Saturday Night Five: Hard to Say Goodbye

Getting kicked in the family jewels.  Getting dumped by the love of your life.  Getting informed your favorite player has been traded.  There's one word that sums up these three events for me:  PAINFUL.

2010 Topps Chrome #191

And last night... right before I hit the sack... I discovered that Josh Donaldson had been shipped off to Toronto. as part of the Oakland Athletics rebuilding plan.

Thankfully... Mr. Donaldson isn't my favorite player.  Actually... I'm not even sure I have a favorite Athletic at the moment.  But the news definitely made me think about heart wrenching trades that actually impacted me on a personal level.

After rereading that last sentence, I realize how weird that sounds.

Be that as it may... it's sad but true.  Each of the following trades I'm about to list actually generated an emotional response... some stronger than others.

Honorable Mention #1:  Eddie Jones traded to the Charlotte Hornets

1998-99 Topps Autographs #AG6

Once upon a time... I loved basketball.  And in between Byron and Kobe... there was Eddie.


Honorable Mention #2:  Brett Favre traded to the New York Jets

The only reason this one isn't ranked higher on the list is because I had mixed emotions about this trade.  Half of me was frustrated with the trade... while the other half was frustrated with Favre's wishy-washiness.


#5:  Ichiro Suzuki traded to the New York Yankees

2012 Archives Relics #I

Anytime my favorite non-Athletic/non-Padre gets traded to the New York Yankees... there's going to be an emotional response.


#4:  Eric Dickerson traded to the Indianapolis Colts

2013 Five Star Signatures #FSSED

Believe it or not, I actually liked the Los Angeles Rams for a few years.  My cousin Keith was a huge Rams and Seahawks fan and I looked up to him, so it seemed like a logical choice.  However when they traded away Dickerson, I was devastated and never looked back.


#3:  Kurt Suzuki traded to the Washington Nationals

2007 SP Authentic #125

Okay... here's where the real pain begins to set in.  Up until Kurt... all of my favorite baseball players were HOF bound.  But I liked him because he was from Hawaii, is Japanese American, and because he played for my favorite team.

Why isn't he higher on the list?  Well... it's pretty simple.  He played for the A's... and they aren't known for holding onto their players for too long.  At the time of the trade Kurt had already been there for five and a half seasons, so it wasn't too surprising.


#2:  Devin Setoguchi traded to the Minnesota Wild

2007-08 The Cup #138

There aren't a lot of Japanese NHL players... so you can imagine how excited I was to hear the Sharks drafted Seto back in 2005.  And when he finally made it to the NHL, he scored two goals in his first regular season game.  It didn't take long for him to become my favorite Shark.  He had four solid seasons in San Jose, but his numbers have slowly dropped off since he was traded.  I still cheer for him whenever he's not facing off against his former teammates.


#1:  Rickey Henderson traded to the New York Yankees

1980 Topps #482

This trade is far and away the most painful.  At the time of the trade, Rickey was my clear cut favorite player.  I'm pretty sure that part of my dislike for the New York Yankees stems from this trade.  Anyways... the good news is I quickly found a new favorite player: Tony Gwynn.  And since then he's never left the #1 spot.

Thankfully, Rickey made his way back to Oakland three more times and when he was inducted into Cooperstown, he chose to wear an A's hat on his plaque.

Well there's my Top 5 Most Painful Trades.  What about you?

Have you ever been devastated by the news of a trade?  If so, which one?

I look forward to reading your responses.  Happy Saturday and sayonara!

Flash(p)ack Friday #3: Tony Gwynn

So... gotta ask...

Did anyone else take advantage of any Black Friday sales?

I bought some stuff off of Dave & Adam's Card World and Steel City Collectibles... but I'll share my purchases when they arrive and are in front of me.  I primarily targeted cheap wax boxes and bargain pack lots to help me scratch that wax pack itch.

One pack that won't be relieving any itches anytime soon is this 1983 Topps rack pack I recently picked up off of eBay:

I've been searching all over for an upside-down Garry Maddox... and now I've officially added one to my collection.  And it doesn't hurt that my favorite all-time favorite manager and player are also sitting on top staring at me.

I'm pretty sure it's the most expensive pack I've ever purchased, but it's well worth it in my book.  It's perfect timing too, because my 1983 Fleer cello pack was starting to get lonely:

Well... that's a wrap.  I hope all of you had a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving.  I look forward to seeing if anyone out there took advantage of the Black Friday sales.

