Sunday, July 27, 2014

COUNTERED!

The other day I posted the great box I received from Bo at Baseball Cards Come to Life. I made humorous reference towards Bo knocking Jaybarkerfan's Junk Wes from the pinnacle of card generosity. Conveniently, Wes did a card drop on me a few days ago.

Will Wes take back his throne?


Wes knows what you like. A good Wes card drop is loaded with such a wide range of cards that fits your collection. Here's a great bit of shiny cards. I have very few Topps HD, but man I love them. It's a low numbered serial along with the Tracey Chrome. That Topps Finest is one I have been missing. Wilson is sporting a Chicago American Giants Negro cap. Deciding if I want this card in my throwback binder.


Speaking of serialed cards, Wes dropped a lot of them in this envelope. I only ever pulled one gold from UD, so to get these two was a pleasant surprise. In fact, the Garland in the middle is the same production as the other two - #/99.


Nice start representation in the package. No sure if Albert with make the Hall, Leaf, but who could fault you for guessing. The Ventura is a Topps version of Action Packed, but with both sides raised.


How about a dozen cards of newest HOF plaque man Frank Thomas?


I am starting to believe Wes manufactures his own relic cards. How he finds so many is beyond me. Easily a dozen cards in the relic section of my binder have come from Wes. Interesting to see the change in fabric from 2008 to 2012 between the AJ and the Peavy.


I am not going to make claim about him manufacturing autos, though. These are the real thing. After going so long without a Parque, I now added two in less than a month. Collecting is weird like that.

So who takes the crown for the card drops? Well, in the end, comparing Bo to Wes is like a competition between Kate and Chrissy.

Winner? All of us.

You don't choose one over the other because their generosity is amazing. Thanks as always, Wes. My card for your latest giveaway heads out in a couple days. 

Friday, July 25, 2014

A new challenger arises

Many of us in the blogging/collecting world have received the generosity of Wes from JayBarkerfan's Junk. This post, however, is not one of Wes' card drops. Before Denver, Bo from Baseball Cards Come To Life sent me an email proposing a trade. Bo stated he would dig through my Zistle list and help me out with some wants. Let's look at what Bo calls "digging through your account".


In order, top left around we have a stack of White Sox - about 300, over 150 players bunting, just under 100 double play turns, 27 throwback uniform cards, a dozen miscuts and 8 cards with players sheering off their bat. Over 600 cards! All arrived in a box and I had a ton of fun going through, sorting and cataloging them all. I still have all the Sox to get through, as well as the bunts to get into Zistle. But let's show off some greatness Bo found.


There is most of the broken bat cards. I knew of the Raines and the Chamberlain. The other 4 in this scan flew under my radar. All my broken bat cards were in the binder with the bunts, but with these additions, plus the stack of bunts, they will move to their own binder.


Oh miscut, I love you so. Some great finds by Bo. Sure - the centering of the card on the right is pretty good, but look at the back.


Whoops! That's gold right there - figuratively and literally. Best miscut in the box, though, is this geometric presentation.


Top and bottom are flush with the scanner.


25 of the 27 throwback cards in the box were new additions. The Oaks uni on Juicer McGwire is a popular uniform in that years Collectors Choice, as 4 other cards of the A's sports the wool. Love the Cirillo bottom left. Great throwback to the reused Pilot uniforms the Brewers used their first season.


A total of 97 DP cards Bo found. 90 of them were new additions. You can see the range of years and products in the scan, plus the use of a DP turn on either the front or back. That Runge looks like a photo from Spring Training. Great cameo from Tony Gwynn on the Doran.


Best DP card in the box. Use the Force, Cordero.


Have we got bunts. This stack alone will force me to get a 2nd binder for my bunting cards. Not just junk wax bunts.


Vintage bunts too. I still have not finished getting all the White Sox cards sorted through, but there is tons of great team fillers in the stack.


Topps team sets galore.


And some late 70's/early 80's vintage too. But Bo didn't stop on the diamond,


A good dozen or so Blackhawks cards were mixed in the box.

I am still working on sending back a reply, Bo, but thank you so much for the cards. I hope to have them all sorted before Christmas.

So - has Wes been dethroned? Is there a new sheriff in town? Stay tuned tomorrow.

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Throwback Thursday - 07.17.2014

Every Thursday, I post a card showing a ballplayer wearing a throwback uniform from my collection. Hopefully, he will be wearing it well, with proper pants blousing. I'll try not to duplicate a uniform. The picture may be from the front of the card, or the back. Enjoy the uniforms from years past.

Roger Cedeno - 2002 Topps - Detroit Stars

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Oh, The Cards You'll Get!

Today's "while I was gone" package comes from the very cool Kerry at Cards on Cards. Kerry is a great read, runs some really fun contests and is a fine trader. But his blog name always gets me thinking. When I see "Cards on Cards" I always think about "Hop on Pop" or "Fox in Sox". In fact, today is the 87th anniversary of Theodor Geisel's first published work of his career - a cartoon in The Saturday Evening Post. To honor that, let's Seuss up this post.

