Monday, March 27, 2017

The sort of political post

I few posts back, I made a statement about my last visit to my LCS, focusing on the word "last" and saying it was the subject of another post. One person caught that statement and commented that he thinks my vague phrasing may be that I have stopped going to that shop. Well, let's rip off the band aid and get to it.

Simba will make it hurt less. Hakuna Ma-up yours.

For those that haven't figured it out, I'm a pretty hard liberal. Not psycho left wing, but a far distance from moderate. Swing by my house sometime and check out my bumper sticker collection on the window in the office. Now my local LCS (5 locations with the main just 10 minutes from my house), the owner is pretty conservative. Dyed in the wool right wing. If you go to his shop, there are two TVs on. If Brian is not there, you usually have sports on. But when Brian is in the shop, it's Fox News all the time. Rarely you get a game, but that would only be on pack wars night and the insistence of the folks in the shop.

We all have our views and morals. We all vote for whom we want. That's what's this place is about. I would rag Brian about Trump, but currently he is the Cheeto in Charge (who knows how much longer), but it is what it is. Brian had no issues with my left views and I accepted his right. At times we would discuss some things where we had opposing views. I can honestly say it's always refreshing to hear new angles on subjects. It's important we listen, even if we don't agree and we do not change our position.

Anyway, a couple weeks back I stopped in the store after a doctor's appointment. It was National hockey card day for one thing. And since I am not buying 2017 flagship, I hoped someone has ripped boxes and cases, leaving the cards behind for the shop to resell. I was not let down.

I spent time digging through this commons box, pulling out White Sox and other binder cards. People were coming in and out (the store does good business) and Brian is always very personable. He knows all his regulars and semi regulars well and greets them warmly with more than card talk. One couple came in and made a comment they hadn't seen Brian in a while at the usual place they would run into him - Walmart. Brian's response:

"I don't shop there anymore. They started carrying that Black Lives Matters crap so I take my money elsewhere."

I was well in earshot to hear this, and while we have differences, that statement cut me to the core. I took his statement two ways. First, I see that as him not really understanding what BLM is all about and the reason it has formed. But as I thought more, and factored in his noticeable love of all things Drumpf, I felt a tinge that his statement was mildly racist.

To this moment, and beyond, I don't think of him as a racist person. I probably never will. But there was too much in what he said and how he said it that shook my own morality. "He has a good point", I thought. "If you don't like the world direction a shop, company or corporation has, you have the right to take your business elsewhere". He has that right. You have that right. And I have that right. So I collected up what I had, paid and haven't gone back.

Brian not shopping at Walmart is a blip on their radar, just as I not shopping at his card store will do nothing to hurt his business. If you average it out, I maybe spend $50-75 a month at his shop. My wallet will not be missed when the quarterly totals are figured. But I cannot in my right mind fail to speak with my pocket in the same way he does, or the rest of us should do.

The one thing: I can afford this luxury. Sure, Brian has 5 shops in the area, and the two nearest to my house are his. But I am fortunate in this blog community to have so many shops to visit. Off the top of my head I can count 6 shops within an hour from me, plus darn near weekly card shows I can attend. Many of you barely have one of either shop or show. So this financial protest doesn't hurt me, but if I was to stop shopping at Jewel, I need my groceries from somewhere, and there's always Tony's, Mariano's, Aldi, Caputo's, Ultra Foods.....you get the idea.

If anyone is in town and wants to go, I will go. But I am making a conscious effort to give my business to another establishment. And if they all support Drumpf, there's always the internet.

Ok - enough of that. What was my last purchase? For starters, I pulled the complete series 1 White Sox set. I need an extra Eaton for the player collection if anyone has a dupe. Also in the commons box I found these:


Buybacks for the frankenset. Gem mint - I should get them graded.


Double play cards. I like finding that Pedroia for this image because it shows that even the '87 Topps design is better than this year's, mainly because the image it's cut off by the horrible layout. Who is Peterson doubling off? I know it's a Cub from the weeds in the background, but I would have to squint to see the name. Or to even know that Jace was soaring over someone. Dustim? Oh yeah - there is another player in the frame for sure.


Three throwbacks? Is that all in the base set? I really should stop complaining and be thankful I don't have to add too many to the binder.


