2005 Studio

While I've been busy trying to knock out my 2011 Topps Gypsy Queen set, I've started on another set endeavor, the 2005 Studio set. I was a big fan of Studio when it came out in 1991 and while it held a special place in my collecting heart, I couldn't put in on the same pedestal as the 1991 Topps Stadium Club set. When I started dabbling in the hobby again in 2002 I was disappointed with what had happened to Studio. I wasn't impressed with their designs and was sad at what had become of this novelty set. However, in 2005 that changed when I saw what Donruss released. The card backgrounds are fantastic with the city skylines that are used on most of the cards in this set. In addition, I like how Donruss decided to use a sepia style in this design as compared to standard color photography. If I had one gripe with the set, it would be that I miss how Donruss didn't have the player's hobbies and interest or their hero. It's that quirky stuff besides a player's stats that I'm able to connect with.

Finding Time to Blog Again

The past twelve days have been the most difficult I've ever had to go through. On January 11 at around 10:30 pm I received a call from my Mom in Cincinnati telling me that my Dad passed away a few hours earlier. While my Dad wasn't in the greatest of health the past few years, it was still a shock considering that when I saw him over New Year's weekend everything seemed OK. So while I've spent almost an entire year blogging about my passion for cards, I've had the opportunity to reflect on what's important in life.....family and friends. While I will continue to blog about baseball cards, it won't occupy as much time for me as it had in the past as I devote more time to family and less toward a hobby. My Dad left for me a legacy that treasures family above any material possession and I hope to do the same with my own family as well. Baseball will still play into my family as I hope to take my daughter and foster son to games to chat about what's going on in their life. But baseball is just a game that lasts for nine innings. Family lasts for all eternity.

2003 Fleer Authentix

While this isn't on my list of things to do for 2012, I would like to eventually finish my 2003 Fleer Authentix set. When I first saw this I was just amazed by the design of these cards. I've always been a team logo fan, and to put them behind every player photo was sweet. I also like the idea of making a baseball card resemble a game ticket. Genius! Sure, I'm not a big Fleer fan...in fact I hated most of the product they ever released, but this set (along with 1993 Flair) was different. My favorite cards in this set would have to be the Ticket to the Majors cards. Very cool to include a replica hometown ticket on those player's cards. If I had one gripe with the set it would have to be the back of the cards. How difficult would it have been to show the actual stadium on the back of the card instead of some generic stadium drawing. Not that hard in my opinion and it's the voice of the collector that should matter most to card manufacturers. After all, we're the one's buying the product! Anyway, if I can't get around to completing this set later in the year, it'll definitely be on my list of things to do next year.

1990 Leaf

Over the weekend I was able to complete one of my 2012 Collecting Goals. I picked up a 1990 Leaf set for $26.48 that included the complete 528 card set AND puzzle! Sweet. I remember when this set first came out in 1990 and how freakin expensive the packs were...especially for a teenager. This set has always had a special place in my heart, not so much for who's in the set, although that helps, but for the design. Silver ink...that's unpossible! Yes, you heard me correctly...unpossible! Never before had something like that been tried in the hobby and leaf capitalized on that. Going back to who's in this set: Frank Thomas, Sammy Sosa, Ken Griffey Jr, Randy Johnson, TWO Nolan Ryans, Ryne Sandberg, Ricky Henderson, Ozzie Smith, Eddie Murray, Cal Ripken Jr, Tony Gwynn, Wade Boggs...and on and on! Talk about Hall of Fame set! Of course my favorite card in the set would have to be the Larkin card. Here's hoping he gets the call to Cooperstown today. Sure, the 1990 Leaf set has come down in price since it first came out, but when it comes to collecting it's not about money but for love of the game!

1962 Topps

In the past few weeks I've started working on one of my collecting goals for 2012....the 1962 Topps Reds team set. I can't put into words how much I loath this set. I know that Topps tried to base the design on a poster pasted to a wooden fence (kinda like those circus posters that you saw every year when they were coming to town), but this is just plain hideous. I'm not a fan of the photos that Topps used in this set either. Most appear out of focus, dark, or just plain boring. Very sub par set from Topps. I will say that if there's one card in this set that's my favorite, I would have to pick the Frank Robinson card. Sure, it's a hokey shot of him looking out into the field after following through on a fake swing that the photographer insisted he take, but maybe Frank is pondering of things yet to come. Things that wouldn't be achieved in a Reds uniform. One can only wonder.