Night Owl Cards

I received a handful of cards recently from the ever-generous Mark Hoyle, and as I was looking at them, I suddenly became proud of the era in which I started collecting cards. No, I didn't start collecting in 1966. I'm not that old. But I did begin in the mid-1970s. And at that time, collecting cards was still a kid's hobby. There were no adults who collected cards. I remember reading about a noted dealer who collected in the 1960s who said he would almost have to hide his hobby from other adults for fear of being ridiculed. So, I think I came along at the right time. When I collected as a kid, that's what kids were supposed to do. And now that I'm an adult, that's what adults are supposed to do. Eighty to ninety percent of the attendance at every card show is adults. But back to those glorious days when cards were manufactured for kids and no one else. The designs for cards back then were remarkably simple. I'm not sure how much thought Topps ...

I love color. Have I established this? I have. How much do I love color? I love color so much that I'm envious of women in the summertime and black NFL players at the ESPYs. I'd like to wear something as showstopping as all that. I love color so much that I want to be one of those artists who throws different shades of paint against a wall and people rave about it. I love color so much that I never want to be color-blind, a dog or live in the '50s. I always want to see color and all of it. This is why my favorite baseball card sets are the same ones that some consider garish, ugly or the worst ever. They want to live in a dignified, well-balanced, limited hue world. How dull of them. I'll be over here trying to win the lights and display contest . Yep, I've gone commercial. And tonight, I'm going to roll around in that beautiful palette and reveal a post I've been sitting on for a long time. I'm going to count down the Top 10 most colorf...

I keep forgetting to report the results from the most recent "Define the Design" post. I know everyone has been waiting by the keyboard in anticipation, so I'll get this done so you can move on with your lives. Not a lot of time (again), so I'll go through it quick. In the previous "define" post I brought up card sets from 1989 and 1990 Classic, 1990 and 1993 Leaf, 1992 and 1993 Pinnacle, 1995 Pacific and 2000 Pacific Revolution. I named '93 Leaf, '93 Pinnacle and '95 Pacific already. I also named 1990 Classic. Several folks want me to name it after those ghastly pants from the early 1990s, Zubaz. Because of the colorful stripes. I agree there are similarities, but I refuse to recognize that affront to fashion. So I'm sticking with the "Saved By the Bell set." It's a much happier name from the same time period. Football players' and weightlifters' inability to dress themselves is maddening. But you...

I wish every set was as easy to name as the 1990 Classic baseball set. Not only is it easy to name but it has a name that describes its era perfectly. That's what I want for every set -- to have a name that evokes a period in pop culture history. Cards produce memories, of a time, of a place, and a name for a set would help capture that period easily and forever. But, unfortunately, most sets aren't as easily labeled as 1990 Classic. With its wild, bright colors and its crazy, zig-zag, tiger patterns ... ... there is really only one name for this set. The "Saved By the Bell" set. I think almost everyone agrees with that. Even someone like me who was in his mid-20s when kiddies were watching Zack, Kelly, Screech and Mr. Belding. Such an easy set to name. Other Classic sets? Not so easy. I don't know what to name the 1989 Classic set. "Silver-to-Magenta Gradiant Set"? It doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. And that...

I received my box o' surprise cards from Indians Baseball Cards. Always over the weekend, thanks to his wonderful Trick or Treat contest. As always, David went above and beyond with the goodies. Do you think when kids come to his house on Halloween he tells each kid, "Ah, take the whole bag." That's how generous he is! The catch to this contest is you might get some tricks with your treats, and David is an observant fellow. I was almost certain I'd get some San Francisco Giants mixed with my Dodgers or even some horsey cards. I even mentioned to my daughter that she might end up with a couple of my cards. Wasn't she disappointed when they all ended up being Dodgers! Like other card bloggers, I tried to guess which box was mine when I saw them all lined up on the Tribe Cards site. I guessed wrong. The circled box (circled in BLOOD RED, bwaaaaahahahahahahahaha!) is mine. Unfortunately, my box was delivered Saturday, which was an all-day soaker around here. So ...