A Truckload of Baseball Cards Trade

My favorite part of the collecting hobby is acquiring large amounts of cards, be it through Craigslist or other means. Over the past five years I have picked up bulk loads of cards about a dozen times. In some instances the lot of cards was nothing but junk era commons. A couple other instances there were some high dollar sets and bulk vintage involved.

Through the One Million Cubs Project I have had the pleasure of communicating with several new fellow collectors and have concluded about 20 trades in the past month.

One such collector on Twitter, @SScards16, began flashing pictures of large amounts of monster boxes. My favorite! Even better he offered to GIVE me what he didn’t want. Give as in free. He lives in Sterling, Illinois, which is only two hours from home. Score!

His sorting was complete earlier this week, so we arranged Saturday for me to pick up the boxes. By Saturday, the count was 51 monster boxes.

A good friend from college now lives in Sterling where he is the high school volleyball coach of a very successful program (189-38 over the past six seasons). He was free for lunch and I was able to visit with an old friend to make the trip extra worthwhile.

After opening a box of 2018 Topps on Thursday, @sscards16 expressed interest in a Harrison Bader 1983 autograph I pulled. He was giving me at least 150,000 cards, so the least I could do was give him the Bader. Much to my surprise, he not only gave me the 51 monster boxes, he added an Anthony Rizzo relic and an Addison Russell medallion card, along with several other Cubs cards.

We loaded up my SUV with the monster boxes and then headed over to Buffalo Wild Wings to meet my friend for lunch. He was running a bit behind and I used that 15 minutes to pick through a box (any collector knows that feeling – a carload full of baseball cards just eats at you).

A couple hours of catching up, a dozen boneless honey mustard wings, and then I was on my way home. About 30 minutes into the drive home the weather switched from no precipitation to white out conditions and snow covered roads in a span of five miles.

It took more cautious driving, but I arrived safe at home and ready to unload my loot. As of this writing, I haven’t had time to sort through any of the boxes. It will make for a good Super Bowl Sunday of Sorting.

Shiny Cards – Dumping Chase Utley for Cubs

This hobby is great. As I attempt to collect one Million Cubs cards, even Cubs collectors are joining the cause.

In my latest trade, Cubs fan Jake in Missouri generously traded me 55 Cubs cards in exchange for a pile of Chase Utley cards.

And the hobby circle is smaller than we realize sometimes. As we exchanged Twitter messages leading up to our trade, we discovered a shared connection of working for the Peoria Chiefs during their affiliation with the Chicago Cubs. Jake was there a few years prior to my season in Peoria.

Despite this being a smaller trade, there was still approaching 10-percent new cards to my collection from this deal. There were some shiny cards, too.

Not much for bling, some cards to really get my attention. This 2013 Darwin Barney green Parallel is one of them.

Jorge Soler had a lot of promise coming up with the Cubs, and certainly had some exciting moments in Chicago. Here’s hoping Jorge gets back on track soon with the Royals. This mini 2013 Bowman Chrome Risin Thru the Ranks insert is another shiny one.

Here’s another Topps Parallel. This from 2017 Topps Opening Day, a Kyle Hendricks foil parallel.

Topps Opening Day is a product I stay away from, so it’s nice to get caught up through trades. Another new edition is this 2017 Opening Day Superstar Celebrations Addison Russell.

From 2011, this Marlon Byrd Topps 60 insert is also new to the collection.

Finally, a new Ben Zobrist. A 2016 Topps Heritage Award Winners insert.

Thanks for the trade, Jake!

1973 Wichita Aeros Team Issue – A Chicago Cubs Tony LaRussa Exclusive

The 1973 Wichita Aeros team set is my favorite Cubs team set in my collection. It was sponsored by The Action Bank, and certainly has its flaws. I decided to dig out this set because January 30 was Matt Alexander’s birthday and he has a card in this set. To my knowledge, it’s the only Alexander card in a Cubs (Aeros) uniform.

Advertisements

According to The Trading Card Database, this set features 21 cards. There are 21 total cards in my collection, and at first I was led to believe my set was missing two cards as I own two each of Jim Hibbs and Ron Tompkins. Alas, the database shows Hibbs and Tompkins have two cards in the set. The only difference in my cards are the placement of each player’s position.

Cubs minor league items fascinate me, and since I began bidding on eBay and Yahoo! Auctions (remember that?) in 1998, finding obscure minor league memorabilia has been a fun adventure. This particular Aeros team set was found on eBay in 2016, and honestly couldn’t tell you how I did stumble upon it.

