Happy Independence Day!

Just a quick little post wishing all of my readers a Happy 4th of July! It'll be a fun day for my family, as my wife is planning a gender reveal for her sister on that day. I personally have no clue if the "little fire cracker" will be pink or blue...

2015 Panini USA
Stars & Stripes - Fireworks
#8 Kyle Schwarber

It'll be a different 4th of July no doubt. In addition to the gender reveal party, my town has decided to swap out the annual fireworks show for one using drones. On one hand, I've seen a few online and they look cool, and no doubt dog owners and combat vets will be appreciative. However, it's just not the same and will take some getting use to. I do appreciate a good Laser Show though!

2012 Topps - Career Day #CD-14 Dustin Pedroia

 

Maybe I'll enjoy a freshly grilled hot dog!

 

2017 Topps Opening Day - Incredible Eats
#IE-16 Kayem Fenway Frank

 

Although nothing beats a nice juicy burger...

 

2012 Topps Update
- Golden Debut Autographs
#GDA-MH Mark Hamburger (AU)

 

...especially if I wash it down with a (root) beer or two.

 

1958 Hires Root Beer #44 Hank Aaron

 

However you enjoy today, I hope it's relaxing, fun, and safe. Happy Independence Day, America!

2018 Topps #659 Arizona Diamondbacks (TC)

Repack Haiku #416 (Stan Belinda)

Continued pitching

With multiple sclerosis;

Linked to Sid Bream's slide

 

1991 Topps #522 Stan Belinda

 

When I was setting the order for my Haiku series, I didn't realize Belinda was the pitcher on the mound for Sid Bream's famous slide. Having these two back-to-back is kind of funny. Belinda was a fairly effective reliever for 10 years before getting diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1998. He continued to pitch two more seasons afterwards.

Finally!

1989 was the first year I really had an interest in world politics and news. I was finishing up 8th grade in June of that year when the NHL held it's draft. While the Minnesota North Stars picked future Hall of Famer Mike Mordano 1st overall, in my little corner of the world in Western NY the big new was who the Sabres had drafted. It wasn't even who the Sabres drafted in that first round, or their next pick, or even the one after that. In the 5th round the Sabres took a chance on a young Russian player named Alexander Mogilny. 

 

It was a fascinating pick, because at that time there had never been an NHL player from the Soviet Union and nobody knew if he would even leave Russia. That summer was full of  cold war intrigue as the Buffalo Sabres helped Molgilny defect, leaving his family, his teammates, and his country. There were stories of how they had to constantly move to avoid the KGB as he made his way from a game in Sweden to the US. Although he played hockey, technically he was in the Russian military, which made him a deserter as well. If caught, he could have ended up in a gulag in Siberia!

 

1990-91 Pro Set
#26 Alexander Mogilny (RC)

It all worked out, and Alexander made his debut in Buffalo that season. He would be a great offensive force in Buffalo for the next 6 seasons, capped by an amazing 76 goals (in 77 games!) during the 1992-93 season.

 

He spent 16 years in the NHL, scoring over 1,000 points. His journey paved the way for future players from the Soviet Union to showcase their skill and talent in the NHL.

 

It's remarkable that it took 17 years to get the call, but earlier this week Alexander Mogilny officially got selected to join the greats in the NHL Hall of Fame.

 

Congrats to you, Alexander Mogilny!  

 

1992-93 Stadium Club #320 Alexander Mogilny

 

Repack Haiku #415 (Sid Bream)

Six years in Pittsburgh

Broke the hearts of Pirates fans

With his playoff slide

  

1989 Donruss #252 Sid Bream

 

After half a dozen years with the Pirates, Bream signed with the Atlanta Braves following the 1990 season. In 1992, the two teams met in the NLCS. In the 9th inning of game 7, Bream's dash to home beat a throw from Barry Bonds to send end the series and send Atlanta to the World Series.

 

A Little Something Extra

The majority of trade I make nowadays revolve around my Time Travel Trading Project. Occasionally, some cards from those trades aren't a part of the project and end up in my main collection.

 

For example, Jeff (Wax Pack Wonders - how about a new post for old time's sake?) could have just sent some cards to complete our most recent Time Travel trade. He's a generous guy though, and included a bunch of Red Sox cards for me:

 

 

*Sigh* Raffy... I've gone back and forth about writing a post centered on his insane trade to the Giants. It's hard to compose a piece when you simultaneously agree with the trade (not a team player!) and disagree with the trade (pretty much sinks any chance of reaching the playoffs this year!). What sucks about the trade for me as a Red Sox collector is that this Heritage card makes the 6th different Devers rookie I now own. With that many rookies, I was kind of hoping the guy would go on to be a Red Sox legend. In other news, that Drago means I only need Yaz and Fisk to complete the 1975 Topps Red Sox team set!

