It's Like Taking A Step Back In Time

1995.
The 49ers demolished the Chargers in the Super Bowl.
The Dow closed over 4,000 for the first time ever.
Yahoo! was founded. Selena was murdered by a crazed fan.
Cal Ripken Jr. broke the consecutive games streak.
Seamus Heaney won the Nobel Prize for Literature.

And a teenage Halo fan bought his last packs of baseball cards, until his interest was rekindled in 2006.

As part of my massive cleanout and organization project that I've been undertaking for the last few weeks, I came across the final cards I purchased back in 1995. There were very few cards that I found in the middle of one of many boxes. Although they weren't plentiful, there were some interesting cards in the stack and I began to regret not collecting more cards from those days, but of course I had a few other priorities back then.

The cards I came across came from three sets, Upper Deck, Stadium Club and Leaf. Here are a few of the highlights. I may have to begin scouring the ol' interweb for some 1995 wax just to see what I was missing out on.

UPPER DECK

Todd Hollandsworth, 1996 Rookie of the Year and well a whole lot of years of not much else. Congrats to Upper Deck on their prediction skills.


An actual Predictor card of Jose Canseco. Apparently if Jose would have led the AL in home runs in 1995, I would have been the recipient of some odd card or doodad. Unfortunately, Jose could only muster 24 dingers and was obliterated by one Albert Belle. Thanks for the lackluster effort Jose.


Mike Mussina Electric Diamond. I don't know what makes this card special other than the Electric Diamond logo, but I feel special having it.


Fred, always the team player, always quick with the congratulations for others.

LEAF
I only had a couple of packs worth of Leaf, but apparently I hit the motherload as far as star cards.

Kirby, oh how I miss the days of Kirby Puckett. These Leaf cards look pretty slick. I'm always a sucker for a Kirby card. Finding this made me miss the purest days of card collecting.


The Big Hurt doing his Big Hurt thing. There has never been a more contact conscious swing that was filled with that kind of power.


Any card with Rickey in an A's uniform and on the base paths is a winner to me.

TOPPS STADIUM CLUB

My man Ray Lankford. #1 St. Louis Cardinal of all-time. I feel like I've won the lottery discovering an extra Lankford and Puckett card for my collection.


Maybe my favorite Milwaukee Brewer card ever. How could I possibly have stopped collecting after pulling this gem? Stupid teenage priorities.

Ahhh, 1995. A year of many great moments and a very dark time for this collector.

Go Halos!

Fave 4: Houston Astros

Growing up for my early formative years in Texas I should have been an Astros or Rangers fan, but I just never could latch on to either team. Maybe it was because we weren't really that close to either team geographically, but I can't say for sure. I just know that I wanted to like both teams, but it just never happened.

My earliest Astros memories are from 1986 and their crushing defeat to the Mets in the NLCS. 16 innings that ended quite poorly for Astro fans, but especially for fans of Kevin Bass. I remember feeling so sorry for this guy who had a poor throw to home that allowed a run and struck out to the end the game with two men on. Poor Kevin, my heart goes out to him, but not enough for him to get a place on the Fave 4, that's exclusive territory and no place for losers...well maybe a few, but not you Kevster.

1. Glenn Davis

Sorry Orioles fans, I know this guy kinda sucked the life out of you with his injury riddled years in Baltimore. What makes it worse that you traded Schilling, Finley and Harnisch for the guy. However, in Houston the guy was a stud. 3 times in the top 10 for MVP voting and a second place finish in the ill-fated year of 1986. Davis was a legit power threat in a day when 30 home runs was a real accomplishment. I remember reading about his troubled upbringing as a child, which only earned him more respect from me. Interesting fact: The parents of Storm Davis adopted Glenn, no relation however.

2. Roy Oswalt

Oswalt is one of my favorite current day players and I love smaller guys like him who throw the ball with aggression and speed. I know Orel Hershiser earned the nickname "The Bulldog", but I must say this guy could easily take it away from him. Oswalt has yet to have a down season and has been a guy the Astros could count on since his rookie year. Oswalt also gets 2 card images today on the list, not because of his greatness, but because I'm starting to realize how much I under-appreciated the Bowman Heritage sets.


3. Jeff Bagwell

The third spot came down to a battle between Bagwell and Biggio and ultimately I discovered that I, like chicks, dig the longball. Bagwell was one of the more menacing white boys of his day. I hated to see the injuries bring his career to a close, but I was happy that he went out with class and didn't just attempt to hold on as a DH for the Royals or something. His 1994 season had potential to be historic and to top it off, the Sawx traded him away and forever regretted it.

4. Mike Scott

Once Mike Scott discovered the split-finger fastball, he became a wholly different pitcher. His 1986 season was historic for the fact that he struck out over 300 hitters and threw a no-hitter. At a time when I was becoming a huge baseball fan, he was maybe the game's best pitcher for a year. All that aside, the real reason he grabbed the number 4 spot, he always comes to mind when I think of this "Mike Scott", err Michael Scott.


Honorable Mentions:

Craig Biggio

Just an awesome career and a guy who truly could do it all, moving from catcher to 2B to the outfield.