Advertisements

The biggest treasure in finding the set was it contains a Tony LaRussa card in a Cubs (Aeros) uniform. Also, these sets and cards are not easy to find. LaRussa appeared in one game for the Chicago Cubs in 1973 and scored a run in his only appearance as a pinch runner. LaRussa did play in 106 games that same season with Wichita, and was purchased by the Pittsburgh Pirates prior to the 1974 season.

Another big pull for me was the Paul Reuschel. Unfortunately, the Reuschel name was butchered on this card. Paul went 7-2 on the mound for Wichita in 1973 and repeated the level (AAA) in 1974 before getting called up in 1975.

Matt Alexander had a cup of coffee with the big league club in 1973 (12 games), and played another 45 games with the Cubs in 1974. He was traded by the Cubs to the Oakland Athletics for Buddy Copeland. Alexander went on to play seven more seasons in Major League Baseball and Copeland…didn’t. He played for the Wichita Aeros in 1975 and was out of baseball by season’s end.

Advertisements

Pete LaCock was a big name here that had plenty of big league experience. LaCock had made his MLB debut in 1972 and played five games for Chicago, and would appear in 11 games in 1973. LaCock was with the Cubs through the 1976 before finishing up with the Kansas City Royals for the final four seasons of his career.

Dave Rosello was another one that debuted in 1972 and played in five games. He spent most of the 1973 season with Wichita. All but 16 games. Rosello played in Chicago through 1977 before finishing his career with the Cleveland Indians.

Managing the 1973 Wichita Aeros is a familiar name: Jim Marshall. He guided the Aeros to a 67-68 record in 1973, which was second in the West Division of the American Association. Marshall went on to manage the Chicago Cubs for three seasons, 1974 to 1976.

One great part of flipping through old minor league cards is discovering players that are largely forgotten, or never known. Al Montreuil was a never known for me, but 1973 was also nine years before my birth. Unfortunately, Montreuil passed away in 2008. He did appear with the big league Cubs in 1972 playing five games. His minor league career spanned 13 seasons and logged 1,266 games.

Advertisements

Chris Ward appeared in one game for the Cubs in 1972, and spent the entire 1973 season with Wichita before heading back to Chicago in 1974. The outfielder also appeared in the 1975 Topps set, but he never appeared in the Major Leagues after 1974.

Another name I didn’t recognize was Clint Compton. Compton was a one-game wonder for the Chicago Cubs pitching two innings on October 3rd, 1972, against the Philadelphia Phillies. He allowed two earned runs on two hits and two walks and never saw the big leagues again.

Floyd Weaver grew up in Pecan Gap, Texas and had a long professional baseball career. His four-year big league career spanned four seasons over nine years with three teams. None of them the Chicago Cubs. Weaver played for the Indians, Chicago White Sox, and Milwaukee Brewers. Ironically, 1973 was his last season in pro baseball and he appeared in just one game for the Aeros.

His name was more memorable than his baseball career. Here’s to “Griggy” Porter. His given name is Horace Grigston Porter. Porter was a 23rd round draft pick by the Cubs in 1969 out of Pfeiffer University in North Carolina. He spent six seasons in the Cubs organization, topping out in AAA with Wichita in 1972, 1973, and 1974.

J.C. Martin spent 14 seasons in MLB, with all but two of those seasons with a Chicago team. Martin played nine years with the White Sox, then spent two seasons with the New York Mets, before ending his career on the north side from 1970 to 1972. By the time he was pictured here with the Wichita Aeros, Martin was in the twilight of his career. He played 53 games for the Cubs’ AAA club, his final pro baseball season.

Advertisements

There are two cards of Jim Hibbs in this set. They are identical with one minor exception. One card has his position on the same line as his name, while the other card has “Catcher” below “Jim Hibbs.” Hibbs came to the Cubs organization in 1970 after spending time with the California Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Cincinnati Reds. His 1973 season with the Aeros was his last in pro baseball. The catcher hit .270 with nine home runs in 71 games.

Jim Todd played one season with the Cubs, 1974. He went 4-2, 3.89, 42 strikeouts to 41 walks in 88 innings pitched. He was traded to the Oakland Athletics in 1975 for Champ Summers.

Jose Ortiz is another member of the 1973 Wichita Aeros that played with both the Chicago Cubs and White Sox. He played 67 games between the two squads and was traded from the south side to the north side on November 30, 1970, in a rather insignificant swap. Ortiz and Ossie Blanco were traded from the White Sox to the Cubs for Pat Jacquez, Dave Lemonds, and Roe Skidmore.