Someone asked for the '65 vintage box, and I was able to hit it before they put it back. Every vintage was a dollar or less. Wood goes to a soon to start PC. I picked up a few more White Sox for the 1965 set than just these two.


Last, I showed the Stengel already, but no one will complain for another view. And yup, TTM autograph for a dollar on some loved vintage. I almost passed, but I can think of a Cardinal fan who is quite happy about one of the Final Four teams that would not refuse this card.

I apologize if I got too political and thank you if you read this far. I'll do my best to only talk about cute, fun things in the future.

Like bunnies and music.

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Throwback Thursday - 03.23.2017

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. The picture may be from the front of the card, or the back. Enjoy the uniforms from years past.

Ryan Braun - 2011 Topps - Milwaukee Brewers

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Another box? Why not!

I'm not sure how many of you are as eager about April 14th as myself and Junior Junkie are, but that is the date MST3K returns to Netflix via a crowd funded production. I watch the hell out of the shows on YouTube (they are real easy to find), and you honestly need to watch one if you haven't. Manos is a classic, as is Mitchell. I really like Space Mutiny. Personally, my favorite is not a movie but the short Mr. B Natural. The upcoming Netflix series looks very promising, so I should finish up season 2 of The Man in the High Castle before the 14th rolls around.

PACKARD WINS THE SUPER BOWL!
But when new stuff appears on Netflix, old stuff rolls off. And this month. it's Firefly. Firefly has been a mainstay on Netflix for what seems a year now, but they are pulling it off April 1st. If you haven't watched it yet (and what the hell is wrong with you if you haven't), get on it. Or you can borrow my DVDs. As I have showcased in the past, Upper Deck put out a set for the show in 2015 - Firefly: The 'Verse. I have been about a dozen cards short of the set, and the boxes are on clearance over at DA Card World. Why not rip another, eh? You should get 3 hits from a box: an actor autograph, a manu-patch and usually an artist autograph.

I was able to complete the set with this box, so it's gone from my Want list. That is a very, very good thing. For those that cannot remember, here's a few of the cards I needed to finish the base set.


I particularly like the bottom card of Inara smacking Mal across the face. These three showcase the nice range of artists and styles that appear in the set. I got my fair share of serieled inserts (4) and green foil parallels (a dozen I think). But the hits. That's what you all care about. So enough dilly dallying. I am to misbehave.


The artist autograph is on a matte finish copy of a card they drew. Not a 1/1 sketch, just a card without the heavy shine. The artist is David Hindelang, who has done a lot of fine work for Iconograph Studios. The actor autograph is Isabella Hoffman, who played Regan Tam, the mother of River and Simon Tam who hide out on Serenity from the Alliance.


Box #3 ended up with 5 total hits, and I could not be happier. The manu-patch is of Preacher Book (RIP Ron Glass). It's ok - no biggie. Love the 1/1 sketch of Serenity mechanic Kaylee. I have a huge crush on Jewel (who doesn't), so this is a nice addition to the other sketch card I have of Mal. This sketch is unique, though - the card is specific that it would be a sketch of Kaylee - the artist did not write that in, and the numbering on the back is different from a standard 1/1. The artist is Scott Zirkel, who does art in his spare time according to his website. Some really nice work he did for the set, and hey - my card is at the lower left!!! Last is my 2nd printing plate, this of Inara getting the upper hand on Saffron.


Nice to have the base set complete. Now I don't have to get another box.

Yeah.....right.

Monday, March 20, 2017

Just a quick update about stuff

So I was off of wok today: colonoscopy.

When you hit 50 (I'm talk to the yoots), you can look forward to it. The procedure? Nothing. You are knocked out for it. But the stuff you have to drink prior??? Midway through the first glass, you start thinking "ya know - detected early, there is a 65% survival rate".

I make light humor, but believe me - the testing is important. Colon cancer may be the actual reason my mother passed away, so yay genetics! It's just that the prep fluid tastes like drinking liquid Pixie sticks laced with battery acid.

Update #2. If you see your zipcode below, watch your mailbox:

84043
44887
05866
86314
76706
48823
90703
55129
60060
50112
76367
13601
29730
07066
10031
85255
11572
12590
07044
45067
80020

All the Tis The Season mailings have left except 3. You two hosers up north I have not processed yet. Tomorrow. And Gavin, but I am waiting on an additional item, you 5th anniversary winner, you. There are a few others I need to envelope up. All in good time.

