Ah, the days when a pack had more than 5 cards in it and you could actually see players on the cards. The days when the borders were thin and our wallets were not-quite-as thin. It was the "International Year of the Family" and NAFTA had just been turned up to full effect (Well, we're still feeling the effects, really). Lorena Bobbitt was found not guilty of performing an erectile shortening procedure and the World Series had been cancelled because players wanted MORE HOURS, FEWER WAGES!! Oh, wait, no, that's not right..... Welcome back to 1994.
The specimen you see before you represents one pack of 1994 Topps Series I baseball cards. There is a Topps Gold card in every pack, and a Topps BLACK Gold inserted randomly in other packs. I say 'other' because as you can see, I did not strike it rich. In fact, the whole pack is something of a ghost town in my book. I'll let you be the judge:
Pat Mahomes (Twins) - I'm curious, is this pronounced like it looks: Pat Mah Homies? I'm thinking there's a bad SNL routine in there somewhere... Oh wait, this is from 1994, they were ALL bad SNL routines....
Craig Shipley (Padres, Gold) - I don't know if you can see it or not, but it looks like Shipley is sliding, however, his KNEES are what is sliding into the base and the angle of his body suggests this was a last-minute decision. Is he any relation to the Shipley's of Shipley's Donuts?
Darren Daulton (Phillies) - In my opinion, the best base in the pack. You decide what that tells you about the pack...
Dean Palmer (Rangers) - This guy is laughing his head off. I'm setting this aside for a "Dinged Corners" shipment! I think he's laughing at the fact I even bought this pack...
Ken Ryan (Red Sox) - Any relation to Nolan? It's a nice action shot, displaying the split-fingers clearly.
Al Martin (Pirates) - It took me a minute to realize the catcher was a Giant because it almost looks like the Pirates are playing with themselves... I mean AGAINST themselves... I mean... Well, you know what I mean...
Orlando Merced (Pirates) - Hey, Two Bucs! Man, that's probably what this pack costs nowadays... :-)
Rickey Jordan (Phillies) - Wow, the state of Pennsylvania is well-represented here today. He looks ready for fielding. I should save this card for my son's little league team... "See, kids, THIS is how you are supposed to look when you're in the field... Notice how he is not kicking the dirt around?"
Gary DiSarcina (Angels) - He's pointing toward the sky. I wonder if he sees the angels in the outfield. Or maybe he's done eating and is trying to get his check...
Carlos Quintana (Red Sox) - A couple of Beantowners in the pack! He is also looking up with his gloved poised to catch... pigeon-poop? a falling star? a pay raise?
Darrell Whitmore (Marlins) - He's just taken a swing in this photo. Perhaps he is hitting a ball to his other brother Darrell... (old TV reference, I'm afraid some readers may not get that one...)
1993 Topps All Stars - Mike Piazza (Dodgers) and Mike Stanley (Yankees) - I'm not quite sure what the background on this one is supposed to be... It almost looks like sparks, but appears to be more like a side-view shot of a mug of beer with the golden bubbles floating to the top...
Thanks for taking the trip back in time with me folks. And to think, in 1994, most of us thought interns were people who worked in hospitals for free... Little did we know...
Mike Stanley was an all-star? Wow.
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