Jose Cruz

His son was a popular prospect and a decent player, but he will always pale in comparison for one reason, the leg kick swing. Epic.

Bill Doran

In 1986 he came in 11th in MVP voting. I swear, look it up...See, I told you so. I'm not sure why I liked Bill Doran so much, but I also don't know why he finished 11th in the MVP voting, so perhaps the man just has an ability to jedi mind trick.

Eric Anthony

I fully realize he sucked, but I bought in to the hype and refuse to let go.

Hunter Pence

One of the really good young players that I enjoy watching a great deal. He has a nerdy vibe to me, which mixed with his athletic prowess makes him fascinating to me.

Finally, a guy I should like because I keep pulling jersey cards and low numbered parallels of his, but I just can't root for him.

Berkman, I don't like you. I have no concrete reason why, I just know I don't. Each time I pull one of your jersey cards I just sigh and put it aside. Do something to change my mind this season, please.

So there they are, a list of way too many Astros for a guy who has never watched an Astro game and rooted them on. Amazing how your "formative" years have such an impact on how you view things.

Go Halos!

Cards from Padrographs

Rod from Padrographs recently sent over a package of cards for no reason other than he's one generous fella. Rod holds a special place in the heart of all of us over here at this humble little blog (all of us being me) and not just because he sent along free cards. Rod was the first official follower of the blog and for a guy who thought no one would ever read a word of this, that was a pretty cool moment.

So what exactly did the man behind the Padrographs send out? A bevy of excellence.


Right off the top were a number of Rod Carew cards from his Halo days. I especially like the 9 of clubs from the All-Century Team playing cards. Also on the idols card is a small inset photo of Don Mattingly doing his best impersonation of Rod slapping one down the line.


Reggie also made a couple of appearances, first in the form of this Baseball Heroes checklist...love these cards.

And also in holographic form, thanks to the fine folks at Sportflics. How can you not love any card that shows Reggie doing his kneel down swing.


Winnie made an appearance in art form as well, here celebrating his 400th home run against the Twins.

While this Upper Deck card had a nice action shot on the front, it's the interview taking place on the back with Darryl Strawberry that is the real highlight. Thanks Rod, for including one of my favorite types of cards, cool Upper Deck backside photos.


Rod also included some more modern fare, including this 2008 Elite Extra card of Rolando Gomez, 2008 draft pick of the Halos. I read that he's been compared to Rafael Furcal, so that's a plus.


1. I love the Aybar card with the space age shades.
2. I love gold bordered cards, even though they never look that nice color scheme wise.
3. This now gives me the regular, the blackout, the throwback, and the gold. Now I just need the black bordered (possible) and the platinum (no chance in hell).


My first Documentary card. The highlight of this card though is not the front, but instead the text on the back. "In his last nine at-bats of the series, Garret Anderson hit three HRs, a triple, and two singles and drove in eight runs. His big fly in this game came off of Yashuhiko Yabuta." Thanks for the memories GA.

Of course, what's a package from Padrographs without autographs, his specialty.

An auto of my main man, the lucky 13 Lance Parrish. A 1992 Topps Winner to boot.


An honorable mention on my Fave 4 White Sox list, Newson was just a young stud for the Las Vegas Stars, a Padres affiliate at the time, on this card.

Last, but not least, a healthy stack of my man, Cardboard Jesus himself, Bip Roberts.

The coolest card here for me has to be the 1987 Topps Tiffany. As a kid I never owned any Tiffany cards, so I still get a little thrill whenever I come across one today.

Thanks again Rod for your generosity and thoughtfulness. All of us here at I Heart Halos, again just me, will be working around the clock to find some nice Pads to send your way.

Go Halos!
Go Padrographs!

Fave 4: New York Mets

Another dreaded New York team, but thanks to my hatred of the Yankees, I tend to just overlook the Mets and give them a free pass. I'm sure the Mets are a bit tired of being ignored due to their bigger, badder more menacing neighbor with all the championship trophies. I imagine that it's tough being a Mets fan and have some first hand knowledge as an Angel fan in Southern California, a place where the Dodgers had ruled for years.

The Mets do have their 1986 World Series title that included perhaps the most famous play in World Series history. Most of my favorite Mets came out of this era, when the Mets were larger than life and the Yankees were essentially an afterthought. So who are the mystery Mets who will populate my list? Here they are in the late 80s/early 90s cardboard glory.

1. Darryl Strawberry


Homer: You're Darryl Strawberry.
Darryl: Yes?
Homer: You play right field.
Darryl: Yes?
Homer: I play right field, too.
Darryl: So?
Homer: Well, are you better than me?
Darryl: Well, I never met you... but... Yes.
What more needs to be said. To a kid in the 80s, Darryl was a monster. The sweet lefty swing, the prodigious home runs, I couldn't get enough of this guy.


2. Howard Johnson

Whereas Darryl was the over the top drug addicted powerhouse, HoJo was the relatable, scrappy, semingly wholesome powerhouse. On top of that, he had a great nickname and I was always fascinated by switch hitters. I remember trying to take hacks left handed during wiffle ball games with the belief that I was HoJo.

