Gentleman’s Quarterly

What’s that?  GQ stands for something else?  Gypsy Queen, you say?  Hmmm, I guess that means this is another GQ trade post… and another half-assed introductory paragraph.

Brian over at the prolific Play at the Plate (over 1000 posts? Really?  We’re almost at 350…in a year and a half of writing), contacted me about a Rangers relic (Hamilton bat, I believe) and some inserts I found in my GQ blaster and there’s no way I was going to pass up this stuff.

Sweet "No Fear" collar

I should probably get used to seeing this picture.  There are 5 different versions of this card.  Oh, and each of those versions appear in the Chrome, Chrome Refractors, Home Team Advantage, and Limited sets.  Crazy. I guess you have to start somewhere.  In 1998, Tony helped the Padres win the pennant and ended up batting .500 in the World Series.

Classic design

This is the third Greg Maddux card that makes his eyes look pure black.  Maybe that’s his secret. He’s actually summoning some dark forces that specialize in missing bats.  I know this set as Upper Deck SE from basketball.  It was its own insert set and had electric court parallels instead of electric diamonds like these have.  Those cards always felt special to me, so the name fit.  I guess I just have a soft spot for any card that squishes player pictures like a TV rerun credit scroll.

Ooo, glinty

I believe this is my first Topps Stars card.  I like what I see so far.  It’s more glittery than it appears.  You know, sort of like a manly girls valentine.  The curved, warped gold font on “Spotlights” is a nice touch and who wouldn’t like the gold shadow?

You can kind of see the writing on the back if you look hard enough

Sweet, sweet acetate.  I love me some plastic cards.  It’s a cheap gimmick, but I fall for it every time.  The back of the card shows the back of his head and jersey as if you’re on the other side of him.  That’s the whole concept of the card.  Does it need to exist? No.  Is it cool? Oh yeah.

Diggity die cut!

Okay, just how many fingers does this hand have?  Maybe extra fingers increases your defense roll +1.  The back lists the fielding percentages for each of his 9 consecutive gold gloves (at the time).  Yeah, he had two error free seasons.  Surprisingly he won in 1993 and 1994 with .933 and .934 respectively.  Not only is this card die cut, but it’s got some embossing action going on which doesn’t come across.

Mid '90s shine and style

I think “Big Stick” is a fair assessment for the Big Hurt.  Especially coming off his second straight MVP award.  You can kind of tell by the outline around Frank the shiny, refractory nature of the card, and I must say that it would be virtually nothing without it.  The crazy alien animal print doesn’t do it for me.

I know the front didn't scan well, but you're not missing much. Just imagine blue.

Another plastic wonder AND another die cut, even if it is just rounded corners.  The subway letters in Halls Well are see-through, as is the white between the red stripes on the left.  If I remember correctly, this made the list of Night Owl’s worst insert names ever, and I don’t disagree with him there.  I would, however, disagree with anyone that says Frank Thomas isn’t Hall-worthy.  I don’t think there are too many people that would say that.

Kind of looks like the card has been dusted for prints

I don’t know if I like the scan or the actual card more. They both have their benefits.  Simply put, this card is amazing.  It’s a film on etched cardboard.  Look at the atmosphere. The mise en scene.  This is what sportscenter and local baseball broadcast openings try to accomplish to get you excited about the games you’re about to watch.

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And I follow that with this.  Brian had been pushing this on us for months, and I think he just got sick of temper tantrum sitting on his desk.  I figured it’s a good way to close out a post titled “Gentleman’s Quarterly.”  What better gentleman is there in the game today?  What’s that? He’s not in the game today?  Because he’s a baby cry?  Oh….

Thank you very much for another great trade!  Amazing and smooth as always.  Now that you have your comprehensive wantlists up, I’ll be sure to find time to send you more stuff soon!