Overseas Stamps are the Best

Any time I receive a package of cards from overseas, it seems to be so much more interesting in terms of postage than what I typically get from here in the States.  I mean, just look at the stamps on this latest one!  We've got airplanes, fauna, astrology, Christmas carols and more. 

I've been meaning to show this package off for a while now, and today seems like the perfect day.  Why is that?  Because Premier League play starts today in England!  I've become a big fan in the past five years or so, and I'm excited to catch some live games over the next couple of days (it's amazing how many games you can catch with even a halfway decent sports package here in the US these days).

All of those great stamps above were used to mail some of these cards to Shoebox Legends headquarters.  I've been working away at this very difficult 1960 A & BC Gum soccer set for years now.  I can't explain why, really.  The cards were printed up decades before I was even born, so I don't know any of the players, yet I find them intriguing.  I'm sure a lot of it has to do with the fact that the set borrows the 1959 Topps baseball design for the fronts.

Aside from that, it provides an excuse to research and learn about some of these guys.  Like Brian Clough here, who was apparently a prolific goal-scorer (251 in his career!).  That total's especially impressive given that he had to retire from the game at age 29 due to an ACL injury.  With 21st Century medical care and techniques, he probably would have missed a season and been back out on the field for his 30s.

Albert Dunlop was apparently quite a character, and was the keeper for some of Everton's most successful seasons in the late '50s/early '60s.  I'm more amused by the fact that he had a stocky build which some sources attributed to a "love of chips (fries) and ravioli".  Or the fact that he apparently put himself in at forward once because of his frustration with his team's lack of ability to score.  Sounds like an interesting guy to me!

(I forgot to scan the back of Albert's card)

One more for today, why not?  If Wikipedia can be trusted, and I'm not sure it can, Doug Holden was one of the top wingers of his generation, and made a few appearances with the English national team as well.  I always get a kick out of how "different" (read: spoiled) today's athletes are compared to the guys from generations' past.  I guess soccer is no different.  Nowadays, the top players make tens of millions of dollars, but back in the '50s Holden was still living with his parents when playing with Bolton.

That's all for today, these three cards take me to 10/84 now from the set that I've posted (if you want to check out any others just click the soccer label at the bottom of the post).  I've actually got quite a few more, just need to find the time to post them.  Maybe next Saturday. 

In the meantime, Premier League fans enjoy the opening weekend!