3. David Cone

Doc Gooden got all the hype, and deservedly so, but I was Coney guy. I never felt like Cone got the props he deserved, although he did pick up a Cy Young during a shortened season. He probably had his greatest success with other teams, but to me he was a Met. I prefer to block out the Yankee years.

4. El Sid

I wanted to put a more modern player in the number 4 spot, but I couldn't ignore my boy El Sid. I have an affinity for the fatties and Sid was one of our greatest heroes. In addition to that, I was amazed by this stat which I came across, Fernandez allowed only 6.85 hits per nine innings for his career which is the fourth-best total in history behind only Baseball Hall of Famers Nolan Ryan and Sandy Koufax and three-time Cy Young Award winner Pedro Martínez. Not too shabby.

Honorable Mentions: (There are many)
David Wright

My favorite current Met and my daughter's current favorite player...I think. Billy Butler and Adam Dunn seem to get mentioned as well.

Jose Reyes

I love guys who are a throwback to the day of speedsters who got on first and were instantly on third if given the chance.

Mookie Wilson

His stats weren't terribly impressive, but he hit an infamous weak bouncer to first in 1986 and his name kicks ass.

Lenny Dykstra

This guy went from tough, scrappy ballplayer who was always covered in dirt, to a president of multiple companies and manager of a stock portfolio. I did not see this coming.

Doc Gooden

At his height, he was maybe the greatest fastball pitcher around. His reclamation story was a nice story to end his career, but I kinda liked the Coked up insanity days.

2 New York teams down and none left to deal with. I feel good about being able to go forward from here without too much pain. More NL fun to come this weekend, unless of course the Elite 8 takes over my life.

Go Halos!

Fave 4: Atlanta Braves

I can't stand the Braves. It started in the mid-80s with Dale Murphy, who I had to hear about endlessly on the Superstation TBS back when the Braves were horrible and it continued when the Braves began and sustained an amazing run of division championships. I take pride in the fact that I hated them before they were good, so it's not just that I'm jealous of their success.

Despite the "hate" I have towards the team of Native American ridiculers down in Atlanta, I had a pretty easy time picking a Fave 4. Only one of these players is one I really consider a favorite, but the rest have their charms. Dale Murphy will be found nowhere near this list, which just demonstrates that these lists are a bit unique in that it's all about the perspective of the fan.

1. Ron Gant

Ronnie Gant. Gant showed up in Atlanta during the worst of times and left just before the best of times. His ATV accident injury was unfortunate and probably left a sour tast in the mouths of many in Atlanta, but had no real effect on me. I still remember Gant as having biceps that were close to tearing out of his uniform and a really solid all-around offensive game. Gant would spend a few games late in his career as a Halo, but after leaving Atlanta he was never really the same, outside of a season in Cincinnati.


2. Jeff Blauser

This has little if anythign to do with baseball as I can't remember ever watching Blauser do anything that impressive, although I always appreciated that he wasn't Mark Lemke, the Lemmer, who I'm not so fond of. So why do I like Jeff Blauser? Because of Rich Hall and his sniglets of course. During the 80s Rich Hall was on an HBO show, Not Necessarily the News, and he coined the term sniglets for words that should appear in the dictionary, but don't. One of his entries that was always used around my house was "Blossor", which meant "the hair style one has after removing their hat". I was often guilty of rocking the Blossor and we always pronounced it like Jeff's last name, so he always held a special place in my heart.

3. Terry Pendleton

I have a fondness for chunky guys who can hit, so Pendleton found a place in my fanhood despite playing for a team I disliked. It doesn't hurt that he helped to keep Barry Bonds from another MVP award. I wonder if Cardinal fans absolutely hate this guy. He had some good years in St. Louis, but his last couple years were putrid and as soon as he arrived in Atlanta he just caught fire.

4. Deion Sanders

I know this will probably be an unpopular choice, but as a young teenager when Deion hit the scene, this guy fascinated me. He was never an icon like Bo Jackson for me, but he was still an impressive athlete. His 14 triples in just 97 games in 1992 was awesome. His speed was almost unrivaled in baseball and made for great entertainment. On top of it all, he pissed off Tim McCarver which is always a positive in my book.

Honorable Mentions:
Chipper

I used to really dislike Larry and much of it was irrational. Over the years I've come to appreciate his skill and last year I even found myself rooting for him in his chase to hit .400.

Greg Maddux

I was always bothered that Maddux left Chicago and had such great success with the Braves, because I would have loved for him to do it as a Cub. Even so, there's no denying what an amazing pitcher this guy is and how lucky Braves fans were to get to see him at his peak.

Otis Nixon

he appeared to be in his late-70s and consistently stole over 40 bases. His 72 in 1991 was pretty amazing, especially for a guy enjoying the Senior Grand Slam at Denny's

While my dislike for the Braves is nothing compared to my hatred for the Yanks, this was still a tough post. So many nice words about the Braves. *shudder* I'll just head back to sticking pins in my Dale Murphy voodoo doll.

Go Halos!