I've Gotten Corona... Monarch Corona, That is

Hey ya'll - I'm back.  Did I miss anything while I was gone?

I mean, besides the fact that we are now living in an entirely different world than when I last updated Wrigley Roster Jenga way, way, WAAAAYYYY back in February.  Honestly, while that was just a little less than three months ago, it feels as though it's been more like two years.  My blogging and collecting sabbatical started as a result of being discontent with the state of baseball and it's sign-stealing, minor league contracting, labor dispute looming drama (as well as the Cubs satisfaction with the status quo) and now I hardly remember any of that noise.  In fact, I'm now quite desperate for America's pastime to come back, going so far as to wake up at 5:30 in the morning so I can watch Twitter broadcasts of the recently rebooted Chinese Professional Baseball League.  When my alarm went off for that, I think my wife was ready to have me committed.

In my defense, I think life under quarantine has us going all a little nutty.

Needing a healthy outlet, my desire to delve back into the hobby has started to return, as well.  Thankfully, I have been able to mostly work from home, which has afforded me time to peruse Ebay during the afternoon lulls.  In fact, just last week, I made my first baseball card purchase since before Valentines Day.  It wasn't until I received the envelope in yesterday's mail and ripped it open that I realized what I had done... I accidentally contracted Corona...

...Monarch Corona that is!

Monarch Corona was a collector-issued and moderately popular, oddball brand that put out a few different series of cards in the late 2000's/early 2010's.  They, in fact, had nothing to do with the highly contagious and clandestinely dangerous virus that currently has the entire world on it's head.  I don't mean to make light of what is a deathly serious matter, but I couldn't help but laugh at the realization.  I honestly did not intend to make my hobby return in the Corona Virus era with a Corona card, despite my affinity for black humor and puns.

At any rate, this is not the first Monarch Corona card to enter into my collection.  These cards often focused on niche subjects within the rich tapestry that is the history of our national game.  Without Monarch Corona, I would likely have to plunder a museum for a 150+ year old cabinet card of Bob Ferguson, who only played one season for the franchise in what was their second year of existence (1878).

However, "Death to Flying Things" here (is that not the most bad-ass nickname in the history of the sport?) comes from Corona's "flagship" equivalent.  Meanwhile, the pasteboard that I most recently acquired hails from MC's 104-count Centennial Series checklist:

This set comes complete in a plastic protector and only 200 copies are known to exist. These two factors make finding singles from broken up sets quite difficult to come by.  Additionally, the dimensions on this 2011 product were shrunk from standard size to tobacco size, owing to their focus on ballplayers who were active during the 1911 season (hence the centennial branding).

As wonderful as this faux-back set looks, there is only one card that truly captivates me, thus making it the longtime object of a saved search on Ebay.  That card features "Long Tom" Hughes as seen in the beginning of this post and again below:

Although Mr. Hughes spent the 1910 season with the minor league Minneapolis Millers, he began the 20th century as the ace of the Chicago Orphans, better known as today's Chicago Cubs.  Unless you're new here, you had to have known there was some kind of Cubs connection to be made here, right?

"Long Tom" was exceptionally tall for his era (6'1"), thus earning him his over-sized nickname.  A Chicago native, Hughes began his Major League career with a three-game audition for his hometown squad in 1900 and then found himself leading the staff by 1901.  That season, he started 35 games for the would-be Cubs and completed all but three, posting a solid 3.24 ERA along the way.  Unfortunately, Tom's debut came during the beginning of the Deadball Era AND he pitched for a sixth-place club, which contributed to his abysmal 10-23 record.  Perhaps seeking greener pastures, our hero made the jump to the newly-christened American League for 1902.

Tom went on to win 20 games for the Boston Americans in 1903, who would go on to win the first modern World Series.  That's pretty nice feather to stick in the ol' cap, ain't it?  The inaugural World Champ would then spend most of the rest of his thirteen year career with the Washington Senators before hanging up his spikes in 1913.

"Long Tom" taking some cuts during his time as a Senator.

This card has sat in my watch-list for what seems like eons.  The price was good - one measly buck - but, I just never pulled the trigger.  Perhaps, I subconsciously felt like I needed a specific reason.  Perhaps this Corona pun was rattling around in the back of my head and the connection isn't so accidental... Either way, this glorious little oddball is finally all mine.

As far as I can tell, despite having a lengthy career in the Majors during a time which tobacco cards proliferated, this Monarch Corona card is one of but a small handful of baseball cards to have been printed with his likeness.  It's also by far the most affordable, as it's the only one that isn't 100 years old.  Complicating matters is that there have been two other hurlers of the same name, one of which was active during the same era and both also have a few cards to their name.  Thus, sorting through the wheat and the chaff has required extra attention, lest I add the wrong Tom Hughes to my Cubs All-Time Roster Collection.  Such snafus have occurred before.

