Latest Goodwill Finds- #1

With how slow things have been going in finding treasures from Goodwill stores these days. I thought why not start posting finds in a way similar to the way Fuji does his swap meet discoveries. Some of these probably had stories that went with them when they were originally purchased. That day has long come, and gone.

Phil Knight Bobblehead

Bought for $3.99 when I first saw him the decision to buy took some thinking. Phil was originally given away in 2014 at a basketball game between the Ducks, and USC. Finally seeing one of these at Goodwill was quite a surprise. The few times I had seen these they were on Craigslist for an insane amount of money.

Taz Salt And Pepper Shaker

Finding these had me baffled originally. Each was priced individually for $2.99 instead of banded together like they normally do their salt, and pepper shakers. Throw in that they were in the nic-nack section, and not with the other shakers. All this left me perplexed on what they were, and forced me to grab the phone for a search. After the search I went from deciding to buy just the pitcher to both.

Hillsboro Hops Ball & Daytona Shot Glass

The cheapest items in this group at .99 cents each. The shot glass is an item that I'd come across over a year ago, and walked away from. Since then my NASCAR collection had grown so the time to add the glass felt right.

The Hops baseball despite being something I've been trying to avoid buying more of was too cool to leave behind. The picture of game action on the ball was what convinced me to bring it home.  Eventually I'll start going through all these baseballs, and clear out the least favorites in the collection. 

I might be coming home with less items these days as I've been trying to be a bit more selective. There have been many an item that has been left behind as the thinking of where something will go if it's bought crosses my mind more often than it used to. 





3rd Show Of The Year, But In Beaverton

In the last month, and a half I have logged so many miles in driving that I can't wait for a slow week. I'd even go as far as to say that there hasn't been one weekend that I haven't logged over 350 miles in driving.

This weekend wasn't any better as I took the long drive north again for the Beaverton card show. If it sounds like I'm complaining I'm not. This was a show I'd wanted to hit for the last month when I saw it was coming up. The reason is while it gets a large amount of the Mall 205 dealers. It does get some new dealers that usually makes it worth the time I spend going there.

Coming home with a ton of cards that has just left me shaking my head, and wondering why I bought the cards. I did manage to come home with a decent amount of set builders as well. Any time I can find a bunch of set needs I consider that a successful trip.

If you haven't been around, and heard me talk about the 2004 Studio Stars subset. I love the look of this set, and was pleased to find two cards for the subset. Finding two cards was like hitting a jackpot being I found one originally, and added another not long ago.

These are another of those things that if you've been around you've heard tons about. After adding these into the wants, and decided to build the entire series recently. Best of all the four you see above aren't the entire find for these. The total find was eight new cards, with all being for this one set.

The crazy thing about these eight cards was I almost didn't find them. They all came from a nickel box, or 25 for a dollar. Originally I picked out ten cards, but the dealer didn't have the change. Trying to get change he sent his helper out, and while he was gone I dug into the football better than my initial search where I found these.

Closing out the finds were these 1995 Silver 'You Crash The Game' cards. Found in a quarter box where I bought eight. After getting home I learned that maybe I should have done a better job looking through the wants for these. Maybe I would have gotten something else useful instead of five doubles. Not a total loss as I'm thrilled to be crossing these three of the wants.

Overall it wasn't a bad show despite me spending more than I probably needed to. I had more money than usual, and instead of smart spending I went buckwild. Normally I'm much smarter with the budget, and try to stick with cards that either fit the set wants, or have a home already in mind. The next card show won't be for quite awhile, but it's been a great ride in the three I've hit.

Pat Is Definitely No Fool

With today being April Fools Day I have to admit that it's a tradition that is lost on me. I've just never been into the whole thing of playing pranks. Be that on April Fools Day, or any other day to be honest. Don't get me wrong though. I'm not one who will bash others who enjoy the day with a prank. Heck, if a great prank is played I'm one to give props. It is just not something I go in search of any day of the year.

This all leads me to a small package of treasures that I got just over one month ago from fellow TradingBases member Pat. What I learned from this package is Pat doesn't joke around when it comes to sending out some sweet cards.

Included was a note asking if I still collected Tex cards, or if it was a long gone player collection? It seems I have never updated the collecting desires at the TradingBases site. Something that I guess needs to be done in the near future.

While I haven't been actively seeking out Tex cards I still haven't torn the binder holding all the cards apart either. Maybe I'll toss these sweet looking cards in there someplace until I decide if I want to eventually tear it down. Who knows, maybe Tex will get back to his old form minus the injuries he's been plagued with since joining the Yankees.

