Buyback Franken-set: Mistaken Identity

Just one buyback today, one I hand-picked recently off of eBay.  Check it out!

1985 Topps #497 - Gary Pettis

Yup, the "infamous" 1985 Gary Pettis card!  This one's looked upon fondly by collectors due to the fact that Gary's younger brother is actually pictured.  I've always found the card to be amusing for that reason, and when the opportunity presented itself to add a copy to my buyback franken-set for less than $2 shipped, I jumped at it.

Best of all, I didn't have a #497 buyback prior to this, so Gary slid right into the binder without contest!

Franken-set Progress:  531/792 (67%)
"Rejected" Buybacks:  428
Total Buybacks in Collection: 959

A Double Dose of Shlabotnik Sox & Soccer

Today seems as good a day as any to start the process of catching up with all the great folks who've sent me cards over the last month or two.  It's pouring rain out, and I actually had a free hour to scan, so here are the contents of a great PWE that I received a few weeks back from Joe Shlabotnik, proprietor of The Shlabotnik Report...

We'll start off with a nice injection of Topps Heritage cards for my Red Sox collection.  From the 2016 set, third baseman Josh Rutledge.  Josh actually signed a deal with the Giants this off-season.

From last year's release I received a trio of new-to-me Sox in the form of Rick Porcello...

...the team card, which prominently features my favorite player on the current roster, Xander Bogaerts...

...and the mistake that was Pablo Sandoval.  I believe this one and the Rutledge that I led off with are both from the High Numbers releases.  I don't typically pay much mind to the Heritage set each year, but I do enjoy slowly accumulating the Red Sox team sets from each release so these are certainly appreciated.

Joe's always good for an oddball or two in each PWE it seems, and this time around was no different as I was the recipient of this Derek Lowe MLB Showdown game card.  Never played the game, probably due to the fact that I was in my mid-20s when this was printed up, but I'll never turn down a good oddball.

I appreciate that Joe seems to be one of the few collectors I interact with who also enjoys a good soccer card.  Over the years he's contributed more cards to my random soccer binder than anyone else.  This one's from a Topps MLS release.  While I don't follow the MLS, I enjoy the occasional New England Revolution card given that they play their home games only about thirty minutes from my house.

I like this one even more.  I was aware that Topps had released a Stadium Club set for MLS, but until now had never held one in hand.  Very similar to the last Stadium Club Premier League set minus the foil.

My favorite two soccer cards of the PWE though were from Topps Attacks, which again is some type of game that I don't play.  The pair I got in this package were both players from my favorite club, Liverpool.

Even better, one of them was my very first card of Mohamed Salah, who's been the offensive star of the team this year.  He's already scored 21 goals in Premier League play this season, just two off of Harry Kane's league-leading pace.  Salah's just 25 years old, and is definitely in the mix as far as best offensive players in the world.  Very pleased to finally add a card of his to my soccer collection!

Before I even had a chance to post the contents of that last PWE, which admittedly took me some time, Joe hit me up with another one!  When I removed the three-pocket page that Joe and I use to exchange cards from the envelope and took a look, this fantastic Tim Wakefield card was staring back at me.  What a great minor league card from Tim's time with the AAA Buffalo Bisons.  I'll happily accept a minor league card of just about any MLB star, but doubly so for a guy who was a star for my favorite team and is one of the more well-known knuckle-ballers in the history of the game.

This envelope had some nice early '70s additions to my Sox collection, starting with Don Pavletich's '70 release here.  A previous owner drew what looks to me like a coffee bean in the lower right corner, but that doesn't bother me and this is a more than acceptable filler card in my eyes.  I might upgrade it someday, but then again I honestly might not.

Got a couple new Yaz cards this time around.  From 2016 Topps Update, a 3,000 Hits Club insert.  I'm on record as stating that Topps inserts have pretty much bored me across the board for years now, but this one's not awful at least.  I like the idea of an insert based on all the players to achieve a certain statistical benchmark like 3,000 hits.  As far as the execution of that idea?  Well, I don't hate it, which is about the most positive thing you'll hear me say about a recent Topps insert.

This one I like a bit better since it's got a nice vintage feel to it.  First I'd seen of these Baseball Legends inserts from Allen & Ginter.  An insert set worthy of collecting if you ask me.  Flagship could learn a thing or two from Allen & Ginter, at least in the insert department.

Side note, I'm still working on the painstaking process of transferring the electronic cataloging of my collection from Zistle (RIP) to The Trading Card Database.  At this stage of the process, with about 5,000 total baseball cards transferred over, Yastrzemski is in 9th place for baseball in terms of most cards of a given player.  Not really surprising, but I like that I can see those kinds of statistics on The Trading Card Database.

The last PWE had an MLB Showdown card, and this one did too!  I have a feeling the way this photograph is cropped would be somewhat polarizing if you asked a group of collectors to vote on it.  Personally, I kind of like the wide cropping with the ball just having come into frame heading towards Garciaparra, but I can just as easily see how some folks wouldn't care for it.

