Cards Are Subjective

 Hello Friends!

I watched a video earlier by Baseball Replay Journal on YouTube about the 10 ugliest sets from the junk wax era. Some of the usual suspects were there.. 91 Fleer, 90 Donruss, 88 Donruss, 90 Topps.. But there were others that I do like that they considered ugly. Part of it was the mass overproduction, but some of them I just feel different about. 

I did voice my enjoyment for some of the sets they posted, but I also mentioned a few of my own. I don't get upset or attack people for their opinions on things like card asthetics.. Opinions are like assholes, afterall... We all have them.. (And I'll let you fill in the rest) 

So I wanted to take a look at the timeframe they used, 1986-1993. And I picked out my own... 

So let's take a look. These are in no particular order. 

1987 Fleer. I don't know what it is about this set. It's no ugly per se, but it's so boring. I think the late 80s Fleer in general had that problem. You'd have years like 84 with interesting photos, then other years like this where the border alone puts you to sleep. 

I don't mind the backs. They're readable. The hot/cold boxes remind me of Tetris.. 

1988 Donruss This set is one of those weird ones. I don't like it too much (I dislike 89 more, but didn't grab that one.. Derp) but I also have the set. 

This one.. Aside from the general darkness of the card, is the variations.. Oh GOD the variations.. 

Dot, no Dot, Inc. Inc , borders in different places, etc.. Some years to get the full master set, you're looking at almost 1200 cards.. WTF?!?

Backs are typical Donruss. I do find this year tough to read though. 

1989 Fleer.. As I mentioned, most late 80s Fleer I just can't deal with.. This year though, with the weird lines on the front and photo editing is just annoying. I think there's something like 4 variations of the Randy Johnson card shown here. 

The backs are alright. 

1991 Fleer Ultra.. I liked the idea of it. There's something missing though. I don't know if it's the solid grey borders on the top and bottom, or if it's the large logo reminding you what set this is.. Just doesn't hit right.. But again, I've completed this set... 

The backs are interesting in a way. The three pics of the player can be interesting. But there is something else I want to mention about this set.. 

The errors!! All of the errors!! For what was supposed to be a premium product they did zero quality control on it. 

1992 Score Honestly, I have a love hate relationship with Score in general. I don't know what it is. There's a lot I like about the cards but 92 is just odd for me. It might be the frame breaking.

Now the backs.. I think the stats could be a little darker colour.. I do like the writeups for the players, something that Score was famous for.. 

1992 Topps And really by extension, 1992 OPC. 

It's honestly a clean look, but there's that element of boredom again. Now, keep in mind I started collecting in 1992. This should have been in my wheelhouse. I have an OPC factory set and just what I need from the Topps for team sets and player collections. I just can't explain what I don't like about this. 

The backs are readable. Some of them have the fisheye style stadium photos as well, which I do like. They're missing from long-time players like Carlton Fisk, Gary Carter, and Nolan Ryan though. 

1991 OPC Premier The first attempt at a standalone set by O Pee Chee. It's... Ok? Some of the photography is either too close, too awkward, or just odd choices. 

Here's the back.. Big picture of the player. Big logo of the team. Big copyright logos. One line of four stats.. In a way it feels very slapped together in 15 minutes.. 

1992 OPC Premier If I mentioned the 91 set I have to mention the 92 set. It's another year of very questionable photography. Like this shot of Mark Whiten's back.. 

The only way you can tell really that this is a different set from 91 is there's the 92 after Premier. 

Otherwise, the photography is more awkward choices of either close cropping, weird decisions, or kneeling poses. 

And the backs.. Again, big picture of the player. Big team logo.. Big Year reminder.. Same one line of the same four stats..Big copyright logos.. 

The back seems better arranged than the previous year, but I'm still not a fan... But I have the full set... (Go figure)

Sportflics No specific year.. The whole run of them.. Kind of like the hologram phase we went through with collecting, the magic motion phase was something that maybe we could have done without. It's hard to get the angle you want for the photo, it doesn't scan well.. They're hard to sort through. 

Finally the backs.. Another instance of giant logos and tiny type... Not to mention, if you're taking a quick look to see the card number, you might get confused by the number in the baseball.. That's the uniform number.. The card number is on the other side. 

The players name isn't even large enough to be quickly noticed. 