Closing out the package Pat showed he was serious.

Despite all the player collecting changes I seem to go through each year. Two that have remained a constant is the Kyle Seager, and Mike Trout collections. Both guys will remain in the player wants until the day my collecting stops. Seager has a long term deal with the Mariners that will keep him in Seattle for awhile. He's even considered by many to be the teams franchise player. Some might go with Cano since he's joined the team. For my money I'll join the crowd saying Seager is that man.

Thank You, Pat for some awesome cards that I'm proud to be adding into the collection.

45 Minutes At Mall 205

Saturday was a special day for this cat as I was able to make a quick stop into the Mall 205 card show. The trip was an unplanned one that I only learned about Friday night.

After hitting two card shows at Mall 205 the plan was to take a break from this particular show for a few months. I'd felt like it had run its course for a few months when it comes to adding cards into the collection. Throw in that I plan on hitting the Beaverton show, and the Northwest Largest Garage Sale on consecutive weeks April 9th, and 16th. With those two huge events coming up I just felt more than anything that It'd be best to save up for those.

Then things took a turn that left me with the option to hit the show, and so I took it. The youngin went to visit the mother for Spring Break. Living in the Eastern part of the state we usually meet up in Redmond, but she wanted to do The Gorge for the return home. If that wasn't enough I got a text saying to meet up at noon. What this did is lead me right past Mall 205, and the card show. How can you not think that was fate telling me to drop in for a quick look through the card show? Not only that, but who am I to tell fate I'm not going to listen?

Realizing that I would only have a small window of about 45 minutes I arrived pretty close to ten, and went right to work. There would be no grazing through boxes that didn't show automatic promise as time didn't allow for that.

Starting off on a good foot I nailed down two very cool items that I will let the blogger I picked them up for show these off once I mail them to him. Soon I came across a dealer that I hadn't seen at the other two shows I'd made this year.

Selling a stack of these style cards for fifty cents, and one of them being Kyle Busch I couldn't walk away without this sweet card. It didn't hurt that it was in a pretty good hard case that is probably worth fifty cents itself.

From there it didn't take long to come across a fairly small box full of card that were 3 for $1.00.

Right off the bat I saw the Torii Hunter, and knew I needed it for the 2003 set. The other two were bought just to get me to the three cards needed for the deal. Odds are I will keep them, and do something with them unless there is a collector out there looking for one, or both cards. If you are said collector the Helton is numbered 385/475.

From there things kept rolling with my final purchase of the day. Another dealer I hadn't seen before was loaded up with tons of regional goodies. Looking back I know there was a bunch of other stuff that I should have bought, but all I walked away with was these.

1998 Mariners Upper Deck Pepsi cards. According to the sheet of paper inside there are 12 of the 19 cards for the set inside. Even as writing this I still haven't checked to see if the little sheet of paper is correct. Included are 10 extra's that I will have to figure their future out. Food issue type cards seem to be popular so if anyone wants one or more of the extra cards then they are up for grabs.

The cards I didn't get from the guy was a bunch of the giveaway team sets, and he had them on the cheap. I'm kind of torn on whether passing on them was a good idea, or something I'll regret more later on. I've picked up a couple different years in the past so it would have been cool to have a run of the cards. The big downside is they came incomplete as the idea was to trade your doubles to complete the set. What are the odds of ever being able to complete those now that it's been this long?

For only having 45 minutes I think I did really good with what I brought home. Seeing all these leaves me wondering what more could have been found if I'd only had more time? No big loss as it was a show that without the different travel plans I would have missed. So I'm just looking at these cards as gravy that I'd never known about.

The Power Of One

Back in February I had purchases a hanger pack of 2016 Topps. Having no desire to even consider building the set, or any of its subsets. I threw out that all cards from the post were available for anyone who needed them.

Wanting to cover all bases I offered the cards at the Yahoo group TradingBases for any collectors there who might need the cards. It didn't take long as one of the members Michelle hit me up needed a couple of the cards. Happy to help I put the cards in an envelope, and sent them on their way.

Not long afterward Michelle dropped an envelope of her own on me that showed how powerful one card can be.

What you are seeing is a Berger's Best card #60 from this years Topps. A card that turned what to me was a wasted pack into a pack that was money well spent. I could have bought many a packs, and odds are would have still needed to track this great card down. Thanks to an awesome trade with Michelle I was able to mark it off the needed cards list.

Most of all I learned how powerful one card can be when it comes to turning a pack around. 

