Tomorrow I'll be heading back into work and helping out with the 8th grade orientation... which is something completely new. 8th graders typically don't need one of these, but due to the COVID and distance learning this will be their first official tour of our school. Just one more thing on an already packed plate, but the overtime will be nice.
As for the rest of the week... it's a little crazy and I'm starting to feel a little anxious over it.
One of the best ways to cope and relax is to do something hobby related, so my goal is to try and write up a few preschedule posts here and there in my "free time" since those two words won't really be part of my vocabulary over the next few weeks.
Okay... enough talk about work. Let's check out some cards.
1975 Topps Mini #531
When you think of the Great Eight... the first thing that pops into some of our heads is the 1975 Cincinnati Reds starting lineup. But this post is actually in honor of the 8th day in the 8th month.
I figured I'd rank my eight favorite athletes to wear #8 on their jersey at some point in their career. Sorry about the deke. There's actually a more devious reason for this post that will eventually be revealed if you choose to continue reading.
This list was much more challenging than I had originally anticipated. The first three picks were no-brainers for me, but the rest of the list was very fluid and was revised several times over the course of days.
I'll start things off with a trio of honorary mentions. All of these guys were on the original list at some point, but were knocked off in the end...
Honorary Mention #1: Yogi Berra
2012 Panini Golden Age Batter Up #23
I'm guessing Yogi would make most of your lists. I left him off because he retired almost a decade before I was born, so we lack the sentimental connection that I have with the other guys on this list.
Honorary Mention #2: Monta Ellis
2008-09 Murad Checklists #18
There was a time when Monta was my favorite player outside of the Los Angeles Lakers organization. I really, really liked this guy. Had he not been traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in 2012... he would have made the list and there's a chance I would still be a casual basketball fan.
Honorary Mention #3: Willie Stargell
1965 Topps #377
Pops was a little before my time, but I did manage to catch the tail-end of his career. I even pulled a card or two of his when I was a kid. That counts for something... but not quite enough to make the list.
The moment has arrived. Here are my eight favorite athletes who donned the number eight on their jersey at some point in their playing career. Remember... it's a list of my favorites... which means they are great to me... but might mean squat to you.
#8: Gary Carter
1977 Topps #295
Collectors seem to love Gary Carter. I don't remember him being one of my favorites, but in hindsight he probably should have been. He snuck onto this list at the last second, because he's one of the greatest catchers from my childhood and I enjoyed those early 80's Montreal Expos teams.
#7: Ray Guy
2004 UD Legends Legendary Signatures #LS-RA
This is definitely the most sentimental pick of this post. Ray Guy reminds me of my childhood more than anyone else on this list. My father loved that era of Oakland Raiders football. I might not have turned into a Raiders fan, but his fanfare definitely shaped me into a fan of the sport.
#6: Matt Hasselbeck
2007 Leaf R&S Sapphire Materials #49
Hasselbeck is one of those quarterbacks who fly under the radar of casual football fans, but I'll always be grateful to him for leading the Seattle Seahawks to their first Super Bowl appearance back in 2005.
#5: Joe Pavelski
2014-15 UD Masterpieces Autographs #135
Had I written this post three years ago, Little Joe would have been in the #3 spot without a doubt. At the time, he was my favorite current San Jose Shark... and entering his 13th year with the franchise that drafted him back in 2003. These days he's better known as Joe Exotic of the Dallas Stars (insert barf emoji).
#4: Cal Ripken Jr.
1984 O-Pee-Chee #363
Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn's careers will forever be connected after entering Cooperstown together in 2007. But even before that... I knew both of these guys were classy, one franchise players who loved the game as much as anyone. Hmmm... maybe I need to put together a small player collection of Iron Man.
#3: Chris Wondolowski
2013 Topps (Photo Variation) #151
Wondo might be the biggest surprise on this list for my readers, but I knew when I decided to build it... he'd be somewhere near the top. He's the MLS all-time goal scorer and been with the San Jose Earthquakes for the bulk of his career. In fact... my selective memory allows me to forget his years of service with the Houston Dynamo... and consider him a one franchise player.
#2: Kurt Suzuki
2012 Topps A&G Mini (Ginter Back) #69
I'm sure some of you figured Kurt would be #1 on my list. I've been a fan of him for more than a decade and continue to root for him wherever he plays. However the guy in the #1 spot is one of my favorite athletes of all-time and I couldn't justify bumping him for Kurt.
But before I reveal who that player is... I wanted to show off the true inspiration behind this list and post:
2008 Rittenhouse Battlestar Galactica Season 3 Autograph #NNO
Grace Park played Number Eight in the 2004 reimagined science fiction television series... Battlestar Galactica and instantly became one of my favorite characters on the show. She's obviously easy on the eyes too. That's why I had Gavin create this custom card for me a few years ago.
