Ryno Get!
So I stopped by the Diamond Giveaway site like I do at least once almost every day, to clear out most trade offers & accept any I might like (there are two definite accepts today, for the record). In recent days, I’ve also been checking to see if the final three Die-Cuts had dropped yet. Ryne Sandberg is among the last three, so I decided to hold back any extra codes I might end up with until the last three dropped so I could take as many shots as landing him as possible. I ended up saving back three of the four codes I picked up in that time, but it turns out I only needed one. Behold!
Yes!
With the first code card (which will be forever encased in a top loader), he appeared. And my jaw went slack in a way usually only reserved for impossibly beautiful women, impossibly beautiful art, impossibly bad puns, and impossibly delicious and gigantic sandwiches.
The other two codes didn’t score much (’85 common & ’90 Carlton Fisk), but anything else would’ve just been gravy anyway. When I first looked only two Rynos had been unlocked, & five after I finished unlocking cards and digging, so I got him early. Aaaand with my big late need already out of the way, I can concentrate the 228 (roughly 200 available for trade) cards in my portfolio on reclaiming Ichiro and Beltre and landing Ernie Banks and the other two Cubbies I need (Marmol and Colvin). Hopefully there will be enough to score a few guys from my third tier list too (revised as follows: Andrew McCutchen, Mike Stanton, Reggie Jackson, Jackie Robinson, Carlos Santana, Miguel Montero, Dan Haren, Jered Weaver, Carlos Quentin, Clayton Kershaw, Jose Reyes… I’m not too picky, lol).
And yes, 228 is not a typo. Someone offered 150 cards for my Ichiro, with a majority of it being solidly tradable based on other trades I’ve made. So… I took it. Thus also my reason for needing Ichiro again.
These are the Diamond Die-Cuts I have now, all keepers minus the extra King Felix, and I have specific plans for it.
Ryno
Starlin
Shin-Soo Choo
King Felix (x2, using the second to try to land Ernie or Ichiro)
Vlad
Big Papi
Winfield
Aramis
Marlon Byrd
Buehrle
Romero (Black Diamond)
Guess that’s all for this one, folks. As ever, thanks for stopping by!
Until our next…
COMC Order #2
Vintage 2: Son of The Search for Curly’s Electric Boogaloo Returns
Yeah, let that sweet vintage goodness wash over you and cleanse your soul...
These are all Hall of Famers (except the card-sharing Downing and the Cobra, who is fairly close to Hall-worthy), and they are all keepers this time.
Is that ’72 not glorious? 1047 wins represented on that card! And those two early-mid ’80s Carews probably don’t qualify as vintage yet, but they’re getting way too close for comfort. That is depressing, because I will become vintage only one year later. Not cool, man, not cool. 
On that disheartening note, the next post will be short, in more ways than one, as we somewhat seamlessly segue out of vintage and into the next section.
Oh, and Merry Christmas and Happy Universal Non-Denominational Holiday Celebration to all!
Now I have a machine gun. Ho-ho-ho…
COMC Order #1
Check out my cards had a shipping special over Thanksgiving/Black Friday weekend. 10¢ a card. So I picked up the 77 cards I’d been storing up since about March, for $7.70 instead of over $22. Well, I had mid-50s, but the $15 I saved on shipping allowed me to pick up about 21 more cards for immediate shipment. And a few days ago I finally got it all scanned. So let us check them out, one scan of one section at a time.
First up, we’ll start with vintage, cuz… why not?
1960 topps Gernert, Hobbie and Cunningham AS, 1971 topps Hoyt Wilhelm, 1975-76 New York Nets (featuring Dr. J), 1968 beat up & used Yaz checklist & Manny Sanguillen rookie, and a couple Gaylord Perry's from the latter half of the '70s..
Just stare at them for awhile. They aren’t all the greatest of players or in the best of shape, but doesn’t staring at old cards just make you feel good? Doesn’t it just relax you and somewhat put your mind at ease, if only for the moment?
Speaking of condition, the Wilhelm is in spectacular shape, impossibly awful centering aside. Smooth surface, four sharp corners, and no creases at all. Can’t ask for more of a ’71. Only the first five are keepers, Yaz and the bottom row are available for trade.
PS: Nobody has guessed the card right yet. Everyone that guessed may try again (on that post plz). We’ll go until someone gets it right.
Until or next…
O Happy Day!
Something I’ve been waiting for for so long has finally happened… I got Bipped! And what a Bip it was. This was no ordinary Bip, my friend. Somehow the surprise even managed to usurp the awesomeness of trading for the sweeeeeeeeeet Frank Robinson relic in the package, if only for a minute (it’s still makin’ me grin though). Scans to come when I’m not half asleep and can be arsed. 
