Blog Bat-Around: Top 5 Pack-Pulled Cards

A few weeks ago, Diamond Jesters initiated a fun blog bat-around where he shared his top 5 pack-pulled cards. 

 

Shortly thereafter, Night Owl stepped up to the plate. 

And then Cards over Coffee joined in. 

Next up, The Diamond King had a go at it. 

Then Joe Shlabotnik took a swing. 

After that, Chris The Collector picked up the bat. 

Then Mr. Fuji kept the line moving.

 

And those are just the posts I've happened to notice! (If you're a blogger and you don't see your name on the list, feel free to add a link in the comment section below.)

Since then, I've been finding time here and there to compile a list of my own. And now I'm ready for my at-bat. 

 

Keep in mind that I'm not a collector of modern cards, so you won't be seeing any fancy relics, autographs, or 1/1 serial numbers here. But you will see some great vintage cards, along with a few notable rookies. Here we go, starting with my #5 ranking and proceeding to my #1.

 

 

(5) 1980-81 Topps #250, Wayne Gretzky

 

For those of us who spent a number of years away from the hobby after our childhood or teenage years, there are usually a few experiences we can cite that rekindled our interest. For me, one of those experiences occurred around 2013, when I came across much of my childhood trading card collection in the attic at my mom's house. Among the collection, there were a few sealed wax packs from the 1984 and 1987 Topps baseball sets. For whatever reason, seeing those sealed wax packs was huge for me. And as my zeal for trading cards returned, I found myself buying more sealed wax packs from the '80s and '90s. (Back then, vintage wax packs were much more affordable than they are now.) 

 

My strategy was pretty simple: 

 

(1) Buy a few packs from a certain year and brand

(2) Set at least one pack aside to keep sealed in my collection

(3) Open the other ones for that sweet dose of nostalgia 

 

The Wayne Gretzky second-year card shown above was one of the big hits I pulled from a few packs of 1980-81 Topps hockey I purchased at that time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(4) 1981 O-Pee-Chee #113 George Brett, #254 Ozzie Smith, #136 Tim Raines RC

  

These cards all came from the same wax pack, also purchased during those years around 2013 or 2014 when I was getting back into the hobby. Even with a few very roughly cut edges, typical of 1980s OPC, I've got to fit all of these cards into one entry at #4. It was a heck of a pack, especially considering each pack only contained 8 cards.

 

 

 

 

 

(3) 1997 Pinnacle X-Press Melting Pot #19, Derek Jeter

 

In 1998, I spent a brief time back in the hobby. I was a college student, working at a sports collectibles store in a nearby shopping mall. Along with jerseys, other apparel, and autographed memorabilia, we sold plenty of wax packs from all sports. Occasionally, packs that just hadn't sold well during the year were chucked in a bargain basket, and that's where I picked up a bunch of 1997 Pinnacle X-Press. This Derek Jeter melting pot insert is numbered 209/500. That doesn't seem like much now, but back in '98 it was a bigger deal—especially to someone like me, who was just learning about all the inserts and parallels that one could find in these newfangled "modern" sets. It was the lowest serial-numbered card I'd ever pulled, and I'm pretty sure it still is.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(2) 1978-79 O-Pee-Chee #115, Mike Bossy RC

 

This one goes back a bit further in time, to my young collecting years in the early '90s. At a card show in a VFW hall, I came across a dealer who had wax boxes displayed from previous years, and was selling individual packs from each box. One of the boxes contained packs of 1978-79 O-Pee-Chee hockey cards (Mike Bossy’s rookie card was the big draw). At $3.00 a pack, my dad said I could have four. 

“Pick your poison”, the dealer said, and held out the box. I chose four packs from various spots in the box and didn’t buy much else at the show. When we got home, I opened a pack. Dave Taylor rookie card. Not bad. Second pack? Not much. Third pack? Not much.  

I'd thought about saving that last pack, and maybe just never opening it. But after some mental pacing back and forth, and despite feeling some regret, I peeled open the wrapper that same night. The result?

A Mike Bossy rookie card.

 

 

 

 

 

(1) 1983 Donruss #586 Wade Boggs RC and #598 Tony Gwynn RC

 

Believe it or not, I actually pulled both of these iconic rookie cards from the same 1983 Donruss wax pack. If I hadn't jotted down the event when it happened about 10 years ago, I might not believe it myself right now. I actually still have these two cards right next to each other in top loaders, surrounded by a few other stars from the 1983 Donruss set, as a fun way to remind myself of that amazing pack.

