Search for the elusive 1990 Donruss

Funny enough, I find myself in a situation where I need some '90 Donruss cards. Dennis at Too Many Verlanders was kind enough to send me what he thought was a complete set, but it was missing a few random cards. (I got my revenge on him by giving him a custom with a glaring typo.. *evil laugh* --no, j/k, it was an honest mistake and I feel like an idiot about it.)

As I mentioned buried somewhere in the muck of my previous post, I'm celebrating 30 years as a collector this year. All major brand card designs from 1990 have at least some sentimental attachment to me, as I tried to sample a little of everything on card shop shelves that year, my insatiable first immersion into the hobby. So even routinely mocked sets like '90 Topps, '90 Donruss, and '90 Fleer are old chums to me. So with that exposition out of the way...

1990 Donruss needs (or upgrades needed*):
20 Chris Bosio DK
241 Rafael Ramirez
270 Gregg Jefferies
276 Paul Kilgus
326 Bob Boone
337* Eric King
347 Bip Roberts
470* Bob Walk

Yaz puzzle needs:
10+11+12
16+17+18
19+20+21
28+29+30

First place to check?

My lovely wife got me a couple card frames at Michaels for my birthday. One is filled with '90 Donruss and the other with '90 Upper Deck. I'm excited to fill these up and find a place to hang them, though I haven't decided on any themes yet. I wouldn't want to put in any high-dollar cards in there for fear of them fading in the light over time, though I guess I could hang it in a relatively dark location and rotate out cards every so often. Actually, this post has given me the idea to fill up a frame with all "random" cards from 1990 from 20 different sets. That could be cool and fit into my whole "celebrating 30 years as a collector" thing I mentioned.

But back to the task at hand.. Sadly, none of the 90D on display here are on my needs list.

It just so happens that I have 3 unopened packs of 1990 Donruss in my very small cache of unopened product. They were all thrown in by traders over the past few years. I've just been saving them for a rainy day rip or failing that, a reason to want to open packs of 1990 Donruss. And hey, seems like the time is here!

Let's see if I can hopefully cross a couple numbers off my wantlist. I would also be up for any errors I might come across. Oh, and also the MVP inserts weren't included in the set Dennis sent, so I'd also like to add all those (besides the Gwynn which I've got plenty copies of). I thought I could probably dig up a duplicate Bip Roberts base card, but alas, didn't find one (yet).

In the interest of making this post more interesting, I'll tackle this as a 3-way pack skirmish. Calling these "orange pack", "white pack", and "red pack". Which pack will shake out as the best?

The white pack gets on the board first with a puzzle piece I need!

White's dominance continues with a Bo Jackson MVP.

The orange pack flexes with a Rated Rookie, while the red pack boasts a Diamond King plus 2-time batting champ Willie McGee.

The red (right) pack is the most impressive of this bunch, with the Cobra leading a squad of all-star players. Still no base cards I need, however.

And the above bunch closes out the rip. The orange pack seems to have gifted me a bonus, 17th card. Cool, but nothing I need.

Keeper Roundup:

For my set, I checked off a puzzle piece need, plus got a Bo for the MVP inserts, both thanks to the white pack. Orange pack had nothing for me, but the red pack gave me a few other keepers. Dave Parker and Mike Scioscia are PC guys, while Willie McGee and Lou Whitaker are fringe guys in my collection that I don't officially PC (yet), but tend to hang onto when I get them.

Another semi-interesting thing to mention about this cheap wax rip: the orange and white packs feature base cards with the period in the copyright (LEAF, INC.) while the red pack does not have the period after "INC" for any of the base cards (DK's still have a period). For my set, I don't care at all about this variation (nor the "paint splatter" variations on the front, I believe due to the factory set cards being slightly different), but I would count them as different cards in my PCs.

I just checked, I don't have either version of the Scioscia (can hardly even be considered a "PC" at only 7 cards.. hey, it's a very casual collection, and I collect him because he appeared on The Simpsons). With Dave Parker (PC consisting of about 60 cards), I only have the period version of his 90D in there, so the no-period version I just pulled is an addition.. sweet!

I'm thinking Dave Righetti might get the honor of representing 1990 Donruss in my "Frame of 1990".  I remember this card well from my early days as a collector. The optimistic smile with a knee up on the dugout steps.. simply a great image.

But maybe I'll end up going with something else.. perhaps a card I pulled myself back in 1990. We'll see! Stay tuned for a future post on it once I get that frame figured out.

Halloween Spooktacular

Here are some cards "dressed up for Halloween" (photoshopped to look weird).

- - ---o

Now it's time for a ghoulish pack skirmish.