Out from of my house did my family go
And cross states to the land Colorado
People to see and places to be
Wonderous sites for you and for me

While I was gone many things did arrive
Two things, three things, four things - FIVE
Glorious items for my eyes to behold
In colors of white and black and gold



All sizes and shapes came forth from their places
Sticky on the backs and derps on their faces
Rookies and vets and stars were they shown
To be wearing the cloth from the team of my home



More stickers come out - oh did they appear
With the logos displayed from the former of year
A player is swinging but with a name that's unknown
Let's correct the injustice and just call him Joan

Joan? That won't do for this shape of a jock
That looks like a man and bat about to sock
A ball out towards the snitches and out to the sneeches
Enjoying a game while sitting in the bleaches
So since we took the name Joan off from the table
We'll man up his name and just call him Abel



Look at the oddballs and look at the shiny
Cards showing players with careers not so tiny
There's Seaver and Harold - great men of their times
Plus a bunch of guys on that card that give off the shines



How about these three - these players of three
Great players as tall as truffla trees
The Joe on the left goes in his PC
While the one far right is the year's best rookie

But stop there? No, Kerry did not halt
For Kerry appeared to reach in his vault
And pull forth cards of glory and glam
Far better than a plate of green eggs and ham



I will place these cards into my binder
For cards with such beauty are cards hard to finder
A relic of Quentin from a set they call Ginter
Plus a Magglio, dark like night in long winter

So thanks to you Kerry for cards that excite
Cards with great photos and cards so bright
Three cheers for Kerry - isn't he great!?
You read down this far - here's a picture of Kate





Monday, July 14, 2014

Missed connection

For the trip to Denver, I had to scope out a good time to go. And by good time, I of course mean to take advantage of weekends to maximize the feeling of vacation. Because of my job, each day is limited to how many people can be off. Some days, we are limited to a single person. I would say more, but this is not the place. But yes, it is as crappy at it sounds.

Oh yeah. Tiny Tim singing Tiffany - that's my jam!

P-Town Tom had emailed me a couple months ago. He was going to be in my area for a conference and was hoping for some insight on card shops, food and the rest. I gave him a basic run down and told him when the time gets close, give me the date and we'll meet up. Well, you can see where I am going with this. The date of the conference feel during the week I was in Colorado. It stink, but I gave Tom all the info I could. He said he had a good time. 

When I came home, Tom had sent me a package. In the note he commented that trading cards on a meetup seems to be a thing and had some for me. Plus, to fill out the box he threw about a dozen 92 Stadium Club cello packs in the box (fun ripping). I had a small stack for Tom, but needless to say, he hasn't received mine yet as....well, you'll see why.


Let's start with these 3 sweet vintage cards. How pretty are those, and dang near pack fresh. But it continued.


How about junk wax I am missing from my Sox box? The elusive Don Wakamatsu rookie! Continuing...


All that shiny. I have been looking for the Spring Fever Sale with zero success. And I really should gather up all the Black Jack cards I have. Bet I would have a decent PC going. There were another 30 or so Sox cards in the package. And then there were these.


No glasses required. That group alone triples the number of Sox Kellogg's cards I have. And certainly blows away the quality of them all. Not a crack to be seen. 

Now that would be enough for me to not send my gift back. And then he puts in these.


A&G Sox relic? Check. Complete, unopened Pacific "Eight Men Out" set. DAAAAAAANG!!!! I have a few cards here and there from this release. Now I know I have the full set. Well - I assume. While unopened, I would hope it's not shorted. Who do I contact if is it?

So sorry we didn't meet up, Tom. I hope your school sends you back here next year. Hope to mail back something soon. Currently, we have no plans for next summer. Don't hold me on that, though.

Sunday, July 13, 2014

What's it all mean?

With the 2014 release of Allen and Ginter, Topps is again having some fun with the mystical and mysterious side of the world. One of the full sized insert sets is called CO¿NC?DENCE.


Cards that talk about the weird, wacky and ironic world we live in. In 2013, they had the insert set called Curious Cases.


More stuff about secrets, conspiracies and other freaky occurrences of daily life. It seems to be a recent staple of A&G, as previous mini setss delve into the macabre.


So where am I getting with this? Ok - I left for Denver on a Friday and flew back the following Saturday. I was away from my house 9 days. While I was gone, Night Owl sent me a PWE with 9 cards in it. COINCIDENCE?!?! SCHEME?!?! CONSPIRACY??!?

It's just an illusion!

 Jury is still out if there is some Illuminati involvement, but let's see what I received.


Lot's of bright colors. That Herr is making it's appearance into the double play binder.


LOVE the Sale black border. Looks better then the Bowman, in my opinion. 


