Some Cardboard Hamiltons

There was a surprise package in the mail today from Marie over at A Cardboard Problem.  We have traded in the past, but I wasn’t really expecting anything at the moment.  Here’s what I found inside:

Another one off my list of 20th Anniversary Cards.  I believe Hamilton has 12 cards in this set, and I think I have 3 of them.  Slow and steady wins the race.

Another parallel out of 2008 Upper Deck Heroes.  This is the red /249.  This set makes my eyes hurt.

That is Josh Hamilton staring out from the middle of this Emerging Stars Six Swatch jersey card.  Not just any Swix Swatch jersey card – one numbered /25.    Hamilton shares this card with Carl Crawford, Matt Kemp, Francisco Liriano, Carlos Zambrano and Josh Johnson.

This package was accompanied by a note informing me that the card were mine for future considerations, because I would enjoy the Hamilton more than she would.  Well, she was certainly right about that, and now I get to look for something to fit her collection.

Thanks for the Hamiltons, they are very happy here.

2008 UD Heroes Autograph

I made my semi-regular (read:  when I remember about the site) trip to Checkout My Cards.com the other day, and just recently my cards arrived in the mail.  This site is growing, and I really hope it succeeds long enough for me to get my act together and send some cards in.  You may think this is pessimistic, but it might take me years to get things together.   I like having my cards with me.  I hope for a long and happy future with Checkout My Cards.

I picked up two cards this trip, and was pleased to notice that pricing for ‘hit’ cards is becoming a bit more reasonable (even without having to make offers).  I snagged an autograph and GU card for eBay like prices.  This is good to see, as eBay has changed a lot in the past little while.  I still use eBay for selling my hits (its hard to get the same exposure anywhere else), but this could be an option for those more generic autographs and jersey cards everyone seems to have boxes of.

Upper Deck Heroes had a lot of Josh Hamilton cards.  He had a bunch of base parallels (which I am diligently tracking down), and a similar number of autographed parallels (which I am much slower at picking up.)  I think this parallel is referred to as ‘Charcoal’, but I am not too sure.  I call it Auto /150.  Serial numbers are not up for guesses.

2009 Sweet Spot Pack Break.

Billy Butler Jersey Card.

Yeah, I’m not scanning it.  Luckily, I also broke this box of hockey, which went much better.

I had picked up a pack, then put it down to grab the one I eventually took.  I have no idea what was in the pack I put down, but it was probably better than the Butler jersey.

Basketball Interlude: Seriously, Lebron?

Just saw this quote in an article about James’s theory that any NBA player who currently wears #23 on their jersey should give it up in a tribute to Jordan, effectively retiring Jordan’s number league-wide.

Fine.  A noble goal.

OK, maybe James isn’t quite that noble after all.  The article had this quote: “I feel like no NBA player should wear 23. Nobody. If I’m not going to wear No. 23, then nobody else should be able to wear it.”

Lame.  If you want to do something about this – change your jersey number, and make your position known.  Don’t issue an ultimatum saying that you will change your jersey number – if everyone else does.  Or implying that if you are going to deign to give up your jersey number, every other NBA player should do it because they are somehow beneath you.

While you are at it, you could suck it up and shake hands even after a tough loss.

This is why I don’t watch basketball.  It angers me.

 

Lest we forget…

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

John McCrae

Contest Winnings from Wax Heaven!

A while back, Mario over at Wax Heaven had a contest.  He was giving away the winner’s choice of cards from his break of 2009 Bowman Sterling football, in exchange for finding some of these:

I tracked down 8 or so, and got in touch with Mario.  He sent the Bowman Sterling cards I selected my way, and told me to send the Barnses his way when I received.  They have been patiently waiting on top of my scanner to be sent south.  Here’s the cards I got in return.

Thanks for the contest, Mario.  The Barnes card will be headed your way tomorrow.