All these factors considered, it was imperative that I finally pull the trigger on that watched listing before someone else took advantage.  MC singles don't pop up often, especially for this set, owing to the fact that it was sold as a complete package.  Luckily for me, despite my lengthy dawdling, no one beat me to the chase.

 Same name, same occupation, same position played, but neither are the Tom Hughes I'm looking for.

And there you have it - the card that brought me back to blogging.  Who knew it would take me "getting Corona" to come back while sheltered in place?   In all seriousness though, I hope everybody out there reading this is doing well, as well as being smart and safe.  If we all do out part to flatten the curve and curb the spread, maybe we'll actually get to watch some Major League Baseball by July. 

Being quarantined right now sucks - there's little debate about that - however, if we do what we're supposed to, it'll be relaxed sooner rather than later.

In the meantime, here's hoping that the only Corona you're exposed to is the kind that's actually baseball cards!

The Monkey's Out of the Bottle

I have a laser-focused collection.

That's not to say that I don't enjoy miscellaneous Cubs cards, fun photography, and mysterious oddball pasteboards.  However, after nearly two decades worth of collecting the way I do, I don't think I'll be shifting my collecting focus anytime soon.  In short, I am set in my ways, I love my Cubs All-Time Roster Collection, and that binder get 99% of my hobby time.

On the bright side, the fact that I am so preoccupied with one mission (collect one card of every man to take the field in a Cubs uniform) keeps me grounded.  I'd much rather spend $20 on a super vintage tobacco card than a blaster of random, modern day product.  On the negative side, it also keeps me grounded.  By that, I mean that I don't get much joy out of buying packs, blasters, and boxes of cards because I know that my collecting needs will almost never be met by such purchases.  After all, I'm not going to find a strip card of some Depression Era benchwarmer in a rack pack of 2020 Topps, am I?  Heck, even if there is a Cubs rookie or first appearance in a North Side uni in a new set, it's infinitely more economical to purchase them secondhand rather than play the Topps lottery.

When the new cards first hit the shelves each year, it should be an exciting event for any hobbyist, but my supremely narrow collecting focus keeps my exuberance mostly in check.  Parade, meet rain.

That said, I am not made of stone.  While both my brain and my wallet know that spending money on modern product will not provide much benefit to my CATRC, that doesn't keep me completely on the sidelines.  I'll still buy a stray pack or two each year - I have to see what the new stuff looks like in person, after all.  Therefore, when I found myself in Target over the weekend, I decided to loosen my collar a tad with a rack pack of 2020 Series One.

Now, like I said, modern products rarely have any carrots to dangle in front of my face and this year's Flagship is no exception.  While the checklist is 350 cards long, there is only one, single bullet point which captures my attention, #103 Danny Hultzen - it's like being a Rangers fan or something.  Anyway, despite landing fifteen cards in the set, Hultzen represents the only Cub making his first pasteboard appearance with the team, thus making it a chase card for my CATRC.

Despite this fact, I still plopped down the five dollar bill - despite the long odds of adding anything to my binder - because sometimes you just have to...

Little did I know, I was in for a surprise.  Without any further ado, let's bust into this 34-card pack of 2020 Topps Series One - my very first pack of cards on the calendar year:

Upon shedding the wrapping, it was Tony Gonsolin's face (or his trendy mustache and flowing mane) which initially greeted me.  I don't know who this guy is. but he's definitely got a good first name.

Second out of the packet was a card that could be of potential use.  The Cubs have brought in local hero, Jason Kipnis, on a minor league deal with a Spring Training invitation.  He represents a cheap (an emphatically important quality for the front office this winter), veteran stopgap at second base that could allow blue chip prospect, Nico Hoerner, to spend some time refining his game at AAA.  So, maybe I'll be adding this card to my CATRC binder soon and actually get something useful out of my "treat yo'self" impulse purchase.

Also, maybe the hometown hero can redeem himself for very nearly ruining the Cubs' party in 2016.

I think I lost about 5 years off of the back end of my life when I saw that ball leave the bat.  Yikes.  My skin still crawls when I watch the video 3+ years later.

Speaking of startling moments, the next card in the pack was a massive surprise.  Like I said, there was exactly one card on this fairly large checklist that I actually "needed" for my collection.  One.  One out of 350 possible pulls and I had only bought 34 cards.  Yet, only three cards into my first sampling of the product, there it was staring back at me:

Danny Hultzen makes his first appearance in a Cubs uniform; in fact, he makes his first appearance on a card as a Major Leaguer, period.  As you might infer, that means this card will slot right into my CATRC binder.