If giving double-meaning to Bipping as a right of passage akin to losing virginity is wrong, then I don’t want to be right. Haha, yeah...
Cards from the Owl in the Night
Time for a trade post! Hopefully I can get in one more of these and the booty from the Old School Group Break before I have another art-related post, though it’s just a sketch card-centric mail day (been lazy & haven’t done any drawing since HanRam & Markakis).
Anyway, I got some noice cards from Night Owl to show you all today, and hopefully I can quickly get through it without going off on any tangents, which I was shocked to learn I am apparently capable of, if the post before this is any indication.
Though you will see I scanned it upside down in the (chronologically) first scan, the Cey was supposed to be showing the back of the card in this one. Oy, was not on my game that night.
There was almost a massive rant here about getting rid of stupid pointless redundant Bowman Chrome or yet another unnecessary retro set and replacing it with old school-style (as in mid-to-late-’90s) Bowman’s Best.
I want Upper Deck to bring back UD3 too, though their current design team (in baseball at least) probably lacks the touch to pull it off.
Next question.
A little bit of everything on this page. Always like getting early & mid-'80s Fleer & Donruss, because until very recently, not only did I have none, I'm not sure I'd ever even seen some of the sets.
I think I must be over the halfway point on Sandberg cards from 1989-1992 by now, and somehow I’ve managed to not have many duplicates yet. Maybe I should put up what I have somewhere so I don’t start getting overrun bby dupes.
Need more Billy Williams cards. I think that’s only about my fifth.More Fergie Jenkins too please.
The one in the middle is the back of a Kerry Wood topps Tek card.
I have no idea why I did the first scan last. Or why two of the Ceys came out looking sorta Co-Signer-ish Hyperplaid. I am tempted to finish cutting the '87 topps box card of Cey to proper size, but I won't unless Night Owl gives me his blessing to do so..
Mmmhmm, lots of Ron Cey as a Cub. Too much for Night Owl’s liking, according to the note that came along with the cards.
Man there were a lot of bad-to-mediocre third basemen that bridged the gap between Cey and Aramis Ramirez.
Awesome cards, good sir. I had exactly zero Ron Cey cards before this. Now I have enough to consider tracking down more; his Cubbie ones at least. Well, the idea of being a team collector requires it, but now I have some idea of how many there are, and have the option of spinning him off into a player collection if the mood strikes.
Finally, I have two packages completely ready to go out on Monday (Baseball Dad and Roll Out The Barrel), and will hopefully have three or four more sent by the end of the week (Blazer Shane, Baseball Card Stuff, Play at the Plate’s uncirculated contest winnin’s, and maybe just maybe the Great Sports Name Hall of Fame and/or da Rook‘s cards). And since nobody has seen fit to Bip me yet, I suppose I shall have to fire the first shot myself to get people’s attention. Mwahahahaha… Yes. >:3
Actually I only have one or two shots worth of Bippin’ material to fire…
Wicked Ortega Trade 2: (Insert Clever Sequel Title Here)
Now attached to the front of a binder...
Lest you think it’s only random packs I’ve gotten crazy awesome cards from packs lately, I present a selection of most of the cards I received in my second trade with Don Wicked Ortega.
Some Cards!
A guy that can hit close to .300 and steal 50+ at an 80% clip? Why did we get rid of Juan Pierre again? Aramis, D-Lee (recent official addition), and Big Z are specific player collections, and it’s always nice to get a Marmol. I think that is only my 4th or so. Chuck McElroy from any team are welcome cards are welcome. Soto, where were you last year? We could’ve used you. We had some bum catching last year that only hit .218!
HAWK, mini Shin-Soo Choo, and off-center Kosuke
Andre Dawson and O-Pee-Chee, two great tastes that go great together! I need more Shin-Soo Choo, I think he’s gonna be a star one day soon. That is my second Kosuke black parallel, and they might have both come from Mr. Ortega. Indeed, he sent me all the Kosukes in this lot in the first trade, so umm… hey fellow Cubs bloggers, I think I should spread the love around. I have a handful of Cubs dupes from The Don, from both trades, so if you be needin’ any early-’90s Upper Deck or the Fukudome cards, I got ya hookup. I know I have a small number of extra Ryne Sandbergs from that era as well, so shoot me an email or leave a comment or something, and I’ll send all extras I have (there are a few newer ones too).
Ryno time!
Aside from the Hall of Famer, is future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux when he was young, and George Bell appears to be pointing Paul O’niell in the direction of some no-doubt fine tail. Also, this trade has brought to my attention severely lacking I am in Mark Grace cards. He lead the most awesome decade ever in hits! I gotta get my grubby little mitts on more of him sometime soon, especially shiny ones like that Ultimate Victory.
