Those Red-Checked Checklists

The other day I mentioned that when I first busted a wax box, of 1983 Fleer, I marked out the checklist cards to see what I had, and soon regretted it. I mentioned that I had never since then marked on a checklist card, and that I had kept those original red-checked cards to remind me never to do that again.

Here they are in all their glory. I shudder.

Apparently if I had kept this going, I would have been a box filler rather than an X-er or a check-marker.

I'm not sure what the big red blotch is next to #538 though.

I can't remember if these checklists were the result of one or two wax boxes, but it appears that I got close to completing the set. I have since done so, and it is one of my fondest memories buying (all by myself) ripping, and putting this set together.

An interesting note to the '83 Fleer checklists is that in addition to the player checklists they also included a team checklist, so as you completed a full team, you could check it off here.

So, do you write on checklists?

And if so, are you an X-er, a filler, or a check-marker?

My Time Travel Trading Takeaway

If you haven't been over to Diamond Jesters and played his Time Travel Trading game you are missing out. All you do is find a card on his list that you'd like and then send him an older card in return. Easy. I've played several times and have come away with some nice needs. Here are some I got recently.

1961 Topps #98c (89-176 "CHECK LIST" in yellow, "98" in white)

When I cracked my first wax boxes ever, of 1983 Fleer, I found the checklists and started filling them in with a red pen to see who I was lacking.

When I was finished, I realized what I had done...I had marred the cards. Eventually I ended up replacing most if not all of them. I've kept the filled in checklists as a reminder.

I've never filled in another checklist since.

Whoever owned this 1961 checklist went way beyond that.

1964 Topps #206

Probably one of the prettier checklists I've seen.

Based on just this one checklist, it appears that the previous owner of this card was relatively close to completing this set. Interesting that he used x's on the front, but filled in the back.

1971 Topps #102b (red helmet - line above ear)

Another nice Topps design, and another collector close to completing the set.

Funny how he did it in reverse of the above: he filled in the front but x'd the back.

The card also has a variation in that you can find it with a red helmet or an orange helmet. The colors are nearly identical however; so you have to go by the existence (or not) of a line above the batters ear.

Padrographs Quick Hit

Just a quick hit to show off what I got from one of Padrographs Free Stuff Friday posts:

Double Trouble Trout

2020 Topps Opening Day Target red foil parallel, and blue parallel.

Thanks Rod!

Do You See What I See?

My memory is rotten these days, so either someone sent me this Jered Weaver card recently or I pulled it out as I was digging for something, but it struck me as unusual. 

You know, just something about it seemed different but I couldn't put my finger on it.

When I went to my Angels binder to compare it to the copy that I was pretty sure I already had, this is what I saw:

See the variation in tint?

The backs are exactly the same, same code numbers so I'm pretty sure its not a fake, pre-meditated Topps variation. The other Angels I have are all the lighter tint.

So is this anything?

Just a printing variation?

What do you think?

A Handful More Of #444

After GCRL sent me that little stack of #444 cards, I felt the impulse to once and for all, go through my boxes of cards looking to see if I had any more.

And sure enough, after days of digging, I found a few more.

1983 Donruss Bobby Clark, Angels

A #444 inside of a baseball; that's perfect.

Bobby played in two postseasons for the Angels (79 and 82), then was traded to the Brewers for Jim Slaton in 1983.

1992 Classic Best Mark Voisard, Bend Rockies

Voisard played four seasons in the Rockies organization.

He is now the Head Softball Coach at Samford University and the winningest coach in Samford softball history.

1991 Donruss Mike Devereaux, Orioles

For how long did Donruss do the baseballed numbering on the back?

Who can find that out for me?

1989 Bowman Tom Brunansky, Cardinals

My largest #444 card so far.

Brunansky was drafted in the first round by the Angels in 1978, and made it up to the big team in 1981. In 1982, he was traded with Mike Walters, to the Minnesota Twins for Doug Corbett and Rob Wilfong.

1989 Upper Deck Dave Martinez, Expos

A #444 in a clean white circle is nice, but not as nice as the baseball Donrusses used.

A Joe Maddon desciple, Martinez in now manager of the 2019 World Champion Washington Nationals, and he won another World Championship with the Cubs in 2016.

Third Time's A Charm

Okay, so this is like the third time I've started back up with my other blog about 1995 Emotion. 

Prior to today's post, the last one was July 2018! 

Obviously I got a little behind, but I've never given up.

Currently I'm on card #163 out of 200 (plus inserts), so I am getting close to finishing. I would really like to get it wrapped up this year.

So if your interested, and not already following, please follow it add it to your blog roll, and we'll see this thing through.