Advertisements

Throughout the years, the Chicago Cubs have had some less than stellar first round draft choices. Instead of dissecting that somewhat ugly history, we’ll just highlight the 1968 first rounder, Ralph Rickey. An outfielder and pitcher out of the the University of Oklahoma, Rickey was selected 15th overall by the Cubs and never made a big league roster. Rickey spent six seasons in the Cubs organization topping out with Wichita. His final season was 1973 when he went 6-12, 5.12, 94 strikeouts to 57 walks in 153 innings. Rickey split his six years of pro baseball evenly between the field and the mound.

Ron Tompkins appeared in 35 games for the 1971 Chicago Cubs. He spent the next two seasons with the Wichita Aeros. He went 7-7, 4.58, 49 strikeouts to 61 walks for the 1973 Aeros.

Tom Badcock was a fifth round pick by the Cubs in the 1970 Major League Baseball draft out of Springfield (MA) College. By 1973, Tompkins had reached the AAA Aeros and went 1-4, 4.63, 23 strikeouts to 25 walks. He was out of the Cubs organization by 1975 and spent the final three seasons of his pro career with the Dodgers, Indians, and Royals.

Finally, Tom Lundstedt had a three-year big league career with the Cubs in the early 1970’s. Lundstedt’s decision to go to college paid off. The standout at Prospect High School in Mt. Prospect, Illinois was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 65th round of the 1967 Major League Baseball draft.

Advertisements

After playing at both Arizona State and the University of Michigan, Lundstedt upped his draft stock to the first round of the 1970 draft, selected 17th overall by the Cubs. He improved his draft stock by 934 spots. While he did play three seasons in Chicago, Lundstedt only appeared in 44 games from 1973 to 1975. Lundstedt was with the Minnesota Twins for his 1975 season after the Cubs dealt the catcher for Mike Adams.

Nearly three years later and I finally discovered I have the complete set of the 1973 Wichita Aeros. Not a bad purchase for approximately $15.

Rediscovering the Happiness of a Hobby

Baseball card collecting. A phrase I say under my breath during introductory conversations with new friends.

I own it, but I’m self aware of the stigma that baseball card collecting carries into adulthood. Non-collectors often reply, “they still make baseball cards?” Well, yeah. Just because you grew up doesn’t mean I have to.

Advertisements

Baseball card collecting is therapy. It whisps you back to your childhood. If you’re into opening packs, boxes, or cases, it’s much like gambling.

Baseball card album botton left. RBI Baseball on Nintendo. Does it get any more 1989 than this?

My collecting has taken off over the past four years. It began when I moved to a new city with time to fill. Target was two blocks away and my first several Friday nights were spent opening blaster boxes. And then it spiraled into several Craigslist truckload purchases.

But somewhere in between the hobby was no longer a hobby. In 2015, I bought my first case (Topps Heritage Minors). It was a rush and I wanted more. I learned how and what to sell to maximize my profit.

Advertisements

Over the next two years I bought more cases. Heritage, Bowman, Allen & Ginter. It became work. Less and less did I enjoy the actual opening of packs. Instead of taking my time opening packs with a bottle of beer and something on TV, I raced through each box to get hits listed as soon as possible on eBay. It became all about maximizing my return.

Sure, most Cubs cards were set aside for my own collection, but any Cubs hit went on sale to finance the next big break.

After a day in the office (I work in sales), I came home to more work. And for what? To fund the next case that may or may not reach the break even point.

Advertisements

Something had to change. I love baseball cards, but I wasn’t loving baseball cards. The hobby became an unrewarding business for me. How could I enjoy the hobby again?

Chicago Cubs collecting. Trading. Interacting. Buying and selling.

I’ve always pulled out Cubs cards and stored them away in boxes for my personal collection that had gone largely ignored in recent years.

Boxes and boxes of my non-Cubs cards sat alone and not worth the time sorting and listing in my Sportlots store. I should trade!

Advertisements

Many times since the late 1990’s, I have collected Cubs cards and conducted bulk team trades. It all began answering an ad out of the back of a Tuff Stuff or Sports Collectors Digest. So, I decided I would begin team trading again.

But I needed a goal, and a hook. Sure, there are many other collectors out there willing to trade, but how can I attract more traders? I needed a goal. A crazy goal.

There are more than one million trading cards in my collection. I’ll trade them all for Cubs and can eventually boast I have one million CUBS cards. Now that would be something. So the One Million Cubs Project was born.

And it’s been a lot of fun. I’ve already met dozens of fellow collectors in the first month of this journey, made several great trades, and interacted extensively on Twitter about the project and the hobby in general.

Advertisements

The hobby is a hobby again! I’m happy with my collecting goals and trades. I don’t come home from a stressful day of work to worry about how many eBay listings I need to post.