More good stuff! I think we gots the wrong Jose Reyes though...
Actually, the Ticket to Stardom Fukudome wasn’t in the first trade, because the set wasn’t out yet! Why do people hate on Artifacts/A Piece of History? It’s now at or below $40 (not including shipping…) for a hobby box. I encourage everyone to give it a shot at this way lower price point and see if they still don’t like it. My box is on the way (or will be if they ever get and/or confirm the payment, was Dave & Adam’s closed the entire week?), and Field of Cards enjoyed his. Right, what was I saying. Ooh, look at the pretty Kevin Tapani card… @_@ *droolz* Taste the purple…
Shiny Fonsie!
It’s not as subtle as it’s UD3 ancestors, but it sure is effective. The old cliche that I’ve been fortunate to rarely need to use holds true here, the scan doesn’t do this card a lick of justice.
Another try at the whole CF of the future thing, a card that made lmao, and... a Yankee?! Wat?
I think I need to start stocking up on Sam Fuld cards. Well, I need ‘em anyway since he’s a Cub, but here’s hoping he’s he real deal. Anyone got any? Eventually every Cubs, O’s, and Expos/Nats collector has to get themselves a Chipper rookie someday right? But I still couldn’t help but have myself a hearty chuckle at getting a future Hall of Famer’s rookie because a guy from my team that didn’t do much happened to share his card. Igawa? I’ve dramatically pared down my Asian player wantlist from any and all to about a half dozen + the Chunichi Dragons (WBC I want all of, regardless of country), and he isn’t on it. But I just wanted the card because it looks really cool.
Alright then, that’s all well & good, but only those that bleed Cubbie blue will think any of that is crazy awesome. So let’s get CRAZY awesome… Behold!:
topps Dan Haren sketch card!
Isn’t is a beauty? Gotta love that dreamy stare, lol. And guess what!
It be a 1/1!
This card is awesome on so many levels. I’m kind of a wannabe artist, as you know if you’ve been reading for awhile. And precisely because of this, I collect sketch cards. But they are very expensive, and thus hard to come by for someone poor like me (Fortunately the great CK Russell thought highly enough of my abilities to agree to an art trade for a personal sketch card from her). So getting this (only my second at the time, got a third in my Fantastic Four Archives box), is mindblowingly awesome.
I’m so thankful to Alfredo for being willing to trade me this absolutely wicked awesome card. I still don’t know what to say, because “thank you” doesn’t seem like enough. Honestly, the whole time until I saw him post what I sent, pleased with the trade, I was fretting that the four or so hits I sent in return weren’t enough. Granted, I do this with almost every trade I send out, but this was whole other level nervousness. I said thank you didn’t seem like enough, but it seems that is all there’s left to say. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you, Alfredo. Thank you so much…
I am curious about something though. Can anyone tell me who drew this card? They got mad skillz.
Finally, one more thing before I go. I have more thank yous for everyone who has come by my blog the last few days! For the first time ever, I received over 100 hits three days straight (today remains to be seen). It doesn’t seem too long ago that I could barely crack double digits when I posted something, let alone on days that I didn’t, so while I’m sure most of you have long since felt this elation, I’m now starting to feel like maybe I’m actually getting somewhere with this thing. So thank you everyone, and may you all have the happiest of holidays, no matter what you celebrate, this time of year.
I feel like I won an Oscar, thanking everyone like this… You guys rock!
Old Skool ’75
Wanting to do a post of some substance, but I’m pretty out of it (been up since 2:30-ish in the morn), so I’ll just post an awesome card.
Rangers uni-Smangers uni. Keeper!
A good card to go to sleep on, if I do say so myself. G’night.
zzzzzzZZZzz…
The Lonestarr Personal Collection #7
Coming off an 86 hit day for my blog, I think I should try to keep it going. So here’s a little personal collection goodness for your viewing pleasure:
I actually pulled this from a pack myself!
It’s true, I pulled this from a pack! A pack of 2005 topps Pack Wars… wait wut? If you are confused, don’t worry, so was I when I pulled it. I even wrote the dude I got the pack from, asking about it. He didn’t even know. I’m not sure how I found out what the deal was, but I was eventually steered in the right direction.
In the odds on the back of the pack, in 1:59 packs falls a retired player autograph. It’s vague and easy to overlook. This is what you get. Leftover 2003 topps Fan Favorites autographs. It’s more awesome than you think. I mean, that was a pretty great set, with lots of regionally legendary Hall of Very Good players amongst the Hall of Famers. It’s not a high priority, but I would like to get ahold of some more someday.
