Box O' Cards From My Youth - 7

I miss all of the retail store boxed sets.  In my opinion, it's the disappearance of things like this that have taken many kids out of the hobby.  I had dozens of different sets.  This is the only one that remains.

It's possible that there is a card or two missing in the images.  That 30-year old gloss was sticking to the backs of the cards on top.

This was the first card in the box and it's got some sort of damage.  Who knows where it's been in the last 30 years but it looks like some sort of water damage.  It's a shame because Dale Murphy was my first favorite player and I do like to pick up cards of his.  I'll probably keep it anyway, despite the damage.  You can't replace memories or cards of your youth.  I purged most of mine and am still happy to have this one.

I didn't notice until I opened this box that the border is intended to mimic the Rite Aid logo.  I'm not sure if that's genius or annoying self-promotion.

Can't lie, I have no recollection of Mike Schmidt playing first base or seeing that on any of his cards.

THE THRILL!  My favorite player after Dale Murphy.

I've struck gold!  There's a copy of this Mark McGwire card on eBay for $35.

HOLY AIRBRUSH, BATMAN!  I think this is also the image on Reuschel's 1988 Topps card.

And a little more damage to the last card.  Ah well.  It was still a fun trip down memory lane for me.

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back from purchases there.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $150 in a year.  FREE CARDS!

If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  You can also find me on Trading Card Database.  I love trading cards, when it makes sense.  Happy collecting!

Box O' Cards From My Youth - 6

To be honest I had pretty much decided to stop writing much, if anything, on this blog.  It didn't feel that I was getting any response to posts.  The cards from my youth posts have received some interaction so I will continue on with them.

I've already shown some basketball and football Collect-A-Books.  While not into baseball anymore, it was my existence as a kid.  I was going to grow up and be Dale Murphy.  If I wasn't at practice or a game...or outside throwing to my "pitch-back," I was inside sorting and reading the backs of my cards.  It was a great childhood!

I give to you a box of baseball Collect-A-Books, which were by fan and away my favorites.  I believe they were the first sport released, but that was almost 30 years ago and I was a kid.

I was a kid when these were released.  I loved the cartoon player drawings on the back that went along with the player facts.  This alone made the baseball Collect-A-Books far superior to the other sports to me at ten.

The inclusion of legends was another selling point for me.  I was never going to own a Babe Ruth card as a kid and this was as close as I was coming.  It didn't hurt my feelings.  I just loved having this.

Did you have any of these?  How'd you feel about them then and how do you feel about them now?  I think it would be great if items like this were still available.  What say you?

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back from purchases there.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $150 in a year.  FREE CARDS!

If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  You can also find me on Trading Card Database.  I love trading cards, when it makes sense.  Happy collecting!

Too Many Manninghams Mystery Mailday

I have most of my purchased items (eBay, Twitter, Sports Card Direct, COMC) send to my office.  Very few things come home.  However, I came home to two unexpected packages on Wednesday.  I saw the return address on one was from Dennis of Too Many Mannininghams and Too Many Verlanders.  He'd emailed me a couple weeks prior asking if my 1991 Stadium Club need list was up to date.  I told him that it was and forgot he's asked.  

What was strange and provided the mystery was the shape of the package.  It wasn't anything I expected.  You'll see why at the end.  

Dennis was kind enough to send me all cards I needed to finish off 1991 Stadium Club Series 2.  I noticed that the Jeff Bagwell was in a topload separate from the others.  It had completey escaped me that this was the Hall-of-Famer's rookie card and probably his best one.  Thank you so much, Dennis!

He also included some Russ Davis cards.  I will have to take a look and see which ones I need.  

Now we're to what made the package an unexpected shape.  I am absolutely thrilled that the set above was finished off and about more Russ Davis cards.  However, these three Becketts from 1989 were the highlight of the package!

I probably had all three of these in 1989 (and for years), but no longer.  I never threw the old ones away, but I never took them when I moved away from home.  They were still in my childhood home when it burnt down three years ago.  I'm thrilled (see what I did there?) to have these to add to my reference library.  I'll take a deeper dive into them at some point down the road and write some posts.  I can say that I spent about an hour of my Wednesday evening perusing them.  One last thing...all are from 1989.  Will Clark graced the cover three times in 11 months.  Not too shabby!  

Thank you for everything, Dennis!  I promise to give them a fantastic home.  

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back from purchases there.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $100 in about seven months.  FREE CARDS!  If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  Happy collecting!

Sportlots Mail - #7 of 11

Do you remember the ditty from Sesame Street about how "one of these things is not the same?"  That describes this part of my Sportlots order.

2001 Topps Heritage #237 Will Clark

The two cards had been in my cart for quite awhile.  I actually need a third copy, but the seller just had the two.  I plan to send one to him as a TTM request.  I need one for the Will Clark collection.  I will need a third one if I ever attempt to put the 2001 Heritage set together, but I guess that can wait.

This card is going to look AWESOME once it is signed!

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back from purchases there.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $100 in about seven months.  FREE CARDS!  If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  Happy collecting!