2007 Topps Hollywood Zombies Trading Card Pack
 vs.
1989 Topps GhostBusters II Trading Card Pack

Got these both in a recent combined-shipping eBay purchase. As for the Hollywood Zombies pack, the only interest I have is trying to hit a glow-in-the-dark card. And I've got 14 cards left to complete the Ghostbusters II set, so I'm hoping to pull at least one of those needs.

Heads-up, these Zombie cards are very gross. Proceed at your own risk.

A fine woman enjoying a glass of wine wins this round.

Here's a quick look at the backs. I thought it was fitting that this Hollywood Zombies card happens to have a Ghostbusters reference on the back.

Gotta go with sexy-times on the couch.

Wow, that "Drew Burymore" is disgusting. Gotta go with the boring logo card here.

The Lindsay seems to be a foil parallel. Sure, let's give a pity point for the shininess.

I'm not even gonna waste my time straining my eyes on that tiny text. The only Ghostbusters sticker I need at this point is #1, and sadly this is #3.

Ok, that George W. might be the absolute worst trading card of all time.

There is no winner here.

More Ghostbusters cards than Zombie cards. Hey, the gum looks ok.

*crunch crunch*

(I ate the gum. That might be the grossest part of the post to some of you!)

Final bone-chilling result?
I pulled zero glowing cards from the Zombies pack.
I pulled zero cards I needed from the Ghostbusters pack.

Well, that was a frightening waste of $3! Boo! All of these are available, so if you'd like to trade for any, please get in touch to take these off my hands. PLEASE! I don't care what you send me in return, just get these out of my house.

I figure it won't hurt to post my Ghostbusters 2 wantlist here:
Needs: 6, 28, 33, 34, 48, 52, 54, 68, 70, 72, 75, 76, 81, Sticker #1

=---->

World Series stuff!

Back in my World Series preview post, I totally forgot to include the Zack Greinke auto I've got. He nearly had himself a Game 7 to remember, but Houston took a chance on going to the bullpen instead of sticking with him out there. It didn't work out for them.

Congrats to my guy Stephen Strasburg on the Championship and being named World Series MVP! Proud times for SDSU alumni like myself.

For the first time in history, out of the four major professional leagues, Kawhi Leonard and Stephen Strasburg are the first players from the same university to be named postseason MVP in the same season. #GoAztecs pic.twitter.com/EyOT7blwDi

— GoAztecs (@GoAztecs) October 31, 2019

OK, that's it for the Spooktacular. (I'm sorry I didn't finish my big "glow-in-the-dark cards" post in time [I had been planning on posting it today], but it'll be done one of these days.)
Happy Halloween!

Pack Skirmish: Elvis vs. Rap in an epic battle

It's time for another Pack Skirmish. This time it's Elvis Presley pitted against rap stars of the late 80s/early 90s.

The impetus for this is I need an Elvis card (any Elvis card) for a dumb collecting project I've been toying with starting up. And since it's a music-themed month here at Baseball Card Breakdown, I thought it'd be a good post to do now. (And who wants to talk about baseball right now with all the heartbreaking evil afoot in the postseason?)

The Elvis pack was thrown in with a trade package from SCC last year, while the Yo! MTV Raps pack arrived in similar fashion from the Junior Junkie. Now let's pit them head-to-head!

Stop: Hammertime! Elvis can't hold a candle (or a cup, in this case) to M.C. Hammer's sparkly jacket.
Elvis - 0
Rap - 1

I opened a couple packs or so of these Yo! MTV Raps cards back in the day, and I know I had that LL Cool J card. I remember even doing a sketch of it in my middle school binder. Keep on walking, Elvis.


Elvis - 0
Rap - 2

Oh man, there's no love lost in this matchup, as Public Enemy dissed Elvis in their song "Fight the Power". I like a few PE songs, but I think I gotta go with Jumpsuit Elvis here.
Elvis - 1
Rap - 2

Young MC's Stone Cold Rhymin' was one of the first cassette tapes I ever bought. That album was pretty huge thanks to the hits "Bust a Move" and "Principal's Office" though I pretty much dug it from start to finish. Easy win for rap here.
Elvis - 1
Rap - 3

Oh man, this might be the toughest round of the skirmish! Vanilla Ice rookie card! That's another card I owned back in the day, and also remember sketching this picture somewhere too. But Elvis on the drum kit?! That's like pulling a card of a pitcher wearing catchers' gear! Point: Elvis.
Elvis - 2
Rap - 3

Shirtless Elvis in an awkward moment with his mom? No thanks! The point goes to Heavy D and the Boyz. I always liked the In Living Color theme song from them. It's never too late and it's never too soon. Rap scores an insurance run.
Elvis - 2
Rap - 4

That's a nice portrait of Elvis. Terminator X? Wasn't he part of Public Enemy's crew? Not sure how he ended up with his own card. That'd be like pulling a card of the Marlins' pitching coach.