Many thanks to every one of you for helping me find the joy in this hobby once again. And trade me your Cubs cards!

Oddballs and Autographs: Another Great Twitter Trade

Check off another fantastic return via Twitter trade. Plenty of oddballs and great Cubs cards from Jason (@realjtcarter).

Advertisements

Inside the bubble mailer was a book. I have many, many books on baseball. Especially Chicago Cubs books. But…”The Cubs Fan’s Guide To Happiness,” is a new one for my library. Ironically, one of the Cubs jokes on the front cover reads, “$75 jersey of future bust.” That strikes a chord with me and my $125 Nomar Garciaparra Cubs jersey in my closet.

That book is now in my lineup. Currently reading: “All The Missing Girls,” by Megan Miranda.

A lot of goodies were tucked inside this book. Surprised inside a surprise. Here was an oversized Ryne Sandberg 1986 Donruss, a couple oversized Sammy Sosa cards and….a Greg Maddux AUTOGRAPH! Whoah!

Advertisements

This is actually my first Maddux autograph among my 500-plus Cubs signatures.

Five team bags came packed with a punch. First off, a 2004 Upper Deck Diamond Collection Dean’s List jersey Relic of Mark Prior. The swatch is dual color with a blue stripe.

New to my collection is a 2006 SP Legendary Cuts Charlie Root.

Advertisements

Root is the Cubs all-time winningest pitcher with 201 career victories from 1926 to 1941.

Pack two brought plenty of superstars. A pair of Javier Baez Topps Future Stars.

And another new Ryne Sandberg.

The 1970’s brought us colorful characters in baseball…and Topps gave us some colorful baseball cards in 1975.

Advertisements

The rainbow set from 1975 Topps. Here’s Vic Harris and Rick Monday.

And more Maddux. There were 14 Greg Maddux cards inside.

More autographs popped up inside pack three. A signed 1988 Donruss Paul Noce and a 1990 Donruss Mike Harkey.

Advertisements

Ironically, Noce appeared in yesterday’s blog about my 1988 Score box break.

Also here: 2017 Topps Update Gold Jose Quintana numbered 678/2017.

A real gem in pack four. Packed amongst a pile of 1987 Topps was this 2016 Bowman Sophomore Standouts green numbered 25/99.

May 6, 1998, is one of the most memorable dates in Chicago Cubs history.

Advertisements

Kerry Wood’s 20 strikeout game. It was highlighted in the 1999 Topps set.

Finally, I was definitely one with Fukudome Fever in 2008. Here’s a 2008 Upper Deck Kosuke Fukudome rookie.

The oddest card came in the last team bag. It’s a 1991 Upper Deck Bill Long.

Advertisements

But, this card has been altered by someone taping what appears to be an arm with the hand grabbing Long’s chest.

Another new Ryno here with a Queen of Spades from a 1991 deck of cards.

And a pair of new stickers from 2016 Topps.

30 Years Later: 1988 Score Box Break

What a year we had in 1988. Doug Williams led the Washington Redskins to a Super Bowl XXII victory while winning the game’s MVP. The end of 1988 saw the United States elect George H.W. Bush its 41st President. In between, we watched the Summer Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea, and Winter Games in Calgary, Alberta. We enjoyed Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman in the year’s Academy Award winning Best Picture, “Rain Man.” We were enamored by “Who Shot J.R.” on Dallas, and U2 won the Grammy for Album of the Year with “Joshua Tree.”

Advertisements

The year also brought us two things for the first time: the World Wrestling Federation’s Royal Rumble, and Score was introduced to baseball card collectors. Thirty years later as I watch the 2018 Royal Rumble, I am going back in time by opening a box of 1988 Score.

A box of 1988 Score featured 36 packs with each pack containing 17 player cards and one magic motion trivia card. Rick Sutcliffe appeared on the side panel of boxes.

There were also cards on the bottom of the box, which had also been done by Topps. My particular box featured Eric Davis, Willie Randolph, and Terry Kennedy, plus a “Do You Remember” moment from Wrigley Field. Wrigley Field: the home of the Cubs! Score (no pun intended!).

Inside, the packs were a bit different from the other brands as you could actually see which card was on the top and bottom if you looked closely, and in some cases moved the cards around.

Advertisements

Pack searchers didn’t even have to work. Full disclosure: pack searchers are scum, and I will not apologize if that offends you.

Opening pack number one, and it’s an immediate “hit,” with Nolan Ryan on the bottom of the pack. Inside, we find two bigger “hits,” for this Cubs collector. Manny Trillo and Rick Sutcliffe. This was Trillo’s second stint with the Cubs. First, he played in Chicago from 1975 through 1978, and returned for a three-year stint in 1986. At age 36 in 1988, Trillo hit .250 playing in 76 games.