There are certain sets where Joe has single-handedly set me on the path to completing a Red Sox team set through PWEs over the years.  1975 SSPC comes to mind, as well as the mid-2000s Topps Total releases.  One card closer for the 2005 release with this one in hand!

The 1970 Don Pavletich above wasn't the only vintage Red Sox card in this envelope, as I got two more early-'70s needs in the form of a '72 Marty Pattin...

...and a '73 Rogelio Moret.  I was somewhat amazed that I had copies of neither of these, but then again once you get earlier than 1974 you really start to see some holes in my collection as far as Topps flagship sets go.  Definitely appreciate this pair!

The last card of today's post is certainly the most random.  Thanks to the TCDB I learned that this is a 1994 Bon Air Fire Engines card.  I love getting some cardboard representation of Rhode Island, the little state that I was born in and call home today, in my collection.  Hope Valley is a region of our state near where my wife and I got married, and where she works today as a teacher, so this one has a nice personal touch as well.

Joe, thanks for these great cards and apologies that it took me so long to get them posted.  You're first on my list for getting some return cardboard out the door here, hopefully as early as this week!

Buyback Franken-set: Big Hurt

Tonight's buyback franken-set post starts off with some "star power" in the form of a HOF slugger.  Let's get down to it...

1996 Topps #229 - Frank Thomas Star Power

Coming out of the gate strong with The Big Hurt!  Frank Thomas was easily within the top 5 elite hitters in the game in the mid-'90s, being named an All-Star every season between 1993 and 1997, and winning the American League MVP Award in 1993 and 1994.  Certainly deserving of a spot within the "Star Power" subset in 1996 Topps.  Very happy that this buyback from the 2016 Topps program makes the franken-set binder as my first card #229!

1989 Topps #143 - Mike Campbell

On the other end of the spectrum, here's a super boring '89 Topps Mike Campbell.

This Jerry Grote has had a solid hold on slot 143 for some time now...

...and it certainly won't be ousted by Campbell.

1988 Topps #127 - Jim Gott

Next up, Jim Gott rocking one of the many flavors of Pirates uniforms of the era.  The Phillies actually just named Jim a bullpen coach this past November.  Once again we've got some competition for the franken-set here:

A nice '64 Topps buyback courtesy of 2013 Heritage.

When I don't really have a strong connection to either card, a Heritage buyback is going to win nine times out of ten.

1993 Topps #126 - Bob Ayrault

I have to admit, when I ran across this card I had zero recollection of Bob Ayrault.  I guess I can see why, as he lasted just two seasons at the Major League level.  How's it look for Bob in terms of the franken-set?

Not too great, as he's pitted against a much nicer Phillies buyback...

Just wasn't meant to be for Bob.

1984 Topps #663 - Johnnie LeMaster

Next up, and '84 Topps buyback of Giants shortstop Johnnie LeMaster.  Johnnie looks like he has the same body build here that I did in seventh grade.  663 is a fairly high number, so I figured LeMaster may have a shot at the binder, but it turns out...

...that Fred Lynn's "Turn Back the Clock" subset card from 1990 Topps is already sitting in that slot.

As much as I'd love to shuffle that Lynn over to my 1990 Topps buyback binder, I just can't choose the LeMaster over it for the franken-set.

1984 Topps #623 - Ron Washington

Hah, another 1984 buyback of another middle infielder with a slight build.  Ron Washington is better remembered as a coach than a player, at least by folks in my generation.  This powder blue Twins uniform makes the franken-set, as I'd yet to run across a #623 buyback until now.

1973 Topps #76 - Doug Rader

There's a Houston Astros uniform you don't see every day!  Doug Rader seems to me to have been a somewhat under-rated third baseman.  During his prime years it wasn't uncommon for him to hit between 15 and 25 home runs while driving in 80+.  He was good with the glove too, in fact at the time this card was printed he was in the midst of a run of five consecutive Gold Gloves.

This Tim Foli already occupies slot 76.  Could have gone either way with this one.

In the end I stuck with Tim Foli due to the Expos uniform and those shades.  I have to admit though that I wasn't as familiar with Doug Rader when making that choice as I am now, and could easily have gone the other way in retrospect.  Maybe one to revisit someday...

1976 Topps #572 - Rich Coggins

Here's a '76 Topps Rich Coggins buyback from the 2015 promotion with a less than flattering photo.  Tilted photograph, disheveled uniform, and nothing even close to resembling a smile...

...yet I still like it over this '89 Atlee Hammaker buyback that was resident in slot 572 previously.

Coggins is in, Hammaker is out.

1978 Topps #154 - Cecil Cooper

Really like this '78 Cecil Cooper buyback.  This set overall isn't very high on my list of favorites for whatever reason, and I recognize this is a dark photograph to say the least, but I just enjoy it.  Cooper batted an impressive .312 in '78 too!  This card would've been an imposing match-up as the franken-set goes, but thankfully it doesn't come down to that is it's my first #154 buyback.  Welcome to the binder, Cecil!

