRMINGHAM IN THE LATE 60S

ALWAYS WITH THE STRIKEOUTS. REGGIE HAD A 138 OPS+ WITH OVER 5 WAR WITH ALL THOSE STRIKEOUTS. STRIKEOUTS DON'T MEAN SHIT

NEWSFLASH: HE STILL LED THE LEAGUE IN STRIKEOUTS IN 69. WHILE HE DID NOT BREAK THE HOME RUN RECORD, HE LED THE LEAGUE FOUR TIMES AND ENDED UP WITH 563 HOMERS TOTAL. AND WON AN MVP AND TWO WORLD SERIES MVPS AND FIVE SERIES RINGS. AND HE WOULDA KILLED THE QUEEN IF NOT FOR THAT BUFFOON FRANK DREBIN. THAT'S A WHOLE LOTTA STUFF REGGIE DID! WE NEED MORE REGGIE COMICS!

FIRST CARD PURCHASE OF 2023

I FINALLY GOT TO THE FLEA MARKET THIS WEEKEND WITH A LITTLE CASH IN MY POCKET. THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE TRIP WAS THIS:

   

I SPOTTED THIS BOOK ON MY PREVIOUS TRIP TO THE FLEA MARKET WHEN I GOT THE BASEBALL IMMORTALS AND TONY HAWK ROOKIE AND SAVED MY PENNIES FOR TWO MONTHS TO GET THE CASH FOR IT. THIS WILL LIKELY GET IT'S OWN POST EVENTUALLY BUT THE SHORT VERSION IS THIS IS THE PREQUEL TO THAT GIGANTIC TOPPS COFFEE TABLE BOOK WITH PICTURES OF EVERY CARD FROM 1951-1985. AS SOMEONE WHO LOOOOVES PRE-WAR CARDS BUT IS MOSTLY PRICED OUT OF THE HOBBY AT THIS POINT THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO GET A PHYSICAL OBJECT REPRESENTING ALL THESE CLASSIC CARD SETS. SURE, YOU CAN FIND EVERY IMAGE IN THIS BOOK ON THE INTERNET, BUT IT STILL HITS DIFFERENT WHEN YOU HAVE A GIGANTIC TOME OF CARDAGE IN FRONT OF YOU. ALSO UNLIKE THE TOPPS BOOK THE VAST MAJORITY OF IMAGES ARE FULL SIZED AND NOT SQUISHED DOWN TO POSTAGE STAMP SIZE (WITH A FEW EXCEPTIONS)

I BASICALLY PAID FULL PRICE FOR THIS AND IT WAS WELL WORTH IT. I AM ALSO OFFICIALLY A 'REGULAR' AT THIS FLEA MARKET BOOTH NOW SO WAS ABLE TO SNAG A COUPLE DEALS TO GO ALONG WITH THE LUXURY ITEM. YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED MY HASTILY THROWN TOGETHER POST WITH ALL THE SETS I'M DOWN TO FIVE CARDS OR FEWER TO COMPLETE. THE PLAN WAS TO GET THIS BOOK AND THEN DIG THROUGH HIS STUFF TO FIND AS MANY CARDS OFF THAT LIST THAT I COULD. THAT PLAN WENT SIDEWAYS IMMEDIATELY AS THE SELLER TRIED TO SELL ME BOXES OF STUFF HE WANTED TO GET RID OF. HE KNOWS I WILL BUY HIS TRASH AND I GET OFFERED JUNK BOXES EVERY TIME NOW. LUCKILY, I QUICKLY FOUND SOME GOOD TRASH

OLD TIMERS BOX IN AN OLD TIMEY CARD BOX. THIS IS ANOTHER THING THAT WILL GET IT'S OWN POST AND YOU WILL GET SOME BETTER PICTURES OF IT THEN. THE BOX EVEN HAS A TED WILLIAMS AUTOGRAPH ON IT, TIME TO TAKE IT TO THE NEXT JSA AUTHENTICATION AT THE LOCAL CARD SHOP AND ENJOY THEIR PEALS OF LAUGHTER. AS YOU CAN SEE IT'S A SMALL BOX FULL OF SLEEVED CARDS THAT DON'T QUITE FIT. HERE'S A BETTER PIC OF THE GOODS:

LARGE PILE OF EVEN MORE PACIFIC NOLAN CARDS, SMALL PILES OF PACIFIC LEGENDS AND SWELL BASEBALL GREAT CARDS, A NEAR SET OF THE 85 TOPPS ALL-TIME RECORD HOLDER BOX SET, SOME 1993 STUDIO CARDS, AND SOME RANDOM CONLON COLLECTION CARDS WHICH IS THE BIGGEST PILE OF THE BUNCH. HE WANTED FIFTEEN FOR THE BOX WHICH MADE ME HAVE TO DO SOME MENTAL CALCULATIONS. IS IT A BETTER DEAL TO BUY THE WHOLE THING, OR JUST PICK OUT THE CARDS I ACTUALLY WANT FOR A QUARTER? THE PACIFIC AND SWELL LEGENDS CARDS I DEFINITELY WANTED AND THERE WERE LIKELY SOME CONLON CARDS I NEEDED BUT THE REST I'M SURE I HAD ALREADY. AS YOU CAN SEE, THE BOX CAME HOME WITH ME AND WE'LL BREAK IT DOWN IF I GOT GOOD VALUE AT A LATER DATE

I ALSO CAME HOME WITH THIS HANES HER WAY SHOEBOX HALF FILLED WITH ACTUAL CRAP PLUS A COOL DAVE HENDERSON MINOR LEAGUE CARD. THIS WAS ABOUT THREE QUARTERS JUNKWAX BASKETBALL WHICH IS FINE, BUT MOST OF THAT WAS BEAT UP 1990  HOOPS. DUDE HAD BEEN TRYING TO SELL ME THIS BOX FOR MAYBE A YEAR AND WHILE I WAS INTERESTED, IT WAS A TERRIBLE DEAL AT FIVE BUCKS AND HE USUALLY WANTED SOMETHING LIKE TWENTY FOR IT. AFTER A QUICK LOOK THROUGH IT LOOKS LIKE I NEEDED MAYBE A DOZEN OR SO BASKETBALL CARDS OUT OF HERE BUT IT WAS A HUGE DISSAPOINTMENT TO SEE THAT ALL THREE 2000-01 TOPPS CARDS IN THE BOX WERE ONES I ALREADY HAD. THAT HENDU CARD ROCKS THOUGH AND IS GOING TO END UP IN A PROMINENT PLACE IN A FUTURE COOL CARD BINDER

