COMC Hobby Box - A Hall of Fame Auto and Cool is the Rule!

Complete and utter panic seems to be gripping the the Northeast as the impending hurricane looms somewhere out in the Atlantic. I've got my house to worry about, and as someone who works in the IT industry, the storm could mean a lot of work for me as well, if it causes significant power and network outages. Given that it's supposed to be the worst we've seen here in Rhode Island in decades, certainly since I've been living, I'm starting to think the likelihood for this is pretty good.

Anyway, I'm a pretty relaxed person by nature, and tend not to panic. So, while everyone around me is stockpiling water, flashlights and candles as if the apocalypse were approaching, I'm blogging about baseball cards. Here's the penultimate post from my COMC hobby box.

Pack 21:

1993 SP - #7 - Kirby Puckett ($.25)

I have a bunch of SP hockey from the early 90's, but this is actually my first 1993 SP baseball card. I guess I can add this to the list of sets I'd like to one day complete, there must be 100 or more by now. Health issues forced Puckett out of the game at a very young age, and legal issues marred his reputation a bit after his retirement, but to me he always seemed like an easy guy to like. He did enough damage in his 12 year career to be elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. As everyone knows, he tragically passed away at age 45 after suffering a heart attack.

2008-09 Upper Deck Champ's - #37 - Jari Kurri ($.25)

I would've liked this card a bit better had Kurri been depicted in an Oilers uni, but oh well. Actually he was featured in an Oilers sweater in the Champ's set that came out the year after this one.

2004 Topps Retired Signatures - #TA-RF - Rollie Fingers Auto ($7.50)

My fourth and final hit is probably my best, another hard signed Hall-of-Fame auto for my collection! As far as I can tell this set basically looks a lot like the regular 2004 Topps set design-wise. The autographs are on card and are sort of a black chrome version of what you get in the regular set. Here's Rollie after I freed him from his thick plastic holder, the card looks much better now:

I believe the backs are the same as the backs from the flagship 2004 Topps set, with career stats which is nice:

2002 Topps Traded - #T266 - Nolan Ryan (Who Would Have Thought) ($.23)

How refreshing, a Nolan Ryan card that wasn't produced by Mother's Cookies!

2009 Bowman Chrome - #20 - Josh Beckett (X-Fractor #'d/250) ($.50)

This is my very first X-Fractor, at least I'm pretty sure it is. I can see why people like them. This one's numbered to 250 and considering the season Beckett is having seemed like an absolute steal for $.50.


Mini:

1975 Topps Mini - #385 - Dock Ellis ($.50)

The last '75 mini in my box. Not that I condone this in any way, but I found the attempt by Deadspin Editor in Chief A.J. Daulerio to recreate Ellis' LSD no-hitter on X-Box pretty funny.


Insert:

1992-93 Upper Deck Gordie Howe Heroes - #19 ($.25)

The last Howe Heroes card in my box. I think I'm missing only one of these now...


Pack 22:

1995 Upper Deck Minors - #6 - Johnny Damon ($.17)

I think I'll always have a soft spot for Johnny Damon. He's provided some of my most memorable Fenway Park moments in games that I've attended, and was a member of the 2004 curse-breaking team. Unlike most Red Sox fans, I couldn't really hate him just because he left to play for the Yankees. Sorry, but that's just free-agent-era baseball. I mean, he was only with the Sox for four seasons, and he played four seasons in pinstripes as well. He played more seasons with Kansas City than with either of those two teams, so what does it really matter in the end?

2004 Topps Traded - #T100 - Kevin Youkilis ($.50)

Makes sense to post this card with the Damon, another very early card of a player who was a significant contributor to last decade's success. I know a lot of people dislike Youk, but I was excited to add this one to the Red Sox collection.

1974-75 Topps - #211 - 1973-74 Quarter-Finals Bruins vs. Maple Leafs ($.43)

Unlike the other playoff series cards from earlier in this box, this one depicts a series that the Bruins actually won! I'm now at 229 of 264 cards in the set, just 35 to go! I still have a couple of big names missing though, like Don Cherry, Scotty Bowman and Guy Lafleur...

1976 Happy Days - #15 - Cool is the Rule! ($.55)

How's that for an oddball card? I can honestly say I never thought I would have a card of the Fonz in my collection. Every time I see Ron Howard, I think of what a shame it is that Arrested Development didn't last. Am I alone?

1992 Mother's Cookies Nolan Ryan 7 No-Hitters - #1 ($.31)

The eighth and final Mother's Cookies 7 No-Hitters card. It was nice to be able to pick up this entire set as part of this "box break".


Mini:

2009 Allen & Ginter Mini A & G Back - #246 - General Custer ($.20)

Not too sure why I chose this one, again I think I was just looking to get an odd mix of subjects in true Allen & Ginter fashion. Or, maybe it's because we share the same middle name.


Insert:

2010 Bowman - #BT26 - Josh Beckett (1992 Bowman Throwback) ($.22)

Another set you won't be seeing any more of in the final two packs. I think I picked up every single Red Sox card from this insert set, except for Dustin Pedroia.


One more post to go, hopefully I'll have it up this weekend, but if this storm is as bad as they're saying you might be staring at this one for a bit. To everyone on the East Coast, good luck staying safe and dry!

Pack 21: $9.48
Pack 22: $2.38
Running Total: $74.94