2023 COMC BINGE - PART 8: A PIECE OF CAKE

WE HAVE AN ODDBALL FOOD ISSUE SET COMPLETER TODAY. THE WHOLE SET IS WAITING FOR YOU SO LET'S GET GOING ALREADY

1982 DRAKE'S DAVE WINFIELD

DRAKES! THE FIRST ODDBALL I WAS ACQUAINTED WITH. THE 1981 VERSION, NOT THESE. I DON'T THINK EVER CAME ACROSS THESE WHEN I WAS A KID, AT LEAST I DON'T REMEMBER THE YELLOW BORDERED CARDS AS MUCH AT THOSE RED AND BLUE FRAMES FROM 1981. WHILE THIS SET MISSED ME IN MY YOUTH, I BOUGHT A BULK BOX FROM THE LCS (MAYBE THE FIRST TIME I DID SO, NOW THAT I THINK OF IT) THAT HAD A TON OF OLD ODDBALL SETS INCLUDING A BUNCH OF DRAKE'S. MOST WERE FROM 1981-84 AND I HAD CHIPPED AWAY ON THE WANTLISTS UNTIL DAVE HERE WAS THE SET CLOSER. THE 81 SET MEANS MORE TO ME BUT MY GOAL WAS TO COMPLETE AS MANY SETS IN THIS BINGE AS POSSIBLE SO I DID

I STILL FIND PLAIN OL' TOPPS BACKS ON RANDOM ODDBALL SETS TO BE INCREDIBLY CHARMING. I ALSO LIKE WHEN THE LAST CARD NEEDED FOR A SET IS A STAR. I STILL NEED GEORGE HENDRICK FOR THE 81 AND 83 SETS AND THERE AIN'T NO GEORGE HENDRICK BOX AT YOUR LOCAL SHOP UNLESS IT'S A SHOP IN ST. LOUIS THAT'S BEEN OPEN 40 YEARS. DAVE WINFIELD'S A STAR, HE'S IN THE STAR BOXES. THIS PARTICULAR CARD WASN'T AT MY LCS BUT I KNOW I'VE PICKED UP OTHER COOL WINFIELDS DIGGING THRU THE BOX. HERE'S THE WHOLE SHEBANG FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE, ENJOY THAT CLASSIC RED AND GREEN ON THE BORDERS TO DIFFERENTIATE THE LEAGUES

UP NEXT:: THE FIRST MINI CARD

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

6 in 30 - Five Dollar Binder

Every so often Atlanta Sports cards sells binders full of sheets and cards for five bucks that were likely picked up in a large collection purchase. This is just fine and dandy as I am constantly on the lookout for cheap binders and pages. The actual cards are an afterthought with me. Last time I went to ASC on my lunch break (a couple of weeks ago now, I'm really behind in everything) they had a few and I found a doozy. Normally they are filled up with random junk commons or a crummy football or basketball set from 1992, but I found one with about 8 sheets 2/3 filled with vintage commons from 1972 and 1974. They were selling similar cards in their quarter box so the '74s alone would have cost more than the rest of the binder. There was a lot of neat stuff in there actually, some football, some junk wax star cards, a bunch of hockey and even some golf and Desert Storm cards. Here's 6 in 30 to memorialize the binder before it gets cannibalized for my Obak set and Yo Momma cards.

1974 Topps Rookie Infielders

There were a bunch of neat early '70s cards including a couple of Braves and a Frank Tanana rookie, but I didn't even notice this Frank White rookie until my final flip through the binder.

1974-75 O-Pee-Chee WHA Checklist

I've never even seen a WHA hockey card, but there were two of the checklists in the binder. This one is kind of jacked up with the wax stain and the diamond cut, but the other one is GEM MINT baby. I wish I had some WHA cards so I could check it off.

1986 Topps Dave Winfield All-Star

Ever since I got that '76 Winfield from Troll, I've been mildly obsessed with Dave to the point where I've been making a point of checking for his rookie when I hit a card shop. I almost bought a '75 mini Winfield at the flea market last weekend but there was a bad ding on the left side and the guy was talking about book value the whole time I was there.

1987 Phil Niekro

This was the very last card I needed to finish my '87 Topps set. I already had about a half dozen of 'em but they were in my Braves collection (Knucksie is ALWAYS a Brave, regardless of uniform) and not in my set. Silly, no?

1990-91 Topps Doug Gilmour

One of my favorite all-time SportsCenter commercials is where Keith Olbermann and Dan Patrick are talking about tough guys in sports while applying makeup in the restroom. "Mark Messier's tough... Doug Gilmour's tough..." This card reminded me of how nice this set is. Maybe I should drag it out of mothballs and see if I can finish the thing.

Topps Desert Storm Canada Sticker

The Desert Storm cards more than anything else dates this binder to about 1991. Only then would people actually put these things in pages. Among the numerous cards of tanks and planes, I got a General Stormin' Norman and a few flags. After pondering deeply (well not too deeply, there was a time limit here) I went with the flag. Gotta love the Leaf.

Don't be mad at Troll...

... for Bipping me - and Bipping me in a mindblowingly sneaky fashion - because this card was also in that package:

There is no word in the English language that adequately describes how super that card is.

Quick, someone make up a word to describe that card.

I need to yell it really loud at 3AM while drunk.

I'll start drinkin', you all start wordin'.