Time flies by when you don't have to work. This week has been filled with ups and downs. I opened up my wallet and participated in Lego's VIP weekend. I also made several eBay card related purchases... which is something I really haven't been doing in 2020. My most expensive purchase of the week was a new water heater. It wasn't planned... but considering it's been thirteen years since I replaced the other one... I can't complain.
Thanksgiving was pretty awesome. My friend delivered a traditional turkey dinner with stuffing, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. I also hung out with my family on Zoom.
Then yesterday, I capped off my wonderful Thanksgiving Break by tweaking my back (AGAIN)... which ruined some plans I made... but it's something I've learned to deal with as I get older. I'm just hoping I can rest it up by Monday, since I'll be introducing a new unit to my students. Anyways... that recaps my week.
Here's a look at This Week in Blogging:
#1: Savoring Turkey Red
2020 Topps Turkey Red #TR-39
2020 Topps Turkey Red #TR-67
#2: Fine Art
Speaking of Topps Gallery, Shoebox Legends showed off his Peyton Manning 2000 Gallery of Heroes insert earlier in the week, which reminded me that I hadn't published the set spotlight post I wrote back in early October. My non-baseball posts don't garnish a lot of views, so it became buried and forgotten.
Today seems like a good day to show it off...
2000 Topps Gallery Gallery of Heroes #GH1
2000 Topps Gallery Gallery of Heroes #GH2
2000 Topps Gallery Gallery of Heroes #GH4
2000 Topps Gallery Gallery of Heroes #GH5
2000 Topps Gallery Gallery of Heroes #GH6
2000 Topps Gallery Gallery of Heroes #GH7
2000 Topps Gallery Gallery of Heroes #GH8
2000 Topps Gallery Gallery of Heroes #GH9
2000 Topps Gallery Gallery of Heroes #GH10
The Gallery of Heroes inserts from the late 90's and early 2000's are some of my favorite inserts of all-time. They combine colorful acetate and superstar athletes to produce a collectible resembling the walls at the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, France.
2000 Topps Gallery Gallery of Heroes #GH3
I picked up this set five years ago for $15.99 (free shipping) on eBay... and the Favre was the card this purchase centered around.
On Monday, Peter K. Steinberg asked his readers if we are die-cut collectors and whether or not we thought die-cut cards were cool or overrated. I figured I'd just let this set do the talking.
#3: A Pair of Sayonara Salutes
2004 Fleer WWE Chaos Tuff Guys Memorabilia #TG-U
Outside of checking in on Asuka, I don't really follow wrestling. But I remember when The Undertaker first appeared in the WWF back in the early 90's and he was pretty cool.
This past Monday, I heard about his retirement over on Rebel Coyote's blog: Rebel Random Ramblings.
Sports Illustrated for Kids (July 1990) #163
Two days later, I read about the passing of soccer legend, Diego Maradona in an ESPN article.
1989-90 Kenner Sportstars
Two different goodbyes for two legendary athletes who played two very different sports... that I don't follow very closely. Enjoy your retirement Undertaker and rest in peace Mr. Maradona.
#4: Forgotten Treasure
With so many different things to collect, it's easy to let some things we've collected in the past fall through the cracks and be forgotten. This morning I saw a WNBA card over on Sportscards From The Dollar Store that took me back to the late 90's when I pulled this:
1999 Fleer Ultra WNBA Gold Medallion #102
Like wrestling and soccer, I don't follow women's basketball very closely. But there was a time when I was ripping open packs searching for a Chamique Holdsclaw rookie card. I never pulled her Ultra rookie card, but I did pull the parallel of it seen above. Anyone else remember when this card was a big time pull?
#5: More Baseball Trivia
As I mentioned in last week's TWiB post... one of my favorite things about reading card blogs is learning new trivia. This week I read about Bill Freehan's five grand slams in 1968 over on John's Big League Baseball Blog. That feat is pretty darn impressive.
1988 Topps #2
It inspired me to see who holds the single season record. I discovered that Travis Hafner and Don Mattingly share the record with six. I didn't know about Hafner, but I did remember Topps celebrating Donnie Baseball's accomplishment with a card in 1988.