The lefty was one of the few bright spots for the Cubs during the latter half of the 2019 season.  The second overall pick (by Seattle) of the 2011 amateur draft was the only player taken in the first 29 selections who hadn't reached the Bigs. This draft class is widely considered to be the greatest of all-time - for apparent reasons and Hultzen was expected to be one of the bigger names from it.  However, while names like Gerrit Cole, Mookie Betts, Anthony Rendon, Francisco Lindor and Javier Baez went on to stardom, Hultzen battled an onslaught on injuries and washed out of baseball on two separate occasions.  Yet, come last September, there Danny was in a Cubs uniform, striking out the side in his maiden Major League appearance.

Some might question the validity of putting a minor league lifer who had only made six appearances in the preceding season onto the checklist of Topps Series One and - honestly - those people would be right.  It doesn't make sense - it's just a symptom of the over reliance on rookie cards that Night Owl eloquently studied not so long ago.  Plus, while he is back with the club for 2020, the chances of him making much of an impact are quite slim.  The new three batter minimum rule and his lack of a 40-man roster spot see to that.  You'd think Topps would want a proper representation of the Major Leagues in their Flagship set... but rookies.

Of course, with all that being stated, the homer in me is thrilled to find a proper Cubs card of the guy.  After all, LOOGY-type relievers rarely get any love and he looks so much better in Cubbie Blue than Mariners Teal.  Does this make me a hypocrite?  Probably.  Maybe.  Yes. C'est la vie.

While this pack was already a odds-defying, massive success, I was thrilled to discover another Cubs card just a few flips later.  Since "the Professor" is known for his intelligence and attention to the finer points of pitching, let's now take a moment to examine the design used for 2020 Topps.

In short, I like it.  While, like many who would bemoan this era of collecting, I would prefer a return to borders.  However, that horse is dead, buried and decaying.  Others complain about the sideways orientation of the nameplate and it's seemingly Bowman-inspired layout.  In regards to the former, I also agree, but I find this to be much easier for my brain to comprehend than having the last name printed above the first, like in 2019 Topps; so, at least it's an improvement.  In regards to the latter, some scream Bowman rip-off; but, to me, the layout and design harkens back to video games like MVP Baseball or to graphical elements used in mid-00's television broadcasts, which tickles my nostalgia bone.  

Also, I enjoy the color coding used in the nameplate  Any attempt to get more blue and red into my Cubs cards is welcomed.

As for the back, they're pretty standard fare, although the heavy reliance on gray is a bit drab.  Also, I find it odd that they included Danny Hultzen's minor league numbers rather than his MLB stat-line.  I'm sure it has something to do with print deadlines or whatever.

Okay, with that out of the way, let's see what the rest of the pack produced:

Here we have a pair of former Cubs, or at least a former Cub and a former North Side farmhand.  I don't miss Aroldis Chapman, but this otherwise standout pack had to damped my enthusiasm by reminding me that Eloy Jimenez is blossoming on the other side of town...  Oh well, nothings truly perfect, I suppose.

On the plus side, the latter does represent my first Eloy card whatsoever, so it'll fit in nicely with my "Coulda Been a Cub" side project.

Next up, a trio of cool photos, including a special "Maryland Day" Orioles uniform (anyone else think soccer when they see this?), a hovering Gregory Polanco, and an intimidating perspective not seen nearly enough on baseball cards.

Oh hey, this guy has been in the news a lot lately, hasn't he?...

On a brighter note, I think I might have the market cornered on the second generational talent in Toronto.  Well, almost - I'd just need Vlad Jr. to complete that "set."  Still, that's a lot of family ties for one pack.

That does it for the base portion of the packet.  Moving on, let's examine the "special" cards:

 

As I mentioned earlier, this particular pack of cards came from a Target, so here are my retail-only Turkey Red inserts - two regular and one Chrome.  Like the return of crimson birds, but a whole lotta meh here with the backgrounds and the players pulled.  Also, I'm just now noticing how poorly these inserts photographed, especially that shiny Sale.  Although, much like Chris' Sawx and Yordan Alvarez's Houston Astros, I probably should have seen that coming.

Zing.

And finally, to close out the pack-busting experience, here's a 35th Anniversary of 1985 Topps insert.  Seems like Topps likes to dip into the well of 80's nostalgia quit often; but, the '85 set is actually one of my favorite designs of all-time, so I'll let it slide this time.  I can't quite put my finger on why I get such a kick out of this set (perhaps it's the simple geometric design, prominent use of team logos, and bold colors), yet I find the originals representing a fair amount of 80's Cubs in my CATRC.

Of course, Pete Alonso is a fully-grown "Polar Bear" and not a "Cub."  Thus, as much as I will cape for '85 Topps, this one will be going into the trade stacks.

