The sky starts opening up...

Well, the box from Wes starts to rain, and it's raining vintage. Lots and lots of vintage. We all have our own basis for when vintage begins. To me, it's anything pre 80. Fleer seriously entered the game in 1980, and while I can view the first couple sets from Fleer as vintage, I just draw the general line at '79 and earlier. So - how much new vintage did I receive?

64.

Yes - 64 new....er......old cards in my collection. A few dupes, but all total it was 64. Which makes for a hell of a segue when the first scan I show is this.

Yup. You should know I am working on the 1964 Topps set. If not, shame on you. Or shame on me for not talking about it enough. Out of the 64 vintage cards, 27 went into my '64 build. And the quality was just what I like - not perfect, but loved. Here's three of them. Gotta love a guy with the name "Bill McCool". Great addition with Jesus & Felipe's brother and Moises uncle with Matty. And I cannot figure out the writing on the Altman, besides the 73 in the upper right. I wonder what that referenced...

Here's a couple more. Keane surprisingly retired from the Cards after winning the World Series in '64, only to more surprisingly take over as manager of the Yanks in '65. I know the plight of helping the kids do math, but the hell if I ever grabbed a card for scratch paper. And to think the first all transistorized calculator came out in 1964.

So working through the rest of the years, Wes sent two '51 Bowman and the one '55 Topps. Put that '55 in my sampler binder and crossed the year off my needs list.

Also in the envelopes were three cards from 1958, two from 1959 (nice shopjob on Latman's cap), two from 1960 (which is a set that is growing on me in style), two from '63 and two from '65. The dupes from 64 went into my Sox team sets, so thanks for those, Wes.

And here are the last years from the vintage: one from 1967, one from 1968, six cards from 1969, four out of the 1970, one 1971 (please White Sox - bring back those blues for a throwback, along with the white stirrups and blue sannies), five from 1972 and four cards from 1973. And yes, that 1970s rookie card is trimmed on the edge. Though, instead of saying trimmed, I'm saying it's more "Honey? Have you see the scissors? Jaaaaack. No, Jack. NO! Put those scissors down. No! STOP!".

Thank you. You like me. You really like me!

Tomorrow, I am suspending Throwback Thursday to keep on the bombing. We'll finish up the vintage with new additions to my Fox and Aparicio player collections. Then, into the mini box of fun. This storm isn't letting up for a few more days.

The eerie silence....

In the changing of the weather, it's always calm right before the big stuff starts. Same with the box from Wes. So before we get to the vintage and the rest, let's show off part two of the White Sox additions.

We'll start with a nice bunch of Thome. Now, if I had changed my collecting years before, I would consider starting a player collection, but it's just too hard. I may sort out all the SOx cards I have of Jim, but that will be the limit. That hit parade in the upper right fills an interesting hole. A good year ago, I won that very card on Listia. The seller shipped me the wrong card - a Frank Thomas hit parade. The Big Hurt wasn't a Sox on the card, though. Seller never came through to make it right. It's the only transaction on Listia I never left feedback for.

Some Beckhams. No on the PC with him as well, though I still like the guy even though he's in Cali.

BIPPED! DYE'D!

BIPPED! ALEXEI'D!

I really should figure out which colored parallels I am missing from team sets. I think the sheer number in 2014 really put a damper on figuring out missing cards from previous years.

Technically, this is pre 80 vintage, but I am lumping it in here, cuz really, it's my blog. Far better version on this Hostess then the one I own. And the background? That's not even a high school field? Hell - Benny, Squints and Ham played on a nicer field than that!

MINIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is a big card. Seriously, if you don't have one of these Score cards (from what year, I cannot figure out) you are a little surprised if you have handled other round cards/coins. I would say it's three inches across. Really glossy too.

Lastly, from the current Sox are these three Konerkos for the new PC. I have to admit - that Band of Brothers card is not that bad. Bland - yes. But it works.

If you are keeping track, that was the prelude envelope, Blackhawks and post 80 White Sox. Tomorrow, we'll visit the vintage, followed by vintage player collections. Then, we dive into the last box I was to open. See the one in the lower right.