So those are my choices.. I'll also mention that really, aside from 1993 Upper Deck, I'm not a fan of Upper Deck.. Most of 1993 sets are blanks for my mind. 

Agree? Disagree? Let me know! Just... Keep it respectful please. 

Card Show Days

 Hello Friends!

After a little bit of a break to get away from the weather, the card show happened yesterday. It was probably the busiest it's been. There were even vendors in the lobby.. 

I found one of the vendors I've built a rapport with that missed last show due to the weather. He handed me a box of 80s OPC to look through. Since I'm working mainly on 88, that's what I was looking at.. I also have 87 pretty far ahead. I'll try to get those next show. 

Anyway. the box was not organized by any stretch. It was slow going to find anything, so I asked the guy if he minded if I organized it for him. (I got the 88s mostly done) 

He said sure if I could find an open table somewhere.. So I holed myself up in the coatroom and sorted, pulling needs and Expos as I went. Did that until it felt like my head was cement. 

Went back in and handed the box back, told him what I got done and the stack I wanted to get. He asked what my price was for sorting services.. My reply, "How about the cards?" So I got 70 cards for the price of an hour sorting. 

I wandered around the show, trying to not run anyone over with my chair. A task made very difficult because, and I may be wrong with this, but it seems like people's spatial awareness goes out the window at places like this.. 

Found one other vendor I've purchased from before and got a few cards that I'll be showing.. 

Also had an interesting interaction with one of the vendors while I was sorting. I told them how I was surprised the vendor I was dealing with let me take the box of cards out.. She replied "It sounds like you built a rapport with them.. Come by my booth! Build a rapport with me!" That booth was Hogtown Cards 

I didn't buy anything from them, mainly because the only thing I might have been interested in was a 1954 Bowman set for probably a month's rent for me.. 

Anyway, I guess I should stop rambling and get to showing cards, eh? 

I saw 84 Donruss and I snapped them up.. I know I didn't have most of the Jays cards from it so it was an easy pick up.. Besides, if I end up buying duplicates, I can always send them elsewhere.. 

Clancy and Gott. I just remember Gott as a journeyman reliever, if I remember correctly, as a Dodger when I started watching. I didn't know he started with the Jays. 

Upshaw and Whitt! 

Joey McLaughlin... I see his pictures and every time I think he looks more like teacher. 

78 OPC!

82 OPC Expo!

These cards I got from another vendor I've bought from previously. I got this batch for what he was charging for the Stieb auto alone. This batch, of course, meaning all the cards minus the two OPCs. 

He tagged the Stieb at $25, gave it to me for $15. 

So the rest of the cards ended up being $10 

The next show is the end of May.. And if it keeps growing both in vendors and in traffic, they will have to find a larger venue.. But they want to make sure things stay on the upswing. They don't want to expand too early and fall on their face. 

Ginter Blaster

 Hello Friends!

Today is Opening Day (Finally!) And while I've sat on showing these cards for a few days now, I wanted to show the cards I got from an A&G Blaster I picked up at EB Games. These are just the full size cards, and at that not all of them.. 

I have to say I liked seeing this card. I'm debating on whether I want to keep these cards or put them up for trade. 

Rod Carew in the old California Angels uni. Why do I feel this is a Spring Training uni or a warmup?

I'll spare the Bo Knows jokes.. 

A couple nice HOFers

Yordan Alvarez, one of the modern players I received. 

Clemente and Clemens.. 

Ty Cobb, back when the Detroit D was not ornate.. Or that really creepy drawn tiger... 

Definitely keeping this one.. 

George Sisler. Interesting seeing a St Louis Brown.. 

Denzel Clarke.. Another keeper for me. Cousin of the Naylors and fellow Canadian. 

Trying to remember the spelling for his last name is killer.. 

There were a few manias around Dodger Stadium, weren't there? Fernandomania.. NomoMania.. ShoMania... 

Now we have a Goose and a Kitty.. 
I was about to ask what Gossage's first name was then it hit me.. 

The Wicked Curves inserts are interesting. 

Nice to see Fergie!

And finally Catfish Hunter. 

I mainly picked this blaster up because I had the urge to rip packs. I also found out, in talking with the person behind the counter, that since Fanatics took over Topps, Hobby boxes are no longer a thing in Canada. It's all blasters..