So that's my top 5 pack-pulled cards. (At least up to this point.)

If you haven't taken your turn, why not go for it? Might be a fun trip down memory lane.

Thanks for reading, as always!

 

From the Favorites Box: Astros Team Checklist, 1979 Topps #381

A series where I post some thoughts about favorite cards. Previous cards in the series are available here.

 

 

Here's an image you don't see on a team checklist every day.

 

 

 

 

I mean, the Houston Astros are in uniform, as per standard practice. But after that? It's filled with a whole bunch of randomness and fun.

First of all, they're posed outside of their stadium, in what might very well be the parking lot. Second, instead of the usual benches and chairs, they've brought in two motorized trolleys of some kind. (Could they be from a state fair?) And let's look even closer.

Some of the guys are sitting on the front ledge of the trolleys, while others are sitting in the seats.

 

 

 

Perhaps lounging would be a more accurate verb. (See the two highlighted players on the right.) And look at the guy all the way on the left. He's just chilling on the hood!

Unfortunately, there just weren't enough seats in the trolleys for all the players, so some of them had to stand between them, in the middle of the shot.

A couple of poor guys even had to sit down on the concrete.

 

But here's the strangest part. Look all the way to the right of the image, way in the back.

 

 

 

 

I really can't be sure, but is that a guy in a gorilla suit? Or maybe Bigfoot?

We may never know.

Regardless, it's such a wacky, fun scene. Very fitting for the times, too. Just a couple of years earlier, the Bad News Bears had some memorable scenes filmed at the very same Astrodome.

As for the actual Astros of the time, they weren't Bad News Bears bad, but they weren't so great, either. The 1978 version of the club finished with a record of 74-88, placing them 5th out of the 6 clubs in the NL West. Here are some team leaders:

 

Hitters

Games Played: Enos Cabell, 162

Batting Avg.: José Cruz, .315

Hits: Enos Cabell, 195

Doubles: José Cruz, 34

Triples: José Cruz, 9

Home Runs: Bob Watson, 14

RBI: José Cruz, 83

Stolen Bases: José Cruz, 37 

 

Pitchers

Wins: J.R. Richard, 18  

ERA: Vern Ruhle, 2.12

Strikeouts: J.R. Richard, 303

Saves: Joe Sambito, 11
 

You've got some good numbers in there, despite the team's losing record. And don't forget, they had those sweet "tequila sunrise" uniforms, which would last from 1975 through 1986. Fun times, for sure.

And for an image that reminds us of just how fun and quirky 1970s baseball could be, 1979 Topps #381 has a spot in my box of favorite cards.

Golf Season! (Softball Season!) Golf Season! (Softball Season!)

 

Remember this classic argument?

 

 

 

Well, replace those two phrases with golf season and softball season, and you'll get an idea of what's going through my mind now that it's springtime. To explain:

 

Last year I got back into golf, and had a really great time re-discovering the game and shaking a lot of rust off my own. I kept track of some informative stats across the year, and I'm motivated to improve this season.

 

But at the same time, I've enjoyed playing softball over the past five years or so. I've been keeping stats there as well, and despite the drop-off in offensive numbers last season, I'm really looking forward to the new softball season (and new team!) as well. Stay tuned for more.

 

So therein lies the conundrum. It's April. The weather is getting a little warmer. The birds are singing. The grass is green again. It's golf season. It's softball season.

It's not that I can't do both. In fact, I made time for both last year, and I will make time for both again. (If you have hobbies or activities you truly enjoy, I think you should try very hard to make time for them.)

 

The real conundrum is that last year I didn't set any goals for either sport. Now that I'm on a mission—two missions—to improve my skills, how do I split the time effectively? I think we'll have to take it week by week, but I'm determined to get things done for both sports.

 

I've already hit the links a couple of times this year. Here was the opening round.

 

 

Not bad at all, considering it was February and cold and windy. That four-hole stretch where I went birdie-par-par-birdie felt pretty great. But as you can see, I had a bunch of messy holes right after that. It happens.

 

As for softball season, that should start up in about a month or so. Time to get to work.

 

All that said, however, I can't forget that Nine Pockets is a blog about trading cards. So to tie those little cardboard rectangles that we all love into this post, here are a couple of former MLB players who became very good golfers as well.

 

 

1985 Donruss #552 Rick Rhoden and 1990 Starline Long John Silver's #34 John Smoltz

Rhoden, in particular, was an accomplished golfer. After his MLB career, he became so proficient that he even played 34 tournaments on the PGA Champions Tour (age 50 and over), with three top 10 finishes.

