A Stellar Swap with a New Blogger

In my previous post I made mention of how I was hoping to trade large quantities of junk wax for set help and/or Cubs cards. A second, but new to me blogger, reached out and offered to lighten my load.

I packed up some cards from 1992 and sent them out to the east coast where Mike resides. Mike is a fellow high school baseball coach, and like many of us he was a one time collector who is getting back into the hobby for a second go. He began blogging in July and his posts on A Life Shaped by Baseball have really hit home with this collector. A card or two can be found in each of his posts, but the best part is strolling through Mike's childhood and his connection to baseball. Not only is his prose fun to read, but his musings really get my mind churning as my own memories start to flood back to me. Good stuff overall.

I think I may have been Mike's first blog related trade and I asked him to just send back what he thought was fair.

I think this may be the first time I received a trade package with rubber bands that I was okay with! I have a couple of these 300-count plastic storage cases and I have trouble parting with them myself. It's quite pleasing just looking at the cards in the container. Different thicknesses, colors... and the possibilities that lie within!

I'm not going to bother you with all 300 cards, but rather I'll start you off with one of my favorites.

I really enjoy Topps Big League and I might purchase a couple of discounted boxes during the Black Friday sales. The Players Weekend cards in the set are the best. An entire set dedicated to nicknames? Yes, please!

Some Cubs fans I know are down on Schwarber. I was one who was afraid he would be shipped out at the trading deadline. I'm glad to see he's still slugging away for my favorite team.

This is the second copy of this 1982 Dave Kingman card in my collection, yet I still need one more!

I have one for my Kingman player collection and one for my Cubs boxes, but I still need one for my upcoming 1982 Topps set build.  For the record... blue pullovers with white pinstripes are very bada$$.

Ryno signing for his fans! Sweet! His solid blue pullover is a close second to Kingman's.

This is a great photo of Mark Grace and it comes from time when I wasn't in the hobby.

More cards from when I was in college and too busy to collect.

Kerry Wood is 1A and Rod Beck is 1B as far as my favorites from the 1998 Cubs team go. 

I was newly wedded when this Topps set came out and I thought I about getting back into collecting cardboard at the time, but I wasn't sure how my new wife would take it. Would she think her new husband was a big nerd or a little kid? It took me a few more years before I decided to take the plunge and dive back into the hobby.

I'm glad I did, because now my wife has her friends giving me their dad's or husband's old card collections. I never saw that coming. 

How about a young Terry Francona from the 1986 Topps Traded set?

 

I wonder if this younger version of Francona ever envisioned himself, 30+ years later, taking a pitcher out of a game after he just tossed the ball over the center field fence from the mound?

How about these throw back uniforms? Maybe too dark, but I do like the old cubby bear inside the C on the uniform top.

I actually found a couple of Fleer Metal sets all bindered up an estate sale once. The creativity within these cards is astounding.

Glenallen Hill has been one of my faovorites ever since he launched a home run over Waveland Avenue and onto the top of one of the apartment buildings across the street. Remarkable power!

 I happy Doug Glanville has made a name for himself within the world of baseball after his retirement from playing the game. I enjoy his takes.

Here are a couple of guys who I forgot ever suited up for the Cubs:

I enjoyed Lofton's time with the Cubs, but I can't really remember anything from Benito Santiago's tenure. 

New-to-me 1988 Donruss cards. You don't hear that everyday!

Augie Ojeda was another fan favorite of mine... the diminutive utility infielder always seemed to be in the right spot at the right time on defense, but I didn't realize he only batted 0.196 for the Cubs during his four seasons. The mind remembers what it wants to remember I suppose.

I'm 2-for-2 on the TTM autograph requests. Should I send one out to my favorite radio color personality? Hmmm?

Here are some big dudes who played for the Peoria Chiefs.

Both of these guys were built like linebackers and had tremendous power, but they never made enough contact to capitalize.

Here are two of my favorite Chiefs of all-time.

Alberto Garcia ranks up there because he befriended the crew that I used to watch games with. Matt Walbeck was one of the first Chiefs players I remember playing in Peoria who made it the majors.

 Ahhhh... junk wax set help!

Mike, thanks again for all the cards! So many of them will find their way into a player collection binder, the Cubs FrankenSet, my Cubs boxes or a set build. Much appreciated!

If you liked what you saw here, I'd visit Mike's blog and see if you can't get a trade of your own started. Here's a link to his Want to Trade page.

Thanks for stopping by and reading!