Contest At A Cracked Bat

Let's help celebrate Julie's 100th post by entering a contest! Does that sound right? Yes! We get the chance to win a 400ct disCard box to celebrate HER accomplishment. Cool!

Check it out HERE.

And congrats Julie!

Prize Package From $30/Week

It was a while ago that I was a winner for $30 A Week Habit 100 Word Contest. And Robert was nice enough to not only knock off some of my Top Ten Wants but also some other tough Patriots cards I needed.

1962 Topps #176 Eddie Yost (Batting) Green Tint

No comparison to the crappy "tinted" cards Heritage put out a few years ago.

This one's the real deal.

1990 Kenner Starting Lineup Jim Abbott (Head Shot)

Been pecking away at the Angels Starting Lineup cards...getting closer but the 1988 series will be toughies.

1995 Emotion N-Tense #7 Mark McGwire

Down to just one card to complete the Master Set: N-Tense #6 Ken Griffey Jr.

2012 Topps #37 Mike Napoli Walmart Blue

This is the only player "Rainbow" outside of Angels, that I'm going for.

1977 Topps #50 and #88

These two complete the team set!

1968 Topps #72, #98, #124 and #150

The Art Graham card is from the second series.

These also complete the team set!

Such a great feeling.

Wow, those are some colorful backs!

This would be a great football set to collect, very appealing.

Hmmmmm.....

What I've Been Winning On Listia

Foil-stamped Topps Anniversaries.

1986 TCMA All-Time Angels Bob Rodgers

Fleer 97-98 Million Dollar Moments

Checklists.

Can't believe I won that 1967 Topps Mantle card.

2002 Topps Total #563 Brad Fullmer

1993 Upper Deck All-Time Heroes

Just need #55 Jim Fregosi to finish the team set.

1999 Donruss Preferred Drew Bledsoes

1989 Topps Traded #126T Steve Grogan

1967 Topps #5 Tom Addison

2014 Topps Valor #68 Jimmy Garoppolo

1993 Classic Draft #1 Drew Bledsoe

1993 Pacific Triple Folders Rookies & Stars #4 Drew Bledsoe

2010 Prestige Rookie Draft Picks Rights Autograph #300 Zac Robinson 327/799

A new stack in the inbox has already started.

Listia is fun!

One Page Of Alan Mitchell Edward George Patrick Henry "Dirty Al" Gallagher

This series will highlight "one page" at a time from my binder of correspondence and autographs from former Angels and Patriots players.

  "Dirty Al" Gallagher 3B California Angels 1973

Correspondence received June 28, 2005.

Baseball Card #444 - 1977 Topps

Wayne Twitchell from the Phillies holds down the 444 spot in the 1977 Topps set.

I think that this card came in a trade, along with the 1988 Topps in a earlier post, with All Trade Bait.

Always great to know folks are looking for cards #444 for me!

This #444 is found inside a baseball above the cartoon on the left side of the card.

TTM Return From Tyler Green

I sent these cards to Tyler not because he was on the Angels, he never was, but because I love the 1992 Upper Deck Minor League set and I love to get them signed. Simple as that.

Tyler signed these for me in 64 days from his home in Phoenix, AZ.

I Struck Out But I Still Scored

So I struck out with Topps Bunt when I went to Target to get some, they had none. I grabbed that Donruss fat pack, regretfully, but I also snagged a Bowman pack. I figured I had better, because for me Bowman never disappoints. It's the sole brand that I have consistently been pleased with, both with the design and with the pack contents.

Ten cards for three bucks, still a good deal.

Base: Design is typical Bowman in recent years, but I don't get what's going on in the lower left corner.

Bowman Prospects: Better. The Background isn't as fussy and the design in the lower right has some sort of gem thing going on to match the sunburst in the upper left.

Bowman Chrome Prospects: I'm pleased.

Bowman Scouts Top 100 BTP-21 Green #15/99

A much better card in person.

After that Donruss disaster, I'm happy with this one.

I Struck Out Bunting

I was actually excited about Topps Bunt after seeing postings on bloggers pack rips this week. I already pretty much swore I wasn't doing Topps Flagship this year except maybe a pack here and there, and I don't care for Donruss, and I can't justify 3 bucks for 6 or 7 cards of A&G or Gypsy Queen. So yeah, I wanted to get some Bunt. And to get some Bunt I made a trip to Target. Only Target didn't have any Bunt. Dangit!

So what did I do? Grabbed a stupid fat pack of Donruss. I don't know why, and I'm ashamed.

I got the pleasure of ripping a pack, and that's about it. 

Base

No Angels, of course.

 Inserts

The Prospects #TP-4

Retro Variations

The Elite Series ES-21, #055/999

Meh.

Cards That Caught My Eye #1

Often when thumbing through cards, a particular one will catch my eye for some reason and I'll stop and study it for a moment. 

This of one of those cards:

1988 Topps #649 DeWayne Buice

WHAT ABOUT IT CAUGHT MY EYE?

The colors, especially the red background.

WHAT ELSE?

It seems every time I'm going through my 1988 Topps, or through my 1988 Topps Angels dupes box, I stop when I come to this card. First thing that hits me is the red background. I don't recall a big red background like that at Anaheim Stadium, so it might be in another ballpark, but I'm going to assume its a Coca-Cola advertisement. Combine that with the red "ANGELS" at the top, the blue banner with white text, blue border, red/white/blue uniforms and this card screams Patriotism!

And I just plain like the way Buice is standing, toeing the rubber going into his windup.

It's a very appealing card.

Too Much Chrome In His Grille

Oh the things that pop out when thumbing through cards.
Take this Michael Cuddyer card for example:

Can you spot it?

Big glob of extra chrome foil locked in the "C".

After decades of thumbing through cards, you fine tune certain skills...

like spotting inconsistencies.

I love finding printing errors.

Does anyone want this oddity?

Catching Up With SI For Kids

My wife had airline miles. Not enough to use on anything but magazines. So knowing I love the SI for Kids card sheets she got me a subscription. Here follow the first two issues I received.

April 2017 Issue

Francisco Lindor cover, and he's also the pull-out poster, along with the Celtics Isaiah Thomas.

I decided to just show the upper portion since the post office graciously shredded the lower half.

Car Sheet, Cards #604-612

Yes!

First issue and Tom Brady gets the center square!

Not bad having a Corey Seager card too.

May 2017 Issue

Kyle Lowry Cover.

Shredded even worse than the last issue.

Poster is John John Florence, and WHAAAAAT???!!!

Patriots Julian Edelman!

I'm scoring big in these first two issues.

(Obviously it didn't fit on my scanner)

I think I'll hang this one in my cube at work.

Card Sheet, Cards #613-621

Whoa Buddy!

And Trout gets the center square!

Sweet.

I think I now have both of the SI for Kids Mike Trout sheets.

His first is his rookie card from a 2012 issue.

I can't wait to see what collecting interest I get in next months issue!

TTM Return From Skip Lockwood

I wasn't sure I would get these back, I had heard he maybe wasn't well and had stopped signing. I wasn't concerned about not getting the cards back, or not getting his autograph (I'd gotten him years ago) I was more concerned with Skips health. I believe that the older guys that sign TTM do so because they love it, and because they are able to. So I'm glad to see that Skip had signed these, for his sake.

1974 Topps #532

1975 Topps #417

Skip signed these cards in 118 days from his home in Wrentham, MA.