Topps Replied To My Email…

Topps Replied To My Email…

Yeah, so I found a reply from Topps in my Inbox this afternoon.

But first, let me take you back to where this started and why I contacted them in the first place.  Click here.

Ok, so like I was saying, Topps sent me an email this afternoon, so here is their word-for-word reply:

Thank you for taking the time to write with your question, and please accept our apologies for any confusion.

We appreciate all feedback from our customers and will use this information to help us improve our Products and our service. Unfortunately the card mentioned will be considered error cards and Topps will not issue replacements or refunds of any sort for this product.

We hope this information is helpful to you. As always, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Service team (By phone: 1-800-489-9149, or by Email:support@etopps.com) if you ever have any other questions, comments or suggestions. A customer service representative will be available to answer your questions between the hours of 8:30am – 4:30pm (EST), Monday through Friday.

Thank you once again for taking the time to write. We appreciate your interest in Topps products and hope you continue to enjoy our site.

Sincerely,

Customer Service team

OK, now I know that Topps is not a small company.  And like any good company that rely on solid customer service even with high volume, I am sure that they have systems and procedures in place to rapidly assist customers.  If it sounds like I know what I am talking about, I am in the direct-to-consumer business and have been for more than 10 years.  Canned responses and auto-replies are standards in this industry, I just thought that my scenario called for a bit more attention than someone reporting a pack that was short 1 card…

So while I am pleased that my issue got reviewed, I am a little saddened that my situation will go unresolved and will fall into their ‘error bucket’.

At least the card is still mine and not sitting in the Topps mailroom….

2005 Leaf Chicago Cubs ‘Clean Up Crew’ Starring Andre Dawson, Mark Grace, and Ryne Sandberg!!!

2005 Leaf Chicago Cubs ‘Clean Up Crew’ Starring Andre Dawson, Mark Grace, and Ryne Sandberg!!!

Now this card here is an instant classic for me, and for that matter, any fan of the Chicago Cubs during the late 1980′s!!!

If you were to poll any Cubs’ fans during that time as to who their favorite player on the team was, the odds are pretty good that the names most frequently mentioned would be Dawson, Sandberg, and Grace.  In fact, if you tallied all of the results from that poll, I would put money on the three of them ranking as 1-2-3 in the final count.

This card really takes me back to the 5 years that I lived in the suburbs of Chicago.  These three players entertained me so often during that time – I kind of feel like I grew up with them.  The Cubs’ were a permanent fixture on my TV back then, and with so many games starting early in the day, I was able to catch quite a bit of daytime baseball back then.

Obviously I am going to add this card to my Andre Dawson collection, but for any fan of the Cubs, or for baseball in the 1980′s for that matter – this would make a great addition to all of our collections!

Wade Boggs 1987 Donruss Opening Day

Wade Boggs 1987 Donruss Opening Day

I have made it pretty clear when featuring one of these cards – I love the ‘Opening Day’ subsets!!

The cards give you the chance to re-visit with some of the sport’s biggest stars.  And wade Boggs definitely fits into that group.

On Opening Day in 1987, Boggs and the Red Sox hit the road to play the Milwaukee Brewers.  For those of you less than 27 years of age, the Brewers were in the American League at this time.    Man that makes me feel old…

For their first game of the season, the Sox were facing Teddy Higuera who was the brightest star in the Brewers’ rotation.  Both Boggs and the Sox were unable to do any damage against him as the Brewers easily won the game 5-1 while Boggs picked up just 1 hit in the contest.

What a great looking card, huh??

1987 Headline: Straw & HoJo – First Ever 30/30 Teammates!!

On this date in 1987, Darryl Strawberry and Howard Johnson of the New York Mets became the first ever teammates to both join the ’30/30′ club in the same season.

The ’30/30′ club is pretty exclusive.  And the members have to be a very specific kind of player.  Powerful enough to hit bomb after bomb into the outfield seats, yet graceful and quick enough to swipe base after base in a frenzied rush to outrun a catcher’s throw.

It’s an amazing accomplishment to become a member of the ’30/30′ club.  But when 2 players on the same team reach that goal, it is baseball history!!!

By the end of the ’87 season, Darryl Strawberry finished the season with 39 home runs and 36 stolen bases.  With him was teammate Howard Johnson who crushed 36 homers and swiped 32 bases.