Thanks!

Its Just A Game (Card)

I don't remember exactly when collecting game/sweepstakes/etc. cards went from an appreciation to an obsession.

The first game cards I remember keeping, came out of several 1983 Topps wax boxes I bought when I was working at a small wholesale business back in the early 80's.

Some of you remember the Topps Winning Line Up Baseball Game scratch-offs, where you could win a trip to the World Series. For some reason those scratchers fascinated me, and I saw something unique and artistic in their design. I had an appreciation for the effort that went into creating them.

Worth keeping, to me.

I also ripped a couple boxes of 1983 Fleer, back then, but they didn't have any game cards. What they did have was some pretty cool checklist cards that kinda got me hooked. 

But that's for another post.

Then came 1984 Topps, with an even better, more colorful game card insert.

And there were even different versions with different numbers of runs on each card.

I think there were like five different cards to find (I could easily go grab my 1984 Topps binder to see, but I'm on a roll).

(Thanks to Baseball Cards Come to Life for the cards above.)

Ooh, so 1984 lets me know that now we're talking about building a SET of game cards.

I like building things, I like challenges, building a set randomly pulled from packs?

What could be better?

Anyhow, that's how the seed was planted, back in 1983-84.

It lay kinda dormant, while life took over, but it's always been in there.

It's only really been in the last 5 years or so that the seed to collect game/sweepstakes/etc. cards saw some light and has really taken off.

But MAN there are some really cool cards out there to be chased and collected, and thank you to all those that send them to me, like those above from Nine Pockets.

Cover Boy

Well, well, guess what just arrived in the mail and guess who made the cover of this months Sports Illustrated for Kids?

Nope, not Mike Trout....Ohtani!

If I'm correct, Ohtani is just the third Angel to grace the cover of SI for Kids.

After a little google research I found:

Vladdy on the August 2005 issue, and 

Mike Trout (with Bryce Harper) on the May 2013 issue.

It seems I have neither of those, much to my surprise.

Anyhow, here are some snippets of what's inside.

Ohtani is a character in the SI Kids Treehouse comic.

I wont giveaway the rest of the story, you'll have to read it for yourself.

He is also one of the subjects in the Back In Time cover story.

He is not, however, on the card sheet or poster.

I do like the alternating black/yellow name blocks at the bottom.

Is this new or am I just now noticing.

This full issue can now get magazine bagged and filed away in the Angels Archive.

What Can Joe Do?

Statement from a guy who saw what Joe Maddon did with his beloved Cubs.

And I agree. I too am excited to see what Joe Madden can do with the Angels.

Only I'm trying to think about what he WILL do.

Maddon had done just about everything when he was with the Angels previously; from a catcher in their system, to a scout, a roving instructor, to a coach, to manager on several occasions.

He even won a World Series with them, their first appearance/first win, in 2002 as a bench coach.

Thirty-one years committed to the organization, and their first World Series win. 

That's what Joe can do.

In 2008, after becoming the Rays manager, he led them to their first World Series appearance.

He also won American League Manager of the Year, twice.

And took them to the Postseason 3 times.

That's what Joe can do.

Joe went to the Cubs.

In just his second season he broke a 108-year World Series Championship drought.

Took them to the Postseason 4 consecutive times.

Won his 1000th game.

That's what Joe can do.

Success seems to follow him.

Is it the Zen?

I don't know about that, but after all that he HAS done in his career...

I can't wait to see what he WILL do with the Angels.

All these cards came from P-Town Tom.

Thanks Tom!

10th Anniversary Giveaway Winner!

Thank you to all who left a nice comment, very much appreciated.

So 20 names went into the hat for the 1956 Topps Ernie Banks

and out came...

Mabel crosschecked, and indeed it is Trevor P of the

Bump and Run Football Card Blog!

Email me your mailing address Trevor and I'll get this in the mail to you.

Here's to another great year!

There's Still Topps Opening Day

NOTE: I will be doing the Anniversary drawing probably tomorrow night and posting shortly after. You may still leave a comment until then if you'd like a chance to win the '56 Banks card.

Two 24-count packs at Target today:

PACK 1

Rendon's first Angels card, pretty nice airbrushing, looks legit.

It's a shame I have to wait at least two months before I get to see how this high-powered offense is going to work out.

Inserts:

 The base Harper card to show that this was a Bryce Harper (not so) Hot Pack.

And the remainder of the pack:

Just saw that I also got the base Bryan Reynolds as well, that's kinda cool.

 PACK 2

Inserts:

And the rest:

 

Not such a great pack, but fun to rip.