I WAS ABLE TO GET HIM TO AGREE ON A ULYSSES S. GRANT FOR THE BOOK AND BOXES, WHICH I BROKE DOWN IN MY MIND AS FULL PRICE FOR THE BOOK, TEN BUX FOR THE OLD TIMERS, AND THE SHOEBOX JUNK FOR FREE. I FELT THIS WAS EXCELLENT VALUE FOR EACH ITEM. THIS WAS ALL WORKED OUT WITHIN FIFTEEN MINUTES HOWEVER, AND I STILL WANTED TO DIG THROUGH A BUNCH OF CARDS TO KILL THE AFTERNOON SO I ASKED IF I COULD THROW IN A COUPLE MORE CHEAPO CARDS AS WELL AND THESE TERMS WERE ACCEPTABLE. HERE'S WHAT I FOUND THROUGH DIGGING:

1992 TOPPS CAL RIPKEN JR.

AM NOW DOWN TO ONE SINGLE CARD TO COMPLETE MY 1992 TOPPS SET. NOT COUNTING THE WHOLE-ASS FACTORY SET I'VE HAD FOR DECADES. THIS IS LEGIT A GREAT CARD AND I'M NOT SURE HOW IT ELUDED ME FOR SO LONG. ACTUALLY, I DO KNOW, IT'S A LEGIT GREAT CARD THAT NO ONE IS THROWING IN A JUNK BOX AND I DON'T GO OUT OF MY WAY TO BUY RIPKEN CARDS

1990 DONRUSS RICKEY HENDERSON

I KNOW I HAVE THIS FUCKIN' CARD SOMEWHERE, IF NOT SEVERAL, BUT IT'S THE LAST CARD REMAINING ON MY WANTLIST SO I HAD TO GET IT. I COLLECT RICKEYS THOUGH SO EVEN IF IT ULTIMATELY IS A DOUBLE I'M FINE WITH HAVING ANOTHER OF THEM. SO NOW TECHNICALLY MY 1990 DONRUSS SET IS COMPLETE BUT NOW I HAVE TO ACTUALLY DRAG IT OUT, PUT THIS CARD IN, AND SEE JUST HOW MANY OTHER CARDS ARE REALLY MISSING. AND THEN I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT I DID WITH THEM BECAUSE I AM 1000% CERTAIN THEY ARE SOMEWHERE IN MY HOUSE. HONESTLY I PROBABLY HAVE THREE COMPLETE SETS OF THIS NOW, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF WORK GETTING JUST THE ONE ALL IN THE SAME PLACE. I STILL HAVENT DONE IT FOUR DAYS LATER AND I'M HONESTLY DREADING IT A BIT

1995 STADIUM CLUB RICKEY HENDERSON RING LEADERS INSERT

SO BY NOW I HAD FOUND THE AGREED-UPON COUPLE EXTRA CARDS BUT THIS GORGEOUS MONSTROSITY SHOWED UP IN THE RICKEY HENDERSON BOX AND I COULDN'T PASS IT UP. THESE ARE A ONE PER BOX INSERT FROM 95 STADIUM CLUB. THEY ARE NOT EXACLY RARE, BUT THEY'RE NOT EASY EITHER. I WAS WILLING TO COUGH UP A COUPLE MORE BUCKS FOR THIS ONE, BUT THE DUDE ALREADY HAD MY MONEY AND WAS FINE WITH THROWING IT IN THE DEAL. I ALSO FOUND A RICKEY DENNY'S HOLOGRAM CARD IN THE BOX BUT LEFT IT ONCE I SAW THIS ONE. THIS IS HOW THINGS USUALLY GO ON MY FLEA MARKET RUNS, THERE IS ALWAYS ONE MORE THING I WANT THAT I LEAVE BEHIND FOR NEXT TIME

1993 UPPER DECK DAVE WINFIELD SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

ANOTHER GUY I COLLECT ON AN INSERT FOR A SET I COLLECT. WHILE I THINK I HAVE FINALLY COMPLETED THE 1993 UPPER DECK BASE SET, I HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO IN COMPLETING THE INSERT SETS. I HAVE A FEW INSERT SETS KNOCKED OUT, BUT THE SEASON HIGHLIGHTS SET IS LEGIT SCARCE AS THEY WERE ONLY INSERTED IN SPECIAL SERIES TWO BOXES. I COME ACROSS THEM VERY RARELY AND WHEN I SEE 'EM I GET 'EM. THIS ONE HAS A GREAT BIG DOINK ON THE BOTTOM LEFT CORNER BUT THAT DON'T MATTER TO ME NONE. I AM A LITTLE SAD THIS HIGHLIGHT IS FOR THE BLUE JAYS WORLD SERIES WIN, BUT THERE ARE ALSO FRANCISCO CABRERA AND BIP ROBERTS CARDS FROM THIS SET FOR ME TO CHASE

I FEEL LIKE THE FIRST PURCHASE OF THE YEAR WAS WORTH THE WAIT AND HONESTLY JANUARY SUCKED SO HARD I'M OK WITH HIBERNATING THROUGH IT. THIS IS BEING POSTED ON 2023 TOPPS RELEASE DAY AND I HOPE ALL OF YOU OUT THERE RIPPING HOBBY BOXES AND RAIDING TARGET FOR BLASTERS HAVE AS MUCH FUN AS I DID WITH THESE CARDS. I WON'T BE JOINING YOU AS I'M BROKE AS HELL NOW

