Nifty 90's Nostalgia #11: Inaugural SPx Editions

Once upon a time, SPx trading cards were cool.  They were thick, die-cut, holographic, and in my humble opinion... some of the coolest cards ever produced.  In fact, these $4 to $5 one card packs are one of the reasons I racked up the credit card bills in the 90's.

However... that was a long time ago.  Since then, SPx has lost its luster (at least for this collector) and no longer will you find me busting $5 packs.

That's why I decided to start my latest project.  My goal is to collect all five inaugural SPx sets and display them in a binder for my viewing pleasure.  Unfortunately, I had to start from scratch because I sold off all of the SPx singles I purchased seventeen years ago.

Thankfully, these cards don't carry the price tag they once did.  So far, I have purchased four of the five sets:

1996 SPx Baseball (60 Card Set) $10

1996 SPx Basketball (50 Card Set) $18.30

1996 SPx Football (50 Card Set) $10

1996 SPx Racing (25 Card Set) $11

And as I approach the final leg of this project, the only one I'm missing is the 50 card 1996-97 NHL set.  I discovered a stack of these cards in the collection I purchased and currently have 37 of the cards.  Since I purchased the first four sets, I figured I should try to build the final one.

Does anyone have any 1996-97 SPx Hockey singles?

I have plenty of doubles, so if you too are building this set... let me know and maybe we can work out a trade.

So what about you...

Were you a fan of the inaugural 1996 SPx products?

Happy Hump Day and sayonara!

Sayonara Salute #23: Earl Weaver & Stan Musial

I created this blog as a way to document my hobby and sports related experiences... sort of like a journal.  Usually, I focus on the present.  But every now and then, I reflect on the past.  Today, I'll do both.

Over the weekend, we mourned the loss of Earl Weaver and Stan Musial.  Whether you watched them as a kid, heard stories about them from your grandfather, or read about them on people's blogs... each of these gentlemen made their mark on their fans' lives.

As a collector who doesn't give much thought to baseball managers, things were much different as a child.  Growing up, I loved following managers.  Guys like Buck Rodgers, Roger Craig, Bobby Cox, Davey Johnson, Whitey Herzog, Sparky Anderson, Don Zimmer, Tommy Lasorda, Gene Mauch, Joe Torre, and Tony LaRussa were some of my favorites.  

But two stood out above the rest: Billy Martin and Earl Weaver.  Watching them argue with umpires was more entertaining than watching the actual game.

Rest in peace Mr. Weaver.  You will always be a part of my childhood.

On the other hand, Stan Musial played his final game nearly ten years before I was born and factored very little into my childhood.

But today, Musial is the centerpiece of my Damage Card PC:

The card on the left is a hard signed card that I pulled from a pack years ago.  Unfortunately, the card was severely damaged during the packaging process and has a giant crimp mark at the bottom.  The 1959 Topps was in a grab bag I purchased at the flea market last summer.  It's off-centered, has pin holes, is written on, and has part of the back ripped off.

Rest in peace Mr. Musial.  You'll be remembered for many reasons, by many people.  But in this household, you'll always be the inspiration for my Damaged Card PC.

Sayonara Mr. Weaver and Mr. Musial!

I'll take what I can get...

It hurt to watch both of my football teams get knocked out of the playoffs last weekend... but thankfully the San Jose Sharks will be taking the ice just around the time this gets posted.  Just in the nick of time.  Go Sharks!  Hopefully this will finally be the year you bring the Stanley Cup to San Jose.

48 NHL Games > 82 NBA Games

You always remember your first...

2012 was a pretty special year for the San Jose State University football program.  For the first time in school history, they finished a season ranked in the top 25 .  In fact, the only other time they've been ranked was back on November 24, 1975.  Unfortunately, it didn't last long.  Five days laters, they lost to the University of Hawaii and stayed out of the national rankings for the next 37 years.

But after losing two of their first six games this year, the Spartans went on six game winning streak to earn themselves a spot at the 2012 Military Bowl.  Down 20-19 after three quarters, they came from behind to beat Bowling Green 29-20 and ended their season with a 11-2 record and ranked 21st in the country.

2009 Topps Magic Autographs #209

And if that weren't enough...  James Jones, a SJSU alumni, led the NFL in touchdown receptions this season.

Fight on for dear old San Jose State... fight on for victory!  Go Spartans!

Happy Saturday and sayonara!

Domo Arigato: Eric @ The Snorting Bull

It's been a slow process, but I'm slowly working towards completing my 2002 Fleer Fall Classic HOF Plaques set.  Eric who runs the blog, The Snorting Bull, recently sent the Nolan Ryan to me:

Now all I need are the Babe Ruth, Christy Mathewson, Willie Stargell, and Robin Yount to complete the set.  Thanks a million Eric!  I truly appreciate the generosity.

Happy Saturday and sayonara!