There's No Excuse

While growing up we all had excuses for why things never got done. I mean who doesn't remember the classic "The dog ate my homework"? Then as we get, or got older the excuses are even more complex.

Sometimes these excuses are to get us out of things we should have done, but we didn't. Other times they are to get out of situations that we are in, but need to get out of. We've all done that at some point in our life.

With what I have done here I wanted to dream up some form of an excuse. The problem is I just can't do that. All because there is no excuse for not thanking this fellow blogger sooner than now. Heck, the guy has thanked me over, and over a few times for a pair of packages.

First we will start with the blogger that I can't make an excuse to, but just offer an apology. Chris who, runs one of my favorite blogs The Raz Card Blog. Sorry it has taken me this long to get around to showing off a card that left me with my bottom lip on the floor.

Now that I've offered up apology number one how about we start with some excuses that I could try if there was an excuse. The problem is there is no excuse, but why not give it a try.

Excuse- I've been so busy doing things that I haven't had any time to show off the great card Chris sent my way.
Truth- I've had days where I didn't do anything, but sit around watching TV. Those days could have been used for something much more useful. Something like letting Chris know how awesome the card he sent me is.

Excuse- I planned on saving the card for a planned post when the NASCAR season started.
Truth- This does have some truth to it. I did want to do a big post where I showed off the card at the start of the year. Somewhere along the way the card got buried, and I forgot all about it. How I forgot it is beyond me as I will be putting this card in a special place in the hobby room once this post is completed.

Excuse- Most days I come home from work wore out because my boss is the devil, and over works us.
Truth- Well that actually is the truth. Since getting this new boss my posting has taken a serious hit because I'm just to drained to sit here, and think about blogging. Sadly it means I have been dropping the ball when it comes to thanking people for cards like the mind-blowing card sent by Chris.

Now without further ado here it is.

This card now sits on the shelf with my Kyle Busch diecast cars, and other fun items. Thank you so much for the awesome card Chris. When I opened the mailer this card was in I was blown away, and speechless. Maybe that is the truth on why it hasn't been shared until now. I was so speechless that the words couldn't come out./

And Then There Were Two

Since creating the new blog Prowling Cat's Hobbies Madness these type of posts have been moved over there. Despite the change every so often these will appear back here, and I thought this would be the perfect time.

Starting with the fall of 2015 I was doing a full court press on attempting to finish both the NBA, and NBADL business cards. While doing well with the NBADL the NBA has been a very slow process that had still left me with three teams missing. One of those three the Charlotte Hornets got this artelope very late in 2015.

Much like the other couple years it went unanswered, and was thus sent to the lost files.

Unlike the past though, like I said a full court press is currently going on. What this meant is it was time to try something different, and scrap the artelope for the plain old request without the artwork. So a regular good old fashioned envelope was sent out in hope of a much better return. Not knowing what to expect my SASE came back this week, and jackpot!!

The Hornets sent four of the schedules on the top, and more importantly the business card below. Adding this business card now leaves the NBA at two hold outs for a full collection.

New Orleans Pelicans

New York Knicks

If anyone is in the area for these two teams I would be forever in your debt if you could nab me just one business card from the team. I'd take more than one card if you felt the need, but one card would make this cat your friend for life.

Once again, if you enjoyed the artelopes project it can be found over at The Prowling Cat's Hobbies Madness. There you will find the list for all my remaining business cards from all the sports. Even if a team isn't on the list I am always willing to take any sports team, and college athletic department business card you are willing to send my way.

Football Joins The Collecting Party

Back when I was a kid we collected football cards with more of a passion than any other sport. Then as we hit the teen years our football cards disappeared, and any collecting we did was for baseball. Not a whole lot of trading was done, but when it was baseball was king.

Then came the early 90's, and my collecting changed over to basketball, and non-sport. Baseball was a backseat that I would pick up Nolan Ryan cards for myself, and possibly the hottest new thing to sell at an upcoming card show. During this time frame pretty much all my football went to the great abyss. The black hole of I don't know where. I had maybe a couple handful of cards left, and why I had them I can't tell you because I don't even know.

Over these past years baseball has become my only collecting. The basketball cards have been slowly getting tossed into either the recycle bin, or the Goodwill box. On a very rare occasion I've been able to hit a wantlist with them. If it wasn't for those times I'd bet the basketball cards would be a handful. Right now they are the verge of that status, but haven't quite gotten there yet. Non-sport cards have been suffering the same fate as what was once two big boxes full of cards is down to one half box, and shrinking slowly.

All this purging leads me into the reason behind this post. While doing another small basketball purge I came across the small handfuls of football cards. Most of the cards were these type.