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

EVERY SET I'VE GOT WANTLISTS FOR WHERE I NEED FIVE OR LESS CARDS AS OF FEBRUARY 2023

 I'M GOING TO THE FLEA MARKET TODAY TO BUY MY VERY FIRST BAESBAWL CARDS OF THE YEAR AND I WANT THIS LIST HANDY BECAUSE THE GUY HAS TONS OF JUNKWAXS STUFF

IF I FIND ANYTHING  I'LL SHOW IT OFF THIS EVENING

1976 Topps – Updated 1/10/23 need 5

100 Jim Hunter

240 Rose

262 Checklist

340 Jim Rice

550 Hank Aaron

1983 Topps Traded

34T Julio Franco

108T Darryl Strawberry

1986 Topps Traded

50T Bo Jackson

108T Danny Tartabull

1990 Topps Traded

30T Nick Esasky

40T Joe Hesketh

63T Kevin Maas RC

98T Jim Presley

130T Dave Winfield

1992 Topps – Confirmed 11/08/21

40 Cal Ripken Jr.

286 Gilberto Reyes

1996 Topps – Confirmed 10/20/20

52 Ron Karkovice

115 Joe Carter

246 Mike Piazza

1997 Topps – Confirmed 11/09/22

62 Mark McGwire

130 Greg Maddux

184 Marquis Grissom

268 Scott Rolen

274 AJ Zapp, Jason Marquis

1999 Topps – Confirmed 8/12/21

185 Denny Neagle

224 Ken Griffey Jr LL

2008 Topps – Confirmed 8/12/21

393 Michael Cuddyer

504 Conor Jackson

1988 Donruss – updated 11/07/22

291 Andy Van Slyke

BC-24 Will Clark

1990 Donruss – updated 11/07/22

304 Rickey Henderson

1991 Donruss – updated 11/07/22

64 Mark Guthrie

659 Junior Ortiz

689 Gerald Young

1992 Donruss – updated 8/11/21

57 Lenny Dykstra

1981 Fleer – updated 2/21/20

196 Johnny bench

243 Dale Murphy

655 George Brett

1984 Fleer – updated 2/21/20

37 Joe Lefebvre

301 Tony Gwynn

599 Darryl Strawberry

1988 Score Traded

75 Joey Meyer

103 Craig Biggio XRC

104 Don August

105 Roberto Alomar XRC

1992 Score

480 Rickey Henderson

525 Robin Yount

694 Mike Gardiner

794 Cal Ripken, Jr. Award Winners

796 Kirby Puckett Highlights

1979 Kellogg’s

22 Rose

29 Seaver

1981 Topps Drake’s

1 Carl Yastrzemski

10 Reggie Jackson

22 George Hendrick

1982 Topps Drake’s

31 Dave Winfield

1987 Glossy Rookies

12 Rafael Palmeiro

1984 Topps Ralston Purina

2 Ozzie Smith

14 Nolan Ryan

1985 glossy All-Star send in

10 Pete Rose

14 Dave Winfield

23 Mike Schmidt

24 Cal Ripken, Jr.

27 Don Mattingly

1986 Topps Mini Leaders

26 Ron Guidry

1987 Topps Mini Leaders

30 Mike Schmidt

40 Cal Ripken, Jr.

1988 Topps Mini Leaders

28 Willie Randolph

1989 Topps Mini Leaders

65 Jack Clark

66 Rickey Henderson

67 Dave Winfield

1989 Topps Superstar sticker backs

2 Gary Carter

11 Jose Canseco

12 Orel Hershiser

24 Dion James

44 Ozzie Smith

2001 Upper Deck Hall of Famers

49 Mickey Mantle

63 Nolan Ryan

78 Carlton Fisk

1979-80 Topps basketball 131/132

35 Jamaal Wilkes

2007-08 Topps basketball 

2 Joe Johnson

16 Pau Gasol

22 Michael Redd

107 Brandon Roy

57-58 parallels

23 LeBron James

91 ultra 

353 kenny rogers

93 ud

591 Jeff Blauser

651 Domingo Martinez RC

1992 Studio

36 Pete Harnisch

142 Hubie Brooks

1994 Leaf

46 Chipper Jones

94 Greg Maddux

218 Mike Blowers

BLACK FRIDAY COMC PICKUPS - PART 21: DEL PART 1

♪ ME AND DEL WERE SINGIN', LITTLE RUNAWAY, I WAS FLYIN' 𝅘𝅥𝅯

1961 TOPPS DEL CRANDALL

IT'S TIME TO STOP FOOLING AROUND AND GET SOME WORK DONE. NO CIGARETTE CARDS, ENGLISH SOCCER CARDS OR RANDOM NON-SPORTS TODAY. HERE'S A CARD I NEEDED FOR A TEAM SET I'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR DECADES. FROM THE MOST BORING UTILITARIAN DESIGN EVER. DEL CRANDALL FROM 1961 TOPPS. THIS CARD ISN'T BORING AT ALL, IT'S QUITE ELEGANT IN ITS SIMPLICITY. RECTANGLE BORDER, RECTANGLE NAMEPLATE, RECTANGLE TEAM BOX, BIG BEEFY CATCHER HAULING LUMBER WITH A BASEBALL DIAMOND AND STANDS IN THE BACKGROUND. A VERY WORKMANLIKE CARD FOR SERIOUS TEAM SET COLLECTING. DEL IS A VERY UNDERRATED PLAYER TOO, HE HAS A SERIOUS ARGUMENT FOR BEING THE BEST CATCHER IN BRAVES HISTORY