It's labeled "open last". Oh, do I dare to share the wears in there. Look - another rhyme. Even though I didn't rhyme out "Sox", let's show another video with that cutie Szilvia Péter Szabó (from Nox).

Dark skies roll in...

Back to the box from Wes. Yesterday, the temperature starting dropping. Now, the skies start growing darker and blacker - like the color of the Sox uniforms. So let's look at the White Sox Wes sent over.

Going over the card starts, all total Wes dropped 95 cards that were post 1980. There were plenty of pre 80 Sox, but those are another day. In fact, I'll spread all these cards over a couple posts. Everything is scanned, but I'm not going image crazy.

(Patient has delusional thoughts he is without any mental psychosis)

So in no particular order, but some grouping, let's see the newest Sox cards in my collection.

These are the cards that just missed the pre 80s cut off for the future vintage post. I have always liked that Squires card. Something about the off centering and the bland, spring training ball field.

So when you think "Diamond Kings", does the name on the right pop in your head as often as the one on the left?

A single Sportflix was in the mailing. I followed Nick's advice and scanned it sideways. Still looks weird.

As much as the junk wax era flooded the market with cards, I miss these oddball sets like Toys 'R Us, Kay-Bee, K-Mart and others. There is a nice charm about these, and sometimes the design is better than what the manufacturer put out that year.

Even McDonald's put out some ok cards.

Upper deck was well represented in the shipment. I never noticed how odd the Sox logo looks in regard to the edges of home plate. 

Chrome-y. They really should release that set on the right non-Chromed. It's just bizarre how it is. Carlos....the promises you held for us, and ultimately broke our hearts.

Going to end the first half of the Sox cards with this matching pair. Scan does them no justice - they are a bit cooler in person. The "HR" behind them is foiled, and the whole card has a bit of a Chrome feel. I wonder what the whole set looks like.

Thanks for reading. Come back tomorrow - set your clocks to leave the docks, grab your fox and your bagel with lox and see more Sox I pulled from the box.

A cold front moves in...

And away we go!

So after yesterday's prelude, let's dive into the box from Jaybarkerfan's Junk Wes. After organizing the load of cardboard I received, I've decided to start with posting the Blackhawks cards within. All total, Wes sent 27 Hawks cards. I won't scan and post them all, but I will do my best to show a representative of what he dropped here.

Let's start with some junk wax Bowman. Whether hockey or baseball, this was never a good looking set. But you do have some stars in Belfour and Roenick, and current Hawk's radio color man Murray.

Some more junk wax, this time from Score. More Roenick and Belfour, but Gilbert was pretty much a waste in a Hawks sweater.

Grandpa sighting!! Larmer should be in the Hall Of Fame. Great view of the Blues old uniforms on that Barker. Thank goodness they brought them back. The first Russian to get on the Hawks in the early 90s invasion from the Soviets was Krivokrasov. Lot of speed but not much else.

I thought Wes was mistaken with that Lang, but the word mark is Blackhawks, so I realize he is trolling me the way I troll Night Owl with not Dodger Dodger cards. Best part of forgetting about Lang was a Hawk is that when we traded him away, we flipped the draft pick received into two other draft picks - one of those became Brandon Saad. Hawks win again.

Speaking of Saad, here's 4 others with their name on the Cup at least once. Love that Kaner.

Here at the best two base. I really REALLY need to buy a couple boxes of UD Masterpieces. I keep saying it and never pull the trigger. For a Panini card, the Kane looks good.

Finally, here are the three relics of the Hawks. I was going to keep these with the other relics to post later, but let's keep the hockey together. Sullivan was a decent player to carry the Hawks until Kane and Toews arrived. Danny Richmond had a very unremarkable career with the Hawks, yet he has a ring from 2010. T-Bo..... boy. He had a few decent years, but never became the savior between the pipes. Great relics for the binder.

One post down; a bunch to go.

Tomorrow's forecast...

