Into my ARMS (Archives Reserve Master Set)

A little while ago, I finished the base sets for all 3 Archives Reserve products (2001 Baseball, 2002 Baseball, 2001 Football) and I've now set my sights on the hits, slowly creeping toward the goal of an Archives Reserve Master Set. I'm just enamored with these refractor reprints from the glory days of cardboard. I've decided my A.R.M.S. will be cards-only. 2002 Baseball boxes came with autographed balls (most of which have since faded considerably), and 2001 Football boxes came with autographed mini helmets (which seem to be pretty hard to find). I really don't care about these non-card items. It might not be a 100% master set without them, but f*dge it, I'm a card collector, not a ball or mini helmet collector.

But anyways, I've recently added a few relics into my ARMS and I'd like to have them dance for you now, as it's hard for still pictures to do these shiny beauties justice.

Gwynn and Stargell are a couple all-time favorite dudes of mine (and sure, Boggs is pretty cool too), so these are very nice to add.
Notice the Stargell card says "Authentic Game-Worn Uniform" while Gwynn's says "Authentic Game-Worn Jersey"? Kinda odd. I assume the Stargell swatch must be from pants, since jersey usually refers to the shirt part, though most of the time the terms uniform and jersey are used interchangeably, right? The term pants always seems weird on relic cards, so I'm in favor of calling it uniform. Nobody wants a swatch of fabric that may have been from the crotch of the featured dude's pants. Well, maybe not nobody, but most collectors would be weirded out by the thought, I assume. Along those lines, I wonder if game-worn uniforms get washed before being made into relic cards. On one hand, swatches with evidence of action, such as dirt, are pretty cool. But a stinky crotch relic card? I'm not so sure I'd be excited about that. Come to think of it, I can't recall ever seeing a sock relic card, Curt Schilling aside. I'd like to build a little collection of quirky relics (--that is to say, stuff besides jerseys and bats). I just won a glove relic last night that I'm excited about.

But back to my budding ARMS...
I've also recently picked up a couple autos at good prices.

Clete Boyer was the Yankees' third baseman during the early 60s. Probably would have won a bunch of Gold Gloves were it not for a guy named Brooks.
And you've got to love Minnie Miñoso. I started liking him even more when I discovered he played for the Padres in their PCL days. I consider him a part of my Pads In The Hall minicollection, even if he's not technically in the HOF yet (a miscarriage of justice!)
Great to pick up my first autograph of his.

Catch ya next time.