Impressive

 

I've run out of descriptors for the boxes Dave sends. Heck, even before you get to the contents, he sends it so it shows up on the porch just before The Storm Of A Generation hits. How?

That's what happened last Thursday, before all the weather-fretting and "will we have power" concerns began -- like mere hours before that all began. But after the porch arrival, it was, "well, if the power goes out at least I have his big box of cards from Dave."

Simply put, the box was flat-out impressive.

Dodgers, yeah, there were Dodgers. Like '90s Dodgers Inserts Dodgers. Also included was that Mookie Betts Archives postcard insert that I instantly desired and then just as instantly received. Dave made sure that the desiring didn't turn into months of pining.

 

 

Heritage Dodgers. What's the highlight here? The Bellinger relic? The sparkly blue parallels that I didn't even know was a thing because I have a job and a family? Or how about that Kershaw from High Numbers, which is Also A Short-Print? My grievances over this card could fill a scroll from the 1770s. Perhaps you'll hear about them someday soon.

 

Also, the high numbers across the top row pull me within one of the team set. Just need the departed Trea Turner.

 

 I really love 2003 Topps Chrome and THESE ARE ALL REFRACTORS!!! Shiny.

 

 

1980s Fleer specials. Dave threw in the 1989 A's-Dodgers version, too, which I think he intended, like this one, to be mined for night cards. But the low numbers on these cards make that impossible. I'm just happy that I finally have the full 1986 World Series set.

 

Dave always thinks about my Night Card Binder. These four all have gained entry.

More night cards of the Heritage variety. But all the Vida Blue does is make me want to complete that set. I've been vaguely aware of it, but since it was an insert set in High Numbers last year, I dismissed it as beyond my reach.

Old-school O-Pee-Chee Sabres! Always a key part of any Dave send. That push-pin design has escaped my collection for years now, glad to finally add a couple.

How about some more Buffalos? The good kind of Braves, not those annoying ones. I have so few NBA cards, but I do like those from the '70s.

 

The lone 1970 Topps card in the box, but it's a Braves card I appreciate as you should see the condition of my version! Looks like someone tried to burn it.

All right, you observant types saw the Earl Williams 1977 OPC card at the top of the post. That was the whole point of this box send. Dave wrote in his Christmas wishes that he was hoping to knock off as many of my '77 OPC wants as possible.

Moar. Here's a tip, folks: Collect sets that Dave also collects.

As many as he sent, I still have a long way to go for completing my all-time favorite OPC set.

 

But I am not thinking about that now. All see is great cards like this, in which three of the cards have something missing -- banners or cups -- and the other one is a ZOOOOOM-IN. What was the backstory behind the different OPC crops?

 

A cross-section of Hostess needs. So cool. I haven't done a lot with Hostess purchases in 2022. I think I burnt myself out on Hostess in 2020/21 with chasing the '76 set. I need to get going again in the new year.

I don't know what to make of this panel. It could either be a straight Hostess panel or one of those L-shaped panels, the configuration of Carter and Cey are the same on both. The missing player is Bert Campaneris, who was either lopped off from the left side or underneath, if it is an L-shaped deal.

You can't send Hostess without sending Kellogg's! Those are the rules!

I've completed '77 Kellogg's already but these are super-fine specimens of one of my all-time favorite Kellogg's sets. I see upgrading in my future.

All right, now That. Is. Impressive.

I thought I was doing OK with accumulating '72 Kellogg's this year and than Dave decides I need to put up a '71 Kellogg's want list! Also, that's my first card from the '72 All-Time Greats set. And I must mention the 1970 Aparicio.

As you can see, this was just the kind of thing to get me through the weather concerns last week, waiting for my daughter to show up, powering up the flashlights, all that stuff that's thankfully in the past.

Except the cards from that big box. They're still here. Waiting to be played with.