Night Owl Cards

Recently, I embarked on an orgy of sticker-sticking within the friendly confines of the only sticker book that matters, the 1982 Topps sticker album. The book was provided for me by Jake Plumstead from The Pursuit of 80sness / Red Sox, and it immediately unleashed the memories of collecting stickers in '82 on the sly, because, you know, stickers were pretty much for babies. But I've long since stopped caring about other people's perceptions in a variety of areas, so I immediately started sticking stickers with abandon, even within the sight of other people in the house. I knew I didn't have enough stickers to fill the thing, but I didn't care. There were enough of them that I knew I'd have stickers stuck with every turn of the page. That was pretty good. It turns out I had enough stickers to fill two of the pages completely. Three years removed from "We Are Family," every one of the '82 Pirates stickers are stuck. I apologize for the...

Just under the wire again, eh? Anyway, the no-talent buffoon who delivers the sports scores on our local news has this "blog" on the station's website. It's the worst blog I've ever read. In fact, I wouldn't even call it a blog. I don't know what it is. Vacant, obvious observations that everyone already knew by the age of 4, I guess. That about sums it up. But the thing that irks me the most is the way he signs of each of these blog "posts." The fact that he has to even have a "sign-off" for that piece of drivel is evidence enough that the station manager is about 20 years too late in firing his sorry ass. But the worst part is the content of his sign-off. Tell me if you recognize it. Here it is: "This is (stupid hack broadcaster's name), rounding third and heading for home." Now, if you are a Reds fan, you know exactly who this idiot is plagiarizing. But, for a long time, I didn't know. I just knew he was r...

Before my interest in baseball buttons disappears completely -- as most of my non-card interests eventually do -- I thought I'd dig up this beauty. Does anyone remember these? I'm really hoping someone does because my memories of how I acquired this are almost non-existent. And there are no markings on it to help me dig up any information. I remember these buttons featured stars of the time period -- late 1970s, I'm guessing -- because I think my brothers each had a button of player on their favorite team, too, and I think my youngest brother had a button of Eddie Murray. I know the number on the right, the 159, is the "button number," like a card number. I know nothing else. What I do know is these things are huge. They're just shy of the size of a hockey puck. It seems ridiculous that anyone would wear these in public. But because I was a kid and because it was the '70s, I did wear this in public. I was a little kid, and this was a big butto...

I have been wise to the ways of the internet for a number of years now. I'll never claim I was there at the beginning. I can't laugh at techies' inside jokes over the early days as they chortle over GeoCities or whatever. Basically, I have no idea what they're saying. But I do know enough to go online for any number of things that make life more efficient, or at least more bearable. I shop online, communicate online, learn online, you know, the usual. That's pretty good for an old dog like me who generally stays with the same thing for decades because, duh, it still works . I'm writing about all of this because today I believe is the last day that the Borders in my town is open. After today, no more book store for miles. If you want books, you hit the library, or go online, or buy a Kindle where the books --- ooooohh -- light up! Pretty!!! I suppose there is a day in the future when I might buy a Kindle, but it's just as likely that I never will. I...

I'm thinking I probably won't have much time to devote to cards today, so I should find something interesting to put on here in the event that I don't get back to the blog until the wee hours of Tuesday. A recent card package should do the trick. A couple of weeks ago, I went to the front door and pulled four yellow envelopes that were jammed in the mailbox. It's been awhile since that many have arrived all at once, and the old thrill that I experienced when I first started trading through the blog a few years ago came back again. I believe I have blogged about most of the packages finally, but there is one that remains, and it dwarfed all of the others in size. On the front, in BIG, black letters, the package proclaimed that it was from the Troll!!! Well, didn't that put a smile on my face. It's been awhile. Troll reassured me that he was still collecting feverishly, but there wasn't much time to blog (fortunately, he's found some time  lately)...