THE 1961 SET IS ONE OF THOSE SETS THAT HAS GROWN ON ME OVER THE YEARS NOW THAT I AM OLDER AND MORE BITTER AND RUINED AND NOT AS DAZZED BY THE BRIGHT COLORS OF 1960 AND 1963 AND 1965 AND 1972 BECAUSE MY EYESIGHT IS RAPIDLY DETERIORATING. IT'S SLIGHTLY LESS BLAND THAN 1957 TOPPS AND WAY FUCKING CHEAPER. UNFORTUNATELY I DIDN'T FEEL THIS WAY BACK WHEN I HAD A LOT OF MONEY TO WASTE ON CARDBOARD AND MY 61 TEAM SET IS BY FAR MY MOST NEGLECTED SET OTHER THAN THE 1952 SET THAT I'M BARELY EVEN THINKING ABOUT ANYMORE. SO NEGLECTED I'M JUST NOW REALIZING I NEVER TOOK CRANDALL OFF MY WANTLIST. OOPS. BUT NOT THAT NEGLECTED, I DO HAVE 31 CARDS FROM THE TEAM SET* INCLUDING THE AARON BASE CARD. BUT I HAVE HIT THAT AWKWARD PHASE OF TEAM COLLECTING WHERE JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING I NEED IS A HALL OF FAMER OR HIGH NUMBER OR BOTH. I GOTTA PICK OFF THESE ATTAINABLE CARDS WHILE I CAN

*I'M A LUNATIC AND INCLUDE LEADERS CARDS, HIGHLIGHTS CARDS AND EVEN A CHECKLIST WITH A RANDOM BRAVES PLAYER ON IT IN THE TEAM SET. I HAVE MY FUN THO

FIFTY CENT GIFT CARD BINGE - PART 1: LEMMER

GOT A GIFT CARD FOR MY BIRTHDAY AND COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH IT SO I DECIDED TO WASTE IT AT THE CARD SHOP BY RAIDING THE 50 CENT BOXES. YOU CAN GET 50 CARDS FOR TWENNY BUX SO I GOT THOSE REGGIES I POSTED ABOUT EARLIER, A TON OF PLAYER COLLECTION STUFF AND A SPECIAL SECRET SUPRISE WHICH WILL BE PART THREE. I KILLED SOME TIME IN DECEMBER ENTERING IN SOME PLAYER COLLECTIONS INTO TCDB. IT'S PRETTY FUN TO SEE HOW YOU RANK AMONGST ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO PAINSTAKINGLY ENTER IN HUNDREDS OF CARDS ONE AT A TIME IN A SOMEWHAT JANKY UI. THE PROBLEM IS ONCE YOU SEE HOW HIGH YOU RANK AMONG THE WEIRDOS METICULOUSLY ORGANIZED COLLECTORS, YOU WANT MORE. YOU WANT TO LEAD THAT LIST. SO YOU GO OUT AND BUY MOAR CARDS. MARK LEMKE WAS OBVIOUSLY THE FIRST PLAYER I ENTERED INTO TCDB AND I SNAGGED THIRTEEN CARDS TO ADD TO MY ALREADY SILLY TOTAL OF LEMMERS

1992 US PLAYING CARD COMPANY 4♠  2♣

1992 WAS A BIG YEAR FOR PLAYING CARDS CARDS. LEMMER HAS TWO CARDS EACH IN A BICYCLE DECK AND A US PLAYING CARDS DECK. I SHOULDA JUST BOUGHT THE BRAVES DECKS YEARS AGO BUT I COULD SAY THAT ABOUT JUST ABOUT ANYTHING NOW. I FOUND BOTH US PLAYING CARDS LEMKES AND SNAGGED THEM. THESE WERE A DISCOUNT FROM COMC PRICES, BUT PLEASE DON'T TELL ME HOW MUCH THEY GO FOR ON SPORTLOTS OR CARDBARREL OR WHATEVER HYPER CHEAP BASE CARD SELLING APP I DON'T HAVE TIME TO LEARN TO USE 

I TOOK PICS OF ALL THE BACKS BUT I DON'T HAVE MUCH TO SAY ABOUT THIS ONE. PINSTRIPES AND A LOGO. NOTHING SPECIAL BUT IT'S A DECK OF CARDS, WE DON'T NEED ETCHED HOLOFOIL

1994 FLAIR

FROM HERE ON OUT I'M POSTING THE PROBABILITY I ALREADY HAVE THE CARD ALREADY BURIED IN A RANDOM BRAVES BOX OR HIDING IN A SET. THIS IS PROBABLY ABOUT 10% AS I'VE GONE THROUGH MY FLAIR CARDS IN THE PAST YEAR AND DIDN'T FIND IT. 94 FLAIR IS A NICE LOOKING SET! SUPER THICK, EXTRA GLOSSY AND HAS THAT WEIRD LOOKING INITIAL SHIELD FOIL STAMPING. PLUS A-ROD'S ROOKIE CARD ROOKIE CARD IS IN SERIES TWO ALONG WITH LEMMER SO AN ABSOLUTE SHITLOAD OF THIS STUFF WAS RIPPED AND LEFTOVER TRASH BASE IS EVERYWHERE

WHILE IT'S HARD AS HELL TO READ ANYTHING ON THE BACK OF THIS CARD, THIS HERE IS TOP TIER DESIGN. LOOK AT THE COMPOSITION OF THAT CARD BACK! ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS

1995 PACIFIC

I ALREADY HAVE THIS PROBABILITY: 5%

FOR SOME REASON I HAVE HARDLY ANY PACIFIC CARDS FROM 1995 IN ANY SPORT. NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED THAT YEAR, I HAVE TONS OF EVERYTHING ELSE. THIS DESIGN ALWAYS LOOKS WEIRD TO ME WITH THE FOIL DIAMONDS AND THE LOGO BASEBALL THAT LOOKS OFF KILTER

THE BACK LOOKS GREAT THOUGH, BIG BEAUTIFUL PORTRAIT, BILINGUAL HIGHLIGHTS AND A GORGEOUS BASEBALL DIAMOND FOR A BACKGROUND. SECOND STRAIGHT CARD THAT LOOKS BETTER ON THE BACK THAN THE FRONT

1994 TEAM STADIUM CLUB

I ALREADY HAVE THIS PROBABILITY: 100%

I HAVE THE TEAM SET BUT DON'T WANT TO BREAK IT UP FOR PLAYER COLLECTIONS. I MIGHT EVEN HAVE A SECOND ONE AFTER THAT, SO BUMP THE PROBABILITY UP TO 150%. NOT GONNA LIE, THIS SET KINDA SUCKS. IT COULD BE FOUND SOLD IN TEAM SETS AND PLAIN OL REGULAR PACKS AND IS COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY. STUFF LIKE THIS JUST DILUTED THE STADIUM CLUB BRAND

