Binder Page Heroes - The Big Hurt

Greetings, dear readers and trade partners.  It's been a while since I posted, and it's been a really long while since I posted something from my binders.

I have two personal binders of cards that are near and dear to me.  Binder No.1 is all Dodgers, and No.2 is comprised of everyone else.  As new cards come to me through purchases or trades, they're added to the pages.  The binders have now grown so full, that I know the next step will be to add Binder No. 3, which of course, won't be a bad thing at all.

The other day Nick, from that awesome blog, Dime Boxes, posted about finding a great looking Frank Thomas card at the National.  Seeing as how that particular card has always been a fave of mine, I'm using it as the inspiration for tonight's post.

Frank Thomas, aka The Big Hurt - next to Mickey Mantle - was the biggest name in baseball cards when I first started getting deep into the collecting game.  Thomas was a heck of a player besides, so I actively sought out his cards, and to this day I still love to add great looking Big Hurt cardboard to my binders whenever I can.

Frank looks kinda sweaty in this photo.  I wonder how comfortable it was to smile after a brisk workout?  But he manages to make it all look natural and genuine. Whataguy!

Here's a curious card.  I like the action shot and the little tag mentioning his status as a Number One Draft pick.  The photo feels kinda offbeat though, as Big Frank seems troubled about something.  And who is that running?  Is that Dee Gordon? 

Love this one. Dime box pick up. 

This one is a great example of 90's shininess. As Nick would agree, Pinnacle at that time was at the top of the cardboard game.

I was always disappointed that the final year number is blocked out on this one.  : (

Some of you out there have mentioned not liking this Leaf design, but I think it perfectly fits the photo and the White Sox team colors.

As usual with scanning photos, subtleties are lost once again.  This is from Upper Deck's Electric Diamonds, in which the lettering shimmers with a diamond effect.  Quite nice.  The card also seems to be from a Battle of Chicago Sox and Cubs matchup at Wrigley.

 Another card whose beauty is lost in the scan.  This is a Fleer 2001 Future Characteristics insert.  I dig the kanji characters, but I have no idea why they exist.  ???

 This is the card that Nick picked up at the National.  It looks like Frank's about to crush those guys at first base.

Thanks for reading!