With that, we've seen all there is to see with this odd-defying hanger pack.  Within the plastic wrapping, I was able to uncover the one and only card from this product that I declared a target (and, again, within three flips) which served as a Cubgrade for my CATRC, one potential further addition to said binder, a bonus Kyle Hendricks, and an Eloy for my "Coulda Been a Cub" collation.  Considering my narrow scope of cardboard interests, that's an exceptional haul.

All in all, my dip into 2020 Series One went even better than I could have possibly expected and I'm thoroughly satisfied with the brief abandonment of logic that facilitated the purchase.  Granted, there's not a shred of doubt that I could still purchase the single Hultzen RC on Ebay or at my LCS for a fifth of the price I forked over for the pack, though nothing compares to that childlike thrill of pulling it yourself, right?  I'm willing to bet I'm not the only one who feels that way - I encourage you to share a story about the last time you experienced such a rush and/or your feelings about 2020 Topps Series One in the comment section below.

In the meantime, now my wallet and brain have to get together and work twice as hard to repress the urges of my yearning heart to try and replicate the magic.  What have I done?

Cubgrading Castellanos

Unlike the real Cubs, the other day, I actually spent some money and brought back Nick Castellanos.

Okay... so paying a dollar on Ebay for a 2019 Bowman Heritage base card a couple of months after the product's release isn't really the same thing as inking a highly sought after, star player to a massive four year, $64 million dollar contract.  But, then again, I am not part of the Ricketts family, rolling around in Ameritrade money a la Scrooge McDuck, either.  They were outspent by the Reds... the small market Reds... who have also stolen Pedro Strop away from us and spent all winter getting better than us...

Meanwhile, as I was saying before I got sidetracked on an emo tangent,  I have finally "Cubgraded" my Nicholas Castellanos representation in my Cubs All-Time Roster Collection.  In case you're new to Wrigley Roster Jenga, that means that I have upgraded a player included within the binder from a non-Cubs card to the proper blue pinstripes.

From his acquisition at the trading deadline on July 31st until this week, "Big Stick Nick" was wearing a Tigers jersey in my most treasured collection.  I was supremely disappointed that he didn't show up in North Siders uniform in last fall's Update checklist and mildly worried that - upon his seemingly inevitable free agent departure - he wouldn't get a proper, pack-pullable Cubs card at all.  Sidenote - how did he not make an appearance in Update?  A big name swaps spots on two heritage franchises, one of which is in the middle of the playoff hunt, at the trade deadline?  Isn't that Update's wheelhouse?  WTF, m8?

Luckily enough, Bowman Heritage was rebooted just in time to save Nick from Tiger purgatory.  Although, it should be noted that he also popped up in blue and red in Topps Gallery, as far as pack-based, retail products go.  However, the photograph of Nick looking imposing as he strides up to the plate in the home pinstripes set against the clean, "keep it simple, stupid" design of 1953 gave it the edge over Gallery's hit or miss "artsy fartsy-ness."

As far as Gallery cards go, Nick's isn't too bad - I've seen some real horrors since the product was rebooted a couple of years ago.  However, when it comes to documenting the entirety of the Chicago Cubs all-time roster, I'll take a photograph of a player over a drawing any day.  Plus, the home pinstripes look so much better than the blue "softball" alternates.  I don't think that's much of a hot take, but I know that certain sectors of the Chicago fan base thinks that the blues are the best uniforms of the bunch.  I am not among them.

Anyway, I definitely feel like the Bowman is better than the Gallery, which is why the former is comfortably resting in my All-Time Roster tome and the latter is a scan that I swiped from Ebay.

Anyway, Nick is now a Cubs, if in my silly little collection and not in real life.  I guess that's an okay consolation prize.  However, I will not be thrilled when I inevitably see Castellanos wearing Red in Topps Series II...  Nick may have only been a Cub for half a season, but he made a huge impact.  One could say he carried the team on his back during the later summer and fall of 2019, posting an absurd .321./.356/.646 slash line with 16 home runs in just 212 at-bats.  Needless to say, the team floundered in spite of his Herculean effort.  Plus, by all accounts he was an enthusiastic and positive clubhouse presence, seemed to want to stick around, and would have slotted nicely into what is now a rather week outfield rotation at Wrigley Field. 

Alas, the Ricketts have to same some money so that they can abide by this broken luxury tax system which actively encourages the sport's largest money makers to shed salary.  Just look at the Mookie Betts/David Price trade that went down last night...  if I were a Red Sox fan, I'd be lighting some torches right about now.  Of course, I might need to keep some of those handy anyway in case Kris Bryant gets dealt.  We shall see.