Advertisements

Sutcliffe had a down year in 1988, going 13-14 with a 3.86 ERA. He did log 226 innings which was one of eight seasons he tossed more than 200 innings in a season.

Nary a Cubs card in pack two, but a pair of Red Sox all-stars are here in Roger Clemens and Wade Boggs.

What pack two was lacking, pack three landed three Cubs cards. Brian Dayett, Jody Davis, and Jerry Mumphrey checking in.

Advertisements

Did you know: Jerry Mumphrey had the highest WAR of any Cubs player in 1986? Unfortunately, by 1988 his career was coming to an end. In his final season Mumphrey hit just .136 in 63 games. He was released by the team following the season.

Pack four was a bit disappointed in Cubs-ness, but this pack was gold in 1988. Mike Schmidt and Kirby Puckett. Matt Williams rookie card. Mark McGwire and Matt Nokes rookie sluggers. Impressive selection of stars here. And Ed Lynch. Lynch didn’t even play in 1988. His final big league season was 1987 with the Cubs. He became better known with the organization as the team’s General Manager in later years.

For as exciting as pack four was, the fifth pack was a downer. Only Robin Yount stands out here. No Cubs.

Duplication already with the Rookie Sluggers card. At least it’s not another Scott Bankhead.

Jamie Moyer was starting his third big league season with the Cubs in 1988, his last with the team.

Advertisements

And who would have thought the pitcher would finish his career an amazing 24 years later. His career spanned 25 seasons with eight different clubs.

No Cubs in pack eight, but a couple superstars in Steve Garvey and Reggie Jackson. Both players ended their long playing careers in 1987.

Another Reggie Jackson card popped up in pack number nine. This one featuring the slugger in an Orioles uniform.

Advertisements

Also, Don Mattingly for the first time, and a pseudo-Cubs card. Wrigley Field is the setting for the Magic Motion trivia card for Babe Ruth’s “called shot.”

My favorite card in pack 10 is neither a Cubs card, nor a star. Well, there are no Cubs here and a duplicate Mattingly/Jack Clark card we saw in pack nine. So, my “hit” here is Detroit Tigers catcher Mike Heath. Why? Well, one of my friends in high school was also named Mike Heath. He wasn’t a very good baseball player, but a very talented actor!

Another dud with the 11th pack opened. For the first time I have gone two consecutive packs without a Cubs card. The only star here is Dwight “Doc” Gooden.

Advertisements

Gooden was an All-Star his first three seasons with the New York Mets, then missed the 1987 All Star Game. He came back in 1988 for his fourth All Star appearance, which was the last of his career that continued for another 11 seasons.

Three superstars in 1988 that are a bit underappreciated in hobby circles thirty years later. Rickey Henderson has a decent collector base, but Gooden and Wally Joyner are largely overlooked. Speaking of overlooked: a third straight pack with no Cubs.

A prospector’s dream in 1988. This pack was full of rookie card punch. Jeff Treadway, Shawn Abner, AND Roberto Kelly. Sadly, in 2018 they will be tossed into their respective team’s boxes for trade. Again, no Cubs!

Cubs-less for five straight packs now. Pack 14 did yield another Robin Yount. And here’s Tim Wallach for super collector @29Collector.

Advertisements

When I think of 1988 Topps, I think Tim Wallach. For some reason every pack I opened, or box I sorted, the 1988 Topps All Star Tim Wallach was there.

Sweet streak breaker! The “Hawk” Andre Dawson checks in. Dawson had another All Star campaign in 1988 hitting .303 with 23 home runs and 79 RBI playing in an impressive 157 games for the Cubs. Bonus hit in this pack is a Fred McGriff rookie card.

Biggest bust pack of the bunch, and most likely the box. The biggest star in pack 16 is Lou Whitaker of the Tigers. And again, no Cubs.

Cal Ripken Jr. and Will Clark highlight pack 17. Again, no Cubs cards here. There are four players here that were or became Cubs: Steve Lake, Chuck Crim, Gary Gaetti, and Danny Jackson.

Two Cubs hits! A couple of good ones here in Rafael Palmeiro and Bob Dernier. Palmeiro had an All Star season in 1988 by batting .307 with 41 doubles, 8 home runs, and 53 RBI.

Advertisements

Dernier was not even with the Cubs in 1988 after he was granted free agency following the 1987 season and signed with the Philadelphia Phillies, a team he won a World Series with in 1983.