THE BACK SUCKS TOO, WHY THE GREEN BLOB DESIGN AND EYE BLEED TEXT

1994 DONRUSS

I ALREADY HAVE THIS PROBABILITY: 75%

IF IT'S NOT IN THE DONRUSS BOX, THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE I HAVE A TEAM SET SOMEWHERE. WHY YES IT'S DUMB I COLLECT THREE OF THE SAME CARD. IF I SEE IT AGAIN I'LL BUY IT AGAIN, SEE IF I DON'T. 1994 DONRUSS IS A MASSIVE UPGRADE ON 1993, BUT I FEEL LIKE THEY PEAKED THE NEXT YEAR IN 95

ANOTHER GOOD LOOKING BACK HIGHLIGHTED BY LEMKE'S PHOTO FEATURING THE CHONKY GOGGLES AND HAT UNDERNEATH HELMET. WHILE THIS PATICULAR BACK LOOKS GREAT, THE BACKS FOR THE SET ARE MISERABLE AS THEY ARE BOTH HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL WITH THE CARD NUMBERS BOUNCING BACK AND FORTH LEFT AND RIGHT. I DESPISE TRYING TO SORT THIS SET

1996 STADIUM CLUB SILVER FOIL

I ALREADY HAVE THIS PROBABILITY: 1%

THIS IS A PARALLEL THAT CAME OUT OF MICKEY MANTLE CEREAL BOX PACKS. THE FOIL IS HARD TO DIFFERENTIATE WITHOUT COMPARING SIDE BY SIDE UNDER BRIGHT LIGHT AND DOESN'T CONE THROUGH AT ALL IN A PHOTO. HERE'S A SLIGHTLY BETTER PIC:

SEE? IT'S SILVER INSTEAD OF GOLD. YIPPEE. BUT I GET TO ADD A CHECKMARK TO THAT TCDB LIST AND FILL ANOTHER POCKET IN THE BINDER SO TOTALLY WORTH THE 40 CENTS

STADIUM CLUB FRONTS USUALLY LOOK GOOD, BUT A LOT OF THEIR BACKS ARE JUST DOGSHIT. WHY THE SAWTOOTH DESIGN. WHY THE DISTORTED PHOTO BEHIND YELLOW TEXT. WHY THE EXCEL SPREADSHEET. WHY

1993 PINNACLE

I ALREADY HAVE THIS PROBABILITY: 15%

I RIPPED SEVERAL BOXES OF 1992 PINNACLE AND MAYBE THREE PACKS OF 1993. WHY OPEN MORE? IT LOOKS LIKE 1992 PINNACLE WITH A GOLD STAMP AND EXTRA BORING

BACK LOOKS GOOD THO. NICE PICTURE, NICE LOGO, TEXT COULD BE A LITTLE MORE READABLE. AT LEAST IT'S NOT A DISASTER (THIS IS FORESHADOWING)

1995 STADIUM CLUB

I ALREADY HAVE THIS PROBABILITY: 60%

IT'S PROBABLY IN THE BASE SET, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW STADIUM CLUB BASE SETS I KINDA WANT TO BUILD. I REALLY LIKE THE DESIGN THINGY WITH THE LOGO INSIDE A FOIL REPRESENTATION OF A GALAXY VIEWED FROM THE EDGE. THE PHOTOS ARE MOSTLY PRETTY NICE AND I'VE ALWAYS LIKED THE STADIUM CLUB LOGO THAT LOOKS LIKE THE AFTERMATH OF A HOME RUN BALL HITTING SOMEONE'S WINDOW IN THE PARKING LOT. IT'S A REALLY SMART LOOKING SET. UNTIL

ONE OF THE MOST CLUSTERFUCKY CARD BACKS OF ALL TIME. TERRIBLE BLOTCHY COLORS, DUMB REPEATED PHOTO, USELESS BAR GRAPHS, MOAR UNREADABLE TEXT. ALTHOUGH I WILL GIVE IT THIS: THE CARD NUMBER IS REASONABLY LARGE AND IN THE SAME GODDAMN PLACE EVERY TIME

1997 STADIUM CLUB

I ALREADY HAVE THIS PROBABILITY: 20%

I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE THE BOX WITH MY SET WAS WHEN I BOUGHT THE CARD. I HAVE SINCE FOUND IT AND NOT TWO MINUTES AGO DROPPED THE WHOLE THING ONTO THE FLOOR SO I STILL DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE IT ALREADY. STADIUM CLUB GOT MUCH THICKER AND MUCH SHINIER AND MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE IN 1997 SO I DON'T HAVE AS MUCH OF IT AS PREVIOUS SETS. THE STUFF LOOKS REALLY NICE, MAYBE THE BEST OF THE ORIGINAL RUN

BACKS ARE BUSY BUT NOT TERRIBLE. ALL THE UGLY NONSENSE WAS SHOVED TO THE SIDE TO MAKE ROOM FOR A NICE BIG PICTURE. YOU CAN ACTUALLY READ THE STATS AS WELL! WITH A MAGNIFYING GLASS AT LEAST. I DO LIKE THE WAY TOPPS INCORPORATED THE EMBOSSED SWOOSH ON THE BACK WITH THE PLAYER NAME

1996 TOPPS TEAM TOPPS BRAVES TEAM SET

I ALREADY HAVE THIS PROBABILITY: 100%

I BOUGHT THIS TEAM SET AT WAL-MART IN 1996, AND MAY HAVE ACQUIRED A SECOND SET SINCE THEN. DON'T CARE, WORLD CHAMPION LEMMER CARD

WHAT IS THERE TO SAY ABOUT 1996 TOPPS BACKS? IT'S UNIQUE AT LEAST. ALSO PEACHES ARE BARELY A TOP 10 CROP IN GEORGIA DESPITE THE MARKETING

