Sunday, April 6, 2014

Delivery from Night Owl, that's whoooo

Package in the mail on Friday. Wasn't expecting it. But I always appreciate things in the mail.... I mean whooo doesn't? (OK, last owl hooting reference, I promise)

Anyway Greg sent along some always welcome, new-to-me (except one), Orioles cards. Let's take a peek shall we?

1984 Fleer John Lowenstein. I have this one somewhere but it doesn't matter because now I can put a John Lowenstein card in my 'Favorite Non-Star Orioles" binder. If you were a baseball fan during Brother Low's career you likely know of his reputation as a well, odd and fairly crazy dude.


But like a lot of guys known for their eccentric side. Lowenstein's ball skills were sometimes under-appreciated. Here is his walk-off homer to beat the Angels in the 1979 ALCS. 


Hey, these are MMMINNNNNNNNNNNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIs!! © Night Owl
These are Topps Lineage, what year? Hell if I know. A Jim Palmer is a Jim Palmer. He has a binder so he'll stay warm.



The late, great Paul Blair. The best centerfield glove I've ever seen. A Topps reprint/tribute/something card echoing the wonderful (to me) 1974 design. The print on the back is so small I can't make out much but I think it's from 2013. I wish this had been the photo Topps used in the original '74 card. I like it more than the portrait.


1997 Stadium Club Cal Ripken. I was in on the early Stadium Club sets. I wasn't aware that they continued into the late 90s. I'd dropped out of the hobby by then. You don't see many cards of Ripken running the bases.

Panini Triple Play Adam Jones. I'm assuming this set was aimed at kids? I just now noticed the crab and 'tall ship' in the background. And a bird that I assume represents an Oriole. Pretty clever stuff.


Look, look!!! It's Flat Breezy!! Here is a guy that streaked across the landscape, coming out of nowhere, had 51 saves (of his career 56) in two seasons and then faded over the horizon.

His time with the Orioles (2008/2009) pretty much corresponds to the time I had made my comeback as a fan. So I got to follow his exploits. Didn't last long but it was a fun little ride with the Brim Reaper in the pen.

I dig the '08 Heritage because it of course copies the 1959 set.


Brian Burres had a couple of rocky years with the Orioles but he did end up on the black framed '08 Heritage. The black framed cards in the '59 set were among my faves. And Burres knew how to bend his cap brim, too.


There were a few more in the package including an Eddie Murray Lineage(?) and a 2013 Markakis Mini that, like every modern white bordered Topps card I've ever tried to scan, didn't quite come out right. Does Topps make minis of everything?!?

Many thanks, Greg. Opening this package was a nice break for doing the taxes. Then again lighting myself on fire would be a nice break from doing the taxes.

5 comments:

  1. Those Orioles caps just don't look right without the cartoon bird

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    1. The 'Camp Happy Bird' blows away those 'ornithologically correct' ones.

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  2. You'd think that there would be more cards of Cal Ripken running, because the photographers would have had plenty of time to focus their cameras!

    Ba-dum-bum!

    Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, I'll be here all week!

    I'm going to have to track down that Paul Blair card... I love love love 1974 Topps, and that is a well-done re-creation... a much better job than one usually sees.

    I wonder if Dan Duquette has a photo of George Sherrill in his office with a caption "This is why you don't give big money to a closer"?

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    Replies
    1. FYI, the Paul Blair is a shortprint from 2013 Archives.

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    2. The more I look at that Blair the more I like it.

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