In the meantime, at least I now have a proper Cubs card to commemorate Nick's electric and all too brief time on the North Side of Chicago.

via GIPHY

R.I.P. John Andretti

One week ago today, the sports world was rocked by the death of Kobe Bryant and understandably so.  The Black Mamba was certainly one of the true greats of his profession, was equally beloved by fans, and was cut down at an age far too young, with a daughter who barely had time to live.  All in all, it was a devastating situation that truly makes one take a step back and think. 

Now, I've never been a huge basketball fan - my interest in the sport died when Michael Jordan retired (the second time) and, even before then, it was casual at best.  Thus, tragic though Bryant's sudden death was, it didn't affect me the same way it did a lot of my peers.  When news dropped about the accident, my wife and I were at a baby shower and the festivities ground to a halt.  I was sad to hear about the loss of life, but I didn't feel as personally attached to Bryant as did many of those party guests and other sports fans across the world.  That's not to say that I wasn't grieved by the loss of life - I'm not a monster - but I've just never paid all that much attention to Kobe's sport of choice.

However, just a few days later, there was another loss in the world of athletics that I felt on a much more personal level.

I maintain a small collection of NASCAR cards and I am passively working on obtaining one for each driver who has one.  This card of John came paired with a 1:64 die-cast model of his #43 Cheerios Dodge that was released by Hot Wheels in (I believe 2002).  That toy car has long since disappeared, but this card remains in my binders.  Once a relic of my childhood, it now holds a more poignant significance.

On the following Thursday, it was announced that veteran racer, John Andretti, had lost his battle with colon cancer and passed away at the age of 56.  Andretti, of course, hails from the most famous racing clan in the history of motorsport and, like his uncle Mario, he was one of the most versatile competitors of his generation.  During the halcyon days of my NASCAR fandom, John was a fixture on the circuit as the pilot of one of the most famous cars in the game, driving the famous blue #43 for Richard Petty.  Two family dynasties working together under one roof, it was almost poetic.

Seeing as Petty was and is my favorite driver in the history of stock car racing, I naturally rooted for John every weekend.  While he was never a front runner, he was able to get a couple of wins under his belt before the NASCAR phase of his career ended in the mid-aughts.  However, that did not mark the end of his time behind the wheel.

Like I said, Andretti was a versatile driver.  Once he was done in stocks, he simply pivoted.

John Andretti returned to the circuit which provided him his first break into the big leagues of auto racing - Indy Car.  In fact, he even brought the legendary blue #43 over with him for a couple of years, in a partnership between Richard Petty Motorsports and Andretti Autosport, as exemplified by this picture I snapped during Indy 500 time trials in 2009.  If you'll permit me a humble brag, I'm impressed I was able to capture such a crisp, clear image of an Indy Car, at speed, with a simple Canon Powershot.

Of course, the Andretti name is synonymous with open wheel racing, so it was a natural move.  Not to mention, John's biggest claim to fame is when, in 1994, he became the first man to attempt "The Double" - competing in the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR's Coke 600 in the same day.  That's 1,100 miles in just one day, split between Indy and Charlotte, NC - only a handful of brave souls have even entertained the thought.  Even before that, John had been a regular on the Indy Car (then sanctioned by CART) circuit throughout the late 80's/early 90's, even notching a win in '91 at Queensland.

His return to the open wheel ranks was not earth shattering, but I was irrationally excited to see him show up at the Brickyard from 2007-11.  After I began to grow tired of NASCAR, like John, I too pivoted to Indy Car and have been present for Indy 500 time trials nearly every year since 2003.  seeing a name from the early days of my auto racing fandom show up in my new preferred discipline was a nostalgic thrill.

This is John during Indy time trials in 2006, driving for Marty Roth and a year before partnering back up with Petty.

Beyond NASCAR and Indy Car, John also competed in NHRA drag racers, USAC midgets, and sports cars.  Also, besides his famed double, he's also the only person to have ever competed in a NHRA, Indy Car, and NASCAR event during the same season.  Plus, he's had the opportunity to compete in three of the crown jewels of the entire the racing scene - the Indianapolis 500, the Daytona 500, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans - as well. Needless to say, John Andretti's racing career was full of intrigue.

Off the track, Andretti was well-liked and well-respected in the garage area of whatever track he happened to be competing at in a given weekend.  Furthermore, he spent a great deal of time volunteering with charities, both with the Petty Victory Junction Gang camp and for Riley Children's Hospital through his own initiative, Race 4 Riley.

In short, the sudden loss of John Andretti hit me pretty hard, as I had followed his career with great interest since the earliest days of my auto racing fandom.  it's never easy to see one of your childhood heroes pass on, whether they make larger than life dunks on the hardwood or guide sleek machines 200 miles per hour through a curve.  In the end, it's important that we appreciate our brief time on this earth, as you never know when it's going to end, no matter if you're a random sports card blogger or among the greatest athletes of all time.

R.I.P. John Andretti.

