Starting with Opening Day

How about some baseball!

Getting back to the stash from my US trip last year, let's take a look at a blaster box of 2019 Topps Opening Day.



As you can see, this was a little crushed. I believe I picked this up at Target actually, and it was out of place...and crunched...and there were two, so I couldn't leave the other one there, but let's save it for another day.

I was just hoping that the packs/cards wouldn't show the same damage, but figured that they would be alright since there's plenty of room inside.

Opening it up, all looks good. With a 200 card set, and having 12 cards but with two boxes in hand, this is a base set I will be collecting as it should be manageable to get close to 50% done after both blasters. I already have an unopened pack aside to, so I have a good 22 packs to make headway on the set.

Scoring as a reminder...

2020 Box Scores		Points
	Base Card	1
	Base Sports Card Need	3
	Base Variation / Short Print Card	Odds
	Base Toronto Card	15
	Base Toronto Variation / Short Print Card	5 * Odds
	Insert Card	Odds
	Toronto Insert Card	5 * Odds
	Box Bonus Cards	Per Pack Odds
	Error Card	Double Score

Let's get right to a pack for today.

Well, that's a solid first card. I am sure many people have mixed feelings for him now given the turmoil of Houston, but I think there is enough talent there that it's not just all "cheat" related, though I think that will dog him for a while.

The rest of the base cards are all needed, no surprise there.Interestingly, other than Altuve, all throwing pictures. Wonder what the percentage of fielding versus throwing versus other there are in this set....

Sure, these inserts fall every other pack, but they are fun and always happy to see a Hall of Famer. This card noting that at a fantasy camp, egged on, he was still able to throw 90 mph.

Solid start to this blaster.

Interesting foreshadow...while taking the packs out of the box, one seemed thicker than the rest (so I have moved it to the end, might as well save the make or break pack to the end). Not only that, first time I have ever had a pack, when shook, make a bit of noise....so I have an idea what I'll find, but let's wait and see...

1 Pack, 7 Cards, 21 Points

Ending With More Stars

Today we have the final pack from the Indigo packs I picked up. Though it has been a fun little distraction, I have generally got what I paid for when it comes to my own collecting. Including today, a few minis, a couple parallels and a couple Leafs. By no means horrible, but since I am not collecting either set, not a bunch to keep.



Now here's a star I can get behind! I was not a fan of his holding out a couple years ago. I know it's a case of "well, the owners make a lot of money, why can't I get mine", but it's still hard to see someone squabbling over how many millions they get paid just to play a game they love. However, in this case, I must say, there doesn't seem to be the hard feelings and long term "hurt" in having the situation happen, at least there doesn't seem to be the grudges that you could see happening.



Some base Champs which include a Red Kelly - which should have come in the red parallel colour, but no luck there.



The rest of the stickers and...



We end with a second Star mini in a row in Morrow.

8 Packs, 72 Cards, 147 Points

Not a surprise, since I don't collect either of these sets, that this box ends up well down my list of best boxes/openings this year. Still, some good cards to pass along to others, and a few keepers including some decent minis, so not like it was a complete waste.

More Stars

Another day with no Leafs for me - spoiler! Another Pens star though, which seems to be the real theme of these packs.

I spoken before of Evgeni's important role to Crosby. It's not unusual in sport to have that one two punch. Heck Kurri was the similar number two to Wayne Gretzky in Edmonton. It isn't just hockey as Pippen was the number two to Jordan on the Bulls in the 90s (I assume everyone who likes sports in general has taken the time to watch the Netflix Jordan documentary by now).



The stickers don't add much, but we leave with...



A star of a different kind.

Eriksson was a solid winger for Dallas before heading to Boston for three seasons before then moving on to Vancouver the last few years.

May not be the "Star" I wanted, but ended up being the star I got today!

7 Packs, 63 Cards, 122 Points

Finally got one!

There we go! Well, if you are going to throw a Leaf star from the past, Douggie is one that I'd take any day. 1,414 points in 1,414 games in the league, would take that in a player in the 80s and 90s, let along now when a point a game is a hard mark to reach.



When I pulled the Doan card, I paused at first because I thought the colour was a little off. Honestly, looks like a light blue, but apparently it is a green parallel.




Of the rest, what does it say that I really like the shiny foil log sticker the best?

Sorry for the quicker post today - but work is still quite hectic as it has been the last few months. Usually we get a bit of a break with a lull in May, but with the tax deadlines moving around, everything has just flowed together, so really it's been going heavy from February right through to the end of June.

Hopefully all will smooth out come July!

6 Packs, 54 Cards, 111 Points

Another Pen Great

From one generational Pens star yesterday, to another one today.



When you think on Pens stars, Crosby is of course the name of today similar to Lemieux was during his time. Too bad this just ended up being a base card, but small gripes.



A couple more base cards which are solid - but no Crosby.

As for the keeper mini from the pack...



The, as shown, natural history collection subset - very nice and unique type of subset for a hockey card collection, but these are the types of oddities to the collection that makes Champs Champs.



Yet another day with not a single Leaf is a bit of a shame, but can't win them all. Did get a handful more stickers to pass along to a certain fellow collector!

5 Packs, 45 Cards, 83 Points

Yellow would have suited him better

I am, and always have been, a Leaf fan first, but my second team when it comes to hockey is the Pittsburgh Penguins. I know that love started with Lemieux and Jagr, though I can't really say why that duo spoke to me from watching highlights and news about the NHL, or seeing their play against Toronto, but it did.



Man, this card would look so much nicer in that yellow parallel. I am not really complaining in pulling the red parallel, it's fine, but that yellow instead we saw a couple days ago would be perfect.



Our mini from this pack is another Prime Minister of Canada. I am not a big history buff, but these mini subsets are really nice and getting the full set would make for a nice framed history piece for teaching.



No leafs in the couple other base cards...



Or in the stickers - though we do get a more current reason I enjoy the Pens in Evgeni. They have had a few great duos.

4 Packs, 36 Cards, 72 Points

A bit too on point

No matter how things may be better (ish?) than a few months ago, this is definitely been a rough year and hearkens back to similar dark times in our history. This so happens to be be a day where one card captures that.



Bennett was Prime Minister back during the depression of the 1930s - a very hard time to try and lead the country through such a tough period, and not sure if anyone would have been able to succeed.

Trudeau is in the process of facing similar difficulties this year - 2020 will be remembered by everyone who lived through this year, and the leaders of our times will be remembered for good and bad of how things have gone, and continue to go.



Well, if I am going to get base cards - Gordie Howe is a pretty great one to get!



We end with another handful of stickers with no luck on the Leafs front.

3 Packs, 27 Cards, 52 Points