1987 Topps #500
#6: Circle The Date
1986 Topps #260
Are you a fan of 80's baseball cards? If so, circle January 4th, 2021 on your calendars... because that's when Night Owl will start revealing his list of The Greatest 100 Cards of the 80's. I'm super excited to see if and where some of my personal favorites... like this Tony Pena... lands.
Well... that wraps up another This Week in Blogging post. Here are a few questions for you to ponder...
Are you a fan of this year's Turkey Red inserts?
Do you watch wrestling, soccer, or women's basketball? Do you have any personal favorites?
When you hear the words "grand slam", who is the first player that pops into your head?
What are some 80's baseball cards you're hoping to see on Night Owl's list?
Happy Saturday and sayonara!
31 comments:
Hope your back gets better! Love those Gallery of Heroes cards, and the die-cutting is a nice addition to the already great design.
Not really a fan of the Turkey Reds. I guess they are better than a Yankee of the year Highlight insert.
Don’t watch any of those ‘sports’.
Andre Agassi actually comes to mind when I hear Grand Slam. Seems like they are so few and far between for baseball players that a particular one doesn’t come to mind.
I’d love to see the ‘89 Fleer Billy Ripken and the ‘89 Upper Deck Griffey make it.
Also, did you get a tankless water heater? I’ve heard you can have your shower hot and it will stay hot for as long as you want. One of my dream purchases in the future.
Rest up that back for next week. For grand slams I think of Lou Gehrig because my 1973 Topps card told me that he was the all-time leader. The I think about Willie McCovey and Eddie Murray inching toward Gehrig's record. I knew that someone else passed Gehrig, but I couldn't name the player so I looked it up.
I follow the U.S. soccer national teams when it matters. So World Cup and World Cup qualifying, and the Olympics to a lesser extent.
Hope your back gets better.
1. Turkey Reds are all right, but Topps made too many of 'em, as usual.
2. No, no and no.
3. Grand slams? Eddie Murray. Grand slam moments? Ron Cey hit a grand slam in the first playoff game I ever saw the Dodgers play, Game 1 of the 1977 NLCS.
I won't say whether the '86 Pena will make the list, but it WILL be part of a future post.
Turkey Reds look awesome signed. I have a few of the recent Yankee ones signed.
Hope your back feels better!
1. No
2. No
3, Dennys
4. 1983 Topps Lee Mazzelli
Hey John Bateman! I was gonna say Dennys! No to wrestling, soccer and WNBA. The 80s don't get me too excited, especially 85 and later. Take care of that back, Fuji. I'd offer to walk on it for ya but then YOU would never walk again. LOL.
Turkey Red is the best thing Topps Flagship has going for it right now. I wish they'd bring it back as a standard set like they did in the mid-2000s.
Off the top of my head, I'm really hoping I see the '87 Topps Kevin Mitchell on NO's list. I know '87 Topps as a whole is woefully overhyped and overdone these days, but that's a card I'll never get sick of.
I do like the Turkey Red inserts this year. I am trying to collect the Hall of Famers from the series. I do enjoy watching women's basketball, and a favorite player is Sue Bird. Even though you had not heard of Travis Hafner, I do because of his grand slam season. That year the Indians hit several as a team. I am looking forward to seeing Night Owl's list, and the one 1980s that I hope to see is the Topps Cal Ripken Jr rookie card.
no. no. just this minute was barry bonds, I've not seen him hit 1 but thats who just pooped into my head. the Hubbard fller with a snake.
oops. fleer
Honestly hate the Turkey Reds. I watch Soccer when I can but its TV coverage makes MLB look like its got its shit together. Grand Slam? Serena Williams. And for the 80s coverage I'm hoping for food issues and oddballs even though Greg said those won't be included.
"Yankee of the Year" - they really do that, don't they.
Those Gallery Of Heroes for $15?? That's an epic steal. Such a great looking set of cards.
