It Was One I Needed

 Just got back from my local HPB where I picked up this:

Because I knew that I needed this:

1988 Classic Red #179

Sweet card.

There were tons of stars in the set:

There's an error version of the Ripken card (Ripkin), this isn't it.

And these three different Phil Niekro in three different uniforms:

Pretty cool.

I don't need any of the cards other than the Ryan (I might keep the Murphy too, oh and the McGwire/Canseco since it's a NNO instruction card), so these will be available on TCDB.

Here's the checklist

Newly Acquired: 1956 Topps

 

White back variation

One of the great baseball names.

My Latest Non-Sensical Collecting Focus

I'm 60 and I love fruit snacks. There, I said it. I especially love them when there's a card in the pack. 

 

My wife was in Florida visiting a daughter and went to the store to buy her some snacks. She found these good-for-you fruit rolls and bought a box. She might not have realized that there were cards included since she tends to focus more on ingredients. When I came to visit later, my other daughter who was also there visiting showed me the cards that she had already pulled. "Sweet! I want them all" was my immediate reaction.

Twelve packs, or better yet, twelve cards per box.

The packs come with two fruit rolls and one animal card.

(I had to promise my wife that I wouldn't eat them all at once, that I'd only open one pack a day!)

I can't remember the last time a food issue was easy to collect in my area. My only other non-sport collections are Animated Batman and some other comic cards, but the artwork on these really caught my eye. And hey, it's a food issue. How can you NOT be sucked in to going after the set?

Each back has a different fun game.

Currently I have 23 of the 60 cards, these are my top 9 favorites so far, although the Eagle above will probably replace one of these.

I've already pulled a few dupes, so after you rush to the local Wallymart and buy up all the stock, let me know about your dupes and maybe we can trade!

Newly Acquired: 1955 Topps

 

Don Mossi RC, if anyone was wondering.

Newly Acquired: 1954 Topps

 

Jim Lemon RC.

Interesting that Rosen and Lemon are wearing different uniforms. 

Home and away I'm assuming.

Severely trimmed and worn.

I used to have a decent copy of this card, which is really beautiful when in better shape.

One Page of Ken Burkhart

 This series highlights "one page" at a time from my binder of correspondence and autographs from former players and personnel.

   Ken Burkhart RHP

St. Louis Cardinals (1945-1948)

Cincinatti Reds (1948-1949)

Major League Umpire (1952-1974)

"I would love to answer all your questions. The Baseball ...."

I can't tell what he wrote after that. 

Worked three World Series (1962, 1964, 1970) and four All-Star Games (1959, 1962, 1967, 1973).

Officiated in eight no-hitters.

Correspondence received January 2004.

Burkhart passed away December 29, 2004 at the age of 88.

More, More, More

How do you like it? How do you like it?

Sorry for the disco flashback, but here are several more mail returns that came in recently. I'm thinking that trade mail should start to slow a little now though, as I've been putting TCDB transactions on hold more often.

engine614

A lot of cool inserts and an SP all for a bunch of Jeter cards.

LeeHammer

Lee was offering four FREE flawed baseball cards first come-first served.

I'm especially happy to get the 1970 Checklist variation (red bat/red bill).

Bobqc21

I haven't sent to Canada in a while, but Bob offered up these Fleury cards in trade, so I accepted.

Chroniccollector

Eighties unlicensed at its best with that 1989 Premier Players Jim Abbott.

These 1992 Comic Images are great, but they'd be even greater if they fit together into a larger image.

peach_was_here

He also included this sweet 2003 eTopps for free!