Pulling Jewels From Forgotten Cardboard

Aloha, everybody,

I've had the same set of living room end tables forever. They're the kind with doors that open to storage inside. I recently opened one of them and discovered a forgotten stash of card sets that have been in there who-know-how-long? 

Some of the sets are complete, others aren't. They hail back to the 90's; back when I first got into collecting. The sets aren't worth much monetarily, as they are mostly overproduced product from the junk wax era. 

Since today was a lazy Sunday, I decided to dig into the boxes while watching football, and take a look at these cards, some of which haven't seen sunlight in - believe it or not - two decades! 

I was pleasantly surprised at the beauty of this old cardboard, and I'd like to share some of my favorites with you. 

First up is 1997 Upper Deck. 

Upper Deck was considered one of the high end sets in those days, with its full bleed photos and shiny, glossy finish splashed across absolutely everything. 

The base cards used photography that varied from studio poses to Spring Training and game action shots...

The Kid was perhaps the most popular face on cardboard back then. I think The Big Hurt was a close second. 

One of the amazing little details in this set is found on the front of each base card, a caption explaining the photo, and the date it was taken. 

Take a look at this great play at the plate shot...

Dig the catcher's mask flying amid the dust and the blood. 
Thanks, Buster Posey, for making this essential part of baseball virtually disappear. 

Oh, there were abominations as well...

Here's what the card backs look like. I love UD gave us career stats...

I hate to see Fernando as anything but a Dodger, but the rear photo shows him batting...I'll take it. 

There are plenty more jewels to come from 1997, so join us next time for the inserts. 

Aloha! 

Did You Ever Find Something Really Cool - A Month Too Late?

Aloha, everybody,

How about that Super Bowl? I'll tell ya, I didn't see that coming. 
And by that, I mean the crass behavior from both team's QB's. 

Cam Newton, the kid, unfortunately let his inner Bengal take over and his immaturity got the better of him. Payton Manning, the old veteran, let his inner Gordon Gecko take over and he unashamedly kissed his pizza and beer sponsors both literally and figuratively. Sheesh! 

Anyways...I've got my own flubs to write about. Over the past week I've been sorting my card collection and updating my binders. While doing that, I came upon a lovely little card that I've just gotta show you all...

 From 2010 Topps Cards Your Mom Threw Out. It hails from the era before interleague play took place just about every homestand, when those matchups were still a little special. 

About a month ago Piazza and Griffey were voted into the Hall of Fame, and lots of us bloggers were pounding the keyboards about what it all meant. 

This card would have fit the bill perfectly back then. It had all the elements for a good post - it was prophetic in its juxtaposition of the two future HOFers, who will soon be inducted into Cooperstown on the same summer afternoon.

I sure wish I had stumbled upon this card back then. 

Aloha!   
PS - I dropped packages off at the post office today for GCRL Jim and Gavin, King of all Customs. Keep an eye out for those, boys.

Grand Salami Of Trade Bait (Double Sunday!) - Zinzinatti Reds

Hey everybody,

Why not a bonus for those of you who are up late and wanting more cardboard fix??

Here come The Reds...

Hey Chavez Ravining..Is this 'pimping a dinger'?

Broken bat alert!

What???? He wasn't always a Yankee???

How about that awesome old-time stadium background?

Dodger Pavilions lurking.

Tom Terrific

SP Diamond Helmet

Trade Me (Almost) Anything Cincinatti Reds

Hey everybody,

Not a good weekend for the Blue over in Ohio this weekend.  Back to back tough losses.  Ouch.
Here's hoping the Dodgers learn a few lessons from these games and salvage the series on Sunday.

Hoping to get some Dodger mojo flowing, let's trade away some Reds. 

 Gotta love the dirty uni on a die cut. 

Gotta love that Mr. Red (or whatever he's called) sleeve patch.

Gotta love that look on Mr. Pastore's smug mug.

Gotta love cards with legends on 'em.

Nobody loves a know-it-all.  Although Cincy did put the man's number on the infield this weekend.

Didn't love him as a Dodger, but I'm sure his mom loves him.

After this weekend, absolutely hate this dude.

Who can hate the Kid?  Hitting No. 500 nonetheless.

Absolutely neutral on this cat.

That's it folks. 

Platters, Traded Cardboard And Mountains Of Sushi

hey everybody,

Speigel, from the awesome blog Nomo's Sushi Platter , was right when he said the fraternity of Dodger bloggers have a great sense about trading within the brotherhood.  even though i've been blogging for just over a year, we conducted our first trade just last month.  it was a non-specific, blind trade, and it was very good.

waitaminute ! that reminds me that i just passed my one-year anniversary of starting up ATBATT ! wow - i totally missed that milestone! hmm...if i can find some time, maybe i'll put together a quick "one year" contest. any enthusiasm for another contest out there?

while you chew on that, let's check out the trade....

as a member of the brotherhood, speigel instinctively knows i need a Buckner all-star rookie card.  this card is so awesome that even Billy Buc's eyebrows are in overdrive.

  speigel included a very nice sampling of non-Dodgers.   i bought very little heritage product, so the only way i get these flashback cards is in trades - and i definitley like these cards.  there's always room in my collection for the legitimate HR king.  this is a great photo with hammerin' hank sporting the baseball cap under the batting helmet look.

 how cool is this?  speigel is an awesome, unselfish trader to include an autograph card in a first time, blind trade.

how about a cool oddball that i've never seen before, featuring one of the Dodger gods that would definitely be included when we carve the Dodger version of mount rushmore into the side of the elysian park hills beyond the outfield.

hmmm...i like that idea.  what should it be called?  Mount Chavez Ravine?  Mount Scully?   what four Dodgers should we carve on it?  I nominate Gibby, Podres, Jackie and Koufax. Lasorda?   wow, that's tough narrowing it down to four.

great card with 2 great players.  the irony here is this card is 'inter league preview', but to be honest, i'm pretty much done with inter league play.  it's played out and cuts down on chances for us to play division rivals.  and it seems 2013 is gonna bring us yet even more interleague crap.  i know, we're gonna play at yankee stadium, and some are jazzed by that, but i think it's time to drop the whole thing.

 a very cool manny card.  it doesn't show here, but the shiny factor is high on this one. lots of people wanna hate on manny now that he's gone and he tarnished himself with the cheating, but when he was here, he really lit it up Dodger stadium. 

 i still remember taking friends from taiwan to a game.  it was the bottom of the 9th and the Dodgers were losing.  manny came up and i told them not to worry as he's our best guy for this home run hero type of situation.  later in the at bat, i had to explain even though he had 2 strikes on him, no worries, as manny was actually the best 2-strike hitter in baseball, and he would win the game for us.  sure enough, as if on cue - BLAM ! deep center field...game winning home run !  it was fun while it lasted, manny.

here's yet another card from forever young, now - i'm- on - your - team, rickey henderson. awesome. 

here's the guy they named the famous arm surgery after.

Speigel sent me a bunch of great 70's Dodgers cards, including my first card from one of my favorite 70's Dodgers, Willie Crawford.  the brotherhood always knows what the brotherhood wants.  THANKS for a fantastic trade, brother !