Let's play America’s favorite pack opening game, Sox Or No Sox.The following pack was donated by Mark Mosley of Stats On The Back.
The rules are simple. We take one unopened pack of baseball cards that was randomly selected by yours truly. We then go through the pack card by card looking for those hard to find White Sox cards.
Our player in tonight's game is a 1989 Topps pack. The pack contains 15 cards, one very broken piece of 19 year old chewing gum and a chance to win a trip to 1990 Spring Training. I hope I win that trip! Let's begin.
#1: Roger Craig – 744 - Giants
A manager card. We’re off to a glorious start!
#2: George Bell – 50 – Blue Jays
A future White Sox. This was back before George began an illustrious career pumping gas in the Dominican Republic.
#3: Claudell Washington – 185 - Yankees
A former White Sox. We’re getting closer!
#4: Bill Schroeder – 563 - Brewers
Bill looks like he’s about to blame something on the dog in this picture.
#5: Joel Youngblood – 304 – Giants
It’s always nice to see a happy batter!
#6: Jamie Moyer – 717 – Cubs
Oh no! A trap card! A fine pitcher though.
#7: Jim Traber – 124 – Orioles
I know nothing about him, but I do know that in 1989, he lived in Columbia, Maryland.
#8: Lee Smith – 760 – Red Sox
Trap card! Lee should be in the Hall of Fame, but probably will not get there unless he pays for bus fare.
We’re to the Topps Company Store insert. No White Sox cards. But a dreaded Cubs trap card and a Red Sox trap card! 7 cards left to go. Let’s see if we can get a White Sox card!
#9: Kevin Gross – 215 - Phillies
Holy mutilation Batman! I don’t know where this pack was stored, but it must’ve been near an open heat source. The Topps Company Store insert melted to this card and then separated when cooled. The blob over Kevin's face is actually raised off the card like a plateau. Maybe this is the first step in non rubberized vulcanization? Gross is right!
#10: Rangers Leaders – 729 - Rangers
Someone hated this pack. Another mutilated card.
#11: Louie Meadows – 643 - Astros
Rocking the rainbow stripe! Another mutilated card though.
#12: Matt Williams – 628 - Giants
I used to think Matt was a great player who didn’t get a lot of attention.
#13: Willie Upshaw – 106 – Indians
I will always think of Willie as a Blue Jay.
OK, our pack opening is complete. Very interesting pack. A Cubs trap card, a Red Sox trap card and no White Sox cards. Me thinks that this pack has been searched! 13 cards in a 15 cards pack with fringe big name players, commons and mutilated cards? Yup, that’s a searched pack! The Ventura and Abbott cards were probably already lifted from this pack years ago. This is truly bad wax.
So, that’s ½ point for each non-mutilated card in the pack. –1 point for each trap card. –1 point for each missing card.
Final score: 1 point
No White Sox cards in this game, but there's always next time on Sox Or No Sox.
Someone hated this pack. Another mutilated card.
#11: Louie Meadows – 643 - Astros
Rocking the rainbow stripe! Another mutilated card though.
#12: Matt Williams – 628 - Giants
I used to think Matt was a great player who didn’t get a lot of attention.
#13: Willie Upshaw – 106 – Indians
I will always think of Willie as a Blue Jay.
OK, our pack opening is complete. Very interesting pack. A Cubs trap card, a Red Sox trap card and no White Sox cards. Me thinks that this pack has been searched! 13 cards in a 15 cards pack with fringe big name players, commons and mutilated cards? Yup, that’s a searched pack! The Ventura and Abbott cards were probably already lifted from this pack years ago. This is truly bad wax.
So, that’s ½ point for each non-mutilated card in the pack. –1 point for each trap card. –1 point for each missing card.
Final score: 1 point
No White Sox cards in this game, but there's always next time on Sox Or No Sox.
Jim Traber isn't even the most famous (former?) resident of my current home base. Boondocks creator Aaron McGruder grew up here. If you lived in Columbia, you'd understand why that makes perfect sense.
ReplyDeleteWow, I've seen gum do that to cards, but never an ad card... I think the company store card actually dissolved the other two cards in the back like a cardboard Blob. beware of that card!
ReplyDeleteKevin has never looked so Gross.
ReplyDeleteIs Jorge Bell really pumping gas?
That pack was not searched. My proof is: what would I have been searching for? It's 1989 Topps!!!
ReplyDelete1989 Topps?
ReplyDelete"Searched pack?"
That's like raiding the Federal Reserve Bank of Ethiopia.
Oh, and I apologize for the post above.
ReplyDeleteMy theory is the pack was searched through in 1989, before it came into the hands of anyone that reads this post. This is the time of grocery stores with cards in the aisles. Kids would open the pack up carefully, like a master thief, and take out all the superstars or hot rookies and toss the pack back in the box.
ReplyDeleteI knew a few kids who used to do that. Sure 1989 Topps is bottom of the barrel today, but it was pretty decent in 1989.
I remember reports in the local papers when Sosa got really hot that Bell was pumping gas in the D.R. and the White Sox got the worst of that deal.
BTW, the first person to e-mail me about wanting the Kevin Gross card and the Topps insert that created the mishap can have it. Consider it a 1/1.
Although, the thought just dawned on me that the two packing peanut Cub cards were from 1989 Topps. Did they sacrifice themselves for the White Sox cards? Considering one of those Cubs is now in the broadcast booth for the White Sox, it's a possibility.
ReplyDeleteThe Cubs "peanuts" were sent as a good omen for good fortune in your waxy Sox search. I guess it did not work!
ReplyDeleteI might have to send you some more bad packs to rip. This post and comment thread has been hilarious.
I wonder if the pack came from one of those TRI STAR chase the whatever boxes. I got 2 Topps 1984 packs and both only had 8 cards, when they should have had 15. The funny thing was I got a Strawberry in one of them and a 2nd year Gwynn in another.
ReplyDeleteThat's quite possible. I have no clue as to the whereabouts of this pack before it got into my hands.
ReplyDeleteGood theory!