The ever forgotten about Fleer Action Team cards. If you've caught my posts for this entire year you have noticed not only mentions of these cards. You will have seen the pictures from this post already.

During those I have mentioned that a storm was brewing in my collecting habits, and these cards are that storm. Thinking about all the fun with not just these cards, but the football cards from when we were kids got me wanting to do a little football. While I have no interest of hunting down the cards sets of individual players from that time frame. What I am interested in is trying to build these sets once again.

Ironically these are tough finds, and go right along with my baseball sets building of numerous tough to build sets. Luckily I have a really great head start on the 1985 set as it was the one I found in the box of football cards. The bad news is the stickers, and making a wantlist for them will be the toughest part of this journey. To help I know the blog Fleer Sticker Project did some posts about these stickers. Eventually I plan on going through those posts, and seeing about trying to make a sticker wantlist.

Until then I have now added a link on the side under my baseball set wants, and player collecting for these cards. If anyone out there has even one of these I'd love to add it into the collection.

Next Up The Wants

Besides the player changes I have been going through some changes in my set collecting as well. Some of those changes were huge while the remaining were simply adding sets that I've picked up a couple card of, but never added to the list. First off the the huge change that was made.

Like so many other people that became more serious into collecting, or investing in the 90's. I got caught up in the craze of collecting the minor league cards. You know the whole thing of collecting the rookie card, or was it pre-rookie thing that started going on. That stayed with me when I decided to try, and complete some sets that I'd started in the 90's. Then as I've added more, and more newer sets, and subsets the pre-rookie thing still was with me. Even when I started this blog I added a couple prospect sets into the mix.

As the blogging, and collecting have become even more fun the longer I'm doing it. This winter I started to realize that I'm just not really into the whole prospect thing like I once was. Building a set of 200-300, or more cards in hopes that a couple of the players will be superstars doesn't appeal to me anymore. I am having a blast collecting right now, and want to build sets that call to me. All this transferred over to the player collecting as other than Jon Gray you will notice are established stars. No longer are there a pair of guys that I'm collecting cards of who are still trying to establish themselves.

Four of the minor league sets still remain on the wants, but their place on the list is on the edge. They only stayed on the list for now due to the set being completed, and missing a limited number of subset cards, or being close to completion for the set itself. Don't be surprised if by the end of the year these sets disappear, or I find an interested party to take them on, and complete them.

Onto the more fun, and additions into the set wants.

1995 Collectors Choice You Crash The Game

If you have ever checked out my baseball set wants you have noticed that 1995 Collectors Choice Special Edition silver signatures is on the list. While looking for cards for the set I came across these cards, and thought they would look good with that set. Picking up a couple, but not knowing anything about these cards at the time I got them anyway. Despite not being officially part of the set, they are officially part of my silver signatures subset. Just as I thought they look good in the binder with the silver signatures.

Now I am having the problem of figuring out what the home run dates are for most of these cards. I thought I had a list, but found out that the list didn't match up with the two home run dates that I have. The dates that I do know are right, and are on the wants page were because of researching them through sales on the bay.

2004 Studio Stars

Back a year ago I picked up one of these cards at a show, and showed it off on a post. Not knowing much about the cards a reader stepped up, and answered my questions about them. That has to be one of the great things about being a blogger. If you don't know about a card, or a set, another blogger or reader will know the answer.

Hooked on the cards because I have for some strange reason been a fan of the different stuff. That day I decided that this was going to be a subset that I would eventually build. Adding two cards to go with the initial one I now stand at three of the 50. Then as I started to do the still continuing collections updates, I figured now was the time to make building this subset official.

2009 Ticket To Stardom

After seeing one of these cards in the past I was undecided on if I wanted to build the set or not. Then came another shot this past weekend, and I decided why not try. While I don't collect ticket stubs, I do think they are cool. The crazy thing is I am part of the camp that honestly thinks the Authentix cards are a far better looking cards. Despite this the 2009 Ticket To Stardom cards have grown on me, and the timing is finally right for me to try for this set. Sadly I have seen some of the game-used, auto, etc cards in the past, and I passed on buying them. Who knows if that opportunity came again if I would take it, but right now I probably would.

So there you have it, three new sets into the insanity that is my set building. Besides these three sets I still need to add in the 2015 mascots list, and see if there are any other sets I haven't been updating like I should have. On the fun side, most of my sets have been put in binders for enjoyment in viewing them. A few still need to be done to complete the process, but it has been a fun project.

