Fab

Even after nearly three years in the blogging business, people still don't seem to be sure of what I collect.

That's fine with me, because, well, even I'm not entirely certain what I collect. Composing a comprehensive want list or anything like that isn't high on my to-do list. I'd spend the rest of my life making it.

All I ask, I guess, is that people pick up on a couple particular interests of mine with each passing post. The more you read, the more you start to get a little better handle on my extremely diverse (code for hopelessly random) collection. Or at least I hope so.

Mark, author of the superb blog "This Way to the Clubhouse...", is one of my best blogging buddies. I've probably traded with him more than anyone else in the blogosphere. Actually, it's not so much trading as the habit of one of us sending something to the other without warning from time to time.

I found yet another surprise package from Mark on my doorstep a couple weeks ago. A batch of cards from him is pure cardboard bliss. He's picked up on a lot of what I collect, and I can tell he puts a lot of thought into every passing package.

Hall of Famers is my go-to answer when I get that What do you collect? question. It's hard to go wrong with sending me anything Cooperstown-related. Mark, of course, took it the extra mile by sending me this awesome Colgan's Chips insert of the "Big Train" from 2013 Panini Cooperstown.

It's the type of card that fits in perfectly with my crazy collection.

Mark knows that anything Black Sox-centric is definitely welcome around Dime Boxedonia.

After all, this is the third time I've mentioned them this week. There was a point in time where I seriously considered buying a complete set of 1988 Pacific Eight Men Out. With the way they've been rolling in from fellow bloggers, however, I'd probably better off saving the money.

A lot of the time, Mark sends things that I never knew I wanted in the first place. Tony LaRussa oddball? Sure, why not?

It's one of the few cards I own that originally came with a video game.

A strong memory is one of the marks of a great trader.

I think Mark remembered the last batch of cards he sent me, an assortment that included a drool-worthy throwback shot of Jason Isringhausen. This time around, he threw in yet another card of "Izzy" as an Oakland A. And, yes, I needed it.

The A's made a good move in ditching those black uniforms. It doesn't fit well into their color schemes. Although maybe someone will print a card of Isringhausen wearing this jersey one day.

I'm not one to tell other people what to collect, but I think most hobby fanatics should own a couple Pat Neshek cards. The man is an avid baseball fan and collector. (And not to mention an All-Star relief pitcher, too.)

John Lackey was nice enough to get him a baseball autographed by Babe Ruth in exchange for his jersey #41.

Who needs a Rolex when you could have something like that?

Mark is a frankenset vet by now.

His very own "Horizontal Heroes" frankenset is on strong legs. I've done my best to contribute as much as I can.

Mark was nice enough to help out my dime box frankenset with these two. A rare facemask card and and a terrific White Sox throwback.

Which reminds me, please take a minute and vote on this week's frankenset nominees on the sidebar if you haven't already. This week's matchup is neck-and-neck, and your tally could make a big difference.

Between Big Trains, Black Sox, and face masks, I wasn't sure if this package could get any better.

Until I laid my eyes on these, that is.

Although I'm a huge Beatles fan, Mark completely stumped me with the cards you see here. They apparently come from a set called The Beatles Collection issued by River Group in 1993. How I didn't already know about them is beyond me.

It doesn't get much better than the Fabs on cardboard. I showed these to my dad the day this package arrived in the mail. Being the Beatles expert he is, he was able to place the shot on the bottom to an Ed Sullivan soundcheck in Miami, right smack dab in the middle of Beatlemania.

I guess that would explain why they're all in plain white dress shirts.

Except for Paul, of course.

Like everything from Mark, this batch of cards was fab.

This package was especially fab because of, well, The Fabs.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to take care of the Beatles kick this post triggered.