Frame Job

Recently, my wife hosted a big fundraising gala.  Without divulging too much personal information, she works for a local non-profit that benefits adults and children with mental disabilities, providing schooling, work, and social services.  With such lofty and wide-reaching goals, a large budget is required, as it works with families all across the county.  Thus, each year, the company holds an annual, year-end gala at a local country club to raise the majority of the funds needed for their noble goals.  Complete with fancy food spreads and a three-course dinner, live and silent auctions for tempting prizes, multimedia presentations showcasing the company's work, a raucous live band, and a black tie dress code, an incredible amount of work goes into making this happen.  Most of this stressful work falls squarely on the shoulders of my wife and her department, though I do volunteer when and where I can to alleviate some of the load.

On the plus side, this year's gala was a rousing success, earning rave reviews from attendees and the board of directors, as well as reaching the fundraising goals.  Plus, needless to say, my better half is in a much better mood with this event fading in the rear-view mirror.  So too am I, both because when she's stressed, I'm stressed and because I got a nifty souvenir out of the whole process.

In the lead up to the big night, a lot of storage space was needed to stash the live auction prizes, silent auction baskets of goodies, and props/decorations/equipment that made up the gala.  As such, my wife and her fellow co-workers had to completely clear out their nearby storage unit to make room for the deluge.  Over the preceding years, this unit had been treated the same way as the closet in our spare room has - as a catch-all for any and all overflow that's largely ignored until some odds and ends need to be hidden away and is then promptly forgotten again. 

Most of these cobweb-covered castoffs were earmarked for Goodwill or the dumpster out back.  Old promo materials, stacks of files, and miscellaneous junk made up the majority of the disused junk - nothing particularly useful. Clearing out storage units actually sounds like a  good time to me, seeing as you have literally no idea what you might find; however, I had to sit this one out.  Nevertheless, I ended up with some re-discovered treasure:

Mark this down on the lengthy list of reasons why I love my wife.  Even as she was digging through junk, tired from planning a stressful event, she was looking out for me and saved this intriguing find from the scrap heap.  Also, holy moly... the possibilities as to what these cards could be!!

While visions of T206 team sets danced through my head, I knew that was the longest of long-shots.  I knew it was far more likely that my spouse and her cohorts had dug up a set of reprints or some kind of retrospective set.  As it turned out, that line of thought was absolutely correct - however, there was yet another surprise to be had:

I was certainly not expecting these re-discovered pasteboards to come collated in this manner!  As you might be able to tell from the boxscores at the center of the piece, this frame job pays tribute to the World Series Championship team of 1908.

As far as the cards go, they aren't technically the 1908 Cubs, as my wife and the party which assembled the piece had posited.  Rather, these sepia-toned beauties showcase the 1907 World Series Championship team, a Cubs squad which is given far less notoriety since a century plus title drought did not follow that World Series win.  That being stated, the main players on the back-to-back championship roster are mostly the same, so the sentiment still works.  Of course, I still had to point this out to my wife, who now thinks I'm an even bigger nerd than she did before.

Without any further ado, let's take a closer look at the cards, which come from the TCMA portfolio and were originally released in 1987:

First, here's a side-by-side comparison which shows how these cards originally look, as opposed to mounted on foam board.  As you can see, the fancy, embossed, blue and gold piping is not part of the original look.

Meanwhile, as far as the set goes, all the major players are there:

The most recognizable names of the bunch, a "trio of bear cubs, fleeter than birds" are there...

... plus the rest of the starting infield.  These two are oft-forgotten, seeing as they didn't have a legendary poem written about their exploits on the diamond.  Although, fun bit of trivia, Johnny Kling was a championship billiards player when he wasn't calling pitches for the Chicago Cubs.

Only one outfielder gets the nod, Frank "Wildfire" Schulte, perhaps because the grassy part of the field was something of a timeshare on that legendary club.  With Schulte having won the National League's Chalmers Award (basically the MVP trophy) a few years later - in 1911 - his name carried the most weight out of the five men who split time chasing fly balls.  Thus, "Wildfire" spread into the TCMA checklist.

Finally, the pitching staff is represented by three big horses of the starting rotation.  Ed Reulbach was shown already and his buddies Mordecai "Three-Finger" Brown and Orval Overall fill out the checklist.  This trio of hurlers led the team in pitching wins, splitting 68 victories between themselves with Mordecai accounting for 29 all on his own.  Boy oh boy, how the game has changed!

In addition to the cards, as I alluded to earlier, the frame job also includes the box scores of the 1908 World Series as a centerpiece, as well as the complete batting and pitching statistics for the victorious Chicagoans.

