Good things come in small packages, Pt. 2

Today, we'll be continuing with the "mini-package" theme.

A theme that proved to be so awesome that I had to split it up into two posts. In case you missed the first round of blogger generosity, here's part one.

Part two kicks off with a couple former "Dime Box Dozen" needs of mine, courtesy of Tom from the fantastic blog "The Angels, In Order".

I get wildly excited anytime someone contacts me about my "Dime Box Dozen" needs. Other bloggers with their own "most wanted" lists can probably understand my exuberance over the event.

That being said, picture how excited you'd be if someone told you that they had three different cards off your hallowed "most wanted" list.

Because Tom did exactly that.

He managed to knock out a quarter of my "Dime Box Dozen" needs at the time. 

Now, another blogger managed to beat Tom to the punch with one of the "DBD needs" he had for me. I received a different copy of a much-needed Dave Concepcion "sunset" card just days before Tom's envelope wound up on my doorstep.

But I appreciate the gesture all the same.

However, the other two Tom sent were certainly both legendary cards in their own right. I guess that's why they ended up on my "Dime Box Dozen" list in the first place.

Regular readers probably know how much I value cards that feature Wrigley Field. Luckily for me, there are quite a few of them floating around out there.

This is easily one of the better Wrigley shots I've seen. The famous brick wall backstop and sold-out crowd are staples of a serene afternoon ballgame on the North Side.

Plus, it features one of my all-time favorite Cubs with Mr. Kingman.

And, look!

Dave Kingman is actually smiling.

You don't see that every day.

Yes, this is one of my coveted "pitchers on the basepaths" cards.

However, that only tells half the story of why it was such a desired need of mine.

In the end, the backdrop is what managed to put this one over the top.

From the clues given on the Shea Stadium scoreboard, one could probably "date" this particular card with ease.

In fact, one of our own has already done so.

What I like most about it, though, is the fact that we can decipher the exact time that this shot of "Doc" Gooden was taken. 

So, yes, this photo was taken by the good people at Topps during a Dodgers-Mets contest on July 21, 1991.

At 3:02 P.M.

How cool is that?

I feel proud to own both of these "Dime Box Dozen" needs.

Or, should I say, former "Dime Box Dozen" needs. 

And I couldn't have done it without people like Tom.

During my time around here, I've made it a point to send out as many "Welcome to the Blogosphere!" packages as I can.

I vividly remember some of the nicer cardboard gestures I received during my earlier blogging days. 

After about a month of writing, I was on the fence about whether or not I wanted to continue with it. As it happens, that generosity from fellow bloggers during my "rookie" days ended up playing a major role in my decision to stick with the whole blogging thing.

Now, as a "vet", I'm doing my best to keep the blogging community growing. As are many other "veteran" bloggers out there.

One such "welcome" package I sent out went to Zach, one of the newer members of the blogging brethren. You might know him better as "The Underdog Card Collector".

Although I wasn't expecting anything in return, Zach was nice enough to send a PWE my way, one that contained what may prove to be one of the better cards of my "bespectacled ballplayers" collection.

My decision to actually chase these is still up in the air at this point.

Either way, Mr. Gross is certainly a good starting point.

Just a week or so later, I was surprised to find another little package in the mail from Zach.

Apparently, despite my insistence that he didn't have to send anything in return, I guess I've been granted an installment plan with "The Underdog".

His second mailer included a nice grouping of neat little oddballs. 

Zach knows my motto.

"The odder, the better."

Even though I've had this historic Hindenburg card in my collection for a while, I had to give it its day on the blog.

Although the tragic events that surrounded the event were anything but cool, I must admit that this is one of the most captivating non-sports cards I own.

Am I wrong?

At first, I wasn't a huge fan of the "When They Were Young" insert series.

They were just a little too odd for me back in the day.

Recently, though, I've welcomed them into my collection with open arms. Zach was nice enough to include this one of Russell Martin in his group of "oddballs".

And, yes, it will go in with all my other standard cards of Mr. Martin in my Dodgers binder.

It adds a nice change of pace to my many nine-pocket pages.

After reading his blog over the past month or so, I have a feeling that Zach will be a part of this terrific community for a long time down the road.

