Eleven Packages and Almost 4,000 Cubs Baseball Cards in my Post-Europe Mailday
My mail was held for 11 days as my wife and I traversed through The Netherlands and Belgium. Last year, when we went to Italy I had 17 packages filled with Cubs baseball cards waiting for me.
I didn’t expect that many packages as I would be gone a few less days, plus I had held off on a few trades and didn’t make any purchases. Still, there was 11 packages for me when I returned home.
Joel in Massachusetts sent a medium flat rate box and its contents consumed much of my total Cubs haul of nearly 4,000 cards.
This is my second trade with Joel, and he is a member of the Old Baseball Cards (OBC) group. Members of this group have been beyond generous in my pursuit to collect one million Cubs baseball cards. A great group of guys.
His box had it all, including a stack of 1973 Topps. Love this design, and it’s simplicity may make it my favorite from the decade.
A pile of 1974 Topps cards were included.
And those bright and colorful 1975 Topps cards were represented, too. Sad story about Oscar Zamora. Okay, it’s only sad to me. One day a few years ago I was perusing eBay for random Cubs items. I found a game used bat for a really low price thinking it was Oscar Zamora. Well, I got the initials correct, OZ, but was off a few decades. I clicked buy, paid, and a few days later the bat arrived. By this point when I saw the name on the bat it occurred to me this isn’t Oscar Zamora. It was Oliver Zapata. Fortunately, Zapata was also a Cubs player in the minor league system, so I didn’t feel too bad. It was only about $10, so I wasn’t out much. I’m not a big bat guy, so it’s one of just three in my collection. The others are Hak-Ju Lee and Manny Alexander.
Hey, look at this! A Javier Baez Home Run Challenge card...unscratched!
This Joe Tinker postcard is a new add to my collection. The back side is blank.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen this 1988 Score Ryne Sandberg card.
Look at this. This is pretty sweet. An unpunched 1984 MLB All Star Game ballot. This is cool! I would have punched the names of Bill Buckner (1B), Ryne Sandberg (2B), Ivan DeJesus (SS), Ron Cey (3B), Jody Davis (C), Gary Matthews (OF), Keith Moreland (OF), and Jerry Mumphrey (OF). Cubs bias!
Richard in Denver reached out showing me this sweet 2011 Bowman Platinum Auto relic of Max Ramirez. I’m a sucker for bat relics. This is my first auto relic of Ramirez, but I do have a couple autos. I don’t remember Ramirez and wondered why. He actually did reach the major leagues with the Texas Rangers appearing in 45 games during the 2008 and 2010 seasons. It was a really short stint for Ramirez with the Cubs. He was signed prior to the 2011 season and was released on May 6. It was enough time to log a few minor league at bats and get a picture for use in 2011 Bowman products.
I bought a Pat Hughes Autograph from 2019 Topps Archives from William in New Jersey. Love the 1982 Topps design. William also threw in some extra Cubs cards.
Thanks to Blake, I was able to add Utah to my list of states contributing to the One Million Cubs Project in 2019. Utah is the 43rd state. Blake’s brother, Chad, sent this Kyle Schwarber Allen & Ginter card.
Chase in Alabama sent a stack of Cubs cards that included this sweet 2018 Topps 83 green Ian Happ numbered 33/99.
My guy Goalie in the Crease has been sending some awesome stuff. His package included an awesome Aramis Ramirez Upper Deck Sweet Spot signature numbered 8/135. Love that it’s a piece of a baseball (with stitches) embedded in the card. Also, a first Bowman Kris Bryant and a Pirates game day program that included a Cubs series.
Steve in Akron sent over 100 Cubs baseball cards, and his packages never disappoint. Steve and I have made multiple trades. Inside was this 2016 Topps Archives Jon Lester blue border numbered 38/199.
I only bought a couple blasters of 2019 Topps Archives, so this Kyle Schwarber is the first for me out of this year’s release.
Topps Coin! Kris Bryant Coin from 2019 Topps Archives. Also something I needed from this year’s set.
Beth sent a third package from Vermont. This box was stacked with new additions to my Cubs collection. Love this add. It’s an unopened pack of 2015 Panini with Kris Bryant on the front.
A Carson Sands 2015 Topps Heritage Minors Autograph. I have developed quite the Carson Sands baseball card collection.
Several Anthony Rizzo cards including a pile of Topps Heritage Chrome cards. The 2015 Choice card showing Rizzo in a Greenville uniform is also a first.
And a 2016 Topps Chrome pink refractor of the Kris Bryant Future Stars card.
Justin in Rhode Island sent a box including a couple Javier Baez rookie cards.
And a pair of Topps Chrome refractors of Anthony Rizzo and Tommy LaStella.
The next box came decorated in Cubby Blue!
It’s a box from a trader I call, “Oddball Eddie.” Ed is from Baltimore and always sends some great Cubs stuff including plenty of oddballs and some great vintage. With this 1962 Post Richie Ashburn, Ed combined oddball with vintage.
Love me some vintage Ron Santo. In this case it’s a 1966 Topps.
Looks like Ernie Broglio is having a bad hair day in this 1965 Topps card.
Another vintage oddball. 1971 Kellogg’s 3-D Superstars Glenn Beckert.
I love these vintage. Nothing like some well-loved vintage baseball cards. 1953 Bowman and 1954 Bowman Paul Minner, 1955 Bowman Bob Rush, 1955 Topps Stan Hack, and 1956 Topps Monte Irvin.
A couple of Shakey’s Pizza oddballs of Cap Anson and Fred Clarke.
A 1988 reprint of an Ernie Banks Home Run Derby postcard.
And how about this. Another Ernie Banks! This is from 1969 Topps.
What a great return. Working on return packages to get out soon.
One Million Cubs Project Stats
Monday's (9/9/2019) Cards: 3,939
Monday's (9/9/2019) Packages: 11
January's Cubs Count: 9,343
February's Cubs Count: 8,980
March's Cubs Count: 15,704
April's Cubs Count: 11,651
May's Cubs Count: 7,273
June's Cubs Count: 7,690
July's Cubs Count: 10,803
August's Cubs Count: 11,929
September's Cubs Count: 3,939
Total Trades/Donations: 234
Trade States of Origin: Arizona (3) Alabama (5)
Arkansas California (20)
Colorado (5) Connecticut (12)
Delaware
Florida (9)
Georgia (3)
Idaho (3) Illinois (18) Indiana (5)
Iowa (2)
Kansas
Kentucky (2)
Louisiana Maryland (9) Massachusetts (8)
Michigan Minnesota (3)
Mississippi
Missouri (3)
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire (2) New Jersey (12)
New Mexico (3) New York (19) North Carolina (6) Ohio (12)
Oregon (3) Pennsylvania (6)
Rhode Island (2)
South Carolina
South Dakota Tennessee (6) Texas (7)
Utah
Vermont (3)
Virginia (2) Washington (5)
West Virginia (6) Wisconsin (12)
Countries of Origin
Canada (1)
Korea (1)