More Angels Scoring in the Upper Deck

Sometimes when I get as package like this in the mail I feel like I'm cheating on my team. I'm sure that everyone knows that I am the lone Mariners fan out here in the blog world. I take great pride in rooting for my team that has been down for quite a few years. Yesterday's package came to me and there was only 2 Mariners cards and the rest were all California Angels cards. Yes, as you all know I grew up in the part time spring training home of the Angels until the 1193 season, even though I left after school in 1989.

I must say that I don't really know how we as collectors survived before the Internet and social networking. The mailer that came in yesterday is from a man that I've never met bet we have been on Facebook for quite a while. He continues to find cards I need for my collections, and keep humbly accepting them. I constantly ask how I can repay him, and he asks me to pay it forward and help out other collectors. As of today in the Mariners Super Set, I now have all the cards from both Score and Upper Deck. These were the last two pieces to those puzzles:

The 1994 Score of Bret Boone with a guest appearance by Willie McGee was the last of the 314 Score cards. The 1998 Upper Deck of Jay Buhner Making History was card #568 of the 568 from Upper Deck. It is so awesome to have three makers down and only two to go. I am down to about 14 cards from Donruss to blow them up, and the big challenge to finish off the 49 cards from Fleer and their run of Mariners. I seriously think and hope that I will make this baby happen by the All Star break!!


Tom also seems to have some kind of connection to someone that is secretly hiding all the cards I need for my projects and slowly releases them to me. Inside the mailer was a stack of VINTAGE TOPPS. Just look at the beauty of these 50 year old LA Angels before they were the California Angels. You know that even if this was your most hated rival of a team, you wouldn't just drool all over yourself to find cards that are 50 years old coming to you!!

Being an equal opportunity giver of all things I need to make collections, there just happen to be a nice stack of 17 cards that came from a five year run of Donruss from 1982 to 1987. There were some fairly big names that were later in their careers that were Halos that I saw around Palm Springs Stadium in my junior high and high school days. Here is a look at about half of those Donruss cards that are now going into the binder with the other Angels that are the ones I want to collect.

It seems that most mail I get from Tom is somehow always got cards that will finish off years or sets or has some kind of finishing touch. Earlier it was the finishing of Mariners sets. Here is the last six Halos that were necessary to finish Fleer and add them to Score as finished Angels. The mountain behind Ron Romanick reminds me so much of my young days in the desert since the mountain range was always behind you. I love the look of Tim Foli and his 80's aviator glasses, so classic!

Not to be outdone, Upper Deck did a few cards from the Coachella Valley before the Angels left for the greener pastures of Tempe, AZ. I only needed two last cards from UD to complete them. If you sense the theme here, Tom finished them too. I had never seen the Von Hayes up close, but that bat shattering is an awesome pic by the cameraman. The last one is a guy that I always thought had one of the coolest names in Chili Davis. Until I found it was a nickname, I wondered what kind of parent would name their boy after something to eat.

I am so proud that the numbers for my collections continues to get smaller and smaller. It is hard to believe that I am down to only trying to find 63 cards for the Mariners to get me to the over 3400 base cards out there. Even though it was only a side project, i find myself down to needing 21 more Halos cards to put what was once just a thought of a collection to completion. Big thanks again to the Internet and social media for helping us collectors connect with each other to help fulfill our dreams, and collections!!

Lucky 7!!

Since it has been a week since I sent them out, I hope everyone that wanted the 2013 Topps from the box break got their cards. I set aside the Pirates for Big Daddy Filth of Gravediggers, Mooses, and such fame. He was nice enough to send me back a few Mariners in return. In fact all 7 cards were of two guys that I needed for the Super Set. Victor sent these 3 beauties from Score to knock it down needing 11 cards from them. Look at Junior and Randy in all their Mariner glory:

Randy is looking at The Kid thinking why do we have to be on the same team, if he wasn't here I'd be the star of this city. We had so many good guys in the 90's that it's sad they couldn't bring it all together just once to make the Series.

Not to be out done, there was another 4 cards from Upper Deck that will be going into the binders to knock down the needed number even lower. It amazes how many cards Ken had during his heyday as the face of MLB that I have to collect as a Mariner. As you can see, Griffey won out on the numbers game against Randy again:

Thanks to Victor, that now brings me down to only needing 93 cards to bring this lifelong project to completion. I'm hoping that as the season comes, and progresses I can either trade or buy my way to making this dream a reality.