As is the rule, there has to be a card scanned.


I picked this Stengel up at my last visit to my LCS. Key word: last. It's a story for another post. But I couldn't pass up the sunset card of the Old Perfessor when it was all of a buck. 1965 was Casey's last year in baseball, retiring mid season of that year after breaking his hip at a friend's home.

Back to work tomorrow. All things considered, I actually would have rather been at my desk today.

Saturday, March 18, 2017

With brute force and determination

So as many yesterday figured out with very little hints, it was the 5th anniversary of my little corner of stupidity. So the post yesterday was some fun...

...that I almost forgot about. See, I actually started that post a year ago. It would have been the 4th anniversary post. But life got in the way and I had to shelve it. Yesterday, my mind goes "oh yeah - when is the blog anniversary? HOLY SHIT - TODAY!". So I put the finishing touches on the post and clicked submit.

Hurry up, it's getting late!

My goal was to put people on a little bit of a hunt, and the whole wording of the post should have clued you off. If not, the images posted would have. For those with eagle eyes, the first image was that of the Nazi enigma machine. And the second was Jim Carrey as the Riddler, or more exactly Edward Nigma: E. Nigma. Those should have been enough to let you know it was just just a post gone haywire, but a coded post. A simple cipher, really. I didn't want to get too crazy with how the words were encoded. But with any cipher, one must have the key. The title and the video should have made that obvious - five. So if you went to a website for a shift cipher, and entered the text with the shift of 5, this is what you would have read:

So today's date has a lot of importance throughout history. Some of it has to deal with amazing things. It's the wedding anniversary for Franklin Delano and Eleanor Roosevelt. The Brtish evacuated Boston in the Revolutionary War. On this day, the National Association of Professional Baseball Players was founded, as was the Camp Fire Girls. Almost a hundred years apart, the first submarine stays under water on this date for almost two hours and IBM releases DOS three.three. The first is little cause for joy when forty years later German U-boats killed over six hundred people in numerous years during the war today.

Word processor from hell
For those celebrating birthdays today, you have Hank Bauer, Shemp Howard, golfer Bobby Jones, Nat King Cole, Mia Hamm, actors John Boyaga and Kurt Russell, and Jophn Wayne Gacy. Deaths included Ray Meyer, Alex Chilton, Amos Alonzo Stagg and St. Patrick. Now you know why today is St. Patrick's Day.

And today is also the fifth birthday of this little corner of my baseball collection stupidity on the internet. After being a lurker for about six or seven months, I decided that I enjoy writing (somewhat) and I just hoped I could carve out a little spot for me. Maybe someone would read it, and maybe it would get ignored. But as I have said in the past, readership doesn't matter. I truly thank you that come here when I write, to read my plodding posts and comment. I hope somewhere you enjoy it, if only to think "hell - just how does he think he's funny?"


IT'S BLOGTIME!
So being my anniversary, we need to have a contest, right? How about you send a message to the Gmail address heroesgiveaways? I've been sitting on a nice autograph I pulled from a box of Archives Signatures, so the winner will get a one out of five signature of Doc Gooden. I think I'll add more to just that prize, based on how this contest is responded to, mainly because if you get involved, you will probably hate me.

There is a long line, folks. Take a number.


If you are thinking a simple email would get you into the contest, you don't know me so well. An email to that address would have gotten you an automatic return that read:

If you got this far, you are pretty smart. That being said, if you paid any attention, this is a contest, and to get this far took a little bit of work, so just emailing here is not enough.

But this 2nd part is the last part, I swear. The winner of the 5th anniversary contest is the first person that leaves a comment on a specific post. What post you ask???? You have to figure it out. I will give you a few hints. 

The post was in 2013. For a one month time span (yes - one month), every music video at the end of the posts all tied together. There was a specific theme/subject that tied them together. If you are not sure what that theme is, think about the post that got you to email here.

Now, ONE VIDEO on ONE POST during that month lacks the theme. That is the post you need to leave a comment on. Call me an asshole. Call me a genius. Leave your recipe for hummus. Doesn't matter what you say. First person to leave a comment wins. 

