When Cards Come Calling

Reader Bob reached out a while back seeking to trade. Since then he's send me three if not four packages of Angels cards. Bob's generous. I sent him a package of oddballs which is what he likes, but I'll have to do more digging to keep up with his additional packages!

I have to admit, I THINK these all came from Bob. I've been in a bit of a collecting/blogging rut this season, during which time incoming cards have all been lumped in together. So if you see a card you think maybe came from you, please accept my apologies. But for now I'm assuming these are all from Bob's packages.

Here are some of my favorites:

2019 Donruss Elite Series #ES2

Ohtani's base card from this 10-card insert set with numbered parallels.

What a fantastic card.

2007 Upper Deck Game Materials #UD-VG

About a 1:24 retail pull for one of the 83-card Game Materials cards. I've always preferred the gray material over the white. Red would be my absolute favorite.

1990 Wonder Stars #3

Found in loaves of Wonder Bread (which I never ever ate growing up - it was too expensive for my large family), Abbott was one of 20 stars in the set with airbrushed MLB logos.

1996 Fleer Smoke 'N Heat #4

These Smoke 'N Heat insert cards (10 in the set) were found in about 1 of 9 packs.

2001 Upper Deck e-Card #E5

From a 2-card pack randomly inserted into hobby boxes, the finder would enter the code on the card front into Upper Decks website to see if they won a signature or jersey card. Pretty cool, as I had never seen these before.

1988 Topp Revco League Leaders #23

Classic 33-card glossy box set could be found East of the Mississippi in 1988.

Downing tied with Dwight Evans for most walks at 106 in 1987.

1989 Topps Ames 20/20 Club #31

You don't see Devon White in a box set set too often, but in 1987 Devo hit 24 homers and stole 32 bases, making him a selection for this 33-card set Topps produced for Ames Toy Stores.

2003 Upper Deck Sweet Spot Classic #21

I always enjoy seeing Angels vets on retro cards, long after they've retired. Kinda nostalgic.

One Page of Lloyd Allen

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

  Lloyd Allen RHP California Angels 1969-1973

Original correspondence received prior to 2005.

Baseball Card #444 Aaron Altherr

Phillies outfielder Aaron Altherr is card #444 in the 2018 Topps set.

I pulled this card out of a factory set that was recently given to me.

Interesting note that Altherr was the first to hit a grand slam off Clayton Kershaw.

Happened in 2017, 1,922 2/3 innings into Kershaw's career. I wonder if the photo on the card is of that grand slam. He's kinda in a grand slam pose, eyes to the sky.

I also wonder if Altherr got drilled the next time Kershaw faced him. I do know that Retrosheet indicates that the grand slam was the only hit Altherr has gotten off Kershaw in 6 career at bats.

The Hitting Crosschecker's Autograph

I was pulling some autograph cards out of my "for sale" box to contribute to Padrographs Autograph Frankenset. As I'd pull a card I'd google the player to see if he has/had any association to the Angels. If he did, I kept that card for myself. Jason Ellison's card is one that I kept for myself, even though he never actually played for the Angels. This card will now go in my Angels Autographs binder.

2005 Topps Total #563

Turns out, Jason is a member of the Angels Amateur Scouting Staff, as the Hitting Crosschecker. Basically he's a scout that gives a second opinion on the reports filed by scouts in the field.

I originally received this autographed card in person, I think at a Rangers game when he played for them in 2008.

2017 Vladimir Guerrero Angels HOF Induction Card

Found this card in a box of stuff my sister brought on her recent visit. There's usually some baseball and Angels stuff for me, and a bunch of clothes for my girls to dig through. Always fun.

She's thoughtful that way.

I don't know if she was actually at the game, but chances are good she was. My family lives close to Anaheim Stadium, and often the Angels stuff she brings was picked up at a giveaway night by one of my siblings.

Vladdy was inducted into the Angels Hall of Fame during a ceremony prior to the game on August 26, 2017. This card was a handout at the gate that night, I believe.

Baseball Card #444 Robbie Grossman

Robbie Grossman of the Astros holds down the #444 card in the 2014 Topps Baseball set.

I have his base card already in my Master #444 set, but this blue parallel is pretty sharp too.

Card came in a recent trade package from reader Bob.

1990 Donruss Best N.L. - Need It?

Anyone out there need any cards or a team set from the 1990 Donruss Best N.L. set?

The only cards I'm keeping are: the two checklists, #62 Dale Murphy Braves, and the #55 Tim Wallach that goes on the Tim Wallach Collector's stack.

