Reaching The Pinnacle

 

As a kid, you are not always aware of everything. For example, at the time, I always thought Macoun coming Toronto was probably a big deal for him. I mean, who wants to play in Calgary when you can play in Toronto?

Yeah - I was very much Toronto biased as a kid, and I like to think that has changed somewhat.

For some, playing in Toronto would be the pinnacle of their career, but probably not necessarily for Jamie. I mean, he had a solid run in Toronto, but it's not the same as his time, and success in Calgary.

It was supposed to be different and Toronto was supposed to win Stanley Cups, and Jamie did win a Stanley Cup after leaving Calgary...it just had to be with Detroit in 1998.

Beyond Macoun, nothing for me to keep here, and then we get....

enough of the basketball set to say, I think there was a complete set at one point which has been cherry picked through. Too much of it has come up to tell me otherwise.

Well, at least not all the subset all star cards have been pulled. Same is true of the top prospect cards, so still some solid winners in here.

Another 15 from www.baseballcardstore.ca today...still have a good handful plus of these to go.

As ,luck would have it, this is probably the "worst" one so far, but just because of the lack of luck on Leafs and as luck would have it, no new set additions, but still - these two are insert additions, so that'sn still really good.

I think 1987-88 Topps is now the earliest set I have pulled from these packs, so that's really neat.

Just luck that the base cards, like Luke Adam, just ended up being cards I already have. Oh well, still a fine repack for the price.

Check Out My Checklists

Checklists are fun. Not sure they need to be inserts like they were in 2003-04 McDonalds, but so be it. 

A handful of Gary Roberts checklists gives me a total of 9, so I could fill a page if I wanted to!

I actually needed these two, which leaves me with a single remaining checklist outstanding to complete the insert set - card 2 - Joe Tohrnton.

1991-92 Pro Set Platinum - yeah, the attempt at a higher price point set...well, something higher than the basement of Pro Set.

As you can see, heavy on the checklists from that same McDonald's set, but no #2 means no complete set yet.

A couple ad cards from the same McDonald's set before we get into some 1991-92 Upper Deck basketball. I can say, none of the names really ring a bell for me.

A solid bunch today as I always love McDonald's representing, even if it may not be the most cards to keep from the 50, that's okay.

Before ending today, I have a nice PWE trade to share that I made with StarsFan at TCDB.

A bunch of my missing 1991-92 Stadium Club cards are taken care of here. One surprise is the Mark Recchi which is misfoiled so will instead include as an error and look for a "cleaner" copy for the base set.

A solid bunch of Leaf additions, most around the turn of the millennium. The 1997-98 Pinnacle Totally Certified are nicely serial numbered. Sure, they are out of 4299 and 6199, but they are still serial numbered on the back which is really coll.

We end with two nice retro cards from a set I haven't seen before in 1999-00 Upper Deck Century Legends. There are still a number of Leafs in the set I'd love to get now, now that I've gotten a couple cards in hand.

Big thanks for the trade StarsFan!

The Bowman Show

 Today, we get a whole bunch of 1993 Bowman baseball. I am not a big fan of the look of the set, I have no attachment to it, and this set definitely has a bit of smoker tinge on some of the cards which is clear on these...

I mean, just the top of the A Gon card to the bottom of Roberto is clear enough.

Will keep the Jays, but it's enough of a deterrent that I can't be bothered trying to collect the set from these.

The fronts aren't that bad really, in this case, it is more the backs that bother me.

The name, the colour, the lack of logo and having teams references in yellow and black up the side, and lack of stats in most cases. They just do so little for me.

Still, some nice players here with Grissom and Lee Smith.

Some interesting photo choices too. I mean Magadan with a gaping open mouth looking sky high, and Runyan looking like he stole someone's Funyuns.

Can't all be baseball today though apparently.

Another set that hasn't drawn me in yet...even if it is Canadian Ice. No American Ice set though....hmmm.....

Let's take another 15 card pack from www.baseballcardstore.ca and see what we come up with.

One set addition from this pack, and it seems 2012-13 Score is a regular show for these packs. Works for me since I have plenty of base needs for the set, and here we get a nice Award Winner subset card.

The pack is a winner for the Leaf content with a new addition in the Honor Roll Belfour, and a second copy of the Bozak O Pee Chee card. 

Here is what makes these packs much better than the dollar store equivalents - a trio of inserts/parallels, all of which are new for me, so good keepers.

As for the rest...

A nice variety in the rest as well making a solid and well rounded bunch.

A Thirst For Parkhurst

 Todays pick from the lot is a great bunch for adding to one of my backburner sets - 1991-92 Parkhurst hockey.

As you can see, happens to be essentially a string of cards in card order, with the cards being together by team, and we have some Sabres, Flames, Blackhawks, and Wings accordingly.

Honestly, I still get confused when looking at these cards as to which year they are from. The design is very similar to the following year, and the second series of the 1991-92 Parkhurst set here, shows 1991-92 stats on the back (which you can see further below). The colouring of the design on the front is different between the two years - this one being more brown, the next being more green, but that's about it.

Good news is, this is definitely a set I could see being complete throughout the lot, just separated in dribs and drabs. WIll have to see, but fingers crossed.

SInce obviously I am well on my way with the set, some dupes...

Joel Otto always reminds me of Otto from the Simpsons as those were the only two Otto's I knew as a kid.

The backs - a bit harder to read on the scan given the darker colour of the background, but fine in hand. Plenty of room for the write up and stats - though may be slightly better if the left dark strip which matches the front was removed, and the logos spread out across the bottom, extending the stats and write ups across the carda.

I guess they couldn't all be Parkies - a couple first year (returning) Sens cards to end from Upper Deck, with the photoshoot look.

Enter The Stadium

 I know I am not the only person who enjoys Stadium Club sets. I may not be collecting all of them, but it's hard to find a Stadium Club set you can't get behind at least a little. Especially true when you get a card you need.

1999 Stadium Club, even with the Blue Jays logo and uniforms that are not my favourite, is overshadowed by the awesomeness of the full photo front and snazzy name and logo across the bottom.

Sure - may just be a single card and add to the Jays cards, but can't forget sets that I am working on...

1992-93 O Pee Chee hockey is a nice set. The O Pee Chee strip up the left side is a little excessive for name placement, but otherwise, decent front design. What do the cards also remind me of? That the 75 anniversary season, they plastered that 75 logo on everything! A successful campaign if nothing else.

The not-so-keepers...

Even a full stride Larkin, just running full out, looks so much more majestic with the no frame full photo front.

A bunch more basketball...

Including a couple Hurley's and John Salley who was a Raptor at the time. A solid player who, I don't really place with the Raptors, though I do remember his time here.

Well - an interesting enough way to end with a Batman Card - 43rd card I've come across. Have to watch out for those gang lord's...