I grew up watching soccer. But then growing up in England made that a lot easier. It's a religion over here.
1. I liked the Turkey Red inserts, especially the Chrome variations. Just something a little different than some of the other rehashes that Topps has used in the past.
2. I go to a bunch of NC State women's basketball games. They play in Reynolds Coliseum, which is one of the great historic venues in college basketball history. My favorite current player is Elissa Cunane who is the center on the team. Also a big fan of Aislin Konig, but she graduated and is not in the WNBA.
3. Grand Slam? Tommy Herr. 1987 Seat Cushion Give-Away at Busch Stadium.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQ-rQVmecPc&t=28s
4. I hope that the 1986 Topps Vince Coleman rookie card makes the list, but I am not holding my breathe.
I'm not a big fan of the Topps Turkey Reds. I feel like Topps can never actually recreate old sets like that very well. Though it's probably expecting too much to hope that incredible sets like Turkey Red can ever be faithfully recreated with current players.
"Dennys" That's awsome!
Grand slam - Lou Gehrig. Hope you feel better.
I remember Mattingly's GS streak. It was exciting. Not a fan of anything other than baseball. I'll watch some NFL but don't invest emotion into it. I'll watch a smidge of hockey, too. Basketball is not of any interest. Neither are the other sports you listed. Hey: be well! Yes, I'm excited for Night Owl's countdown.
i'm not a fan of turkey red inserts, and i don't watch wrestling, soccer, or women's basketball. grand slams make me think of lou gehrig and robin ventura, but the most memorable grand slam i ever saw in person was hit by jose canseco, so i think of him, too. finally, i am curious to see how he was able to whittle down the 80's to 100 cards as there are so many worthy of being included. one of the cards that comes to my mind when i think of 1980's baseball cards is the 1985 donruss box bottom dwight gooden card.
Love that SLU-style Maradona figure. And the Gallery of Heroes set is incredible! I'm always happy to read some non-baseball posts. So what if they're not quite as popular? I'd say 20+ comments is a good sign that anything you post brings in a lot of views.
Seems like a long shot, but I'd like to see Jim Deshaies's record breaker card from 1987 Topps appear on Night Owl's list. It was in my first-ever pack.
2020 cannot get over soon enough with all the untimely passing of all these athletes. Not a fan of the turkey red inserts...but as you pointed out, I might be if they ever did sumo wrestlers. I feel like SLUs are ready for a strong comeback one of these days.
Thanks for including me in the roundup, Fuji! Your Gallery of Heroes insert set is incredible, I've never seen them all in one place like that. Makes me want to go land a few others to accompany Peyton.
I'll just answer your second question, because I'm a huge soccer fan. Got really into the Premier League around 2011 or so and have been watching that a ton for close to a decade now, and have been into Olympic soccer every four years as well. In just this past year I've added Champions League and a couple other leagues as well since I can occasionally get the games on YouTube TV.
That Kenner Maradona figure takes me back big time. I had a couple of those as kids, not his but other players. Really cool to see one of those in package all these years later!
Sorry to hear about your back - here's to a speedy recovery!
1. No, not really into the Turkey Red, it's OK but not something I'm excited about.
2. I use to be a big wrestling fan back when the "WWF" didn't take itself so seriously. Loved legends like Rowdy Roddy Piper and the Hart Foundation.
3. David Ortiz's game-tying grand slam against the Tigers in the 2013 ALCS, with Torii Hunter going over the wall, comes to mind.
4. There's so many great cards, I'm excited for this list. I'm hoping the 1981 Topps Carl Yastrzemski (with Carlton Fisk in the background) makes the cut.
1. No,never liked the Turkey Reds. 2.Hell no lol 3.Jeff Burroughs (hit 3 grand slams in a 10 day period in 1973).4.1982 Fleer Pete and Re-Pete.
I'm just collecting the HOF'ers in the Turkey Reds. Never tried to build any of the older inserts or sets.