Happy Friday and sayonara!

Gobble Gobble Gobble

It's crazy how your perspective on things change with age.  As a kid, I associated Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims, Native Americans, and a huge feast that lasted a few days.  But over the years the holiday has evolved.  It's more about family, friends, and being thankful for all of the things I've been blessed with.

And since you probably don't want to sit here and read a huge list of randomness, I'll keep things short, sweet, and blog related.

I'm thankful for everyone who takes the time to stop by and read my posts.  I know I've been in a slump in terms of posting, but I assure you I'll break out of it sooner or later.

I'm thankful for all of you who take the time to author all of those amazing blogs involving my favorite hobby.  Informative.  Comical.  Interesting.  Persuasive.  Creative.  These are the first five words that popped into my head when I think of all of the hard work and dedication you put into your blogs.

I'm thankful for the multiple trades and care packages people have sent over the past five years.  I've shared many of these stories of generosity with my students, friends, and family members.  And 9 out of 10 times, they're amazed that people from all over the world ship packages to each other out of the kindness of their hearts.

And most of all... I'm thankful for the camaraderie we have among our family of cardboard bloggers.  One of my favorite things about writing blog posts and reading your blog posts is the interaction among us.  Your kind words, interesting knowledge, and comical banter have lifted my spirits on multiple occasions and is much appreciated.

So I hope all of you and your families have a wonderful holiday season.  Happy Thanksgiving!  

P.S.  Did you enjoy my collection of cardboard turkeys?

Plethora of Packages

Thanksgiving Break has arrived... which means I finally can catch my breath, clean up my office desk, and finally open some packages from some fellow bloggers.

So without further adieu let's kick things off with a pair of PWE's...

Courtesy of Nick @ Dime Boxes

A few weeks ago I sent Nick a set of American Bandstand cards... and he returned the favor by sending me a nice stack of Athletics.  Here are a pair of my favorites:  1961 Topps Don Larsen and 1976 Topps Vida Blue.  Thank you Nick!

Courtesy of Jim @ GCRL

It was sad to see Kurt leave the Bay Area again... but at the same time it was cool to see him finally make the all-star team as a member of the Minnesota Twins.  Whoever was in charge of photo selection over at Topps did a great job with Kurt's 2014 cards.  Jim... thanks for these awesome Suzuki cards!

Matt @ Bob Walk the Plank

Over the past six years I've collected over two hundred Oakland Athletics memorabilia cards and autographs, so it's always exciting to add something I don't already have to the collection.  Matt went four for four and sent me four new cards.  Thanks a lot buddy... the thoughtful note and cards definitely brightened my day.

Courtesy of Mr. Hoyle

Mr. Hoyle is synonymous with vintage, so I was very curious to see what was inside of the padded envelope he sent me.  Normally packages tend to be flat or rectangular in shape, but this had a unique curvature to it.  Like a kid on Christmas morning, I tried to figure out what was inside but was completely surprised by this awesome 1977 Royal Crown Cola can of Athletics legend Vida Blue.  I've wanted to add one of these cans to my collection for a long time and now I can finally call myself a proud owner.  Thanks Mr. Hoyle!

Courtesy of Woody @ CCW

Last... but certainly not least was Medium Flat Rate Priority Mail box shipped to me by Woody over at Card Collectors World Forum.  It was filled to the brim with over 1,500 San Diego Padres cards.  I spent over two hours sifting through these cards and reminiscing my childhood and college years.

Some of my favorites were these 80's Donruss Diamond Kings... and of course anything featuring #19.  And if that weren't enough he also sent me this iconic rookie card:

I love seeing Ozzie Smith in brown and gold on cardboard.  Thank you so much Woody!  Like I said in my message... I have no idea how I'll every be able to even things out... but I'll try.

Thanks again guys for these wonderful packages.  You guys gave both my spirits and card collections a huge boost with your generosity.  I'll start putting together some care packages in return.

Happy Sunday and sayonara!

The Kid Found His Way Home

I wrapped up my final parent/teacher conference yesterday afternoon and when I picked up my mail... look who was waiting for me:

1999 UD Century Legends Epic Signatures #JR

After my recent postal hiccup, I honestly thought I'd never end up owning this card.  But thankfully the Cardboard Gods were looking out for me and I can now officially cross it off of my Top 10 Want List.