Go and give him a read if you haven't already.

After all, our blogging community can use as many members as it can get.

Much like my apparent mailing ties with Zach, I've inadvertently found myself in a similar "installment plan" with another Friar-based blogger.

After all the generosity he's shown me during my time around here, I felt sending a Friar-filled package to TTG from "Friars on Cardboard" was the least I could do.

Ever since then, I've been finding cardboard surprises from him in my mailbox on a regular basis.

A total of three different PWEs from TTG wound up on my doorstep during the course of this past week.

As I've found, there isn't a whole lot of rhyme or reason to the cards he usually sends.

Still, that's what makes 'em so much fun to open.

Apparently, he's picked up on my recent fascination with cards of the "multiple exposure" variety. The smoke-like transition between the two images of Geronimo Pena gives this card a heightened sense of action.

Speaking of which...

Here's a rather up-close-and-personal shot of the man they called "Smoke".

From what I know about him, Dave Stewart certainly earned that label in every way possible.

Still, this particular photo managed to capture him during a fairly candid moment, one that features him stretching before what looks to be a spring training contest.

Odd?

Certainly.

But great all the same.

As I said, there haven't been a lot of constants with TTG's "gifts" to me over the past few months.

Darryl Kile may be the only exception.

I've made a few brief references to my Kile "tribute" collection during the course of my writings around here. Apparently, TTG took notice of that.

He's been flooding me with Kiles ever since. That Fleer Ultra issue is now the 37th different Astro card of his I own.

You can chalk about a third of those up to TTG.

But, although there can be a hint of normalcy during the course of his mailers, it usually doesn't last too long.

Sooner or later, a card like that Jimmy Haynes is going to pop up. A card that manages to evoke feelings of both confusion and fascination.

And, to top it all off, Haynes is pictured in a Kane County Cougars uniform there. The Cougars are the closest minor league franchise around these parks. I've attended quite a few of their games over the years.

Even though I have a few cards that feature Kane County jerseys, I think it's safe to say that I have a new favorite with Mr. Haynes.

Here, we have a few interesting adds to my Orioles binder.

Once again, Stadium Club managed to outdo itself with their photography.

Although I'm not sure what the ice behind Mike Mussina is supposed to symbolize (perhaps the old "ice water in his veins" cliche), it has quickly become one of the "cooler" cards in my O's binder.

Excuse the pun.

Given that "Fernando" only pitched in Baltimore for one season, I've been on the hunt for his Orioles cards for as long as I can remember.

Still, that particular Score issue was new to me. The fact that Valenzuela is sporting a throwback O's jersey is simply icing on the cake.

Even with "Smoke" and "ice water", though, my favorite cards from Mr. TTG weren't oddball-related.

Heck, they weren't even baseball-related.

Aww, yeah.

Here's a little classic rock to lighten up your day.

Surprisingly, I'd never heard a peep from these Pro Set "MusiCards" before these ended up on my doorstep.

With a little research, I found an expansive checklist for these. I may just try and build this set sometime down the road.

For now, I'll take any extras you guys might have lying around.

TTG actually sent me four of these musical masterpieces. The other two featured the likes of Crosby, Stills, and Nash and the Goo Goo Dolls, neither of whom register that highly on my radar.

Although I haven't been listening to them as much lately, The Who have long been in the upper echelon of my musical tastes. Keith Moon may very well be my all-time favorite drummer.

Still, I don't even try and play Who songs on my bass. I consider myself to be passable on the instrument, but I'll never be able to match those awesome John Entwistle bass lines.

No chance.

And, although I might catch some flack for saying this, I've often thought that The Doors were one of the more overrated bands in music history.

I do like a few of their tunes, but I've just never found myself that head-over-heels for them.

But that's one of the greatest things about music.

To each their own.

It's the same with baseball cards.

Others might not like "pitchers on the basepaths" or "multiple exposure" shots as much as me. I know that.

But, here in the world of cardboard, everyone is free to do what they wish.

Luckily for me, the world of bite-sized packages has kept that feeling alive and well here in the blogosphere.

I think that came across during the course of this two-part trade post.

After all, good things can indeed come in small packages.