Player Collecting Changes

This is a post that I've actually had planned for awhile, but with my erratic blogging hasn't gotten done. Then came Spring Training games today, and some motivation to finally get this post done. So, using that newfound motivation it is time to get some serious collecting stuff done, and update all this here on the blog.

As you can tell from the post title this post has to do with updates to the player collecting. In what has become a tradition here, but usually at the first of the year. I sit down, and look over the player collections, and remove the players I am no longer interested in. This years removals contain one surprise, and one probably not very surprising player.

Last year wasn't a very good year for Zunino, and his advancement in his career. After a couple years of hearing about Zunino was the teams present, and future catcher. The Mariners eventually decided that Zunino needed more time in the minors to hopefully improve, and become the catcher they want. Whether that time paid off, or if he will start 2016 in Tacoma I haven't heard. What I do know is that with his struggles during the year I started losing interest in his cards, and gutted the collection even before the year ended.

In what might be the biggest surprise in my player collecting I am dumping Rosario. This move has been a painful one that honestly sucks after all the sweet cards of his I had accumulated since starting this blog. While I will probably keep his cards in the Rockies binder where they currently sit. My dilemma comes in the fact that Rose wasn't able to find any interest from an MLB team. No offers for an invite to spring training, or a chance to earn a spot on a team. All this led to Rosario accepting a contract from a KBO team so he could continue his career. From reading articles the number of players to make this move, and return to the MLB is very small. All this means I have to move on as collecting a guy who isn't on an MLB roster just doesn't appeal to this cat.

Now onto the additions to the players. In the past I've had the list at five as it just seems like a good number for the players to collect. Besides them there has been a few secret guys that I pick cards up here, and there while deciding if I want to make them a serious collection. That group comes, and goes with who is on it all the time.That is why it has remained a secret list as I just can't seem to decide on going full force on them, or not. Starting off this year though the list will be four as I do have one player on the verge, but I just can't seem to pull the trigger on making him a serious collection. Who knows if sometime during the year I decide to add him, and grow the list back to five, or just stay at four until nest year. Until then I give to you the newest addition to the player collection.

You would think with my track record the past couple years when it comes to Rockies pitchers in the collection. Sadly Jon Gray is getting the Prowling Cat's kiss of death by joining the player collection. When we went to the brocation in Seattle last year I headed over for a selfie with Mr. Gray. The guy was awesome, and made me a fan. Out of all the guys there he is the only player that I wish I had a card of to get autographed of during the trip. Despite not being the type of person who waits around to do auto's I wish I would have done it for Jon. I can't help, but root for the guy so he had to join the collection.

Soon if not Wednesday I will hopefully have an update to the set collecting. A few changes were made to the sets I'm collecting with some being removed, and some I've been thinking about for awhile finally got put on the page.

Card Showing 2.0

While the blogging around here has been slowed to a small drizzle this year. One thing that has been going strong so far this year is my card shows. With it only being February, and two card shows at Mall 205 this year. I luckily have been able to hit both shows, a trend that I know will probably end for March's show.

Honestly I wasn't going to do the show this past weekend, but an e-mail from Rod from Padrographs changed things. Rod mentioned that he had some stuff to send my direction as he is doing some downsizing to his collecting.

Meeting at the show Rod dropped a box with bobbleheads for the collection I have.

Before running off I talked about the Jack Cain one, and how cool it was to add his into the collection finally. Mr. Cain owned the single A Bend Rockies, and later Portland Rockies. Along with those he had a few businesses that I'd been to when living in Bend. Rod added into the excitement by pointing out it was autographed on the back. While not shown in the picture these have all found a place on their respectable shelf.

When it came to cards this show was much different than the January show. During that show I made some serious strides in the set collecting with most being for the soon to be posted Fleer Team Action football. This show I didn't add a ton in cards, but what I did add were for the player collections.

Nolan Ryan is one of those players I don't list on the player collecting. The simple reason is I have most of his cards, and so putting him on the list seems crazy to me. Getting six cards was cool, but I haven't put these into the collection yet. Going out on a limb I'm going to bet that I'm only missing three of these, but at the price I took a chance on all six.

The Arenado collection has been slowly growing, and only grew by two cards as the middle card was a double. Blackmon is a player that after picking up these two I am still toying with adding onto the player list. Gray's card is the first one in the now new Jon Gray player collection. While I should know better than to start a collection of another Colorado Rockies pitcher. I came across Gray at the Mariners brocation this fall, and he seems to be an awesome guy. That interaction has stuck with me, and has led to this new player collection. After a couple Rockies pitcher collections that have been discarded you'd think I would know better than to start a new one. Instead here I am going full force into another.