I have verified all the videos work, so if you find the right time frame, you can play them all, jam out, and then figure out the odd song out.

Yes - I am this sick. And for being this mean, I need so much more than a Doc Gooden encased autograph. I'll work on it. For all I know, no one will ever receive this automatic email.

I'm an ass - you all know that!!! Well, Gavin over at Baseball Card Breakdown must have been very bored, because the number of posts he commented was straight insane. Yet, as of this morning, he had not hit the specific post. About an hour later, though, he found it. In an email conversation, I mentioned that sheer will got it, but did he know what was different about that post. Just a few minutes later, he hit in on the head. First, the post is question is this one:

One more, but still at four

I had to clear the video at the end of another post, but only because it was deleted from YT, and I could not figure out just what the video was. But it did not change the outcome, as it was a video that I think showed an image of the theme. This was the exact post that was different in that month time frame than the others. If you view the posts from  Road trip thru Catching up before I head out, all posts (with a video embedded) have a common theme. That theme? The word Buckingham.

In the videos, you either have Fleetwood Mac, with member Lindsey Buckingham, or a solo Lindsey. You have a couple songs by The Buckinghams. Two videos feature Buckingham Fountain in Chicago (the title video for Married With Children and a random fountain video). There is even a video of Ozzy performing for the Queen at Buckingham Palace. The "One more" post, though, has a song from the band XTC singing about the Statue of Liberty. Now, XTC is from England, but nowhere near London. Plus, it is a song making reference to an American icon.

Well done Gavin. I like that you actually found the tie in and didn't just hammer away until you stumbled on the correct place. Here's what your prize looks like:


It's been in the box since I pulled it, so any imperfections is the dirty scanner. And since you did figure out the true connection in the posts, I'll include a bonus. I hope you get something good out of it.

So there you go folks. Welcome to the start of the 2nd five years. It's gotta get better, right?

Friday, March 17, 2017

5

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NY'X GQTLYNRJ!
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Thursday, March 16, 2017

Throwback Thursday - 03.16.2017

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. The picture may be from the front of the card, or the back. Enjoy the uniforms from years past.

Mike Piazza - 2004 Upper Deck SP Prospects - New York Cubans

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Hidden Gems: From the 32nd state of the union

I've been to Minnesota once in my life. Minneapolis to be exact, cuz really, what else is to see in Minnesota? (dodges rocks from HSCA and GCRL) Hey, the city was fine, and I caught a Twins games while I was there. The Humphrey Dome was not a good place for baseball, so it's nice they got a new park. But take away the Minn/St. Paul area, and the only other reference I get for the state down here is the temperature of International Falls.


There is still some great cardboard, though, with a Minnesota touch to them. I have a lot of these types of pictures in the binder, where the focus is on the player, but a bunch of stuff is still in the frame a wonderfully out of focus. I know there is a term for this view, but it escapes me at this point. It's a fantastic look on a card. The exact moment is captured and frozen, but you as the viewer can refocus the picture in your mind and make out what the other objects are. And sure, Leach's legs are chopped off, but the other three points of his body are perfectly aligned in the frame. Well done, Donruss.


The Soviettes is a band that I actually found via a CD my son had burned many years ago. Somehow it ended up in my car and this very tune brought them to my attention. I have actually posted another one of their songs here - The Land of Clear Blue Radio. And when people think of Minnesota and Minneapolis, Who comes to mind is Prince, The Replacements, Hüsker Dü, Bob Dylan.... But The Soviettes put out three really good punk albums and still play together from time to time. And they are worth a listen.

Thursday, March 9, 2017

Throwback Thursday - 03.09.2017

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. The picture may be from the front of the card, or the back. Enjoy the uniforms from years past.

Darin Erstad - 2003 Donruss - California Angels

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Dollar store repacks

I haven't done a repack wars recently because any repacks I buy tend to be junk. Lately Fairfield has been packing them with either 2015 Topps, Panini Triple Play or last 80's junk wax (Score or Fleer). And sure, the repacks at the dollar store contain junk as well, they are a far cheaper rip than $12 for 100 cards, more than 50% I know I won't need.

Over the past couple weeks, I've been forced to hit the dollar store, and each trip I picked up 4 packs. First four were the multi sport repacks of 30 cards (or so) and the 2nd trip brought home 20 card baseball only packs. Let's have some scans.