Wowza. Love the participation in the comment section. I feel like this might be a personal record for a post not associated with a contest. Thank you everyone in advance...
dennis - it's hard to make something that awesome even better... but that's what topps did by making these inserts die-cuts
jeremya1um - nice call on the agassi, the ripken, or griffey. i'd be surprised if either of those weren't on his list. as for the tankless water heater... i wish i had known about that option. i'll look into it in 8 to 10 years when i replace this one.
jongudmund - it wouldn't surprise me. yankees sell cards. as for soccer... it's one of the first things that pops into my head when i think of england
runforekelloggs - it was starting to feel better... but sitting at the computer all day today didn't help. but i'm applying heat and cold... back and forth which feels good. as for gehrig... i remember him holding the all-time record. i'm pretty sure a-rod is the record holder now
elliptical man - i love the world cup and like you... the olympics to a lesser extent.
night owl - several people have mentioned murray. i never associated him with grand slams. instead i associate him with switch hit home runs. looking forward to seeing what you have to say about the pena. one of my favorite cards from that decade.
the lost collector - i agree. i feel the lack of glossiness is perfect for signatures.
john bateman - oh man. denny's? that is an awesome choice. as for the mazzilli, which one? yankees or pirates? i think both look awesome, but i'm going with the yankees card.
cincicuse bill - john bateman is a genius
a cracked bat - does having someone walk on your back help? if that's the case... i'll definitely try it. and if you were gonna say denny's too... then you're a genius too.
nick - i'd be okay if they brought it back for one year... and then put it on the shelf for five. as for the 87t kevin mitchell... I love that card. definitely a classic
ohiotim - don't follow the wnba very closely, but i am familiar with the name sue bird. as for hafner, i know the player, but didn't know he tied mattingly's record. which ripken? the base set or the traded? i'd vote for the traded
johnnys trading spot - don't remember bonds hitting a grand slam, but i'm gonna guess he hit at least a few. and there's no way he leaves the hubbard off his list.
nick vossbrink - another tennis player = nice pick. if we're lucky, maybe greg will list his top food issues and oddball of the 80's in another post
sport card collectors - the best part about collecting from 2008 to 2017 was that inserts and parallels from the 90's and early 2000's were cheap.
Part 2:
the snorting bull - not familiar with either of those ladies, but i have heard of reynolds coliseum (although... not sure how). if we were hanging out, i would have said herr just for you. as for the coleman... it definitely made an impact on my collection. we'll see if it made an impact on night owl
gtt - it's not an easy task... since the originals are always going to be special to collectors
cincicuse bill - gehrig is one of the first names i thought of too.
peter k steinberg - baseball is definitely #1 for me... but that's b/c the a's have been pretty good the past few years and the sharks haven't. but in regards to collecting... baseball is #1 and it's not even close
gcrl - was canseco with the a's at the time? i actually came super close to using that gooden in this post. that's one of my favorite cards from the decade
chris - so far you're the only one to recognize the slu-style figure. great minds think alike. i wish there were more post with them. i'm guess people had more time to comment b/c of the holiday weekend. this is double... almost triple the number of comments i usually receive. i love it!
adam kaningher - lol. i can actually picture that card. maybe he read your comment and will take it into consideration.
sumomenkoman - i sure hope so. i love slu's so much. like i was saying to chris... i wish there were more blog posts featuring them
shoeboxlegends - i've seen singles here and there before. i'd actually like to pick up another favre for my packers collection. as for the premier league, i've seen some pretty nice cards on your blog. it's cool that there's such a strong following on those cards. back in the mid to late 90's, i remember kaybee trying to give these soccer figures away (although this one came in an ebay purchase)
matt - i didn't root for rowdy roddy piper or the hart foundation, but that was during the era when i started watching wrestling. i remember big papi's grand slam. had to look up the yaz card... but recognized it as soon as i saw it
sg488 - whoa. 3 grand slams in 10 days? that's a pretty good piece of baseball trivia. and i remember treasuring my copy of that pete and re-pete card. still have it in my binder
gca - seems like there are a few of you chasing the hall of famers in that insert set. i recently saw the jackie robinson and the koufax cards from that set... and i will eventually add them to my collection.
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