Anyways... this autograph was the key reason I returned to COMC earlier in the year. An eBay search led me to discovering this card with an affordable BIN price on their site. I sent the seller a $50 offer and was very excited when he/she accepted.
Okay... this post has dragged on long enough. Let's reveal #1. Drumroll please...
#1: Kobe Bryant
#1: Kobe Bryant
1997-98 Topps #171
Few athletes have the passion and determination that Kobe had for basketball. I realize he's not liked by all basketball fans... but he's the reason I stuck around the sport for as long as I did.
Well... that's my list. What about you...
Who is your favorite athletes to wear #8?
Who is the greatest athlete to wear #8?
Leave your thoughts down below. I look forward to reading and responding.
Happy Monday and sayonara!
I'll skip out of the #8 this round, but will comment as always about Grace Park....Yummy! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm horrible at remembering athletes' numbers, but it looks like Kobe's the best.
ReplyDeleteDon't really have a favorite.
I'm horrible at athlete's numbers too. But nice to see a Hasselbeck fan. How's your collection of him? I have some of his cards I would be happy to send your way, but don't want to send a bunch of dupes.
ReplyDelete#8 is Reggie Smith to me. I don't pay attention to what numbers non-Dodgers wear
ReplyDeleteGotta be Yogi or Kobe for me, for sure.
ReplyDeleteFavorite is Koji Yamamoto of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp
ReplyDeleteUh, hello...Ovechkin maybe? :)
ReplyDeleteMy favorite is Steve Vickers of the New York Rangers teams of my youth, with Carter a close second.
ReplyDeleteNot going to rank them but in terms of athletes I watched Xavi (Spain) and Iniesta (Barcelona) are probably my top two in terms of both favorite and greatest. Also need to shout out to Steve Young for Bay Area reasons.
ReplyDeleteCarl Yastrzemski was the Red Sox #8 great!
ReplyDeleteSeconded.
Delete8 is such a great looking number. i agree with night owl - i think of reggie smith first when i think of athletes who wore 8, but i also think of yaz, stargell, ripken, carter, berra and dickey, and even bob boone in terms of baseball players, and mark brunell and steve young for football. no doubt your #1 has a strong case for the best #8!
ReplyDeleteAs a long time Oriole fan gotta go with Ripken.
ReplyDeleteNeed to make sure Andre Dawson time on the Cubs is mentioned!
ReplyDeletejohnnys trading spot - if i had to name a celebrity crush, grace park would be my response every single time.
ReplyDeleteelliptical man - i cheated and used google and the different sports reference pages to help me build my list.
the diamond king - i used some sites to help me with this post. as for hasselbeck... i don't actively track down his cards. i'll pick up memorabilia cards of his when i see them in a dollar bin. as for the base... i mainly acquire them when people send me seahawks.
night owl - i've seen a bunch of reggie smith dodgers cards over the years, but now the first card of his that comes to mind is his 83t card that features him with the giants (and a sandberg cameo).
the lost collector - i figured most baseball fans would go with yogi. especially yankees fans. my dad was a fan of his.
npb card guy - never heard of him, but as a japanese baseball player i'd collect him
gca - definitely one of the greatest eights of all-time. i just don't have any interest in him.
brett alan - not familiar with vickers. wasn't watching hockey back then. but i'm aware of the kid
nick vossbrink - i saw steve young pop up on a website i used for this post. i probably should have appreciated him more for being a fellow lefty... but i just can't stand the 80's and 90's 49ers
matt & anonymous - carl yastrzemski definitely popped up on lists of greatest athletes to wear #8. i considered adding him as an honorable mention, but just couldn't put him ahead of stargell or berra.
gcrl - i considered adding brunell to my honorary mention, but i only really chased his cards for a few months and couldn't justify knocking out any of the other honorary mentions
sg488 - i'm debating on starting a ripken pc. i already save any new parallel or insert i come across, but i think i'm going to chase down all of his topps, donruss, and fleer base card from his first ten years in the league... as well as the rest of his topps flagship cards.
jafronius - nice call. i did see him pop up on a list.
Kobe's got to be the best, right? I'm not great at thinking of uniform numbers off hand, so I'll say Stargell might be my favorite.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite 8? This is a tough one. There have not been many Cardinals players who have worn 8 and most have not been very good. The Durham Bulls don't give out the number 8, because Crash Davis wore it in the movie Bull Durham. I think I might have to go with Mike Glennon. He wore while he was playing at NC State.
ReplyDeleteThe greatest athlete to ever wear 8 has to be Kobe Bryant, although Cal was good too.
Hmmm will have to say Kobe!
ReplyDeleteGreat cards. I especially like the Pavelski auto (a Wisconsin Badger who wore #8, while playing in Madison). And of course, Mark Loretta wore #8 for the Padres.
ReplyDeleteWe return on the 18th, with school starting on the 23rd. I've picked up a couple of additional duties, as well - Crossing Guard and DigiKidz advisor (our 5th graders produce a monthly video news show).