Trade Mail From Zippy Zappy

Seems I get Zapped a couple, if not several, times a year. This would be my first for this year, but it was such a big Zapping that Zippy might not have any Angels left for the rest of the year.

But first I want to talk about the package.

This is how it came. All beat to crap thanks to the post office.

(I scratched out my address, because, well, isn't what we're supposed to do?)

I looked at the return address and thought, "I don't remember sending an SASPE (Self Addressed Stamped Padded Envelope) to myself."

What?

So I flipped it over:

Oh My Goodness!

I thought someone just gifted me their Animated Batman card collection!

(See Animated Batman Want List tab at the top of the page)

When I got to the contents I immediately knew what it was and who it was from.

Only one person I know re-packages cards in used wrappers.

I've been Zippy Zapped!

Out of all those cards I'll just hit the highlights of the two-inch stack.

2016 Topps Changing Of The Guard #CTG-1

2016 Topps Bunt #1

So, how many of Mike Trouts cards are #1?

Wasn't there a superstar like Mickey Mantle or someone who always got the same numbered card in several Topps sets in the 50's and 60's?

I know they reserved #100, 200, 300... for stars back then.

Someone needs to do a post on that.

2004 Topps #697

I like this card because it's a really stupid crop job.

I also like this card because I want to think that it's Rickey Henderson getting denied at the plate by Bengie Molina.

Believe it or not, Rickey was still playing in 2003.

But Rickey was on the Dodgers then, Rickey hadn't played with the A's since 1998.

1976 Topps #512

Great card of Ellie Rodriguez minding the plate.

Fun Fact: Rodriguez caught Nolan Ryan's fourth no-hitter.

The back of this card is what I found most interesting:

Love the backs of 1976 Topps.

But what's that oversized bullet there:

Did the Topps editor use the wrong font?

Regardless, it just seems weird to me.

Is this a misprint? Do other 1976 Topps have wrong font-sized single bullets?

 A quick look at my 1976 Topps Angels Team set binder solved the mystery:

You got a bullet and fun fact if there wasn't enough room for a cartoon, but too much blank space.

You got nothing extra on the back if you had played too long and your stats took up all the space.

And ideally you got the well known cartoon on the back if all was right in the world.

Zippy also threw in a generous amount of Bowman Draft Picks and Prospects.

This is great because I'm way behind on sending out for prospects autographs and this should cover those cards that I never see again.

Thanks Zippy, always a pleasure getting stuff from you.