I want to quickly thank the eBay seller who sold me this card for going out of his way to help me track it down.  Regardless of whether or not his actions actually played a role in the delivery of this card, it's nice to know that quality customer service still exists.

With that being said... by the time this post is published, my Thanksgiving Break should have officially started.  I'm looking forward to catching up on some sleep and of course checking out everyone's blog posts.

Happy Friday and sayonara!

Oh... one more thing... thank you to everyone who took the time to leave me feedback on Monday

Garter Belts and Groupies

While doing a little homework for my Roy Hobbs card last week, I stumbled across a great article over on Cardboard Connection.  The article showcased a great collection of cards based on baseball movies.  If you're interested in checking it out... click here.

Anyways... that's where I discovered the 1988 Gatorade Bull Durham set...

Bull Durham might not be my favorite sports movie.  Heck.  It's not even my favorite baseball movie.  But it's definitely a classic and when I saw these oddballs, I knew I wanted a set for my collection.

I'm a huge fan of the dual photos.  Let's face it... two photos of the lovely Millie is better than one.

Or if you're into older women, than there's the sensational Susan Sarandon card.

The one thing that might bother some collectors is their size.  Each card measures 4" x 5", which could cause some storage issues.  Personally, I love cards in all shapes and sizes... so these oversized beauties don't bother me at all.  Plus I like how the overall design is reminiscent of the 1975 Topps baseball card set.

Rounding out the four card set is this epic card of Ebby "Nuke" LaLoosh, Bull Durham's rookie sensation.  How often do you see grown men wearing garter belts on trading cards?  This card alone was worth the three bucks I paid for this set.

Well that's it for now.  I'm hoping my 20th Anniversary version of The Sandlot arrives soon.  It's suppose to come with a special card set that includes cards of Smalls, Squints, and even The Beast.

Until then...

Happy Wednesday and sayonara!

Case of the Mysterious Missing Parcel

Two weeks ago, I thought I hit the lottery when I won this auction...

When the auction closed, I was so excited about this purchase.  The price was right.  The eBay Bucks I had saved up were expiring that day, so it felt like I was hitting one out of the park during the bottom of the ninth.  And best of all... I was finally going to cross the 1999 UD Century Legends Epic Signatures Ken Griffey Jr. off of my wantlist.

I've been in love with this set for years and although I have accepted the fact that I'll never actually build the set due to some very expensive cards... this Griffey was going to be one of the highlights of my autograph collection and the final piece to this partial set I was building.

The only thing I had to do was sit back and wait.  So I waited.  And waited.  And waited some more.  Then finally after thirteen days, I contacted the seller to let him know I hadn't received the card.  He replied with a tracking number, which showed this:

What the heck?  So the package has been delivered... but unfortunately it was delivered to someone else.  I'm currently stuck standing at the crossroads not quite sure of what to do.  Do I suck it up and take the hit?  Do I open a claim and attempt to get my money back?  I sure wish Encyclopedia Brown lived in my neck of the woods.

Ironically this is the second time this year that I've purchased this card and I still have yet to hold it in my hands.  The first time took place back in March.  I picked it up with a BIN from Burbank Sportscards' eBay store, but they later contacted me and told me that it had been sold in their store and they no longer had the card in their inventory.

I'm starting to think that this card and I aren't meant to be together... which totally sucks, because you know how it goes.  The more you can't have something... the more you want it.

Hopefully things are going better for you guys and your collections.  Happy Monday and sayonara!

Cardboard Clutter

I think working with kids over the past two decades has taught me to be patient.  When I was a kid, if someone gave me a present I'd tear into them immediately.

But thirty years can change a person.  These days I model a little more self-control.  I'm currently sitting on three care packages sent from:  Nick @ Dime Boxes, Matthew @ Bob Walk the Plank, and Woody @ CCW.

Unfortunately... I've made myself a deal to keep them sealed until I finish cleaning up the cardboard clutter that currently resides on my desk.  Most of the mess consists of cards from my recent flea market purchase.  But there are a few eBay purchases thrown into the mix as well:

Nick, Matt, and Woody... I just wanted to let you know that your packages have arrived safely and I'm eager to see what you've sent.  As soon as I bust them open, I promise to write up a "thank you" post.

