Wade Boggs 2005 Topps Turkey Red

Wade Boggs 2005 Topps Turkey Red

Another card of Wade Boggs playing defense…

But, with the vintage Topps Turkey design, I think that I would have preferred he be hitting.  For me, this style of card is better suited for a player holding a bat in a posed position rather than in an action, defensive spot.

 

Still, another nice card for my collection.  I really like the attention to detail on this card, from the shoe brand to the lacing on Boggs’ glove – VERY NICELY DONE!!!

1975 Topps Set Card 318/660 – #489 – Cecil Cooper, Red Sox

1975 Topps Set Card 318/660 – #489 – Cecil Cooper, Red Sox

Progress: 318/660

Card Number:  489

Player Name:  Cecil Cooper

Team:  Boston Red Sox

Position:  First Base

Image Style:  Posed Portrait

Years In The Major Leagues: 17 seasons, 1971-87

Notes From His 1975 Season:  Cooper hit .311 for the Red Sox in 1975 as he connected for 95 hits in 305 at-bats.  Of his 95 hits, Cooper collected 17 doubles, 6 triples, and 14 home runs.  He drove in 49 runs during the season while also scoring 44 times.

Notes From Career:  Cecil Cooper is a career .298 hitter with 5 All-Star selections, 3 Silver Slugger Awards, and 2 Gold Gloves on his resume.  Copper connected for 2,192 hits in 1,896 games played.  He is a 2-time league leader in doubles and RBI and also a former MVP candidate.

Cal Ripken Jr. 1992 Donruss Triple Play

Cal Ripken Jr. 1992 Donruss Triple Play

I’m not a huge fan of the Donruss Triple Play brand.  Personally, I did not find that the cards were very exciting.  And I also thought that the large, shifted frame that held the player’s picture took up too much space and limited the effectiveness of a nice, larger image.

But, this Cal Ripken card from the 1992 set escapes that criticism.  This card is sweet!

Have a look:

 

I love the image that was used of Cal for this set.  Not only is the card action packed, but you get a good idea of what is happening.  It appears that Rickey Henderson (#24) was either picked off or an attempt to pick him off occurred.  Cal’s got the ball in his hand and based on the direction that Henderson slid, he looks like he is headed back to 2B.  Either that, or Cal snagged a liner off the hitter’s bat and tried to chase Rickey back to second…

A fine addition to my Cal Ripken Jr. player collection.

Cal Ripken Jr. 1992 Fleer Superstar Special ‘The Indispensables II’ With Joe Carter

Cal Ripken Jr. 1992 Fleer Superstar Special ‘The Indispensables II’ With Joe Carter

Man, I really like these two guys…

 

Both of these guys, in different ways, have cemented themselves in my baseball memory and built images in my head that will last for my lifetime.

Joe Carter hit the home run that all kids dream of as a kid.  World Series drama, walk-off game winner, series clincher – You name it!  With one swing, Joe Carter cemented himself as a baseball legend who shined the brightest when all eyes were on him.

Cal Ripken built such an incredible baseball resume, and he did it the right way.  A consummate professional, Ripken played the game the right way and he did it for the pure love of the sport.  A tremendously skilled all-around player, Cal has no weakness on the field, and he took that to his off-the-field persona once he retired from the sport.

Wade Boggs 1988 Topps Glossy All-Star Send In

Wade Boggs 1988 Topps Glossy All-Star Send In

I’m always digging the cards of Wade Boggs from his early Red Sox years that feature him playing defense.

And this one from the 1988 Topps Glossy All-Star Send-In set is a beauty!

 

While Boggs was known for his hitting prowess, he was a sharp defender of the ‘hot corner’.  He has a lifetime fielding percentage of .962 at third base, and while that is not a record-setting number, it is fantastic for a player that is solely known for his offensive punch.

Gotta love #26!

Cal Ripken Jr. 1991 Upper Deck

Cal Ripken Jr. 1991 Upper Deck

The 1991 Upper Deck design still offered quite a bit of similarity to the 1989 and 1990 products that preceded it.

But, I am not complaining!  The 1989 Upper Deck set is a classic with a timeless design.

And the 1991 version, looks just as good.

Here is further evidence – the Cal Ripken, Jr. card:

 

I told you – it is a beauty!!

In today’s collecting world, this would not work as collectors demand innovation and new designs from card companies with each and every new release.

I wonder how this went over back in 1991 when collectors first discovered that the 1991 set design was just a tad different from the previous 1989 and 1990 releases…

Wade Boggs 1987 KayBee ‘Superstars Of Baseball’

Wade Boggs 1987 KayBee ‘Superstars Of Baseball’

I have to guess that the people at Kay-Bee Toystores though that creating a baseball card set like many other big-box retailers was simply a way to keep up with the competition.

But, they put out a set in 1987 that I think is one of the best oddball sets of the year.

Here is the Wade Boggs card from their 1987 release:

 

Yes, it may not be as lively as some others or feature some ‘Collector’s Edition’ attention grabbing headline, but the card is very nice and clean.

I like the look of the card with the 2-row headline, and the Kay-Bee logo on the bottom is pretty neat as well.

I especially like the large image that was saved to show off the player – and this picture of a young Wade Boggs is both neat and unique!

1986 Topps Sealed Cello Pack With Andre Dawson Card On Top!

1986 Topps Sealed Cello Pack With Andre Dawson Card On Top!

I am really excited about this pick-up for my ‘Ultimate Dawson’ collection.

Two weeks ago, I found a seller on Ebay that had listed hundreds of sealed cello and rack packs from the 1980’s featuring the game’s top stars and rookies right on top in the pack’s window.

I was able to but three for myself – and all of them feature Andre Dawson as the stand-out card.

The first one I will show off is from the 1986 Topps set release.

Here it is:

 

Pretty neat, huh?!?

While Dawson’s 1986 Topps baseball card is one of my least favorites from the 1980’s, I will let that pass as this is a very cool collectible for my collection.

And for now, it is the oldest, sealed pack of cards in my collection that features an Andre Dawson baseball card as the centerpiece.

I LOVE IT!!

Cal Ripken Jr. 1992 Score All-Star

Cal Ripken Jr. 1992 Score All-Star

Baseball caricatures became all of the rage in the late 1980’s.

I know that I had a few t-shirts that sported some of my favorite players likenesses on them.  And I believe that I had a pennant or two as well.

Well, Score took it to another level in 1992 when they inserted an All-Star set in their 1992 flagship set that honored the best players in the game.

This is the card of Cal Ripken from that set:

 

Certainly deserving of a spot on the checklist, this card of Cal is super.  I love the details, and even more, I love the fact that I absolutely recognize the caricature as #8.

Oh, and I really like the background too – having a ‘real’ group of seated fans makes the card come to life just a tad bit more…

Nicely done by Score.

Cal Ripken Jr. 1996 Upper Deck – Home Run Trot OR Base On Balls??

Cal Ripken Jr. 1996 Upper Deck

Well, I have another card here where I cannot tell what the outcome of the action is.

Have a look:

 

What do you think is going on here?

Is Cal Ripken getting into his home run trot or has he been walked to first base?

The card you are looking at comes courtesy of the 1996 Upper Deck set.  And it has left me scratching my head.