It's crushing when the world you've set up for yourself comes crashing down around you. For years, I have led myself to believe that the 1989 Topps John Tudor card is the only night card in that set. To me, a night card connoisseur, this made the item special. Topps went out of its way to find a card of Tudor, acquired in a late-season trade in 1988, and the effort paid off because not only would the Dodgers go on to win the World Series that year, but it was the only night card in the set. Then I read this post . (*sound of large, heavy objects falling, glass breaking, and tree limbs flying everywhere in the night owl nest*) Another 1989 Topps night card???????? Now, I wasn't totally convinced when I read the post and looked at the scan. Scans can be deceptive. So, I had to dig out my '89 Topps binder with the cards that I have seen 8 trillion times before and track down the Scott Medvin card to see with my own giant owl eyes. After staring at it for a lo...

The city is tearing up my street in an upgrade mission that will result in certain segments of the population driving 80 from stop sign to stop sign instead of 50, or the more reasonable 25. I had intended to ship out a bunch of card packages yesterday, but traveling was next to impossible from my location, so I had to postpone it until Monday, which has its own set of issues. But if all goes right, I will be sending packages to destinations in the following zip codes: 33065 75201 90230 46750 08551 97202 And one to the following postcode: CT8 8BH Just so nobody feels left out, after I ship out those packages, I plan to work on packages for people in the following zip codes: 10028 46561 06489 21788 37865 63301 34270 (Plus, Greg L. , I need your new address!) And after that, I've got plans for packages en route to these destinations: 40475 55129 91381 33411 47408 94010 And there are the remaining contest consolation cards headed for: 08863 71...

Hello, Night Owl here. How many times have you gone to your local collectibles shop and watched the owner chat up the cute, teenage, mall walkers while you stood there, money in your hand, unattended? Plenty, right? Put on a belly shirt and some lip gloss and maybe you'll get some action, but until then, you're just a loser with cash. Or how about this? You're at one of those anonymous big box stores. If you can find the cards at all, they're in a jumbled mess, mixed with pictures of fire-breathing dragons and stickers of New York City! What are those all about? They never have what you're looking for! Who wants 2010 Topps Series 2? Or this? You're cruising your favorite online card store. They have loads of great product. Inventory through the roof. But it's so mundane and disconnected! You get the cards safe and sound, but who is shipping them to you? A guy in China trying to rob you of your identity? Ha, ha! Kidding! But the internet is so cold. ...

The two-sport star is supreme on Cardboard Appreciation the Review 2. We do love our super-heroes, and you can't get much closer to a superhero here in reality than someone who can play at the highest level in the two most popular sports in the U.S. So, Bo Jackson follows Deion Sanders as two most recent winners in the first round of CATR2. Jackson edged a player with another popular feature, a nickname. Tim "Rock" Raines fell just two votes short. Here are the results: 1. 1989 Bowman Bo Jackson: 15 votes 2. 1989 Topps Rock Raines: 13 votes 3. 1984 Donruss Rudy Law: 5 votes 4. 2005 UD Pastime & Pennants Tommy John: 5 votes 5. 2011 Topps Heritage News Flashbacks Dodger Stadium: 4 votes 6. 1995 Fleer Update Carlos Perez: 3 votes 7. 2010 Upper Deck Josh Fields: 3 votes 8. 2010 Upper Deck Eric Stults: 0 votes Jackson is the seventh card to advance to the semifinals. Yup, I've decided the second round will be the semifinals. No screwing around this time...

As much as I'd like to stand here and expound on the hotness of Hope Solo, I don't have the time today. Instead, I'm going to show a couple of Allen & Ginter-heavy card packages sent to me by Spiegel and Spankee, the most messed-up law firm ever created. Kidding. Spiegel is Spiegel . And Spankee is Spankee . For the record, Spankee sent me the Hope card. Spiegel sent me the Johnny Mac card. But I thought I'd stick with the ballplayers, and show you how much things change in a short period of time in baseball. Out of the cards that I received from both Spiegel and Spankee, here are the ones who are no longer with the teams portrayed on their A&G cards. I even spruced up the cards, early 1970s style (except I didn't change the logos -- no time, remember?) First Spiegel: And now Spankee ... I guess that's what happens when you release a set close to the trade deadline. Of course, those aren't the only cards I received. Both sent a ...