I've got parent/teacher conferences this week, but I should have plenty of time to sort through cards over my Thanksgiving Break.

Thanks in advance for the packages and have a happy Sunday.

Flea Market Finds #74: Build-A-Box

By now I'm sure most of you have seen Collector Crate: a monthly subscription box containing sports cards and other pieces of sports memorabilia.  If you haven't... feel free to click here, here, or here for detailed descriptions and a sampling of the products people have received.

I have to admit, I came close to purchasing one last month.  Thankfully I had enough willpower to hold off, because two weeks ago I had the opportunity of a lifetime fall into my lap at the De Anza Flea Market.

When: Saturday, November 1st
Where: De Anza Flea Market
What: Dime Box Cards and Dollar Sets/Packs
How Much?:  $31

Imagine being able to build your own box and fill it with vintage, oddballs, inserts, rookie cards, memorabilia cards, and autographs for the bargain price of 10¢ per item.  Yeah that's right... a dime box Build-A-Box.

I'm not going to lie... it was pretty awesome and a week later, I was still digging into the box of goodies.

Let's kick things off with some vintage baseball...

I added thirteen new cards to my vintage baseball card binder.  Most of them were 70's hall of famers, but two of my favorites featured guys without plaques in Cooperstown.

Anyone remember Renata Galasso cards from the 80's?  How about SSPC sets from the 70's?  The vendor had a whole 5,000ct. box dedicated to them.

I ended up grabbing close to fifty different cards... including this early issue Gary Carter card and this oversized Johnny Bench.

On the other hand... there weren't a lot of inserts in the boxes.  In fact out of the handful that I saw, these were the only two I picked up:

The bulk of the 5,000ct. boxes were filled with rookie cards.  The vendor had bulk lots of both football and baseball rookies.

Who the heck needs twenty-five copies of a 2010 Donruss Dez Bryant?  How about sixty-five copies of Fernando's 1981 Fleer rookie card?  I guess for 10¢ each, I do.

Heck... I even grabbed some Broder rookie cards too...

At first I thought the Griffey was legit... but my buddy pointed out that this version was a fake.  And while this Darvish Broder is pretty cool... I'll take my super hot Sharapova OMR rookie card any day of the week.

The final single I'll share with you guys is a card I almost picked up a few months ago for $3 on eBay.

Six months ago, The Natural celebrated its 30th Anniversary.  I remembered seeing this card in a Larry Fritsch catalog and immediately wanting to add it to my collection.  For being a prop card, I've actually seen several copies sell for $5 to $7.

Outside of dime box cards, he also had a bunch of sets and packs for a dollar each:

1989 Topps UK Minis Set

I'm pretty sure I already own the factory set of these baseball cards from across the Atlantic... but for a buck, I figured I'd grab a second set.  

1984 Galasso Reggie Jackson Mini Set

This is a nice 30 card set from the 80's featuring Mr. October throughout his career... including a few photos of him as an Oriole.  Renata Galasso issued two versions of this set: standard (2.5" x 3.5") and mini (same size as the 75T minis).  

1988 Conlon 1933 American Allstars Set

If you're a fan of old school hall of famers, then this set is for you.  It contains everyone from Babe Ruth to Lefty Grove and they feature the photography of Charles Conlon.  I should have grabbed a few of these, but it started to rain and I was in a rush.

The last thing I added to my Build-A-Box was this cello pack of 1988 Donruss:

Now I'd normally avoid this product like the plague... but I enjoy collecting cello and rack packs with rookie cards of stars on top.  This was a nice addition to both that collection and my Padres PC.

There were a bunch of other cards I threw in... like 10¢ autographs and jersey cards... but they were mostly minor stars and commons.  Did you ever think we'd see the day where we'd see autographs and memorabilia cards in dime boxes?

In the end... this entire shoe box filled with cards cost me $31 (box not included)... which is about a dollar more than the bronze level Collector Crate.  But I'm okay with paying an extra buck to be able to pick stuff I actually want.

By the way... sorry about the infrequent posts.  I hope to catch up on some scanning and publishing over the Thanksgiving break.  I also apologize to all of the bloggers on my reading list.  I know it's been awhile since I've visited some of your blogs, but I hope to catch up on your posts over the break as well.

Until then... happy Thursday and sayonara!