RYNO! Hit my first Ryne Sandberg of the box. Sandberg had another All Star season in 1988 with 19 home runs while hitting .264. Too bad it’s 1988, or I hit a gold mine with this Sam Horn rookie. He was the prospect darling of the year.

Three Chicago cards appear in pack, but none Cubs. All three are White Sox: Carlton Fisk, Donnie Hill, and Richard Dotson. Also, here a Reggie Jackson Athletics card.

Barry Larkin highlights pack 21. Zero Cubs appear in this pack.

1988 marked the final season in Chicago for Jody Davis. On September 29, 1988, Davis was traded to the Atlanta Braves for Kevin Blankenship and Kevin Coffman.

Advertisements

Davis played 90 games total in 1988, with 88 of them with the Cubs. He hit nine doubles and six home runs in his final season with Chicago. Jose Canseco also here, as well as a double dose of Benito Santiago.

Paul Noce pops up, and was another Cubs player that appeared in this set that did not appear with the big league club in 1988.

Advertisements

Noce played in 70 games in 1987, but spent the entire 1988 season in Triple-A split between the Cubs and Expos organizations. He was traded on July 28 for Bryan Oelkers.

Excellent pack 24 with a couple big stars in Bo Jackson and Roger Clemens. Galesburg, Illinois native Jim Sundberg also here in a Cubs uniform. Sundberg was traded to the Cubs ahead of the 1987 season by the Kansas City Royals for Thad Bosley and Dave Gumpert.

Advertisements

Sundberg only made it a half season in Chicago before getting released on July 15. The catcher appeared in 20 games during the 1988 season and mustered up 13 hits, two of which went for home runs. Sundberg lasted just one more season in Major League Baseball (a 16-year career) with the Texas Rangers, where he spent several years as an executive.

My plan was to keep any pack unopened if a Cubs card appeared at the front. Through 24 packs, I nearly forgot to check numerous times. But, I caught myself and checked each pack. Until pack 25 when I started ripping the pack open. Halfway through I realized this pack wasn’t checked for a Cubs card. Of course, there was a Keith Moreland Cubs card at the front of this pack.

Advertisements

After thinking about leaving it half ripped, I decided to just rip it the rest of the way. Tom Glavine’s rookie card was inside, as well as the aforementioned Moreland. “Zonk” was a Cubs fan favorite during his tenure from 1982 to 1987, but by 1988 he was with the San Diego Padres following a February trade. He was sent to San Diego with Mike Brumley for future Hall of Famer Goose Gossage and Ray Hayward.

Leon “Bull” Durham with a beautiful mid-swing action shot on a popping green border shows its face in pack 26. Durham was one my favorites during this era. In 1988, his final Cubs season, he hit .219 in 24 games before being traded to the Cincinnati Reds for Pat Perry on May 19. He was in the twilight of his career, as he played just one more season, 1989, with the franchise he started with, the St. Louis Cardinals.

Zero stars and zero Cubs in this pack. In fact, only one player in this pack had played with the Cubs and that was Dennis Lamp.

Advertisements

Here shown with the Oakland Athletics. Keith Comstock was annointed a Cubs pitcher on his 1991 Topps error card, but he was actually a Seattle Mariner.

I’m keeping pack 28 intact as Tim Wallach appears on the front. Maybe @29collector will be interested.

Nothing of signifcance in this next pack. The only former or future Cubs inside is Carmelo Martinez who played 29 games for Chicago in 1983.

Ozzie Smith is the only hit in pack 30. Zero Cubs appear.

Only one Cubs card here in another Durham. But, five other cards of players that had formerly played with the Cubs or would eventually become Chicago Cubs.

Advertisements

Dennis Lamp and Rick Reuschel both played with the Cubs during the 1970’s. Bill Long, Domingo Ramos, and Rick Aguilera would later become Cubs in the 1990’s.

Two former Cubs in Joe Niekro and Tim Stoddard are here. Niekro played for the Cubs from 1967 to 1969, while Stoddard spent the 1984 season in Chicago.

Six of the 17 cards in the 33rd pack were at one time Chicago Cubs. However, none of them appeared in a Cubs uniform in the 1988 Score set.

Advertisements

Former Cubs pictured here are Willie Hernandez, Chris Speier, Bill Buckner, Randy Myers, and Guy Hoffman. Also, Chris Bosio, recently the Cubs pitching coach is here as a Brewer.

Another pack void of Chicago Cubs, but here’s another “Big Mac” Mark McGwire card.

I missed the front facing Keith Moreland before ripping open the pack. Here is Jamie Moyer showing on the backside of this pack, so I’ll keep this one unopened.