Closing things out were my most expensive pick ups from the entire show. All these Trouts were cards I've missed over the last couple years, and thought why not finally getting them before getting to into the 2016 cards. This same seller had many more, but the cheapskate in me wasn't willing to go for more than the six dollars, and forty cents I paid for all these. Most of his remaining were running at three, or five dollars each.

Overall it wasn't a bad show, and will hold me over until I am able to make the trip north again. 

Joining The 2016 Topps Party

Since they came out, and haven't been very well received on the blogs. The 2016 Topps cards were a kind of thing that I was not sure if I wanted to buy any packs of. Then came today, and the daughter wanting to make a trip to the evil big box store. While There I just felt the need to buy what will probably be my only pack of 2016 Topps.

For my first card I think I did ok with Jon Lester. Ironically this is the second straight year that my first card pulled was a Cubbie. Last year it was Javier Baez attempting to turn two.

Rather than bore people with tons showing off all the cards, or listing them one by one. I am sticking with just the few subset stuff.

This card has a shiny look that the daughter noticed right away, and was fascinated by. Not a bad person to get one of these for if you ask me. If there is a Stanton collector out there who wants this card it is available.

The remainder of the subsets like Stanton are all up for grabs if you'd like any of them.

Most brutal about all the cards was not one of them fit into my personal collection. This is the reason I will be sticking with the plan of just buying the cards for my player collections. No reason to accumulate a bunch of unwanted cards when I can just simply buy the cards I need.

Next up will be the Opening Day cards that come out in the near future. Being I have been collecting the mascot subset. There are very high odds that a decent amount of packs will be bought in hopes of acquiring some of those. Currently I'm teetering on the edge of if I want to go the route of building the set, and subsets. Who knows which route I travel as I am currently undecided on my feelings about the 2016 Topps design.

Arizona DiamondBacks Bobbles Thanks To Kenny

In another of those loooooooong overdue posts. Back around September, or October I did a bobblehead trade with Kenny from the online group TradingBases. Kenny took me up on an offer to clean out some of the bobbleheads I'd accumulated doubles of. In return he sent six very cool bobbleheads. Today I will be showcasing four of those as they have now become a new team collection of bobbleheads that now have their own shelf.

Out of all the bobbleheads in the entire collection the Parra has to rank in my top 5 favorites. Him diving for the ball is a very cool look that I have seen for a few others, but not any that until now I had in this collection. Sitting on the shelf, but taken out for the picture is a Chris Young bobblehead, and another cool DBacks item I will show off at a later date.

First Ever College Basketball Game

On Sunday I got to do something I have never done before. That thing was go see a college basketball game. Why up until Sunday it had never happened is a mystery as we have the Oregon State Beavers within twenty miles, and getting tickets for them is real easy. Despite that it had never happened before, but odds are it might be happening on a more regular basis now.

After doing the guys weekend I had mentioned to a few people including the wife that there were still a few sporting events I hadn't gone to. Those events were college basketball, NHL, MLS, NFL, and NASCAR. When making that mention I thought it would be cool to eventually knock all, but one off the list. While I'd love to do a game of NFL. There are a ton of other things I could do with what it would cost to get nose-bleed seats to an NFL game. Sorry NFL, but you are a league that is just to rich for this cat's blood.

Hearing the list the wife talked to a co-worker who goes to Oregon Ducks games, and he asked if I wanted to do a game this year? All on board he went out, and bought tickets. Little did we know at the time it was Super Bowl weekend, and my favorite team the Broncos would be playing. All was cool in the end though as the game started at 1, and I listened to the first quarter while heading home.

This was the view from our seats, and I didn't zoom in the phone's camera for this shot. Personally they were great seats,and we got to see all the action quite well.

I watched the Utah Utes warming up as the reason he picked this particular game is my being a fan of the Utes. As time got closer the team took over the full court when the Ducks went in to get dressed for the game.

As you can tell the Utes bench was on our side of the court.The thing I thought was most crazy about the game is I think both teams used maybe one timeout, and two at most. They were showing the game on ESPN 2 so TV timeouts were the norm.

For the game itself. Things were close until the second half when the Ducks took over. Utah just couldn't seem to get any closer than nine points, and trailed by almost twenty at one point. In the end the scoreboard shows it all.

Some interesting things I have learned from not just this game, but the Huskies football game my friend, and myself did in the fall.