1995 FLEER ULTRA

I ALREADY HAVE THIS PROBABILITY: 85%

I BOUGHT A BUNCH OF THIS STUFF IN 95, ALTHOUGH A CHUNK OF IT GOT WRECKED IN A FLOOD. I WOULD BE WILLING TO BET THERE'S ONE OF THESE IN A BRAVES BOX IF I LOOKED HARD ENOUGH. THIS SET HASN'T AGED GREAT AS MULTICOLOR FOIL ISN'T AS COOL AS IT WAS BACK IN THE DAY

THE BACK IS A LITTLE BLAH AS WELL WITH MORE NEEDLESS FOIL AND THE MONOCHROMATIC PHOTO. I'M A LITTLE MELANCHOLY NOW AS I FRIGGING LOVED THIS SET AT THE TIME

1996 METAL UNIVERSE PLATINUM PARALLEL

I ALREADY HAVE THIS PROBABILITY: 20%

I BOUGHT AS MUCH METAL UNIVERSE AS I COULD IN 96 AND THESE PLATINUM PARALLELS WERE ONE PER PACK SO THEY ARE NOT HARD TO FIND. THESE CARDS ARE OBJECTIVELY WORSE THAN THE BASE AS YOU CAN'T TELL WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN THE BACKGROUND WITHOUT THE COLOR. LEMKE IS CAUSING LIGHTNING BOLTS TO COME OUT HIS THROWING ARM IN THE BASE CARD, HERE IT LOOKS LIKE HE'S TANGLED UP IN SOME CHRISTMAS GARLAND

I REALLY LIKE METAL UNIVERSE BACKS, THEY USUALLY KEEP UP THE WHOLE STEAMPUNK METALIZE ALL THE THINGS MOTIF IN INTERESTING WAYS. IT'S A LITTLE CORNY LOOKING BUT I DIG IT. NICE BIG PORTRAIT OF MARK HERE TOO

THIRTEEN NEW CARDS TO ADD TO THE COLLECTION! ORIGINALLY I HAD MEANT TO SHOW BEFORE AND AFTER SCREENSHOTS OF MY COLLECTOR RANKING BUT I SCREWED IT UP AND LOST THE PICS. LONG STORY SHORT I NOW HAVE 124 OUT OF 297 (I HAVE NO IDEA IF THIS LINK IS GONNA WORK) TOTAL LEMKE CARDS AVAILABLE AND THAT DOESN'T COUNT THE HALF A DOZEN AUTOGRAPHS AND TWO ITEMS I HAVE THAT AREN'T EVEN IN THE DATABASE. THIS IS GOOD FOR FOURTH PLACE ON THE RANKINGS! I AM EXCESSIVELY EXCITED ABOUT THIS, AND LOOK FORWARD FOR DIGGING FOR MORE CARDS TO CHECK OFF THE LIST

BLACK FRIDAY COMC PICKUPS - PART 20: GUNNER

I LOVE OLD CARDS FROM THE 70S AND I LIKE ENGLISH FOOTBALL SO IT'S A NO BRAINER TO SNAG AN ENGLISH FOOTBALL CARD FROM THE 70S WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE

1971 A&BC GEORGE GRAHAM

I AM A DUMB AMERICAN WHO JUMPED ON THE FOOTBALL WAGON A DECADE AGO AND KNOWS ALMOST NOTHING ABOUT FOOTBALL HISTORY. BUT THE CLUB I GLOMMED ONTO WAS ARSENAL AND EVEN A DUMBASS NEOPHYTE LIKE ME HAS HEARD ABOUT GEORGE GRAHAM. GEORGE WAS BOTH A PLAYER AND MANAGER FOR ARSENAL AND WON A LOT OF CUPS FOR THE CLUB. THE YEAR THIS CARD CAME OUT, ARSENAL WON THE LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP AND FA CUP DOUBLE. HE ALSO LED THE TEAM TO THE LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP IN 1989 AND 1991 AS ARSENAL'S MANAGER. THE 1989 CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON IS A KEY MOMENT IN NICK HORNSBY'S BOOK AND FILM FEVER PITCH. THE 1997 FILM WITH COLIN FIRTH, NOT THAT OTHER ONE. GEORGE IS RIGHTLY CONCIDERED AN ARSENAL LEGEND, ALTHOUGH HE ULTIMATELY GOT FIRED FROM THE TEAM FOR TAKING KICKBACKS FROM PLAYER TRANSFERS. AND THAT IS THE SUM OF MY KNOWLEDGE ABOUT GEORGE GRAHAM. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE HELL INSIDE LEFT MEANS

SO WHAT IN THE HELL IS THIS CARD THO. A&BC WAS AN ENGLISH BUBBLE GUM COMPANY THAT PRODUCED TRADING CARDS FOR THE BRITISH MARKET FROM 1953 TO 1974. THEY STARTED OFF WITH A FEW SERIES OF FILM AND TV STARS ALONG WITH A 1954 SET OF 'ALL SPORT' CARDS FEATURING PLAYERS FROM FOOTBALL, CRICKET, BOXING AND MANY OTHER SPORTS. THEN IN 1959 THEY SIGNED A LICENSING DEAL WITH TOPPS THAT ALLOWED THEM TO PRODUCE SOME TOPPS PRODUCTS LIKE BAZOOKA GUM AND THEIR OWN VERSION OF TOPPS TRADING CARD SETS. NON-SPORT A&BC SETS INCLUDE THEIR SPIN ON ELVIS, BEATLES, BATMAN AND STAR TREK. THEIR FOOTBALL SETS RAN FROM 1958-59 TO 1974-75 AND YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF TOPPS DESIGNS AMONG THE SETS INCLUDING 1958 AND 1962 BASEBALL AND 1958, 1963 AND 1968 FOOTBALL. THERE'S ALSO SOME FAMILIAR ODDBALL SETS LIKE STAMPS, GAME CARDS AND DECKLE EDGE. THIS 1971 SERIES SEEMS TO BE A RIFF ON THE 1967 TOPPS BASEBALL DESIGN TO ME ALTHOUGH I CAN'T BE SURE IT ISN'T A KNOCKOFF OF AN EVEN MORE OBSCURE DESIGN LIKE CFA FOOTBALL OR WHA HOCKEY. IT'S A NICE CLEAN LOOKING DESIGN AND THE BACK POPS ALTHOUGH I'M TOO CHICKEN TO SCRATCH OFF THE TRIVIA ANWER. IT'S ALSO A FULL SIZED CARD WHICH IS NOT ALWAYS THE CASE WITH ENGLISH RELEASES. THE CARDS ARE NOT SUPER EASY TO TRACK DOWN BUT THEY'RE REALLY NEAT AND A TYPE SET OF ARSENAL PLAYERS IS A LONG TERM PROJECT FOR ME