So, if you're like me, you might be wondering who put this crafty display piece together.  Was it some intrepid Cubs fan? A rabid baseball card collector?  Perhaps it was even TCMA themselves, as a clever way to market their oddball cards?  Well, the answer is stamped right in the middle of the bottom row of pasteboards:

Dream Team Collectibles based out of St. Louis Missouri, in case you can't read the gold embossing on a green background.  They were a big name in the hobby around this time, largely on the strength of these very sorts of items - fancy, themed frames and plaques involving sports memorabilia.  Starting in 1986, Ed Gaines and his wife Barbara and by the start of the 90's, these items were almost ubiquitous in local card shops, card shows, and wherever one could purchase sports ephemera. 

Speaking of big names, it was while researching my 1908 Cubs frame that I came across an eye-popping piece of trivia about Dream Team Collectibles.  This mom and pop company once took on a corporate behemoth and came out on top.  That big corporation was even one of the leagues that their products, no doubt, celebrated - the NBA.  That's right, that NBA - the National Basketball Association.  Wild, right?  And what was the lawsuit about?  The usage of the name "Dream Team."  Holy crap - possessive much?

In May of 1995, Dream Team Collectibles sued NBA Properties Inc., which is the licensing arm of the NBA, and later USA Basketball to try and stop them from using and licensing the term "the Dream Team," which of course was a term used to refer to the famous Team USA Olympic basketball squad, featuring the likes of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, etc.  It's hard to view this as anything other than an advantageous, headline grabbing cash grab, as I don't believe anyone was going to confuse the two entities.  If that were the case, it worked out quite well for the Gaines, as the case never made it to court and DTC received an undisclosed cash settlement for their troubles.  

What a bizarre story.

All in all, this delightful display came with beautiful sentiment, cool cards, and a fascinatingly odd bit of trivia.  Now, all it needs is a new frame and it will definitely be going up on a wall in my office in the near future.

Do you have any of these Dream Team Collectibles displays in your collection or perhaps something similar?  I can't find any current information on this company, so it seems like they may have passed by the wayside in the last couple of decades, though there's no shortage of similar products on the market today.  Just stop by your local mall and pop into Plaques Plus if you don't believe me.  Do you find these items to be as charming as I do through my rose-tinted, nostalgia-riddled glasses or do you think that they're simply tacky?  I encourage you to make your opinions known in the comment section below. 

One thing that is not up for debate though is the fact that my wife rocks!  In the throws of preparing for one of the largest and most important events in her professional life, she stepped back, thought of me and went out of her way to save a trinket that she knew I would enjoy.  I would sing her praises and defend her to ends of the earth, even if Dream Team Collectibles themselves came after me with a frivolous lawsuit to get me to stop.

Sound the Souza-phone - I'm Back!

I was listening to the Ivy Envy podcast on my run yesterday and the normally jovial hosts made me realize why I've been so blase about baseball lately - lately, everything about it is bad.  Between potential labor disputes, scorched earth minor league contraction, deep-seeded cheating scandals, and ever-growing ticket prices, it's been tough to feel anything other than despair when pondering the future of our nation's great pastime.

Furthermore, it's not as if the Cubs have been anything resembling a beacon of light in this dreary darkness either - in fact, they've been just as depressing and frustrating.  With ownership tightening the purse strings (unless they need to make a big political donation) despite launching a convoluted and largely inaccessible television network that was promised to bring in "barrels of cash," it's been incredibly maddening to see the franchise watch from the sidelines as the free agent market unfolded, heated up, and largely closed up shop.  It wasn't until the month of January nearly reached it's end that a team in the nation's third largest market signed it's first, guaranteed MLB contract... I mean, where are those barrels of cash, Mr. Ricketts?  It's probably being spent on Trump's impeachment defense or building another high end club for the baseball one-percenters.

Fan favorites and key contributors like Nick Castellanos, Pedro Strop, Steve Cishek, Ben Zobrist, Brandon Kintzler, and Cole Hamels were allowed to walk without anyone being brought in to fill their shoes.  Not to mention the fact that the only trade talks the Cubs were connected to involved dumping generational talents like Willson Contreras and Kris Bryant. These losses from a supposed "powerhouse" team coming of two consecutive late season collapses... talk about a downward trajectory.

In short, both the hosts of Ivy Envy and I feel the same way about baseball going into 2020:

via GIPHY

Seeing as I've felt anything but good about Major League Baseball, I've chosen to focus on things that actually make me happy during these bleak winter months, jam-packed with clouds both figurative and literal.  I've spent more time with my wife, more time with friends and family, and shifted my collecting focus from baseball ephemera to records and Wrigley Roster Jenga has sat gathering dust and cobwebs.  In fact, I've even thought about shuttering this blog permanently - that's how done I was with baseball at points this winter.