When it comes to sporting events I have always been a fan of showing up before the doors open, and touring the place. In college basketball there isn't a whole lot to see so you basically end up sitting in your seat waiting for the game to start. This might be different in other places, but here in the Northwest this seems to be the normal thing. At the football game we could walk around, and check out people's tailgating murals to kill time. There wasn't any of that at the game so it was sit, and wait for the hour until game time.

At the two games I've been to the view for the college game is simply more amazing than the pros. A few years back we went to some Blazers games, and once sat close to the area we were at Sunday. Those seats didn't give the same views we had in Eugene. The college venues seem to be built so that you almost feel like you are on top of the action. I know in both Eugene, and Seattle where I saw the two games the playing surface was dug down.  The hole seems to help give off that vibe of being almost on the field, or in this case court.

Overall I had a great time, and we talked about maybe catching a game or two next season. Odds are we won't be doing Utah, but two other teams so for those games I'll just root for the Ducks.  

First Show of 2016- Childhood Memories

Not long ago Mark Hoyle had sent me these cards that got only a tiny bit of a mention in the post.

The reason was a much bigger storm was brewing, and those cards were just the first wave. Rather than get into that storm during the post option number two, and hitting it full force now was the logical choice.

After getting back into cards, and I don't mean the ten or so years ago that I claimed was a return. That time frame was only setting up for the day this blog started, and I seriously got back into collecting. Since full on returning I have had numerous people mention that building an older set was an even more thrilling hunt than the cards I currently collect.

The problem is while the cards design is important to me, I'm not into the classic design most are. Don't get me wrong as I have the 1957 American Airlines magazine I bought awhile back, and a 1973 Dodgers scorecard that has a very classic look to it. Just in The Cat's world those 1957 cards don't get me all excited like some people. For some reason I like the ticket, credit card, drivers license, mascot, stadium style cards that have been done since the early 90's. You would think building these sets, and subsets would have no challenge, but in a world where I don't buy any off of ebay, or have a COMC account it has been a challenge.

All this was fun, and good though until recently. Going through cards I started to think about those people saying I should build something older, and that would represent more of a challenge than the current stuff on the wants. That I have been told is why most start the older sets as to some it goes back to acquiring the cards they had as children, and destroyed during those years.

For me we didn't do baseball cards, and run them into tire spokes. In our corner of the world we only collected football, and Star Wars cards for many a year. While I enjoy Star Wars the passion to attempt the sets from my childhood has zero appeal. For us though football was king, and it all came down to the game we played.

I mentioned this once last year in a post that around the age of ten. It could have been earlier, but we will say ten as I can't recall what the real age was. We dreamed up the idea of a football game using our cards. We played this game for the next four to six years. Initially the game was brutal on the cards as many fell victim to the accordion effect. This was when making a tackle our cards would end up head on instead of the side to side method. We used our hands to move the cards, and the action would be so fast we reacted more than thought about what was happening.

This all gave way to another idea that my friend dreamed up one day. To save the cards from the brutality we were inflicting on them. We would set the cards up, and flip a die on them as a form of a pass. This was the day our little game changed from a running league to a passing league. If it landed on the offense it was a catch. Landing on the defense was an interception, and the new offense took over from that point. The card damage was now being minimized as sometimes cards would get bent in the scrum to lay them out favorable to our play. More than anything the quarterback was the card who was really taking the hit. Flipping a die with a card 20-50 inches, and hoping it lands on your card can mess up a card. Much like the real game we were evolving in our thinking.

Still wanting more the die came into play, and we would run full plays using the die to determine movement f each card. If a receiver became open the flip was still used, but had become more challenging than before. Instead of a four to six cards to land on you had the one card. Two problems with this started to arise that couldn't really be cured. The first was that plays started to take way longer than previous games. The second is we were getting older, and playing football games with our cards was becoming something we did when there wasn't a better option.

Luckily around that time our local gas, and goodies market got in some Fleer Action Football cards. This would be another game-changer that kept the game going if only for a very short time. Now instead of just the Broncos versus Raiders we could do full seasons as we would each run half the league's teams. All we needed was the offense card, and defense card from a team, and we were set. The die came back into play as we had what each number represented. Games became much faster than ever imagined, and could be played on very little space unlike laying out full on teams.

With age we started getting into baseball cards, and doing other things. Instead of playing with cards we preferred the method of actually playing a game of football. The snow had always stopped us before, but now it just made the real life game even better. Basketball came into play, but collecting the cards just never caught on with any of us.

Having only 88 cards in these sets I had gotten into building the set, and had actually built them from two years. Sadly I was young, and had laminated them to keep them in perfect shape. The good news though is I do have some that were never laminated, and will be pulling those out to see if it is a full set, or in need of completion.
 
