I've been writing for the Cardboard Connection for more than a year now (here's a collection of my articles, if you are interested) and it has certainly put a crimp on my writing here on the web site. I've had some pretty good daily blogging streaks but there have also been many weeks in which my writing time to Heartbreaking Cards goes toward Cardboard Connection instead.
Another aspect of running a card blog that has suffered over the past year is my trading. I haven't initiated a trade in I don't know how long and I've only done a handful over the past year and a half. Thankfully, that rut recently ended as I completed a trade with Bo from Baseball Cards Come To Life.
He sent me a mixed bag of cards from teams and players that I collect, sets I'm working on, and types of cards I collect, including this group of mascot cards. As a collector of mascot cards, some teams have mascots with trademarked names that Topps includes on cards and some teams don't, like the Baltimore Orioles and Arizona Diamondbacks.
With so many Topps Archives sets and players frequently put in retro card designs, at first I was confused where this Johan Santana card was from exactly. It turns out it was a part of a Walmart exclusive insert set that was from 2007 Topps (this card was available in Series 2) and featured the use of many older Topps designs.
He also sent me some vintage Twins and here's Roy Smalley's 1980 Topps card. I still feel weird calling 1980 as "vintage" but the card is 36 years old. This Roy Smalley is actually Roy Smalley III and his father, Roy Jr., played for the Cubs in the 1950's and has baseball cards in the 1952 Topps set as well as each Bowman set between 1950 and 1955. Smalley III played for the Twins from 1976-1982 and then made a second stint with the team from 1985 to 1987, picking up a World Series title in his final year of his career.
Another personal collection favorite is Brad Radke who is the best baseball player to ever come from my hometown of Eau Claire, WI. As the Twins 2016 season was winding down a Radke-related stat started floating around to demonstrate exactly how bad the Twins farm system has been at developing pitchers. It turned out that Radke was the last pitching prospect drafted by the Twins that developed into an All-Star. Sure, the Twins have had All-Star caliber pitching but not from a prospect the Twins drafted.
I am also slowly working on my 1972 Topps set and here is an Ed Kranepool card I can cross off my needs list. Kranepool played his entire 18-year career with the Mets and he has played more games for the Metropolitans than any player.
Here's what I sent to Bo in return which included finishing off a couple of sets he was working on. Thanks again for the trade!
Comments