My Introduction to the 90s: Jim Edmonds Part 3

In an earlier post I explained why you'll be looking at these cards, check it out here - I Have a Confession

For the final card in my look back at the 90s for the first time, the Jim Edmonds edition, there really was no debate on my part about which card to save for last. I'm pretty sure this will become a card that defines me at some point.

I'm simply in awe. When I came across this card at the shop in the midst of all the other Edmonds cards, I stopped, took a deep breath and could only think one thing..."What in the hell is this?!"

Without further ado, the scan.


I know what you're thinking, the scan sucked. That's why I quickly broke out the digital camera in an attempt to do this card justice.


Honestly, this is a card that can only truly be appreciated in person.
1997 Metal Universe.

Ummm...here's the thing...well...crap I have no idea how to describe this card or how to even start. Jim Edmonds has some kind of hawk on his shoulder as he looks to the sky after popping one up to the catcher. The hawk or owl or whatever fine feathered friend that is, appears to be gold plated. Amazing!

I may be mistaken, but perhaps Jim is just a big fan of mythology and that's actually Bubo the owl from Clash of the Titans on his arm.


What's even better than the hawk perched on Edmonds shoulder mid pop-up swing? The hawk that is about to get massacred by an Edmonds's fly ball in the upper right hand corner. I'm not sure why he's attempting to take down one hawk while proudly displaying another on his arm, but I like it. A lot. I'd go into the purple and green colored background, but it's just not necessary. The image says it all.

The card doesn't seem to make sense, the design is just garish, but I'm starting to figure out that this what made 90s cards so unique. I'm a little jealous of all of you who have had these sitting around in your binders and boxes for the last decade.

I love you Metal Universe and I must find more of you.

Go Halos!

My Introduction to the 90s: Jim Edmonds Part 2

In an earlier post I explained why you'll be looking at these cards, check it out here - I Have a Confession

So my Marty McFly-like look back to the 90s for the first time continues with Part 2 of Jim Edmonds stack. 4 more cards that delight and confuse.


This appears to be a 1995 Pinnacle card.

I'm not Mario, the king of all baseball card blogs, but I do appreciate this effort from Pinnacle. I've picked up a few Pinnacle cards in various Garret Anderson lots and the foolish purchase (or two) of a repack box and I've always been drawn in by the photography. This is no exception.

This image is both awesome and depressing as an Angel fan. Just the moment in time feel alone makes this great photo, but it's the depressing aspects that pull me in too. First, there's only one reason for Jim to be pulling himself up on the wall, clearly Chuck Finley has given up another of his team high 21 home runs. While that's certain to put a frown on the face of any Angel fan's face, it's the background of this shot that is much too familiar for us fans from the 90s. The left field seats are as always empty. It didn't matter if they offered these seats as a discount and called it the family section or tried to force kids to sit there on Little League Day, no one wanted to sit there. This is just one of the many reasons why the Angels were the biggest winners when the Rams moved to St. Louis and the Big A could be all about baseball again.


Next up is a 1996 Pinnacle Zenith card. (I think.)

Oh, the horror. The wacky baseball bats background, the pure 90s workout shirt/garbage bag and yes the Jimmy Edmonds coiffure. The photographer couldn't have waited a moment or two for Jim to put the helmet on?
Pinnacle with great outfield photo 1 - Pinnacle with Edmonds pompadour 0


1996 Bowman's Best

Holy crap! A set that I've heard of. I'm not sure when the Bowman's Best set began or even much about it's history, but it does bring to mind something that saddens me about my hiatus from collecting. I never got to experience chrome and refractors in the way other collectors did. By the time I got back into the hobby, chrome was everywhere and it just sort of overwhelmed me. As for this card, nothing about it is spectacular, but I find it appealing. Not sure why, I just do. I think that's good enough justification.


Circa '97 (?)

Finally, a card that just absolutely bewilders me. I have no idea what's going on here. Edmonds is written at the top in a hot pink comic book style font. Jim is engulfed by green stalactites or stalagmites or maybe it's blades of grass. I honestly am clueless and I'm pretty sure I would have felt this way in 1997 as well. Anyone with an explanation, I'd love to hear it.

Maybe the best part of this card is the quote from Edmonds on the side, "I'm a hard-nosed player...I got a bad rap in the Minor Leagues, and I've done everything I could to prove them wrong."

This card leaves me with so many questions. Who is the "them" that Jim is proving wrong? How many other players have cards where they're quoted telling the world what their supposed negative qualities are?

I'd love to see the Barry Bonds card were this set to be put out in 2006. "I'm a hard worker...I got a bad rap for injecting myself and becoming a hulk of a human being over the last decade. But I just keep up my surly attitude and don't really give a crap about them."

I'm starting to realize that I missed out on way too much during the 90s.
The final Edmonds card is coming up very soon. It is absolutely the Pièce de résistance!

Go Halos!

My Introduction to the 90s: Jim Edmonds Part 1

In an earlier post I explained why you'll be looking at these cards, check it out here - I Have a Confession

My look back at the 90s for the first time (not sure if that makes sense) begins with Jim Edmonds. From 95-98 Jim had 4 great seasons for the Angels and his glove as much as his bat won over the fans. Although he's now better known as a Cardinal after his trade for Adam Kennedy in 2000, he still holds a place in my heart.


I'm not gonna pretend to know what this card is. To the best of my detecting skills I believe it's a 1996 Fleer E-XL.

Where to start with this "beauty"? The raised border with its semi-rough texture reminds me of the current Masterpieces cards, without the classiness. What really mucks up this card is the flowery, foily silver stamping of the team and player name in the corner. Topping off the card is the word "LAUNCHED" written down the side. Being unfamiliar with this set I don't know if each player had their own word or if there were 20 words spread throughout the entire set. I don't want to like this card, but everytime I look at it, it grows on me a little bit.


Next up, 1995 Score...it's shiny.

I'm used to my Score being pretty simple and definitely not shiny. My last experience with Score was probably 1992, the cards were shine-free and fairly plain, but I'm ok with that.


As for this 1995 Score, I love the image. Jim Edmonds, future Gold Glove center fielder making the stretch at first base. As for the green and gold border...I guess an A's fan probably loves the look of this set, but the rest of us are left with cards that just don't match up.


For the final card of the night, I had to go Sport Flix. Are you kidding me? How the hell did Sport Flix survive or get resurrected for a card in 1996? I remember only being able to find packs of this when I was a very young lad on vacation in a tiny Nebraska town where my Great Uncle lived. While they gave me hours of headaches, I was kind of into these cards, but I quickly gave up on them. As for this Edmonds card, the images are pretty nice. One of Jim after contact and another sliding into home. But what were they thinking with the wording at the bottom. First we have Jim (Angels logo) Center Field under the picture and then in true Sport Flix technology, they decided to have Edmonds morph into "299 Total Bases". Uhhh, thanks for the pointless stat. Luckily it only took me six minutes and two advil to read that. Wow.

So there you have it, My Introduction to the 90s has begun. More will definitely be on the way, including what is now the centerpiece of my Jim Edmonds collection. You won't want to miss it.