Where and how do I start ?

Three and a half months ago I started this blog and had no idea what, where, how or anything about the blogosphere, bloggers or the "new" hobby I had so loved way back when. Today I can honestly say I still have no idea of so many things but one thing is for sure - baseball card bloggers are some of the most generous people around !

Opening Day 2009 (yes April 6th) was a day to remember. The Cubs won and I received a "small" box of cards from Jim at gcrl . A say "small" as sarcastically as I can - it was a 400 count box filled with CUBS cards ! On the day the Cubs win I won too !




From Sandberg to Dawson to Wood, Sosa and Grace- so many swings and smiles to make my heart go beat beat beat. Did you notice the Sandberg and Dawson 1988 Leaf pop ups ? Upper left corner in photos (The ones with the outline around their torso).
Check out Sosa running so fast in his powerful stride that his helmet flies off (1997 Topps # 305) and Kerry Wood showing off his "secret" grip on the ball (2008 UD # 327).
Jim also sent some "vintage", heritage, tradition, archives and cards of stars from yesteryear. A batting champ (Madlock) a Hall of Famer (Jenkins) and half an all-star infield (Santo - Kessinger) plus a few Cubs that could have been somethings.

Did I mention that Jim sent a few cards . . .


So many more Cubs cards and so many 1991's from Fleer, Stadium Club, Topps, Leaf, and Studio 91; all for my daughters binder and did I mention some Cubs cards ? !

Something only a Rangers fan may find interesting; in the Fleer 1991 set, there is a pitcher named Jeff Russell and a catcher named John Russell - did they ever appear together as battery mates making a Russell Russell battery ?

Jim also sent a stack of O-Pee-Chee 1986 Cubs cards and several 1988 Pacific Trading (series 1) to get me closer to completing that set.

All in all, Jim sent me so many cards that as soon as I though I was getting organized, I have more to log in and store.

For me Opening Day 2009 will be remembered for the generosity of a blogger named Jim of gcrl the Dodger fan from Minnesota. Thank you !

A Cubs Cornucopia

As you may remember, I attended my first card show in over 17 years yesterday, and to my surprise I was able to find some real bargains. About the tenth table I visited, I noticed a sign that read "20 cards for $ 1.00" and it caught my eye. What was most interesting is that the cards were sorted by TEAM. I naturally looked through the CUBS stack, found 40 cards and walked away incredible happy. Here are some of my finds in this bargain find:

Maddux bunting ('91 UD), Dawson ('92 Leaf) eyeing to throw someone out and a Jenkins ('83 Fleer) ready to take the mound. If that was not enough I also found:

more "modern" players with some great photography in sets I hardly knew existed. I really like the Brooks Kieschnick, top row right ('96 Topps Gallery), with his right leg cocked to stride and left cheek full of chew and the Kerry Wood, bottom row right (2000 SP Authentic). Derek May, Carlos Zambrano, Moises Alou and Aramis Ramirez were also great additions to my find. But that is not all . . . I also found this "vintage '63 Fleer of Mark Grace.

The 1963 Fleer set is one of my all-time favorites (see my wants list) and to find a Mark Grace is nice bonus. One other nice discovery is this 1979 Dave Rader.Rader spent only one year in a Chicago Cub uniform (1978) and was runner-up to Jon Matlack for ROY honors in 1972. A fine defensive catcher, spent 10 years in the majors and had a lifetime BA of .257 with 30 homeruns. A one year Cubbie and now he is in my collection.

My favorite card I found in this bargain bin is this 1995 Flair of Sammy Sosa (I know, steroids, steroids, steroids) but this is a card I had never known about before yesterdays show and I really like it. The Flair could appear on my trade lists very soon (hint hint).

So that is just a small sample of what I found in this team bargain box. Next month I will hit this dealer first and stock up with more Chicago Cubs cards and continue adding to my cornucopia.