If you have anything laying around that is Pittsburgh related in any sport, go and see him and see if you can work a deal with him. I know that he will take care of you the way he helped me. Big thanks again to Big Daddy Filth, and for him I say raise the Jolly Roger for the Buccos!!



Logo overkill

Do you have those times when you are looking through boxes of cards, either for yourself or for someone else? You are looking through and you are focused on looking for a particular team or player, and as you are flipping cards something catches your eye? I was doing that looking for some cards to send out and for myself at the same time. A random 1991 Upper Deck just jumped out at me and I had to take it all in. I present card #594 of Scott Lewis of the California Angels:

Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with what I saw. I love the fact that in the early 90's players still went with stirrups and sanitaries. What struck me as funny is that Scott has the Halo A on his hat, sleeve patch, and his stirrups. If you include UD'S use of it in the logo at the corner of the card, that's four big A's on the front of one card.

I still love the simplicity of this Halos logo more than the current one, but it's what I grew up on. I'm finding out that 91 UD is growing on me like some of my favorites like 80 Topps, 82 Fleer, and 83 Donruss. I really think the design of the fronts on the 91 is simple, but effective and easy on the eyes to like.

Unearthing some Upper Deck

The year was 1989. It was my year to graduate from high school and get into the world. A new card company had decided to join the overloaded baseball card market. They would change the industry. From the start in 1989 until their end in 2010 Upper deck made some cards. As far as the Mariners go, they made 575 cards for the team, including their first card which is still sought after. I currently own ALL the cards from Upper Deck, meaning I currently am finished with this one and am closer to finishing the project!!!

Updated 4/12/13
Current 575/575 (100%)

THIS RUN IS COMPLETE!!!!!

Retro Mariner Sunday 7/10/11

For the first time in a long time an old favorite is back. The retro Mariner Sunday profile. Would you know who got the last hit in the Old Comiskey Park in 1990?

Do you know who the catcher was for Randy Johnson's no- hitter in 1990?

He played for the Yankees, White Sox, and Mariners all in 1986.

He spent the 1992 season with the Reds, and the Mets.

He drafted in the 12th round in 1978 by the Twins,

And again in the 3rd round in 1981 by the Yankees.

He was a player/coach in the minors in 1994 and 1995.

He was an assistant coach at Rutgers in 1997, and since 1998 he has been the head coach of Princeton University's baseball program.

Former Mariner catcher Scott Bradley.

Status Update

Since Facebook was started seven years ago yesterday, and I'm coming up on a year soon, I thought the status of a blog update was due. I have found blogging to be pretty therapeutic, a bit obsessive at times but I'm loving it. I'm so excited for all the friends I've made. I'm even more excited for all the trades I've made, and the great things I've gotten from all of you.

 I used to be fairly active on Sportscard Forum, but found that to make a simple trade was work. I did make some great trades with guys on there, but to get some junk wax Mariners I sometimes was sending trades that were 20:1 in their favors. I do still log on once in awhile, but don't find anything that tickles my fancy. I'm a simple old school card guy. I don't need autos, relics, or any manufactured memorabilia. It seems that all I find on most boards, and in the one LCS that is on my drive home. I understand that's what is driving the industry right now, but don't forget about us regular card collectors. Lord knows, some think if it isn't numbered to a low number, it just a junk base card.

As to the status of my card collections. I have decided to put a temporary hold on anymore Gwynn cards. I can't believe the generosity of you guys. I started this blog owning maybe 20 Gwynn cards. Now, including some duplicates, I think I have about 600 Gwynn's. Unless you want to send me anyone of these:

I will gladly take any '83 Gwynn, but I know there might be a high price to pay for any of those. Instead of Tony, for right now as far as player collections go, I'm going back. I looking to go Vintage, and borderline vintage to borderline junk wax era. I think it's time to focus on bumping up my collections of these guys:

Willie "Pops" Stargell started his career in what's now vintage, and ended just as the other guys came in. I only have a few of his cards, and I really want to try and bump up his pile. The guy had talent, style, and charisma.

Also, I've gotten a few more cards of this guy from some of my fellow bloggers. His cards started in the edge of vintage now to the beginning of the junk wax era. I first got to know Murph and the Braves in the summer of  '82 watching the SuperStation TBS at my grandmother's house in the summer. If you love the player or the card of him is it junk wax to you?