Starting with one of the 30 card multi sports, I have broken the scans down to the oldest card in the pack (this Miller from 1981), the best card in the pack for my collection (Brookens laying down a bunt) and the best card overall in the pack, which happens to be an Electric Ice of HOFer Biggio. I might build that '81 set. Though I think I will first build the 1981 hockey release.


As I mentioned, this was one of the multi sport releases. All but these two cards were baseball. Sorry Seattle, this was a good look for you. Ditch the neon green.


2nd multi sport pack, with the oldest being the man who could not keep his cap on his head, John Pacella. A 1983 Bo goes into the Sox Box. And the awesome SC release of Hudler performing an act on a dugout pole that got him called to HR was the best of the pack.


Just two non baseball in the pack. Chucky Brown's rookie from Hoops and a Collector's Choice of Valeri Kamensky. Even the hockey Collector's Choice sets were primo releases.


A couple 1985 Topps cards get the oldest designation, with the Gleaton being the only real card I would want (but don't need). How about a Mother's Nolan Ryan, though? Nice pull for 3 cents.


I thought this was interesting: pulled 3 Upper Deck Gold Reserve cards from their 2000 set.


This was the worst of the 4 multi sport packs, yielding me 5 non baseball cards. Love the jaw guard on LaFontaine's helmet. Noonan is an ex-Blackhawk. Technically, Coffey is too, for 10 forgettable games.


Last of the multi sport packs. There were a dozen of the 1981 Fleers within. Someone really didn't line up the plates well on that Trevino. One Sox on that top prospects card, so it gets the nod for the collection (I think I need it). No single card can get highlighted as the best of the pack when all this falls out...


You try and pick the best card from those 4. Anyone of you would pay a dime for those. I paid 3 pennies each.


Not a single non baseball card in the pack, so how about I show off 3 OPC cards that were in the stack? That was the last of the 30 card multi sport. Let's look at the 20 card baseball packs. Tend to be newer cards, but still some old gems to be found within.


1988 Harold Baines was the oldest in the pack, but the amazing Bo Breaker card secures both the best for my collection and the best within the pack. That man could do anything.


Here's a few other highlights from that pack. Wallach goes to you know who. An OPC Candy Maldonado. And Alomar Jr.? Note the McDonald's logo in the upper right. Oddball!


Speaking of Tim Wallach, I will now want all your '85 Mike Heath as I got two in this repack. (No - I don't. Just kidding). No cards for my collection at all, but a really nice Grace SP. I love that set. Amazing images, even if the border on the left side ruins it a bit. It was Upper Deck's version of Stadium Club.


Yeah - this was a real dude pack. I hope Mychal has learned how to sign his name. I show the Hudson for his left wrist. Someone forgot to take off his watch. Not a Rolex, that's for sure. I wonder if it has a calculator...


1987 Donruss for the oldest card. I have both the SaveMaster and the Sosa throwbacks, but I had to pick best for the collection and best card. I think that Sosa is one fine throwback. Love the card coloring when paired with the 1919 Sox unis and Sosa's wrist bands.


Mattingly without a mustache always freaks me out. Like seeing a skinny Rick Reuchel. And hey Nick, does that McDonald count as a pitcher at the plate? I think it should.


We end the 8 packs with a dud. There were 87 Donruss within, but you have seen enough, so let's show an '87 Fleer. And when a 1991 Fleer Bonds is called the best in the pack (and frigging BANK 25 years ago), you see how weak the cards for a buck were. Not a single White Sox either.


The 20 card baseball repacks, though, are always good for shiny, one or two year off sets. Or higher end, as a Hollandsworth Fleer EX and a Patterson Topps Finest will attest to. Not amazing, but well worth a nickel each.

So there ya go - eight repacks. And look - I've posted 3 days in a row! Put on your dancing pants!

Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Stuck in the mud

It would be an understatement to say my 1964 Topps build is mired in the muck. I'm just over the 70% mark, but still missing some of the biggest cards. There are still plenty of commons needed as well. I haven't been able to get to the Orland show and see if my cheap vintage guy has any more commons for my build.