Claim now before I put them in the donation box. But please limit any requests. I'm mailing solely in PWEs these days.

Book Store Find 2 of 4

Second of four issues of Legends Sports Memorabilia that I recently found at a Half Price Books.

November/December 1991

That's probably one of the prettiest covers I've ever seen.

Too bad I have no room to keep many full magazines, so I'll tear this one up and keep the card sheets.

Very nice group of Legends.

This might be considered Sergei Fedorov's rookie card. I remember pulling several of his rookies out of 91-92 Upper Deck Hockey.

Another cool part of the magazine is this subscription return envelope. Since it features Nolan Ryan, I'll include it into my Ryan binder.

Three different sports represented on the post cards this issue. I especially like the Bradshaw artwork.

I remember enjoying the Steelers teams of the mid 70's for a short time. I always wanted to be like Lynn Swan. After that though I couldn't stand them anymore and I was wholly devoted to the Patriots and Rams. The Steelers are one of my least-liked teams now.

Bookstore Find 1 of 4

On a recent trip to a local Half Price Books, I came across 4 old issues of Legends Sports Memorabilia; you remember, the magazine that had the beautiful artwork cover, silver or gold bordered card sheet, and a postcard sheet inside. I'm a sucker for a card sheet, and at only a buck each I couldn't pass them up. 

Here is the first issue:

Nolan Ryan Cover, September/October 1991

After reading some articles, usually I'll separate card sheets from magazine and then toss the rest, like I do with SI For Kids, but this magazine will stay intact in my Nolan Ryan collection.

Back in the day these were considered high-end with the thicker stock card and silver foil. This sheet has a nice selection of various sports superstars.

I especially like the Nolan Ryan of course, but the Kevin Costner is pretty sweet too.

This issues postcard sheet:

I'd have to agree that the three subjects selected for this issue of postcards are indeed Legends.

There were a couple of nice articles on Ryan and on David Robinson, but the other interesting thing I found inside was this Starting Lineup ad.

I collected SLUs in the early 90's and I don't remember these.

I thought it curious that the ad said [only] "30 LEFT!"

Better hurry folks!

The other 3 issues I found will be in subsequent posts.

Rewards From The Big Boxes

Spent about an hour going through some big boxes of cheapo cards at the "antique" mall recently. Came away with some nice little gems.

1994 Upper Deck All-Time Heroes #44, MLB 125th Anniversary Stamped

1995 Fleer Ultra #291 Gold Medallion

2004 Upper Deck Diamond Collection All-Star Lineup #AS-JE Pick The Starting Lineup And Win Sweepstakes Card

2015 Bowman Chrome, Bowman Scouts Top 100 #BTP-34

1994 Action Packed #72 Gold

1997 Collectors Choice , You Crash The Game #C5

2009 Upper Deck, Generation Now #GN23

2001 Fleer Platinum, Grandstand Greats #4

1999 Topps Finest, Split Screen #SS12

1997 SPx #SPX3

2001 Fleer Platinum, Grandstand Greats #14

2000 Upper Deck Ionix #23

2001 SP #64

1997 Collectors Choice #10

Highly Subjective Contest Winnings

I won a contest held by Highly Subjective a couple months ago where you were to guess the number of unique Kirby Puckett cards he has in his collection. My guess was 444 (my favorite number) and the winning number was 445! 

My winnings were a fat repack of my favorite team, and an unopened pack of Stadium Club: 

Sweet!

First, lets rip the Stadium Club.

Good looking design.

I especially like the Posey Special Forces, and the Michael Conforto action shot.

Here's how the Angels repack stacks up:

I picked out some of the gems (or HITS like any good repack has):

2014 Donruss #301 Press Proof 172/199

2017 Topps #444 Gold 1595/2017

2005 Topps #21 1st Edition

2002 SPx Winning Materials #WM-SE

2005 Topps Total #643 Silver

1978 TCMA The 60's #16

Signed with his ROY noted. How cool is that.

1964 Topps Venezuelan #32

1995 Topps Cyber Stats #104

1990 Baseball Cards Magazine #51

Nice Mike Trout Mix

 2000 Topps Finest

1996 Flair

1975 Hostess Twinkies #82

2018 Topps MLB Awards #MLBA-14 Gold 38/50

That's a repack I'd buy any day of the week.

Much appreciated Brian, I hope you keep on adding those Puckett's to the collection.