 

Another Time Travel Trade I recently completed was with Evan through the TCDB. Along with those Time Travel cards was a swap of cards from outside the project. I was able to whittle down another Red Sox base card need from 1998!

 

 

Finally, I have trade from Gavin (Baseball Card Breakdown).  You won't see the Time Travel Trading card until next month's update, but Gavin included some extra goodies for me. Starting off with a trio of serial numbered cards:

 

 

I always appreciate the gold parallels, but the eye catcher here is that sharp black parallel of (ironically) the man who just traded away Raffy Devers!

 

But wait, there's more! Readers of Gavin's blog know he a custom card mad scientist extraordinaire, and it wouldn't be a gift from Gavin without a couple of his customs!

 

 

Man, those are sweet! If you can't figure out the left card, it's Carlton Fisk and his famous wave from Gavin's latest custom project, glow in the dark silhouettes! I also received one of Gavin's white bordered 1991 Fleer modifications! Dewey looks a lot better surrounded in white instead of bright yellow!

 

My enthusiastic thanks to Jeff, Evan, and Gavin for these great additions to my Red Sox collection! You guys are awesome!

Trapped In Time: Remnants Of the 131st - 135th Trades

 

Last month's remnants post was the most successful yet, with 4 out of the 5 available cards being claimed! Hopefully I'll have similar luck with today's batch!

 

Trade #131 - No Remnants!

 

Trade #132 Jeff (Wax Pack Wonders)

Traded 12/03/21: 2000 Just #29 Brian Daubach, 1974 Topps #141 Pat Bourque, 1972 Topps #22 Rob Gardner, 1955 Bowman #195 Erv Palica (VAR), 1955 Bowman #207 Spec Shea

 

Received 11/29/21:

• 1973 Topps #4 John Milner (See Trade #196)
• 1971 Topps #491 Jim Hardin (See Trade #228)
• 1970 Topps #324 Tony Taylor
• 1954 Topps #215 Ed McGhee
• 1954 Topps #222 Bill Wilson (RC) (See Trade #210)

 

This trade with Jeff, formerly of the blog Wax Pack Wonders, brought in some great cards, with two leftovers. I'm a little surprised Taylor's great bat rack card didn't get any interest!

 

Trade #133 - No Remnants!

  

Trade #134 Greg (Night Owl Cards)

Traded 12/03/21:  1968 Topps #320 Frank Howard, 1968 Topps #434 Ricardo Joseph (RC)

 

Received 12/24/21:

• 2012 Topps Allen & Ginter #50 Clay Buchholz (See Trade #144)
• 2012 Topps Allen & Ginter #136 Jacoby Ellsbury (See Trade #142)
• 1995 Topps #215 Mike Greenwell (See Trade #159)
• 1993 Ted Williams #101 Marlin Carter (NLB) (See Trade #147)
• 1967 Topps #119 Wade Blasingame
• 1967 Topps #214 Tom Kelley

 

 

A couple of 1967 Topps cards are all that remain from this trade with Greg (Night Owl Cards). 

 

Trade #135 Brendan (The View from The 3rd Floor)

Traded 12/29/21:  1973 Topps (football) #321 Ralph Neely, 1976 Topps #40 Dave Kingman, 1978 Topps (football) #339 Joe Ferguson, 1982 Fleer #33 Bucky Dent

 

Received 12/27/21:

• 2018 Donruss - Snow Days Red (football) #SD-20 Chuck Foreman (RC) (See Trade #142)
• 2011 Topps (football) #85 Troy Polamalu (AP) (See Trade #141)
• 2010 Topps (football) #180 Reggie Wayne (See Trade #144)
  
• 2008 SPx - Rookie Signatures Gold #141 Bill White (AU) (See Trade #159)
• 1980 Topps (football) #493 1979 NFC Championship (CCG) (See Trade #141)
• 1977 Topps #648 Jim Spencer
• 1974 Topps - Traded #485T Felipe Alou
• 1970 Topps #255 Jim Spencer (See Trade #145)

 

Finally, we have another pair of cards, this time from Brendan (The View From the Third Floor). Look at great action shot on Spencer's card! Look at that great airbrushing work on Alou's hat!

 

These cards have been languishing in the Time Travel Trading stack for over 3 years! It's time to put them somewhere else. All it takes is a card older than what I'm sending out. Any cards left by next month's post will get added to my personal collection!  

 

 

 

Repack Haiku #414 (Josh Winckowski)

Attended high school

Near Red Sox Spring Training site 

Got pic with Papi

 

2023 Topps
#76 Josh Winckowski (RC)

 

Sometimes it really is a small world. Winckowski attended high school in Florida about 20 minutes from the Red Sox's JetBlue Park. He attended lots of Spring Training games, but never got up close and interacted with the players, except for a random encounter with David Ortiz at a nearby suit shop.

 

Source: WEEI (Audacity.com) -  Josh Winckowski's crazy path from spring training fanboy to one of the Red Sox' most intriguing pitchers