Of course, I couldn't help but check in every now and then - scanning MLB Trade Rumors every now and then, reading Bleacher Nation for nuggets of analysis and every checking the blog roll a few times.  Quitting cold turkey rarely works, after all.

But, here I am writing about baseball and trading cards again - ultimately, the pull of my favorite sport is stronger than the gravity of the sun and I simply couldn't stay away forever.  With spring training just a couple of weeks away and real baseball action being in the very near future, it's a lot easier to ignore the external troubles and get back to just enjoying the game itself.  That means no more thoughts of trash cans and buzzers, Comcast drama, or worrying about a Bryant trade (well, rather, they just get shoved back into the subconscious... 'tis the American way).  Spring, the season of hope and new beginnings, always wins this curmudgeon over in the end. 

Plus, the Cubs finally inked a couple of players to legitimate, Major League contracts - that means new additions to the Cubs All-Time Roster Collection binder! 

After a waterfall of minor league signings, NRI's and waiver claims, the Cubs still needed a bat for the bench and an extra outfielder.  Thus, the Cubs' first major league contract of 2019-20 off-season went to Steven Souza, Jr.  Though not nearly as sexy as "Big Stick Nick" Castellanos, Souza comes with a low risk/high reward potential that can fit within (relatively) self-imposed luxury tax limitations.  The dark thoughts are clearly still casting shadows upon my judgement, but I'll try to keep them at bay.

On the bright side, Souza comes with a blue chip prospect pedigree, is relatively young (30), and is just two years removed from an .810 OPS with the Rays.  How were the penny-pinching Chicagoans able to secure his services on a one-year, $1 million dollar deal? Well, after a trade to the D-Backs, he missed half of 2018 due to a series of pectoral strains and then all of 2019 after slipping on home plate and destroying his knee during the last spring training game.  Thus, the bargain basement deal.

While it may be a long shot, for the sake of my mental health and continued enjoyment of Cubs baseball, I'm choosing to dream on a potential return to that 2017 form for Steven and a bleacher bum band cheering his comeback on with Souza-phones!

 via GIPHY

After a nearly full off-season's worth of hand-sitting, it was only a couple of days after Souza's signing that word dropped of the Cubs' second free-agent acquisition of the winter.  With so much time spent idling, this sudden acceleration nearly gave Cubs faithful whiplash!

Before this week, most Northside fans knew Jeremy Jeffress as a thorn in our side, an effective relief weapon from our rivals up I-94.  The longtime Milwaukee hurler was an All-Star in 2018 and posted a 1.29 ERA and 89 K's in 76.2 IP, helping to lead the surging Brew Crew past the crashing Cubbies.  However, 2019 was a much different story for Jeremy, as injuries and ineffectiveness limited his availability and his ERA climbed over five.  Like with Souza, the Cubs are dreaming on success from the not-so-distant past and choosing to ignore the recent warts. Again, like Souza, Jeffress gets a one-year contract, though for slightly less ($850,000 plus incentives).

The righty joins a crowded bullpen picture, though he holds an advantage by being the only new face coming in with a MLB contract.  Theo and crew have been patching the now Strop, Cishek, and Kintzler-less bullpen together with some split contracts, NRI's, waiver claims, Rule 5 picks, etc.; but, Jeffress seems to be the only "sure thing" from the winter imports.

Also, apparently Jeffress comes with his own food truck, so perhaps this is a clever way for the club to drum up more concession sales at Wrigley Field, as well.  That said, in all seriousness, that's the sort of fun, quirky story that this jaded sports fan needs to hear about right now.

With that, we've covered all of the MLB acquisitions made during my absence.  I know I've mentioned that once or twice, but it still blows my mind that one of the richest franchises in the league is among the lowest spenders.  I guess there may still be one or two - it's been rumored that they're interested in bringing Scooter Gennett in to allow Nico Hoerner time to develop at AAA.  Not to mention, now that the Kris Bryant grievance has finally been settled, trade rumors are truly kicking into overdrive, going so far as to involve Nolan Arenado.  We shall see if anything else happens before Opening Day arrives.

Also, please don't trade Kris Bryant.  That might just kill the last of my goodwill.

Here's hoping that my slowly thawing heart continues to warm, so that I might find some enjoyment in the 2020 baseball season and that I find the motivation to keep Wrigley Roster Jenga on life support.  Cubs fans - do you share my dismay when it comes to our beloved National League ballclub?  Whether you're a Cubs fan nor not, how do you feel about the state of baseball today?  Do you also feel like it's a tough sport to love, at the moment?  Am I just being a grump?  Do I need to get better at compartmentalizing?  For me, things are on the up and up for now, but I have a bad feeling that the Rob Manfred and/or Tom Ricketts is going to shoot themselves in the foot again before long.

Quite the optimist, aren't I?

via GIPHY