As far as my obsession with Mariners cards go, I think one day the boxes of Mariner cards may fall over and crush me. I feel so humble by all the people that I have made a point to over send me so many great M's cards. I have a lot of cards I've never seen before and I love them all. I think by quick eyeballing, I probably have about 4000 cards that are dupes or something other than what goes into the Super Set binders. As of today, in the binders are 2724 Mariners cards from base and traded from 1977 to 2010.

After consulting the spreadsheets I currently need the 11 new 2011 Topps cards that are out, I am missing 113 cards from any Donruss years, my big hurdle is Fleer. I still need 260 different Fleer cards to close the book on them. I'm getting close on Score, only needing 73 cards from them. Most of those are from their Rookie&Traded series. Lastly, I only need 41 Upper Deck cards from their flagship releases. All in all I have 84.8% of all base cards from the Big 5 makers.

So to all of you out there that have helped with trades, and those who have inspired me to write better posts by reading yours, THANK YOU! I only hope that I can continue to do a decent job of writing and showing off to keep you reading and trading. I know it's hard to read all the blogs out there, because they are all great. Thank you ladies and gentlemen, and may you be showered in cardboard of your liking!

Uumm...Yeah

Two words for me right now

I can't find anything to interest me or write about and the time to write has been short lately. If anyone has some ideas, or wants to see something in particular, please I'm all ears. Soon to come, maybe starting tomorrow I'll start on this:

That's right, I think we will start into the world of Ultimate Upper Deck Mariners style.

Baseball cards come to my mailbox!

I recently got another hit on the super set wantlist. Bo over at Baseball Cards Come To Life sent me an e-mail saying he had a bunch of cards to help the list. In all he sent me 107 cards I needed for the set. Here are 9 of some of the coolest cards:

The card that I thought was most interesting was the Randy Johnson card that I showed the back of. It was the one time he wore #34 to honor Nolan Ryan after he retired when his arm gave out at the Kingdome. Just wanted to let Bo know that his cards went out today. The package is small, but I will send more when I have some time to search through cards for him. My son's baseball is taking up life five nights a week. What we do for our kids. If you don't read Bo's work, you should. He brings a comical and informative look at some of baseball's greatest cards. Thanks again for the cards Bo!

Big thank yous to many!!

I have been holding on to this post for a couple days, but it is a good one. I have recently gotten about five trades in the mail and I am so thankful for all of them.

First off, I want to thank the Collective Troll. We exchanged e-mails and he said he had a couple of Phil Bradley autos, and an Alvin Davis auto that he would send me for being an M's fan. I got these in the mail from him, and I sent him whatever Rays cards I had laying around. Thanks Troll, you are top-notch!


Also, one of his readers Noah sent me an unsolicited e-mail saying that he had some Mariners cards if I would like them. I decided to send him a package of Mets cards from many different years. In turn, he sends me this box of cards, that not only contains almost all my needs for the 89 Fleer cards, but also this beauty of Doug Fister. Thanks again, Noah!


Next on the thank you list would be Greg at Night Owl Cards. We agreed to exchange some Dodgers for him and of course Mariners for me. He comes through with this little dandy of cards.


Also hidden the bubble mailer was this cool thing I had never seen, but really like it!


The next person on the list would be Rob at Texas Rangers Cards. We decided to exchange Rangers for M's. I sent him a box of assorted Rangers cards from all kinds of years, and he send me this box of beauty.


These cards are all current or former major league guys. They are from the AA Jacksonville Suns, AAA Calgary Cannons, and A Wisconsin TimberRattlers. Way too cool! Thanks Rob!

Last, and by far not least is a stack of cards from Community Gum. They recently bought a huge box of 81-85 Fleer. I said that I would love to get any Mariners cards out of that for the massive Super Set. I received this stack of 81, 82, and 83 Fleers to add to the collection. Definitely way too cool. Thanks Andy!


In the end, this is what I was able to figure will be added to the Super Set. Thanks again to all the readers and fellow bloggers for making me feel so welcome. I am humbled by your generosity. THANKS EVERYONE!!!

I want your junk!!

I am looking for your junk wax that says Mariners on it. I know many of you out there have those 80's, 90's and 2000's Donruss, Fleer, Score, and Upper Deck laying around taking up space. I have a binder that wants to be their home. Any year's base cards or traded/update to try and help kill the Super Set. I know the wantlist is only through 89 so far, but that's alot of cards to go through and input into a wantlist. If you could spare some cards on the list, or not on there yet please feel free to drop me a comment or shoot me an e-mail. All help will be greatly appreciated and will try to be returned in fair trade!!