As for this card itself, there is so much going for it:
• One of these years, Lee Smith is going to get into the Hall of Fame.
• The auto is on card, which is always nice.
• His sig is also nice. Pleasingly loopy.
• The design is 1983 topps, quite possibly the most perfectly designed cards ever made.
• Lee’s smile in the little head shot makes you fear for your life.
There you have it, one of the cooler pieces of my personal collection.
Cubs from Sox
As promised, at the end of the previous post, here be the Cubbies from Steve of White Sox Cards:
Cubs from my early days...
The Topps magazine cards I received have some pretty crazy borders. Wait till you see the Andre Dawson below.
Mark Grace practicing the yo-yo trick and one from his little league days. I’m pretty sure prospects that young actually get their own licensed cards nowadays.
In the middle we have pitchers in unintentionally perfect order of delivery. How did I manage to do that? o.O
When I was little I had a giant (like 3ft tall, it was giant at the time) stuffed bear that I named after Jerome Walton.
Finally a couple of Shawon Dunstons. My Shawon-O-Meter is looking good this morning at .334 and rising.
I desperately want a Shawon-O-Meter hit counter for my blog, btw.
Cubs Sluggers '80s/'90s
The first of three Hawks in the lot, an old school Upper Deck insert of one of, if not THE single greatest player of the 1980s.
I cannot bring myself to even mildly dislike Sammy Sosa. The reasons why could probably take up an entire post of their own. Don’t hold your breath on me ever getting around to it, but it would be a fun one, and an interesting look at how I see the world in the general.
More Andre Dawson, please and thank you!
Does that Topps Magazine card not have the single wrongest border for an Andre Dawson card ever? Check the card beside it (?), that man can burn a hole in your very soul with his intense gaze, and you put him on a card with brightly colored birthday streamers for a border? Even the bright yellow border is pushing it, only acceptable because Wolverine can get away with it, and in his prime, The Hawk could take ol’ Logan.
'91 Studio & Stadium Club George Bell
Is George Bell not the coolest looking dude this side of Billy Dee Williams? Just give Bell a spiffy blue cloak, a blaster, and a case of Colt 45, and. It’s. On. (Please drink responsibly, btw. Seriously.)
I’m not sure if it’s because of my Wrestlecrap-tastic nature of finding joy in the cheesy and ridiculous, or if it’s because I think they are genuinely awesome, but for some reason, I loves me some old school Studio.
Oh happy f***ing day, now we’re gonna have to fight with this thing so I can get the next couple of pictures up. F***ing joybiscuits!
Anyway, below are a pair of early ’90s Greg Maddux cards. I like the picture of him covering the base, because he accumulated numerous Gold Gloves in his career.
Anecdote time. When Maddux went to Atlanta back in the day, I was so upset that I quit being a Cubs fan for awhile. It took half a season before I stopped hating them, and a good year and a half before I finally got over it completely. In the meantime, I became a Braves fan. What can I say, I was an angry and hurt 8 year old. Fortunately, sanity eventually (and purely allegedly) prevailed, and I realized my heart was with the Cubs. And here it remains…
Vintage Greg Maddux~! /Michael Cole
Now for some swatchy goodness:
2007 Turkey Red Rich Hill Jersey
Former Cub, current Oriole Rich Hill. Never really got the hype about him, but the card is hella sweet. This is the first ’07 Turkey Red hit of any kind I’ve seen in person, and I like ‘em a lot. Very classy. I said it before and I’ll say it again, this was the only worthwhile year of Turkey Red as a full set. Don’t like the gray bordered ones at all, and can take ‘em or leave ‘em as an insert this year too, though I seem to be the only one who thinks that.
Much as I like this though, and thankful as I am for it, I’m not sure if it is a keeper or not. If I can send it along to a Cubs or Orioles fan with more appreciation for the subject, I am willing to do so.
You can’t have this next card though! It ain’t gonna be leaving my collection anytime soon.
2007 Allen & Ginter Derrek Lee Bat!
Speaking of classy cards, Allen & Ginter! This here’s a Derrek Lee bat card, as you can see, and it is AWESOME. Is there anything cooler than an Allen & Ginter hit? Even higher end stuff often pales in comparison to the fun, yet classy framed and encapsulated mini. And Derrek Lee himself is sort of the player equivalent of Allen & Ginter, a class act himself. A perfect match.
I know I’m leaving some cards out here, because I am flaky as all get out, and didn’t write out a complete list. I’ll try to be better about that in the future, but no guarantees.
Once again, if I didn’t say it enough before, a thousand times thank you, Steve. I will do my best to send some nice new Sox your way soon.
Stay thirsty, my friends…
