Sorry Night Owl, I'm a little past deadline....

I'm still catching up here.

This is really a nightmare, I swear I will never let this happen again.

That is, if I ever get caught up !


When I started this blog, nearly five years ago ( wow, I had to check my profile !), I had no idea that I would be trading cards with so many people from so many places. It has really been fun and I hope to keep it up for a long time but it has a way of getting away from you.

I always used to post trades and send return packages within hours or at least a few days of receiving a mailer. Now I still have a box full to sort through.

Just about everyone knows Greg from Night Owl Cards. He was among the first few bloggers to greet me and we have sent cards back and forth many times. Tonight I pulled his mailer out of my trade box. Dated April 16. At least it was from 2012 !

This is what he so kindly sent.

 Upper Deck X. It seems that you either like or hate this set. I myself, like it !
I think it was one of those fun sets meant to appeal to younger kids. I guess that explains it.
My wife always says she had three little boys. Two she gave birth to, and one she married.

Like it or not, you have to admit that the color and foil on these inserts is cool !

At one time in his career with Cleveland Charlie dyed his hair blond. You can see it sticking out from under his cap. I don't know if lost a bet or what, but it was not a pretty sight !

I love this set ! The1993 Upper Deck B.A.T. set. It is one of the very few, unadvertised sets that I am trying to complete.

Whoa !! You can tell from the photo, but this is a 1975 mini ! Hmmm.... something is vaguely familiar here. I know ! It's this !!

 



 

Greg, you sent me this card in February, and the one above in April !!

And it's only taken me six months to notice !

Thanks for the upgrade !!

 



I also love stickers and logo cards. This is a very cool gold version.

I would like to complete the Cleveland version of this set also. Gee, maybe I should make up a want list. Pretty brilliant thought for an old man !  I'll be 62 in December and may partially retire, then I'll have more time !

 

 

 

We'll finish up with a little 2012 base and Heritage.

 

Sorry this took so lonnnnnng!

 

Thanks so much for the great cards !!



Oh no ! I'm trying to catch up.

I'm beginning to think it's a lost cause, but slowly, I am getting caught up.

I'm making an early New Year's resolution to form a better plan for next year.

But first, I have to tie up a lot of loose ends for 2012.


A while back, like April, Ryan at  "Oh no !!! Another Orioles Blog", offered some cards and I found a couple I liked. He graciously sent me these :

 

I know, an Indian and a Yankee side by side.  The reason for the Feller is a given. The reason for the Mantle, well, it's freakin' Mickey Mantle !!  I grew up with mid 50's baseball and every kid loved "The Mick". I was a hard core Indian fan but I always wanted to see Mantle hit one out.Even when he was hitting against the Tribe, as long as that was their only run and the Indians scored at least two !



And then, not quite so long ago, Ryan, through some deals of his own, had some extra 15 pocket pages for minis to get rid of. He also had a lot of mini cards. I requested 3-4 pages and any Indian minis he had. Once again a package quickly arrived.

A baker's dozen of cards. Eleven Indians and a pair of Jack Glasscock minis.
From 1879 to 1874 Jack Glasscock played for the Cleveland Blues.
Unfortunately, these cards portray him several years later when he played for the  Indianapolis Hoosiers. I still like them because of my interest in the history of baseball.



And then......just recently (see, I am catching up !) Ryan held his first group break.
The product years matched up with some of the Indians good years so I decided to jump in.

First we have 1996 Zenith.
These were some of the early high end cards and I always liked them a lot.

The golden bats in the background were a really nice touch to this design.

Then we have 1995 Finest.
Another high end product with lots of refractors to chase. I wasn't lucky enough to get any Indian refractors this time around.

Then there was 1999 Fleer Sports Illustrated.
This was an interesting set with very nice photography and a wide array of subsets.

Then there was one Sports Ill. card of an Indian on a Tampa Bay card.
Not too long ago I had been thinking about saving cards, from other teams, that have Indians pictured. This will be the first one in my "sub" Indian collection !

Next we have the all too familiar " are they Indian cards or Oriole cards ? "
I don't think I am alone when I say I hate it when card manufacturers  do this.

As part of the group break, my 2nd randomized team was the Brewers.

 I did a double take with these cards. I thought it was the same player at first glance.
Strikingly similar poses.

 

 

 

Well, that catches me up with Ryan.

Ryan, if you are reading, I also sent a package out to you today !

 

Thanks for the great trades, the break, the blog and everything else !!

 

Go O's, beat the Yankees !!

 

No offense Yankee bloggers !



Dutch Treat !

I have seen many of your trade posts with The Dutch Card Guy but had never had the opportunity to deal with him myself. Well, now I have and it was a very good experience !

I received a very fat mailer full of all sorts of Tribe goodness !

 



He sent a very wide variety of cards from many different sets and years.

 First a 2011 Topps Opening Day blue Santana.

Sorry about this photo, I'm going to be making some changes in my presentation.
This is a very nice 2008 Topps Co-Signers  Travis Hafner / Ryan Garko. #'d 31/300

2009 Tristar Alex White. #'d 14/50.

2006 Topps '52 Rookie Card chrome Rafael Perez #'d 1213 / 1952

The "Bulldog" ! 1996 Upper Deck Post Season Checklist. He was one of the mainstays of our last "Glory Years" !

More gold !  2009 Luis Valbuena. Great shot just before contact.

Some older gold in the form of  a 1995 Score Gold Rush version of Albie Lopez.

2002 Upper Deck World Series Heroes  Man Ram. What career numbers he could have had if only he could keep his head on the straight and narrow !

Going way back to 1986, we have Julio Franco on Fleer's Baseball Best.

I always liked this card. I don't know if this a staged photo or not, but the look on Albert's face is priceless !

The great HOF'er Eddie Murray. He got his 3000th hit while with the Tribe.

 
What a great card !
This was definitely the high point of the package !
2007 SPx Winning Materials jersey card. Victor Martinez #'d 118 / 175.

 

Plus a terrific auto of Martin Vargas. 2002 Donruss Best of Fan Club. #'d 0077 / 1350.

 

 

To the Dutch Card Guy, thank you so very much for the great cards !  Many of which will be added to my collection. I hope you enjoy my return package  just as much !!

Want to get in on some 2013 Topps ?

I realize this is a ways off, late January actually, but Crackin Wax is preparing for a case break, with an added twist for charity, that could land you a real nice prize.  Check it out here !


I know I haven't been very "verbal" as of late. I've been trying to catch up on some trades and preparing trade posts.

When I first started this blog I was very strict on myself about keeping up but the number of blogs seems to have increased dramatically and I try to read as many as possible. I now find myself putting some things off, when I really shouldn't, and now I have to scramble to get back on track. I have a box full of trade packages I have received and I will get them posted !! I don't put them into my albums until then. I also have some recent ebay purchases I would like to share.

Now that my Indians are done for the season I will have more time to devote to the blog and to all of you great bloggers out there!  I have been sending out at least two packages a week and hope to get caught up soon. The problem is, I'm addicted to trading ! 

So keep watching and I'll do my best to get better  !  Kind of a New Year's Resolution starting early.

             Here's a few samples !