So as I alluded to yesterday, I was royally and completely bombed by Wes from Jaybarkerfan's Junk. His radar focused it's attention on my location, and fired. If you read my post, I gave a preview with this image.

And after all was said and done (with the help of my wife), I have this for the recycling bin:

 

Give a hoot - don't pollute.

Total, you see 8 of the small priority mail boxes, a 100 count box, and about 175 envelopes. When we weren't pulling envelopes out of the boxes, they were strewn around the box. Thank the maker for letter openers - that's the main gist. 

Now, before a storm hits, the weatherman will usually give you a warning of what's about to come the following days. A couple days before the box showed up on my doorstep (literally - no room in the mailbox), a smaller mailer was delivered. And like those days where you think the meteorologist is off his rocker with his prediction, this mailer was nothing like what I ended up receiving, So, just like the flood that Noah survived began with a single raindrop, let's start with an innocent padded envelope.

That Lemon photo is pretty funny, with the single flapped helmet messing up his hair. A nice Konerko for the Sox collection as well as a white Quentin swatch.

I may start a Podzilla collection - I haven't decided yet. I think I'll see what I have dupe wise and make a decision. Magglio didn't have the career he should have, either here or in Detroit. The Alexei manu-barrel is the 2nd in my collection, paired up with a Dye I received many moons ago. If anything could be foreshadowing of what was to come, this card fits it.

Because it it both very cool, and "what the hell"? Prior to this mailer, I had a total of.....let me count them up...... umm.....carry the 6..... ZERO. I had no Benchwarmers in my collection, and unless one appeared in a dime box, I had little plans to add any. That is more of a "not my collecting style" statement than a "these cards are sexist" comment. But I will add this to my binder.

So that's it. The forecast over the next few days included darkness and cold temperatures. Bundle up, if you plan on tagging along.

The calm before....

We all have been through that weather pattern - the eerie quiet, the gentle wind, the slow darkening of the sky. Just before that downpour hits, the wind howls and all hell breaks loose, it's peaceful.

When I look to the west, I see this on the near horizon:

If you look close, there are dozens and dozens of envelopes and 8 of the UPSPS mini boxes. Also in there is a small 200 count box. That is Hurricane Wes about to strike my land locked city. Well, maybe Tornado Wes. Hey - why don't we name the big tornadoes?

Sorry, I am getting off track. That box (and another envelope) will be the focus for the next.....oh let's say 14.2 years or so. Until then, let's see the calm front ahead of the heavy rain.

Like Allen and Ginter. Nothing that will knock you off your feet, of have you holding onto a lamp post so you don't blow away. A&G is innocent. The very cool Roger from Sportscard Mask-A-Rade helped out my 2014 need with a large drop of cards. I know people have talked of past years and the horizontal cards in A&G, but this year's design helps make them work, in my opinion.

And not just base. This year has some nice insert sets. Anytime you feature a plane with the D-Day paint job on it, it's a good day.

This may be my favorite insert set, though. Love old stadiums. I hope the do a part two in 2015, because they forgot Comiskey. Appreciate the help, Roger.

Considering what I will be showing from the box, you wouldn't think these are calming cards. They all fit into needs, though. Everyone's favorite Dutch (except Nigel's) Jeroen sent a nice envelope filled with Sox.

Good ol' One Dog in the middle. And I think I am maybe one or two cards short for the '12 minis. Here's the higlight.

Before the EPL hit NBCSports, before La Liga, Serie A, Liga MX and a few others, I used to catch the Dutch Football league (Eredivisie) on cable. I saw Ajax, PSV, Vitesse and many others each week. It was a great time to watch soccer, even though I think I was underemployed at the time. BTW Jeroen - I didn't know you were a keeper for Volendam. :) Thanks for the cards, bud.

Alright. The clouds are really rolling in, and the temperature dropped a bunch in the past 20 minutes. Let me better head for cover before tomorrow starts, because a storm's a-coming.

Throwback Thursday - 10.09.2014

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.

Zack Greinke - 2007 Upper Deck - Kansas City Monarchs