A three shinys. N.O. made a comment how the Opening Day blues don't lay flat. It's interesting how they curl like Chrome does, but curl from the sides instead of top to bottom. CONSPIRACY?!?!

Fight the establishment!

Saturday, July 12, 2014

Over the mountains

Let's continue with the items received while I was visiting my son. This time, we have a sort of trade package. I call it a "sort of trade", because once you trade me me I will just start sending you cards, especially hits I pull. It's nice to have a Giants fan in Adam from ARPSmith's Sportscard Obsession. It gives me a place to send anything Giants related, plus Adam is always a good blogger. Packages with his California address on them are filled with goodness.

I pull both a Matt Cain relic and a Mike Kickham auto out of some blasters of GQ. I threw them in am envelope for Adam and said "whenever". Whenever came about two weeks ago, and whenever was pretty sweet.


On my New Year resolution post, I said I wasn't going to worry about GQ and Heritage this year. Then I saw the cards and I really like the designs. I went a bit too much with both, and I am hoping to complete each set. Adam sent about 70 or so cards mixed between the two, so he gave my want list a good smack down. If you have wants for any 2014 sets, get me a list and I'll see what I can do to help.


Some random Sox in the pack. Never saw the Thomas before. It appers to be part of some player set, and the borders didn't scan well - they're gold. The Sax in the middle was a former most wanted baker's dozen card, so I have updated the side bar. How well did I flip the Cain and Hickman?


Well that's a pretty good deal if I do say so. Love me a Buehrle relic. The Getz fits into my Sox auto collection. That Barcelo is interesting. The relic is blue and thought it was another swatch from the Chicago American Giants unis the Sox like to wear, but the back says it's from a Team USA game. No matter - they are all great additions to the relic/auto binder. Thanks for the great cardboard, Adam.

Friday, July 11, 2014

While you weren't here.

So while I was hooping and living it up in Denver...

Pictured: living it up

... a few packages arrived at my house from some very generous bloggers. While the amount of cards received from the first two envelopes (12 total) I will spotlight are small, there is plenty to love.

My bud Pat from Hot Corner Cards dropped another PWE on me.  He finds all the custom collection cards I seem to miss out on via virtual dime boxing or repacks. 


You would think I'd have those junk wax Donruss in the bunting binder by now, but somehow I never pulled any. If fact, I have a feeling junk wax will start drying up and the prices will sky rocket. Yeah - and Lebron will sign as a free agent with the Cavaliers and return back to the city that ....what? Really? Anyhow - that Michaels is a nice card too. That Fleer release is pretty straight forward in it's design.


Dig that miscut Peavy. Sure, it doesn't fit my rules for miscut, but I will make exceptions, especially for recent releases. With the technology, these should be getting caught at the factory. One would think. That blood red sparkle does not work with the Sox uniforms at all. U-G-L-Y. But thanks for the cards, Pat.

I also got Hoyled again, but a small Hoyle-ing. Mark sent along these four Classic ChiSox.


Ye-owwwwwwwww! That color. Dig the Big Hurt looking all gangster. How do these Classic compare to the yellow of' '91 Fleer?


Aaaaaaaaaand we all lose.

Thanks Mark - be on the lookout for some BoSox. More deliveries to post tomorrow.

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Returning home: Prequel sequel

No Throwback Thursday today, mainly cuz I forgot the schedule one. But I will take my absentmindedness as a positive and get some more postings from my scan folder. As I stated before, I had quite a few packages waiting for me when I got back from Denver. This, however, is the last package I received before I left. The day before (that would be Thursday for those scoring at home).

Hmmm - what's the coding for a "blog unfollow"?

These cards came courtesy of Dayf from the always cool Card Junk. There is something to be said about a man that collects cards, loves the Braves Barves and My Little Pony.

6-4-3 DP and kinda weird.

In all seriousness, I love reading Dayf's blog. I am struggling to remember if I owe you anything, Dave. Which is ok, cuz I have a bunch of Braves I was going to send you anyway, so owe or not, we'll be square. But enough of me trying to remember things - it's hurts. Now, how do I work this scanner?


Dayf commented just a couple days ago he completed all his A&G sets, which means that the 10 or so he sent me must be dupes. Dupes I love, cuz they put me closer to knocking off a bunch of earlier Ginter sets as well. 


Why yes, I do collect White Sox. How did you know? The Lee on the far right is an acetate card, but that beauty went right into the throwback binder. 


Sure, I will be more than happy to accept more White Sox cards. I forget Ozzie being that young? But with all the Sox you have sent, you certainly cannot top some of what I have shown.


Boom - vintage! I have seen so many of the 70 and 71s, but they usually show the White Sox road blues. The McKinney is a rare card appearance of their barely remembered home whites - spoonhead piping with the blue sannies and the white stirrups. I really need to TTM a Beltin' Bill Melton auto. 

Thanks a bunch, Dayf. Your kindness is most appreciated, even if I cannot remember if I owe you something. Or remember anything for that matter.