RECORD SWAP - PART 1: THE ONE WHAT WILL MAKE YOU MAD

OK, LET'S GET AHEAD OF THE QUESTION:

REKKIDS? Y U POST REKKIDS?

WE ARE INTO FEBRUARY, THE ONLY TRADING CARD PURCHASE I MADE THIS YEAR GOT CANCELLED AND I NEED SOMETHING TO POST OTHER THAN THE 60SOMETHING CARDS I HAVE LEFT OF MY COMC PICKUPS THAT I HAVE IN THE QUEUE. BESIDES, WHAT ARE ALBUM COVERS BUT GIGANTIC MUSIC-THEMED TRADING CARDS THAT COME FREE WITH A SLAB OF CRUNCHY WAXY STUFF THAT TASTES TERRIBLE 40 YEARS LATER?

EVERY YEAR AT THE LOCAL COMMUNITY CENTER THEY HAVE A BOOK SWAP. YOU CAN DROP OFF BOOKS, CDS, DVDS AND RECORDS AND TAKE HOME AN EQUAL NUMBER OF NEW BOOKS THE NEXT DAY. YOU CAN EVEN TAKE MORE HOME, THE PERSON WHO CHECKED ME OUT WAS PRACTICALLY BEGGING ME TO TAKE MORE BOOKS SO THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO BOX UP THE LEFTOVERS AT THE END OF THE DAY. I'VE DONE THIS FOR A FEW YEARS NOW AND IT'S A LOT OF FUN AND DOESN'T COST ANYTHING. WHILE I MOSTLY TRADE BOOKS (AND LET MY DAUGHTER TAKE MORE AND MORE EACH YEAR) I ALSO TRY TO SWAP OUT SOME MUSIC AND MOVIES EACH YEAR FOR FUN. I HAVE HAD SOME GREAT LUCK FINDING ODDBALL STUFF IN THE PAST SO I FOUND FIVE RECORDS TO SWAP THIS YEAR. HERE'S FIVE POSTS SHOWING OFF WHAT I GAVE UP AND WHAT I GOT IN RETURN. GIVE RECORDS ARE ORDERED IN ORDER OF QUALITY, GOT RECORDS IN THE ORDER I FOUND THEM IN THE CRATES. FIVE POSTS BECAUSE THIS WAY I CAN RAMBLE ON A LITTLE MORE WITHOUT HAVING A GIANT  MONSTROCITY OF A POST WITH 97 IMAGES AND 20,000 WORDS THAT DOESN'T GET PUBLISHED UNTIL JULY

RECORD GIVEN: BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - BORN IN THE USA

NOW THE YELLING STARTS. WHY THE HELL DID YOU GET RID OF THE BOSS??? ARE YOU SOME KINDA COMYOONISS??? YES, PROBABLY. AND I DECIDED TO TRADE IT BECAUSE IN ORDER FOR A COMMUNITY SWAP TO WORK YOU GOTTA GIVE QUALITY IF YOU HOPE TO GET SOME QUALITY BACK. THIS IS ACTUALLY THE SECOND COPY OF THIS ALBUM I HAD, THE FIRST ONE I HAD WHEN I WAS A KID AND IT JUST SORTA VANISHED AT SOME POINT OR ANOTHER AND THIS COPY I GOT AT A LIBRARY BOOK SALE A FEW YEARS BACK FOR A BUCK. I NEVER LISTENED TO IT EVEN ONCE. I WAS ORIGINALLY GOING TO TRADE IN A CAT STEVENS' GREATEST HITS DISC I ALREADY HAD ON CD, BUT WHEN I TOOK IT OUT TO INSPECT IT I FOUND A GIANT BUT ALMOST INVISIBLE CRACK ON THE THING. I THEN FOUND THIS AND KNEW WHAT I HAD TO DO. I'M HOPING THIS MADE SOMEONE HAPPY, AND THERE'S A THRILL IN DIGGING THROUGH THE CRATES LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT'S WAY BETTER THAN THE GOOD THING YOU GAVE UP. BESIDES, THERE ARE MILLIONS OF COPIES OF THIS ALBUM OUT THERE, I CAN GET A DOZEN MORE IF I WANTED

SO THIS IS DEFINITELY AN ICONIC ALBUM COVER, BUT HAVING THE SAME IMAGE ON THE FRONT AND BACK IS A BIT LAZY. THE MARKETERS REALLY KNEW WHAT WAS GOING TO MOVE THIS RECORD.  THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD TRACKLIST THERE, THIS IS PRACTICALLY A GREATEST HITS ALBUM. I AM NOT A HARDCORE SPRINGSTEEN FAN AND DON'T HAVE A LOT TO SAY ABOUT MOST OF IT. GLORY DAYS IS A BANGER THOUGH, THAT IS A FACT. AND IT'S ABOUT BASEBALL! SO THAT MAKES THIS POST COMPLETELY APPROPRIATE FOR THE BLOG

I LOVE RECORD LABELS AND I TOOK PICTURES OF ALL OF THEM AND I'M GOING TO INFLICT THEM UPON YOU. THIS COLUMBIA RECORDS LABEL FROM THE 80S IS A LITTLE BORING THOUGH. I'M NOT CRAZY ABOUT THE YELLOW TEXT AND THEY HAVE SOME MUCH BETTER LABELS