Elvis - 3
Rap - 4

Jeez, this is a tough matchup. I'm down with KRS-One, but young Elvis on a hog is pretty badass. We've got a tied game!
Elvis - 4
Rap - 4

More motorcycle goodness, but Elvis is MIA. Gotta go with slick Fab Five Freddy here.
Elvis - 4
Rap - 5

Hmm.. I sure do like that "Pop Goes The Weasel" song 3rd Bass had, but that's all I know from them. Elvis looks pretty cool here with a dangling acoustic guitar. Viva Las Vegas.
Elvis - 5
Rap - 5

Here's the grand finale. A couple "offers" but no more rap cards. Elvis lands a pair of unanswered blows.

Presley pulls off an exciting come from behind win!

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend.

Pack Skirmish: 2015 Stadium Club vs. the Junkiest of Junk

It's time for another filler post, er, I mean Pack Skirmish! This time, my last coupe packs from the discounted 2015 Stadium Club blaster will be matching up against the junkiest of the junk wax that Topps has to offer.

The first challenger is 1988 Topps.
GUM CHECK: It's good! Let's give it a point for pure, pink gum. Cracked, but otherwise still in fine condition. I ate the whole thing, ain't gonna lie. No ill effects. Took me back to my carefree days as a kid.

Since Stadium Club only has 5 cards to a pack, they'll have to fight off multiple junk foes. Cueto here feels no pressure, and fends off Neil Allen, Lee Mazzilli (creased inside the pack), and a micro appearance of Jack Clark.
Tied at 1.

Oh, it's a mano-y-mano matchup of future Padres. Current third base coach Glenn Hoffman vs. current closer Fernando Rodney. Man, I can choose between this pair of Friars. Pass!

Josh Harrison is pretty good, squeaking past an Astros onslaught. SC 2, Topps 1.

Wil Myers gold parallel.. nice card of a guy I collect, but I already have this one (thanks again, SCC), so it'll probably end up with Marcus. Since it's a dupe, I'll reluctantly give the point to the trio of decent names. Well, Maddux might be a decent name due to Mike's brother, but close enough. 2-all tie.

It's a BATTLE ROYALE as we close out the last cards of each pack. Pads in the Hall Sparky Anderson and Ozzie Smith, not to mention cardsphere gold Tim Wallach.. but damn, that's a fine looking Puig card with the So Cal sunset in the background. I had been hoping to land that card for my collection for a while now.

It definitely came right down to the wire, but Stadium Club wins by the skin of its teeth. Exciting!


Bout 2: Stadium Club defends its title vs. 1989 Topps.

Nasty! GUM CHECK: It's no good! Gum dust! Not edible. '89 Topps loses a point right out of the gate. It's 0 to -1. I threw away that Mark Williamson card too. It's gonna be an uphill climb for the flagship.

All-Time Cardinal favorites Lou Brock and Tom Herr team up to knock down JJ Hardy and redeem the disappointing gum. We're back to no score.

Ah man, where was Roger McDowell during the previous Pack Skirmish post when a Seinfeld theme was unsuccessfully forced?! The Candy Man and Eric The Red (slight water stain on the left?) are also hard hitters, but that shot of Elvis stealing second is just too awesome. Stadium Club up 1-0.

Meh, Hrbek is always fun to pull I guess. Let's give the point to Topps. 1-1 tie.

Oh wow, a Luminous diecut of a dude I collect.. nice! That's good enough to beat a HOFer and a couple other solid players. SC 2, Topps 1.

And this is it! Topps wheels out Frank Tanana and a couple Rangers scrubs. No match for Mr. Andrew McCutchen!

Stadium Club handily wins this one. Topps could never recover from the gum debacle. Congrats, SC.

And for the highlights from the other packs in my Stadium Club blaster? Well, there weren't any, really. Just a couple dudes I passively collect, Darvish and Pujols. Overall it wasn't a very exciting box. The Alex Gordon insert was the best card, with the Puig and McCutchen also being keepers for me. But hey, the price was right, and lots of collectors are working on this set, so it's always good for trade fodder.

It would be impossible to find packs of MLB baseball cards that interest me less than 1988 and 1989 Topps, but hey, even so, I still love ripping packs, so this was fun. Plus I pulled a few "pack fresh" PC guys who might be upgrades for me. And it's always nice to run into a Wallach for the Wallach Guy. BTW, I was privately racing him to 1000 copies of any particular card. Sadly for me, he won recently by reaching 4-digits with Wallach's 1982 card, meanwhile I'm still at 350-ish cards of 1990 Upper Deck Marquis Grissom like a chump. I keep hoping for a huge lot to hit eBay and help me take a big stride, but no dice.

Thanks for tuning in. See you next time!