Night Owl Cards

   I will start this by saying that I realize that I have cycled out of both of the major marketing demographics desired by companies that sell products. I am no longer 18-34, nor even 35-50.   I am also aware that there is probably no one my age working at Topps, unless it's at the highest-level office. I come from a different era -- a Gen-Xer who is satisfied fairly easily.   The most interesting changes in cards for me as a youngster and even through my teenage years was that the design changed each year. I also liked seeing players with their new teams. That's all it took to make me happy ... and I was happy with just that for many years.   I didn't need constant change, which seems to be a staple requirement for many in younger generations. But that's my personality, too. I have never been "on to the next." I'd rather collect cards like I did in the '70s.   This is why I don't understand Topps' constant tinkering.   The latest puzzling dev...

 (Woof, blog views have taken another downturn, basically in the last two weeks. Maybe everyone was too busy watching the Olympics! Anyway, for those still reading, this is called Cardboard Appreciation and we're at the 365th in a series):   As far as I can tell, this is the first time Shoeless Joe Jackson has appeared on a Topps card.   I pulled it when I went back for a hanger box of 2026 Topps last week. I opened it at work. When I saw the card I didn't think anything of it other than "that's a weird-looking thing."   But later I remembered how MLB removed Shoeless Joe and other deceased ballplayers from its permanently ineligible list last spring, making them available to be voted into the Hall of Fame. Also, since Topps doesn't make a move without MLB approval, that means Jackson (and I assume Pete Rose) are eligible to appear in current baseball cards.   Up until now my Shoeless Joe cards have been created by Upper Deck, Donruss/Playoff/Panini/Leaf, vari...

  I tried to get this card into the Awesome Night Card binder and it was denied like the binder was Connor Hellebuyck .   It was a bit frustrating because there are PLENTY of open spots in the night card binder, but very nice night cards get blocked all the time.   This particular card number -- 118 -- has come up a few times in my binder but contenders will always come up short.   This is the card residing at 118 and it's unique, a minor league baseball scene, so I can't boot it out, there are plenty of celebration shots in the binder already. So the 2026 card goes in the back page of the binder for night cards that are still too good to get booted.   Anyway, that's the most attention the Awesome Night Card Binder has received in awhile. In fact I haven't done one of these page-by-page looks at the binder in nearly a year-and-a-half . So let's look at the next eight pages (down from the traditional 12 because that's a lot of picture taking).     Page ...

    This 1975 Hostess card of Brewers pitcher Billy Champion cost me 8 bucks -- a little more than 10 with shipping included.   The card contains a small crease in the corner and the pitcher, although featuring one of the all-time names in the sport, was an average performer in the '70s, otherwise known as "a common." But it's a short-print.   The Champion arrived not too long after the card of his former teammate, Robin Yount. The Yount is a short-print and its his rookie card, too, but it cost only a few bucks more than the Champion, likely because it's got a few issues (though nothing that bothers me in the slightest when it comes to Hostess cards).   I've returned to attempting to finish this set after getting frustrated with it last year. I didn't encounter the kind of price bumps I'm seeing with '75 Hostess when I was completing the 1976 and 1977 Hostess sets (1976 completed at the end of 2021 and 1977 in mid-2024). But I've got around 17...