And now to the final 36th pack. Vance Law was an All-Star in 1988, but his 1988 Score card shows Law with the Montreal Expos. This final pack has me torn as to whether or not I should tear into it. Vance Law was one of my favorites from this time. Maybe it was his glasses and the fact he looked more like an accountant than a big league baseball player.

Advertisements

Law hit .293 with 11 home runs and 78 RBI in 1988 with the Cubs after being acquired as a free agent, signing in December 1987. For the time being, I am going to leave this pack intact. Also in my collection is a scouting note card from the San Diego Padres with a spray chart of Law during his Cubs tenure. This will be another oddball in my Vance Law collection.

The total Cubs count was 17 player cards plus one Wrigley Field magic motion trivia card. There was at least one more Cubs card (Jamie Moyer) in the three packs that remain unopened.

One Player You Have Never Heard Of Defines My Baseball Card Collecting Childhood

Unless you were a baseball card prospector in 1990, or a die-hard Chicago Cubs fan the name Earl Cunningham most likely means nothing to you.

Earl Cunningham defines my baseball card collecting childhood. The first Cubs prospect I sought was Ty Griffin, the team’s first round pick in 1988. Griffin was a standout at Georgia Tech and was on Team USA in 1988. Griffin appeared in the 1989 Topps set, which quickly became my favorite card.

Advertisements

Then the 1990 Topps set was released and again a player I had never heard of appeared in the Cubs team set. It was Earl Cunningham. He was the Cubs first round draft choice (8th overall) in the 1989 Major League Baseball draft out of high school.

Cunningham started his pro career with the Wytheville Cubs in 1989, smacking seven home runs in 182 at bats. Cunningham also struck out 40 times while drawing 12 walks.

Advertisements

By 1990, Cunningham advanced to low Class A Peoria of the Midwest League. This was also the year that my baseball card collecting went from casual to obsessive. Topps, Fleer, Score, Donruss, I collected them all.

Not only was Cunningham in the Topps set, he got a card in the Score set. As an 8-year old I loved Score. It seemed there were “hits” in every pack. Superstar cards and several star subsets were a part of wary Score issues.

We all had friends that we ran with at this age, as I type this feeling as if I’m Richard Dreyfus narrating Stand by Me. The Carpenter brothers were sports fanatics like myself and were also Baseball Card collectors/hoarders.

1990 was a wonderful time in the hobby. Baseball cards were at a peak, and it seemed a hobby shop or two or three were in every small city. Card shows were popping up in every town. Even my small town of Annawan (population: 800) had a card show monthly at our small community center.

Advertisements

Kewanee was the nearest “city” to us, and boasted three card shops at this time. Not bad for a city with a population of 12,000. The Knights of Columbus hall also hosted card shows once or twice a month.

By early summer one of these KofC shows had a special autograph signer: Earl Cunningham. The Carpenter family’s patriarch loaded up the station wagon and hauled a small group of us the 10-minute drive to the show where we had our Cunningham cards ready for signatures.

I took a 1990 Score and Cunningham signed it beautifully in blue sharpie. I encased it and for some reason my parents allowed me to display it on our living room’s entertainment center. (The below card is from Google. Unfortunately, my signed card was misplaced years ago).

In the years since losing my Cunningham autographed card, I have looked online for autos for sale. They have become very rare. Cunningham does not sign through the mail, nor will he agree to private signings. Just this morning I did an Earl Cunningham EBay search, which resulted in 0 autograph results.

Advertisements

Surprising for a once too prospect that fizzled out in single-A. That 1990 season in Peoria was a mighty struggle for the young power hitter. Cunningham hit just five home runs and struck out 108 times in 269 at bats. He repeated the level in 1991 and fared worse with 145 strikeouts in 381 at bats. He did show off that power with 19 home runs. In eight minor league seasons, Cunningham hit just .224. His career was marred by 739 strikeouts against only 456 hits.

Recently, I tweeted out a search for an Earl Cunningham card that was missing from my collection. It’s a little known set from the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. The Little Sun set was released for a few years starting in 1989. Its final set, 1992, is sought after for the Derek Jeter card.

Advertisements

Little Sun featured the top high school baseball prospects and Earl Cunningham appeared in the inaugural set. He’s pictured in his high school, Lancaster Bruins, uniform. I picked this card off eBay for $2.04 shipped.

If anyone had any leads to Earl Cunningham autographs, especially an autographed baseball, please email me at onemillioncubsproject@gmail.com.

At any rate, that trip to meet Cunningham with my baseball card collecting buddies defines the hobby for my childhood. It was just one day, but it set the tone with great memories. Much like the weekend for the boys in Stand By Me, without the search for a dead body.

