Blog Bat Around V: My First Card Show

As a former set buyer/collector, I don't have lots of memories of obtaining individual cards. That is changing as I am becoming a more selective collector.

I can tell you exactly how I obtained many of the new cars to my collection: I traded a Kobe for a Chipper Sports Royalty (that one hurt my Met-feelings). I won a Duke Snider auto in a All-Star contest (the Duke was a bonus to the main prize). I recently bought a super-shiny Tito Fuentes on Ebay for my super collection (I really will show off the Titos at some point on this blog).

But I wanted to share the treasures I found at my very first card show in 1985!!!!

1983 Topps Leaders Dave KingmanI got this Kingman out of a box of singles for probably a quarter, maybe less. Until I looked it up today, 24 years after I bought it, I wasn't sure what it was. It has a blank back and indicates that Dave hit 37 dingers in the upper left corner of the front. It is slightly miscut. It was my first oddball card. Apparently, Topps issued a sheet of league leaders with no numbers and no backs in 1983. Now I know.

Kingman was a free swinger who would fit right in with today's sluggers Howard, Fielder, and Dunn.


1977 Topps Joaquin Andujar RCThat's right, a Andujar ROOKIE CARD! Before relics, parallels, and autos, the RC was the one and only king of the hobby. I picked up Joaquin for somewhere between a quarter and a half dollar. At the the time, I didn't have an older RC of any player, much less a 20 game winner like Andujar.

He won 20 in 1984 and 1985 and finished in the top 5 in CY voting both years.

1985 Topps USA Team SetI have mentioned this purchase before. I bought the US team set, wrapped in cellophane wrap, for a quarter. Back when McGwires were selling for serious coin, it was the single greatest card purchase of my life. It probably still is.

When I bought it, Oddibe McDowell was the stud of the group. He played over 100 games in 1985. Cory Snyder played over 100 in 1986. It wasn't until 1987 that Mark McGwire busted out with 49 Home runs. Great team set, better memory!

There you have it, my favorite card acquisitions. All combined for under $1!