The Awesome Night Card Binder, pages 13-24

 

Now that the 1975 Topps worst-to-best countdown is finished, I'm a bit lost without having anything to count down.

I'm sure I'll come up with something else eventually but right now I have at least one counting up series in the works. It's somewhat of a poor substitute, but it is helping my collection -- in theory.

I started The Awesome Night Card Binder review in April, showing off the first 12 pages of my night card binder. The hope was that it would get me to find and add more cards to a stagnating project.

I have to say I haven't done much in the last 6-7 months. I did add a couple more 2024 Topps cards, but I kept running into road blocks for other '24 cards -- too much goodness in the binder. I'll have to dig deeper into Series 2 and see if I can fill some holes in the higher numbers, because that's where all the holes are.

All right, I've got pages 13-24 for you now. Again, I don't know how interesting this is for readers, but we know this blog is for me, right?

We last left off with card No. 108, the TCMA Joe Adcock card at the top of this post. Let's continue:

Page 13

 

 Just one missing spot on this page. It's quite the cast of characters and if I was really hell-bent on this frankenset project, I'd replace some of these cards just based on quality individuals, but I don't see that happening here. If I stumble across a night card numbered 111 someday, then Chapman is booted.

 

Page 14

 

A completely full page and lots of goodness, too. A minor league stadium night card is a rare treat and the Classic card of Joe Niekro being confronted on the mound over his scuffing ways is one of the best cards in this whole binder. 

Page 15

A few blank spots -- a common sight as we move farther and farther into the binder. There you see the 2024 Reds card that was the first 2024 card I put into this binder. There's another nice stadium night scene with the Mile High Stadium Triple Play card.

Page 16

A decent page but I need a card for the No. 136 slot -- to sit next to Tony Plush!

Page 17

A couple blank spots down the middle. There's a second Rockies stadium card, what are the chances of that? Also a Betts Red Sox card from the olden days, and the Rafael Furcal card is sweet.

Page 18

Not a lot to say here except the Darin Erstad has always been a favorite. But I think the Sportflics LaMarr Hoyt is the star of this page.

Page 19

Much celebrating on this page! Thank goodness for early Upper Deck as those cards did not shy away from night photos. I've received the Bo Diaz card in trades many times.

Page 20

A really nice mix here. There's the famed multi-exposure Valenzuela card, Ruben Sierra with his glow-in-the-dark batting gloves, a Winter Baseball card of John Valentin (not that John Valentin) and the original Triple Play stadium shot with Wrigley Field at night -- remember when that was weird?

Page 21

This page features the oldest night card in the entire binder in Cleveland's Marino Pieretti under the spotlight at card 181. Just below him is Odubel Herrera with a modern gem.

 

 

Page 22

 

A full page and one of the better ones. Aaron Judge's Stadium Club card takes center stage, right next to the 1978 Rich Chiles -- there are a couple night cards in '78 Topps.

Page 23

Back-to-back complete night card binder pages!

That was the good news. The bad news is this is the last full page in the night card binder. I've got some work to do before I show off the rest of the pages!

Page 24

See what I mean? Oof. The Cal Ripken Jr. card was a recent addition, too.

This completes the ANCB through card No. 207. Hopefully I can fill some gaps for the next time. It would help if Topps wasn't so focused on closely cropped shots as they've been the last few years.

I mean there's nothing greater than a panoramic night card.