Thankfully, CommishBob from Five Tool Collector must have his own access to 64s, as a little more than a dozen cards in a PWE. Quite fine shape, so let's take a look at a few.


Nice looks at some classic uniforms, with the KC vests and the under sleeves with TV numbers. A definite rarity to have numbers on the sleeves in MLB. The Phillies currently have a number on one sleeve. Lynch is sporting a flocked batting helmet. A few teams have gone to matte helmets in the past couple years, but I would love to see the Buccos go full fuzzy for a 60's throwback uniform.


A catcher with no gear. For the record, Haller was a Giant the previous year, so that cap is not blacked out. Zoilo laying one down. I think I have a copy of this in my bunting binder. Actually, I don't. Bummer. Perranoski is in an interesting pose. Not sure if that angle is reminiscent of his pitching motion, though.


Santo was the biggest name of the bunch and a great addition. This card would cost me a pretty penny in this area. I hope you got a great deal, Bob. Milt sticks in my head around Chicago for the many times I heard him on the radio complaining he was robbed of a perfect game by Bruce Froemming. I really hope he just used the game for fun and ribbing, but it really seems like Milt just couldn't let it go.


I already have this card in the build, and I'm certain Bob knew that. This is a sweet miscut for the binder.

Well, I am now at 71% of the set build. Maybe I can get over 90% by the end of the year.

Monday, March 6, 2017

12 Decent Dollars

Years ago, when I was laid off from my job, the fill in until I found a better paycheck was working as a security guard. Excitement. My duty was in a warehouse guarding suits. Men's suits. Seriously.

Protecting you ladies from my hotness.
I would get locked in about 5:30 and at the top of each hour make a trip through the warehouse turning a key in a fire box. The job was to make sure there wasn't a fire. These were really expensive suits. A grand or more each. I would roam around in there when I was bored and once saw a suite with the tag "Digger Phelps" on it.

Yeah - I left a note in the pocket praising Norte Dame. No idea if he ever got it.

Anyway, this was at the time where the wee hours of the night was not infomercials but old black and white movies on the TV. I snuck in a little portable television to keep me awake, and it was through that I found an appreciation for the older cinema, musicals, etc. I recall it was one night on either WGN or WFLD I saw "12 Angry Men". And if none of you have watched it, what the hell is wrong with you? Just do it. It's not currently streaming on Netflix or Prime, but you can find it. Or just rent it.

So where am I going with this? Two weeks ago I had jury duty. You are summoned for a week in Illinois, and have to call in twice a day to see if you need to report. I only got called to the court one day - Wednesday. Within 15 minutes, my number along with 30 or so others got called for jury selection. A civil case. So instead of reading my book, I was sitting while the lawyers questioned potential jurors. When we broke for lunch (with only half of us questioned), I went out to find food. Where I stopped was just in front of a Walmart, so why not a little trip to the card aisle in the front of the store. While the Walmart near my house seems to get pretty picked through, this particular store must not have a lot of card shoppers. I can usually find some decent stuff.

This was one of those days, finding a discounted blaster of 2016 Archives for just under $12 bucks. How did I do before I had to go back for my round of questioning?


For starters, this was a great box for a Sox fan. Here are all the ChiSox within. I just missed the Sox in the 1979 section of the set. Still - good haul.


Speaking of 1979 (sorry Night Owl - didn't pull any you needed), this was the only card in the blaster that had a card in the original set. Funny they moved Sutter to the Cardinals in 2016 when he was a Cub in the original. And thank goodness they did, since the Cardinals have sooooooo few cards in the set (14, for those that care).


There's that Eaton again. These were all potential binder cards, except that I already have them in the binders from other packs, blasters or blogger generosity. Into the set build they all shall go. BTW - love the 50th year patch on Scooter's sleeve.


Inserts. Later folks - I'm retiring on that Bryant. YEAH!


There is my guaranteed Bull Durham card. Dupe, as I have Millie already. The Father and Son card is a dupe too. But that Burroughs auto was a hell of a nice pull. I swear that's the player name, even if you cannot see pale orange on pale gray. Good call, Topps. But funny they put Jeff on a design that is the year PRIOR to his rookie card.

Might not have gotten the full $12 worth, but it was a fun rip and I got some good set filler.

And I wasn't selected for the trial. Makes me one for two on juries.