1973 Topps #32 - Fred Norman

Last card tonight is a great one indeed.  I've always been one of the many baseball card collectors who gets a kick out of Fred Norman's '73 release.  Those Padres unis are just fantastic, and look at that roaring, wild crowd!  This is one I've been looking forward to owning in buyback form for a long time now, but does it make the binder?

Tony Gonzalez here forced his way into slot 32 just last batch.  Can he hold onto the spot, or is he going to be ousted after just a week or so of residence?

The franken-set binder can be a cruel beast.

Getting closer and closer to a thousand total buybacks here, may even cross that threshold by the end of the month!

On an unrelated note, life has been chaotic here at Shoebox Legends headquarters lately, as evidenced by my lack of consistent posting.  If you've sent me cards, are waiting on some from me, or are even just waiting for a return email, I apologize for the delay!  Bear with me and I promise to be back on track soon.

Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the internet, as always!

Franken-set Progress:  530/792 (66%)
"Rejected" Buybacks:  428
Total Buybacks in Collection: 958

Signature Sundays (On a Tuesday) - Cam the Canuck!

Tonight I've got one of my favorite hockey pick-ups so far in 2018 to share with you.  I intended to get this post together and published on Sunday but never found the time, so instead you're getting a 'Signature Sundays' post on a Tuesday.  My blog, my rules.

With that out of the way, let's get down to it...here's my latest hockey autograph!

Before Cam Neely blossomed into a bruising winger who'd regularly pot 50 goals in a season for the Boston Bruins, he began his NHL career as a teenager with the Vancouver Canucks (look at that glorious 'Flying V' sweater!).  Vancouver took him with their first round pick (9th overall) in the 1983 entry draft, and made a huge mistake when they bailed on him after just three seasons.  The team felt that Cam was a liability defensively, and shipped him to Boston in trade at just 20 years of age.  He'd go on to become one of the most dominant forwards in the entire league over the course of the next few seasons in a Bruins sweater, and the rest is history.

I've always been intrigued by short term stops; cards that feature players with a team that you don't typically associate them with, especially so for superstars of the game.  Cam's time with the Canucks certainly qualifies, and when this 2007-08 O-Pee-Chee buyback autograph of Neely's '85-86 card popped up on eBay a few weeks back I absolutely knew I needed to make a play for it.

Amazingly enough, in all the years I've been back at collecting here, and with all the hockey autographs I've picked up in that time, I'd never managed to land a Neely auto.  Well, I obviously took this one home, and at less than the cost of a blaster shipped I'm satisfied with this nice on-card autograph of the HOFer in silver ink!

Here's a look at the back.  The other reason I enjoy this one is that while I'm a Bruins fan these days, I really wasn't during the time that Cam played with the B's.  I was a Whalers fan growing up, so I actually kind of detested those late '80s/early '90s Bruins teams since they were Hartford's arch-rival.  As odd as it seems, if I could only ever own one Cam Neely autograph I'd prefer it be a Canucks card like this one.  I'm sure I'm in the minority there.  RIP Hartford Whalers!

Here's the CoA that comes with each of these O-Pee-Chee buybacks.  I always appreciate when the seller includes this, while I don't plan on selling this card anytime soon it's nice to be able to keep this with it anyway.  The serial number on this holographic sticker matches that of the sticker on the back of the card.

Here's the back of the CoA.  Bonus points to Upper Deck for actually customizing each back to state the name of the player.  For some reason the fact that this says "...includes a personal autograph from Cam Neely" makes it feel much more significant than something generic like "...includes a personal autograph from the athlete depicted on the card".  Ah, 2007, back when card companies cared!

It's always been fascinating to me to consider what may have been with Cam.  His career was famously cut short by devastating knee injuries, and in the end he played in only two full seasons worth of games after his age 25 campaign.  Despite that, he still managed nearly 400 career goals including three 50+ goal seasons, and over 1,200 career penalty minutes.  He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2005.

I'll never know what Neely's career stats could have looked like had he been able to stay healthy, but I do know that I'm happy to have Cam represented in my hockey autograph collection at long last!  We're only a month or so in here, but I have a feeling this will end up being one of my favorite pick-ups of the year when all is said and done...

One Card Post - A Houston Aero

What:  1974-75 O-Pee-Chee WHA #59 - Poul Popiel
Where: eBay
How Much?:  $1.00 (free combined shipping)

Why?:  Another card that I grabbed during my first cheap eBay order of 2018, taking advantage of free combined shipping.  Expanding on the WHA portion of my collection is a goal of mine for this year, and at a buck shipped Poul Popiel here was some low-hanging fruit from the '74-75 release.

Poul, who was actually born in Denmark, played in just about every North American professional league you can think of during his lengthy career.  His longest stretch with any one team was his six-year stint with the Houston Aeros, beginning in the inaugural season of the WHA.  Must've been cool to have been a teammate of the great Gordie Howe!