That leads me to why all these cards you see here were bought at the recent card show. Once I can motivate myself again I am going to try, and build these sets. While to some the 1950's sets are cool. I like the memories these cards represent, and so I want to see if I can build the entire series. A wantlist will be appearing once the motivation has happened.

The hardest part will be doing the research on all the stickers. Luckily I can say other than the cards sent to me by Mark Hoyle in our trade. All the other cards above, and the stickers were bought for a mere five cents, or one shiny nickel. Not a bad way to get back into trying to build some sets that I've thought about every so often, but just never pulled the trigger on recollecting. I do have a head start on a couple as for some odd reason they have traveled all these years with me. The stickers though are another story as they were used when we got them. I mean what kid doesn't love a sticker??

First Show of 2016- Set Fillers, and Player Collections

With 2016 still in its first month you can only imagine my excitement when the wife gave the clear for me to hit the Mall 205 card show. Originally I was undecided on whether to go or wait until another couple months before making the journey. After arriving I found that it would be a great show for the collecting.

Starting things off were some Seattle Mariners cards from what believe to be one of the stadium giveaway card sets. The cards above are just a small sampling of the cards I got from a couple different years of these. At ten cents, or 15 for a dollar I wasn't paying attention to the deal. Sadly it cost me as I should have just cleaned all of these out, and then seen what I could do about finishing them eventually.

Second up came the players I collect cards. Gray, and Blackmon aren't currently on the list of players I collect, but odds are they will be in the near future. During guys weekend in Seattle, Gray took pictures not with just myself, but a few others as well. He seems like a classy guy that made a fan out of this cat.

Arenado, and Trout are mainstays on the player collecting that I don't see going anywhere soon. The Ian Happ cards were just something I saw, and as a fan of the Bearcats just ended up buying. Ironically Happ played for the Emeralds last summer. and I knew this, but didn't think about it when buying the cards.

From there the set needs got some loving as well. Much like all the player cards above these were all bought for either ten cents, or a shiny nickel each. Hitting some Authentix was possibly my favorite find of all the cards on this post. The 2004 Studio Stars is something I need to get a list together for in the near future.

Overall it was a great show, and was fun to run into Rod from Padrographs who I hadn't seen since our first meeting. We talked for a minute as he was on another mission. The above cards weren't the total extent of the purchases from this cat. Next up will be some fun cards that I was so pumped to find.

Hoyle No Longer Means Just Playing Cards Anymore

There was a time frame in my early 20's where we played all sorts of different card games. The longest running became a game we knew as Nerts. To play each person needed their own deck of cards that you could tell belong to each specific player. Not getting to much into the game I will say it was very rough on the cards . So rough that we would go through a new deck every two months at the most.

During this time frame some of us would look for what we thought were cool looking designs on decks of cards. I was the one who traveled the state the most so some of my decks had things like coastal towns, or tourist attractions on them.

What does any of this have to do with baseball cards? No, it doesn't mean that someone out there sent me a playing card from various decks of cards. I collect many a thing, but that isn't one of them so you would be wrong in that guess. What it does mean that I noticed something about most of the cards we had for games that used playing cards. The name Hoyle appeared on so many of those playing card decks that when the name Hoyle comes up I can't help, but think of playing cards.

This all leads me into why the choice of a post title. When first contacted by Mark Hoyle I couldn't help, but think of the playing card brand. As I would learn upon getting the mailer sent my direction by Mark. This Hoyle doesn't deal in just playing cards. This Hoyle deals in so much more than just cards, and showed this cat in a huge way.

Have to love a potpourri of sports schedules from various years.

In this day an age of computer style ticket stubs it's cool to see a classic looking ticket stub. Doing a little more research I learned that the Gulls were the 2014 NECBL Champions. Hopefully this ticket didn't go to waste as who doesn't like to watch a Championship winning team play?

Mark didn't just stick to other fun items. As you can see above he dropped a couple Mariners my direction. Not just any Mariners will do for Mark. He hit me up with legendary names to Mariners fans in Johnson, and Martinez.

Closing out Mark went in the direction that was a total surprise. When asking what he could send in return I mentioned these type of cards as a possibility. To see five of them in the mailer was a huge surprise that I never expected. Even more surprising was they were from earlier years than I would have imagined them coming from.

Thank you so much Mark for some great schedules, a ticket stub, baseball cards, and some sweet football cards. Who would have ever imagined that clearing out some unwanted cards would bring in some fantastic cards like these?