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Father's Day gift to myself


Last week I headed down to my parents' house to get ready for the final goodbye to Dad. I figured I'd need a little pick-me-up while I was there, so I stopped at a Target on the way and grabbed the only thing on the baseball card rack that interested me -- a blaster of 2019 Big League.

I also planned on this blaster being my Father's Day baseball card gift if I didn't get one from those people who tend to buy me Father's Day gifts.

It proved to be a wise move because not only did I pull the above Max Muncy card, which if you ask me is the front-runner for card of the year, but I in fact received zero baseball card gifts for Father's Day.

That is not to say that the family did not choose well on the gift front. Both gifts I received involved food, which I would say runs a close second to cards except for the three times a day when it beats cards by a mile. My daughter went so far as finding a gift in a fancy cheese shop near where she goes to school. It was so fancy that a couple walked in after her and began discussing the various cheeses available in great detail, which prompted the shop manager to speak to them in French and that prompted the couple to speak in French back! My daughter quickly paid up in English and scurried out. (The cheese, by the way, is magnifique).

So, anyway, I brought the Big League blaster to my parents' very vacant-feeling home and opened it peacefully that evening and enjoyed it very much. The Muncy card helped. You know how I feel about Topps' inability to get on the Muncy train.

Let's turn it over to the back:


Here you see the write-up on Muncy's season and how everyone was surprised -- yes, especially Topps -- by Muncy's breakout year.

I wish they wouldn't center the bottom line like that. It's difficult on the eyes. Although I think I know why they did it.


It makes it difficult to continue the thought!

As you know, Topps finally did create a flagship card of Muncy. It's in the just-released Series 2, which I have had no time at all to search out.

It's no great card anyway. The photo is uninspired and we've all seen it in Opening Day.


All Series 2 Topps did is erase the Opening Day logo.

But that hasn't stopped Muncy from producing a few memorable Topps cards. There is his Topps Heritage World Series card that pictures his awkward half-dance, half-leap down the line after his walk-off Game 3 home run.

And there's this card that happened to arrive just yesterday.


I received this from Henry of Cardboard Greats. It was included with words of sympathy and best wishes after the passing of my parents. It was a very nice gesture.

And how about this card? This is not only my first Max Muncy autograph card but it's also my first 2019 Gypsy Queen card of any kind. (GQ was in that Target display, too. I ignored it).

And now I have an autographed Muncy card before I've even landed Muncy's first Topps flagship card.

It's almost impossible to explain how the card world works anymore.

Comments

steelehere said…
Here's hoping Max Muncy hits another one into the ocean off of Madison Bumgarner at Dodger Stadium tonight (though I'd be OK with just a home run).
I'd been meaning to send you that Muncy auto for a while now. It's a beautiful card, and I knew you'd appreciate it way more than I would.
I've got the Muncy #658(and Freese #665,and Barnes#456 ) already in your stack. Consider them yours already.
Fuji said…
That Muncy GQ autograph is a great looking card and a nice way to kick off your 2019 GQ Dodger collection.
Bulldog said…
Cool cards and great gift to yourself.