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An Ernie Banks autograph, and a Surprise Large Flat Rate Box

Wednesday brought me three big boxes with more than 1,200 Cubs cards. In all about 3,500 cards arrived. 

One box was a large flat rate filled with Bowman prospects and Bowman Draft from the past eight years. It was a purchase I made from the Blowout Cards Forums. 

In the past I've gotten really lucky buying flat rate boxes of products. A couple years ago one contained a stack of Aaron Judge Bowman Draft cards including Chrome and refractors. I sold many of them upon his debut...before he really blew up. Some hidden gems can be found if you stick the cards away for awhile. 

This box didn't contain any hidden gems...yet. There were 95 Cubs cards which was a little less than I was hoping for. I was anticipating between 125-150 Cubs in this box. There were some 2011 Bowman Draft Team USA of Trevor Clifton and Keegan Thompson.

A couple Dan Vogelbach 1st Bowman cards.

Evan Crawford...I'll have to check to see whatever happened to him.

Wayne Gretzky's kid.

And my guy Dylan Cease!

Curt in Charlotte, North Carolina sent me another box. This will be our second trade. It included one of the goofiest cards of the 1980's: the 1984 Fleer Jay Johnstone. 

Did you know? That umbrella hat is called a Brockabella and was created by Hall of Famer (and former Cub) Lou Brock!

Jay Baller. The perfect name for a guy that looks like this. Perm with a bushy 80's mustache, chest hair, and gold chains. Jay was a baller indeed. 

I am digging this 2003 Topps Finest Moises Alou. I didn't dig the way Alou reacted after a foul ball entered the left field stands at Wrigley Field in the 2003 National League Championship Series. 

Matt in Minnesota reached out a couple weeks ago wanting to do a trade. Then last weekend he shot me a message with a picture of an Ernie Banks Front Row autographed card! It's my FIRST autograph of Ernie Banks! 

It's part of a set of five cards made in 1992, that also includes a certificate of authenticity that says this set is 1,707 of 5,000.

He also included a jersey relic of Corey Patterson.

And a 1987 Fleer Update rookie of Greg Maddux.

This 2006 Upper Deck Wade Miller brought back memories of my 20's. Living about an hour from Peoria, I would take in a half dozen Peoria Chiefs games each season. It seemed in the summer of 2006 every Chiefs game I went to Wade Miller was starting on a rehab assignment. It was probably twice, and thought maybe I'm exaggerating him playing so much in Peoria. Nope, he made five starts with the Peoria Chiefs in 2006, and another three starts in 2007.

Speaking of rehab assignments, my parents rode an elevator with Henry Blanco at the Pere Marquette (downtown Peoria hotel). I can only imagine that awkward 60-second ride, as my parents were most likely inebriated and Blanco didn't speak much English (or played it as if he didn't to avoid conversation), and probably didn't want to share an elevator with a group smelling of Busch Light.

One Million Cubs Project Stats

Wednesday's (11/21/2018) Cards: 1,275

Wednesday's (11/21/2018) Packages: 3

Weekly Count: 1,556

Total Count: 224,760


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