Congrats to Straw & HOJO!!!

Happy Birthday Cecil Fielder!!!

Cecil Fielder turns 47 years old today!!

As mighty of a power hitter as there ever has been, Cecil Fielder is the owner of some of the biggest, and longest home runs hit in the last 30 years!!

To say he is known for one thing is a fair statement.  That happens when you bash 51, 44, 35, 30, 38, 31, and 39 home runs in consecutive seasons.  But Fielder’s game was a bit more well-rounded than his power numbers may hint at.  ‘Big Daddy’ had 7 straight seasons with at least 100 hits or more and he also had two seasons where he scored 100+ runs.

Cecil Fielder is a 3-time All-Star, 2-time Silver Slugger winner, and a World Series champion.

Happy Birthday Cecil Fielder!!!

Baseball Card Show Purchase #14 – Fergie Jenkins Game-Used Jersey Card

Baseball Card Show Purchase #14 – Fergie Jenkins Game-Used Jersey Card

I have this card with a White swatch, so when I saw that bad-boy featuring a Pale Blue piece of jersey, I knew I had to have it!!!

From the 2003 Flair Greats ‘Cut Of History’ set, this card is nice to look at even though the design is a bit dull. 

But, I will admit having that Blue chunk of Jenkins jersey in the center is an absolute treat!!!

Baseball Card Show Purchase #13 – An Andre Dawson Needle In An Andre Dawson Haystack

Baseball Card Show Purchase #13 – An Andre Dawson Needle In An Andre Dawson Haystack

Luckily, I don’t mind sifting trough cards.  And while it can sometimes be a bit physically uncomfortable, I don’t mind the challenge of finding the proverbial needle in a haystack.

I have become friendly with the dealer that brings all of the bargain bins to the show – Hell, 75% of my time is usually spent at his tables…  This time around, he told me that he knew some Dawsons were in the $0.10 boxes.  And I told him that I would take every one that I found…

Well, 3 became 8 and 8 became 14 and 14 became 21, and I eventually wound up hauling away 38 cards featuring ‘The Hawk’!!

And of the 38 cards, just 1 fits a need in my Dawson collection.  I am finding it increasingly harder to just find Dawson cards that I don’t have.  And now with over 650 unique Dawson cards in my collection, it is the rare and limited stuff that keeps my journey going.

This is the newest card for my Andre Dawson collection – 1988 Nestle!!!

Thanks Jeremy!

Baseball Card Show Purchase #12 – 1972 Topps Tony Perez

Baseball Card Show Purchase #12 – 1972 Topps Tony Perez

This is the oldest card that I picked up while at the show.  From the 1972 base set, this card is in great condition and I am thrilled to have found this one in a sea of modern baseball cards.

Perez was solid in ’72.  Appearing in 136 games for the Reds, Perez amassed 146 hits en route to a .283 batting average.  A solid producer of power and run production, Perez bashed 21 home runs while driving in 90 and scoring 64 times.  He helped take his team to the World Series in 1972 where he hit .435 over the course of the 7-game series that he eventually lost to the mighty Oakland A’s.

A great addition to my Tony Perez player collection.

Baseball Card Show Purchase #11 – Hall Of Fame Giants

Baseball Card Show Purchase #11 – Hall Of Fame Giants

I like Willie McCovey.  I collect Willie McCovey.  I respect Willie McCovey for his accomplishments as one of the greatest sluggers in the history of this wonderful sport.

As for Willie Mays, what can I say?  He is simply, the most well-rounded baseball player to ever put on a uniform.  And when I speak/hear/learn about him and his career, I soak it all in…

I cannot believe that these were sitting in the $0.10 bin.

Without hesitation, I grabbed all of them.

Oh, and these are also the first cards I have ever owned of Mr. Mays.  Regardless of their issue date, his presence is needed and now belongs in my collection!!!

Baseball Card Show Purchase #10 – Modern Memories Of My Favorite Baseball Dynasty!!!

Baseball Card Show Purchase #10 – Modern Memories Of My Favorite Baseball Dynasty!!!

I will never turn down the ability to add cards from the studs of the ‘Big Red Machine’ to my collection.

And this time around, I picked up six cards that fit the bill. 

Celebrating Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, and Tony Perez, each of these cards offers a unique and memorable look at one of the most potent and offensively dominant teams that ever played the game!!!