When I was living in Buffalo, there was a radio station or two devoted to what I guess I would call the older, ethnic crowd. Buffalo features a large Polish population, along with many other ethnic groups, and you were always aware of that on Sunday morning when Grandma turned the radio on and the polkas poured out of the speakers fast and furious.
I don't think I've heard an accordion since I left Buffalo. But I heard them almost every week back in the late '80s. My grandmother wasn't even Polish. She was a proud Italian.
What does this have to do with cards?
Nothing. It's the first thing I thought of when I pulled this Jim Fregosi card out of a package sent to me by Greg L. of Nearly Mint.
And that's what this post is going to be -- a post featuring the first things I think of when prompted by the featured cards. The previous post was filled with logic and numbers and it made me a little cranky. Especially when the devil's advocate people start weighing in. This is why you never get invited to the Big Card Blogger Party every year, you know. ... What? You never heard about the Big Card Blogger Party? It's great. Tremendous food, cards everywhere, awesome music. Didn't you get the invite? Got to stop being so contrary, I guess.
Anyway, Greg sent some terrific cards as he always does. Even after he moved from that insanely great card shop he lived near, he apparently found another one. That's crazy. Meanwhile my card shop is still overpricing everything and looks at me like a confused puppy dog when I mention a dollar bin.
But that's why I'm acquiring through the internets and making card buddies.
Because if you do, you can get this:
1972s off the want list!!!!! The scanner was kind of mean to Bob Robertson and cut off his right side. Bad scanner.
There are a few more of them when the scanner was less militant. Look, there's even proof that the Orioles were once champs. How about that?
Greg even connected on a couple of Nebulous 9 needs. Mike Piazzas from '92-94 are still a little tricky to acquire.
I can't believe I even put this on the Nebulous 9. Russell Martin went from my favorite player, to a guy I wanted off my team, to a Yankee, to a guy bad-mouthing the Red Sox. Holy crap, Russell, you want to come up here and break into my car, too? You're getting a little too close to where it hurts. I'm gonna put all your fancy Dodger cards up for sale if you don't start behaving.
All right, enough crankiness. Let's get into some fancy numbered stuff.
This is the most exclusive of the group. It's numbered to /25. I have no idea why. No Odalis Perez cards should be serial numbered.
This is numbered 66/89. Or 56/89. Or 65/89. Tiny type is starting to get difficult to read. That's scary to say. In a matter of months I'll probably be tuning into polka music on Sunday mornings.
The notorious Triple Threads. This, of course, isn't one of those die-cut jersey cards with the wacky sayings, sticker auto, and super tiny dot of a photo of the player. I can't believe how some people go on about these cards. If we all ignore them, maybe they will just go away.
Recently, another Greg, featured a card like this on his blog. I thought it was snazzy and became instantly jealous. Little did I realize that the card was already in my possession. Except mine is the green parallel, numbered to /500. It doesn't have Mike Piazza on the back though. Strange.
OK, enough of the numbered stuff. It's starting to remind me of the last post.
How about a couple of relics?
Sure, why not.
Without counting -- because I can't or I'd wake everyone up while trying to get to my cards -- I'm pretty certain that I have more relics of Shawn Green than any other player. They sure made a lot of them and they're pretty cheap these days.
I haven't the faintest idea of what the second card means. Green was with the Blue Jays in 1999. Not that this ever bothered Upper Deck.
Greg sent a couple of other nice items, but I'm not in the mood to show the shiny Jeff Kent-Rafael Furcal card, so I'll just end it with this:
STICKERS!!!!!!!!!
From 1982!!!! My favorite kind of stickers!!!!
I don't know if all of these complete my sticker book. I haven't stuck them yet. Probably not because they're almost all American League stickers.
That was a card package filled with greatness.
And I got to write about accordions and other random things, too. Always fun to do.
OK, that's it for now. I have to get up early to get fitted for my tux for the Big Card Blogger Party.
I don't know what to tell you. Maybe your invitation got lost in the mail.
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