Trading with Night Owl

I would try to think of some kind of pun or clever title for the trade, but I’m probably the last blogger in the universe to have traded with Night Owl and all the good ones have already been done before.  So…instead, you all get to look at some of my favorites in the bundle he sent.

Passing Steve Carlton for 5th in all-time starts (and winning 1-0)

One of many variations to obtain in the future.  This has always been one of my favorite Upper Deck designs (either despite or because of its resemblance to Porky Pig popping out of the Looney Tunes circle).  They may have already beaten it to death before this set came around, but I personally don’t get sick of it.  I look forward to chasing the rainbow.

Pitching the Void

Night Owl also sent over the 2009 base card as well.  They look really nice side-by-side in the binder.  I love the look of the nearly pure black background.  I’ve seen it work better on other cards, but I still enjoy it here.  To put on my art snob glasses for a moment, I will say that the dropped background accentuates the representation that Mr. Maddux is in a class by himself.  He is on a different plane, a different dimension, than his peers. /snobbery.

Baby faced hurler

This is now one of two oldest Maddux cards I own (still don’t have anything earlier than ’88 so far).  What’s interesting to me is that Greg is in a home uniform, but the stands behind him don’t look like Wrigley.  For one, they’re too empty in the upper level and for two, they are way too blue.  Hmmm.  Anyone able to shed light on that?  I’m not the best with history.  Did they wear home whites on the road?

That looks mighty uncomfortable

File this under “How in the hell do I not have this card already?”  I can’t tell you how much ’92 Score I’ve busted.  I can’t fathom that this card isn’t somewhere in my basement.  I must not have found it yet, that’s all, right?  I’m sure if I did find it, it wouldn’t be in great shape, so I’m glad the search is over.

The beginning of a gut

I like receiving high-end base cards in the mail, because it helps to reduce the incentive to actually seek out high-end stuff to open (even if that desire was minuscule already).  Very nice color on the crisp photo.  I think the sweet spot design at the bottom works well with the amount of foil.  I’m not wild about the wood semi-circle, but otherwise I’m digging it.

Stretch it...stretch it....NO! That's too much stretching!

I was hoping Night Owl would hook me up with Maddux as a Dodger, and he did not disappoint.  I’ve heard a lot of negatives about the 2008 Stadium Club, but this looks like something I would collect.  Was the main issue mostly the overpricing of it?  According to the back of the card, Maddux gained 15 lbs since that Sweet Spot two years prior.

Good enough to frame

The last one I’ll show is the one that started it all.  I saw his luck in obtaining this base card and a relic from 2002 Gallery and expressed my interest.  One out of two ain’t bad, especially when it looks like this.  I miss Topps Gallery sometimes.  It was too high priced when it first came around and was gone as a regular product by the time I got back.  This one gets  a center slot in the binder page.

When all was said and done, I got 17 new Maddux cards to add to my young collection.  I started out at 29, so anytime you can increase your numbers by nearly 60% in one shot, you’re doing good.  I’m even further along now, but those are for other posts.  This post is to thank Night Owl for his generosity and the great trade!  Hopefully we’ll get to do it again sometime soon.

2 comments to Trading with Night Owl

  • Yep, we’ll have to swing another deal sometime!

    The main issue with ’08 Stadium Club was the price and the impossible nature of collecting the set, the short-printing of every third card, etc. Jerks.

    • Jon

      Aah, I didn’t know about all the SPs. Stadium Club was always pricey compared to my allowance, but that would be something of a camel back-breaker.

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