Bulk Trade Brings In Over 1,600 Cubs Cards, Several New Additions

A filled up USPS flat rate box is a very welcoming site on my door step. On Friday, another one landed filled with Cubs baseball cards courtesy of Jenny in Minnesota, via Twitter trade.

Over a week each of us sorted are cards to fill up a medium flat rate box. I sent out Minnesota Twins, and she returned Cubs. In total, I received 1,639 cards many of which are new to the collection.

Advertisements

A number of Ryne Sandberg cards were included. The Ryno Count tallied 59 more cards for the Sandberg collection. A few of them are new, or I am lacking in numbers including 1998 Pacific, 2017 Stadium Club, 1992 O-Pee-Chee, and 2017 Donruss Optic.

My main player collection in the One Million Cubs Project is Javier Baez. An additional nine Baez cards were added including a Topps Archives rookie.

Ryan Flaherty was chosen 41st overall in the 2008 Major League Baseball draft by the Cubs.

Advertisements

While he didn’t make it to Wrigley Field, he did reach the “Show” with the Baltimore Orioles in 2012. Here’s his 2008 Razor #35.

A minor league prospect that did make an impact with the Chicago Cubs is Kerry Wood. This is a 1995 Best #130.

Missing from my Cubs collection are the 1980’s Topps and Fleer Stickers.

Advertisements

Gained a few here with some 1983 Topps Stickers of Leon Durham, Jody Davis, Fergie Jenkins, Jay Johnstone, and Bill Buckner.

Another mini here with a 2013 Allen & Ginter black border mini Alfonso Soriano.

This was a sweet surprise. 2015 Topps Update Throwback SP Anthony Rizzo.

And another great card with a 1987 Donruss Rated Rookie Greg Maddux.

Sticking with rookies, Welington Castillo was in the 2010 Topps Pro Debut set.

Advertisements

No, that’s not a typo. His named is spelled with one “L,” not two. Similar to Willson Contreras with two “L’s,” and not one.

And Bobby Scales had a cup of coffee with the Cubs, and was featured on this classic design. It’s a 2009 Topps Heritage rookie playing off the 1960 Topps set.

Speaking of 1960’s, TCMA released a series of sets by decade. Billy Williams appeared in “The 1960s” set.

Ernie Banks, “Mr. Cub,” was the star of the 60s.

Advertisements

A couple newer releases here with a 2015 Stadium Club and 2009 Topps Heritage Flashback Insert.

A great trade made with Jenny, and will make sure to keep some Twins set aside for another deal. If anyone wants a flat rate box of your team I have plenty of baseball teams available. You can reach me via email at onemillioncubsproject@gmail.com.

Behind The Scenes of the One Million Cubs Project

With approximately 1.5 million trading cards up for grabs, here’s an inside look at the One Million Cubs Project’s baseball card room (and closet).

Still looking to trade baseball teams, football teams, and hockey teams for Chicago Cubs baseball cards. Send us an email at onemillioncubsproject@gmail.com and we can make a deal.

Check out this video for an inside look at the One Million Cubs Project card inventory.

The Tale of James Russell's Pants – A Chicago Cubs Trade Review

Another mailday brought two packages to my door. One small trade and one large trade. We will start small here with a trade that was drafted through email with Matt in Michigan.

Matt sent 56 Cubs cards my way in exchange for 56 Detroit Tigers cards.

The highlight here is my guy Javier Baez. Included was a 2016 Topps Future Stars Baez.

More Ryne Sandberg’s were added to the player collection. Five Ryno’s in total including one new addition in the 2014 Topps Upper Class Insert.

If you’re wondering what the article title is all about, here’s the story. One of my favorite parts of the Cubs Convention is going through the Authentics store that sells game used memorabilia. Everything from bases (I own a NLCS Game 4 base), to bats, balls, hats, cleats, and starting lineups. And pants.

During my first Convention I picked up several low end game used items. One of which was a pair of James Russell game used Throwback pants. The powder blue 1970s pants. Love those powder blue uniforms.

My girlfriend (now wife) was less than impressed with this purchase. Mainly because I fight her at every turn when we are at Nordstrom, but here I am buying another man’s pants. She shot down my idea of buying a mannequin and outfitting it with game used Cubs gear, but she did pin and frame my Russell pants.

Switching gears back to baseball cards, here’s another new one. This is a 2014 Topps red Parallel of Nate Schierholtz. Remember when he was one of the better players on the Cubs roster?! Blech!

Finally, another new add for the 2016 Topps 100 Years of Wrigley set. Here’s card number WRIG-27 of Billy Williams.

Thanks for the trade, Matt. Your Tigers are on the way.