I've got a lot of work to do before I get anywhere close to that absurd level of skill and proficiency. (As if I ever will—hah!), but that's fine. It's good to have plenty to work on.

 

Thanks as always for following along with my sporting activities. 

 

Do any of you have plans to get out in the fresh air this spring, be it golf, softball, hiking, or anything else? Share in the comment section. And then get out there!

Iorg Brothers

It's October 1982, and you're a pro baseball player. This season you've really come into your own as a dependable, everyday infielder with the Toronto Blue Jays. And although your team is starting to take shape with talented young players like Jesse Barfield, Lloyd Moseby, Damaso Garcia, and Dave Stieb, the club hasn't quite put it together enough to make the playoffs. So your season is finished. However, your older brother Dane's team, the St. Louis Cardinals, just swept straight past the Atlanta Braves in the National League Championships. He didn't play in the series, but things were about to change. In the World Series against the Brewers, Dane would get the call, and boy, did he produce. In 5 games, he'd go 9-for-17 with four doubles and a triple. And soon he'd be celebrating a World Championship alongside stars like Ozzie Smith, Keith Hernandez, and Willie McGee. 

 

That's a big win for baseball brothers Garth and Dane Iorg.

 

But that was three years ago. Now it's October 1985. Your Blue Jays are solid. You've added big hitter George Bell and steady infielder Tony Fernandez, and finished first in the AL East. As for your older brother Dane, he'd been traded from St. Louis to Kansas City. Talk about another solid team. George Brett, Willie Wilson, Hal McRae, Lonnie Smith, and a strong pitching staff had just battled their way to the top of the AL West. So it would be brother versus brother in the ALCS!

 

By this point you'd become an even more steady infielder—primarily at third base—so you'd get a regular role in the series. It might have been the nerves or excitement of playing against your older brother, but you didn't hit well at all (2-for-15). As for Dane, a part-time outfielder at this point in his career, he played in parts of 4 games, and only had 2 at-bats and 1 hit, a double, for the Royals. And frustratingly, those Royals would come back from the brink of elimination, winning the final 3 games of the 7-game series, to advance to the World Series. Dejected, you'd go back home and do the only thing you could—cheer on big bro Dane in the World Series again. He'd fly out in a pinch-hitting role to end Game 1, and then didn't see any action until Game 6. That's when things got exciting.

 

In the bottom of the 9th inning with one out, down by a score of 1-0 in the game (and down 3 games to 2 in the series), Dane came up to bat as a pinch hitter with the bases loaded. On the bad side of the spectrum, a ground ball could have meant a double play and the end of the World Series. On the good side, a single would at very least tie the game. 

 

Dane took the first pitch from Todd Worrell for a ball. Then this happened. 

 

 

 

The Royals would beat the Cardinals again in Game 7, and take the Championship.

What a moment for big bro.

 

Here are both Iorgs, pictured on cardboard from a few years prior to that moment. 

 

 

1981 Topps #334 Dane Iorg and #444 Garth Iorg

 

 

And here are some career numbers.

 

 

CAREER TOTALS

	DANE  (10 seasons)	GARTH (9 seasons)
GAMES PLAYED	743	931
AT-BATS	1647	2450
RUNS	149	251
HITS	455	633
DOUBLES	103	125
TRIPLES	11	16
HOME RUNS	14	20
RBI	216	238
STOLEN BASES	5	23
WALKS	107	114
STRIKEOUTS	180	298
BATTING AVERAGE	.276	.258
OBP	.317	.292
SLG	.378	.347

 

BEST INDIVIDUAL SEASON
(Career highs in bold)

	DANE (1980, STL)	GARTH (1982, TOR)
GAMES PLAYED	105	129
AT-BATS	251	417
RUNS	33	45
HITS	76	119
DOUBLES	23	20
TRIPLES	1	5
HOME RUNS	3	1
RBI	36	36
STOLEN BASES	1	3
WALKS	20	12
STRIKEOUTS	34	38
BATTING AVERAGE	.303	.285
OBP	.349	.307
SLG	.438	.365

 

 

Garth played more third base than second base throughout career. His 9 seasons of MLB service were all with the Blue Jays.

 

Dane was mostly an outfielder, and played a little first base as well. Over his 10-year career he suited up for the Phillies, Cardinals, Royals, and Padres. He was part of two World Series Championship teams (St. Louis in 1982 and Kansas City in 1985).

So here's to the Iorg brothers. Two nice careers, and some very special playoff moments.