AM REALIZING NOW THAT I DON'T REALLY NEED BOTH SIDES OF THE RECORD LABEL IN THE POST. I TOOK PICTURES OF EVERYTHING BECAUSE I HAVE A THOUGHT IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD TO MAKE A NEW BLOG/TUMBLR/MASTOTWITTERDON ACCOUNT TO POST NOTHING BUT RECORDS BUT THAT'S SOMETHING FOR ANOTHER DAY. I'VE ALREADY UPLOADED ALL THE PICS AND ATE UP MY GIGABYTES SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT THEM

THIS IS A NEAT INSERT IN THE RECORD SLEEVE A LYRIC SHEET PRINTED ON TOP OF A FAINT PIC OF BRUCE SO YOU CAN'T REALLY SEE EITHER. I LOVE FINDING NEAT STUFF IN RECORDS SLEEVES, ESPECIALLY EXTRA GOODIES THAT ORIGINALLY CAME WITH THE RECORD

THE SECOND HALF OF THE LYRIC SHEET. IF YOU OPEN IT UP IN A NEW TAB YOU MIGHT EVEN BE ABLE TO READ IT. I'M A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED THE LAST FEW LINES OF I'M ON FIRE ON THE FIRST SIDE OF THE SHEET SO EACH SIDE IS ON ONE SITE OF THE LYRIC SHEET

RECORD GOT: OSCAR LEVANT - LEVANT PLAYS GERSHWIN

WHEN I GOT INTO THE BOOK SWAP THE PLAN OF ATTACK WAS THUS:

1) HIT THE HUMOR TABLE RIGHT INSIDE THE ENTRANCE LOOKING FOR SOME COOL COMIC-RELATED BOOKS (RESULT: SUCCESS)

2) STEER TOWARD THE SPORTS/MOVIES/COLLECTIBLES TABLE TO MAYBE GRAB SOME CARD-RELATED STUFF (RESULT: SUCCESS)

3) ATTACK THE RECORDS. 

I GOT TO THE RECORDS AND THERE WAS ALREADY A FEW LADIES SCROUNGING IN THE ROCK AND POP CRATES SO I HAD TO SETTLE FOR THE GOODWILL-LEFTOVERS EASY LISTENING CRATE. I IMMEDIATELY FOUND THIS ONE. OSCAR LEVANT IS A FANTASTIC PIANIST AND GEORGE GERSHWIN'S MUSIC IS ICONIC. BUT FORGET ALL THAT, THIS ALBUM COVER IS FRIGGIN FANTASTIC. I LOVE 50S ALBUM DESIGN SO MUCH, SO ELAGANTLY CHEESY. ALL THEY REALLY NEEDED WAS THE PIANO, EIFFEL TOWER AND THE PRETTY LADY LOUNGING ON RED WHITE AND BLUE PILLOWS, BUT THEY CRAMMED IN CHAMPAIGNE AND A TOP HAT AND STREAMERS AND A GUY ON CLARINET AND FLAGS AND... HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGES? THERE'S SO MUCH ON THIS COVER

OLD-ASS ALBUM COVERS ALSO HAVE AN ENTIRE NOVEL ON THE BACK FOR LAGNIAPPE SO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO READ WHILE LISTENING TO THE PRETTY MUSIC. YOU DON'T GET NOVELS WITH YOUR SPOTIFY NOWADAYS, IT'S A DAMN SHAME. NOTE ALSO THE HELPFUL WARNING NOT TO FUCK UP YOUR RECORDS WITH SHITTY NEEDLES. ASK YOUR DEALER FOR NEW COLUMBIA NEEDLES. THAT'S HOW THEY GET YA, LURE YOU IN WITH A NOVEL AND THEN MAKE ALL THE PROFIT ON THE NEEDLES

ANOTHER FUN THING ABOUT PICKING UP OLD RECORDS IS THAT IT'S AN ADVENTURE FINDING OUT IF THERE EVEN IS A RECORD SLEEVE PROTECTING YOU DELICATE WAX. THE BOSS HAD NO SLEEVE AND THUS, NO PICTURES. THIS ONE DOES HAVE A SLEEVE, JUST FOR A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT RECORD. THE WORLD'S BEST LOVED WALTZES BY MORTON GOULD AND HIS ORCHESTRA HAS A PRETTY DOPE COVER ITSELF. HOW LEVANT GOT MORTON'S SLEEVE WE'LL NEVER KNOW

BUT WE GOT A WHOLE SECOND NOVEL OF LINER NOTES FOR WALTZES THIS TIME. THIS WAS A VERY APPROPRIATE PICKUP FROM A BOOK SWAP

NOW THIS IS A BOMB-ASS COLUMBIA RECORDS LABEL. I LOVE THIS ONE SO MUCH. THE BRIGHT RED LABEL, THE TYPE ON THAT COLUMBIA NAME AND THOSE WEIRD LITTLE LOGOS ON EITHER SIDE THAT LOOK LIKE A CYCLOPS, A MARTIAN OR A BEWILDERED DUCK DEPENDING ON HOW YOU LOOK AT IT. FANTASTIC. I KNOW I JUST SAID I WAS GOING TO SHOW OFF BOTH LABEL SIDES BUT BLOGGER JUST ATE SIDE A AND I'M NOT UPLOADING IT AGAIN

FINAL VERDICT: DID I DO GOOD IN THIS SWAP?

EH, I DID OK. I LIKE LOOKING AT THIS COVER BETTER AND RHAPSODY IN BLUE IS AN ALL-TIMER. I DIDN'T SEE WHO GOT MY SPRINGSTEEN DISC BUT I HOPE THEY ARE ENJOYING IT AND USING COLUMBIA NEEDLES FOR THEIR LISTENING EXPERIENCE. I AM SURE THAT GIVING UP SOMETHING QUALITY GAVE ME SOME NEEDED GOOD LUCK FOR FUTURE CRATE DIGGING, WHICH WOU WILL SEE SOON ENOUGH