Back Packs: 1986 Donruss

It's been a little over a month since I've dipped into the well of 50 cent packs from the spring card show. So let's rip a pack of 1986 Donruss. Who knows, maybe there will be a Canseco rookie staring back at me?

#288 Lee Mazzilli

#155 Pat Sheridan

#659 Checklist

There's no mistaking these cards for anything else besides cards from 1986, the design makes sure of that with the dark blue background and the pinstripes, the slanted nameplate, and the team logo in the bottom left. I'd forgotten Lee Mazzilli was a Pirate. I dig the white shirt with the yellow helmet and black pants though. Also, that old Pirates logo is fantastic. 

#498 U.L. Washington

#365 Tom Hume

#232 Craig Reynolds

I've never heard of the two guys on the end but in between is Tom Hume, a pretty decent reliever for the Reds throughout the 80s and spot starter on the 1979 NL West championship team.

#221 Tommy Dunbar

#88 Eddie Murray

#575 Bret Roberge

Eddie Murray is the first "star" card you could say from the pack. These other guys I've never heard of but I'll be honest, seeing Bret Roberge (probably the first and last time I'll type that name) wearing 42 on his jacket just seems strange.

#441 Rick Aguilera RC

#308 Sam Khalifa RC

#175 Willie Wilson

A couple decent stars in Aguilera and Wilson, both of whom won the World Series with the respective teams they are pictured with (Wilson in 85 with the Royals, Aguilera in 86 with the Mets). As for Sam Khalifa, he only appeared in 164 career games and only swatted two lifetime homers.

#287 Claudell Washington

#154 Brook Jacoby

#630 Mark Funderburk

The last batch here features former Reds hitting coach Brook Jacoby in a decidedly old school Indians get-up, Claudell Washington sporting a power blue Braves uni, and the well travelled Mark Funderburk. Don't believe me that he made the rounds? Just check the back of his card.

He showed up in 8 games with the Twins in 1981 then literally traversed the world from the minor leagues to the Mexican league to the Italian league and then back to the Twins for 23 games in 1985. I've seen the Mexican league show up on card backs occasionally but this may be the first time I've seen the Italian league show up. It just goes to show, always check the back, you just might find something interesting.

This was definitely a fun pack to rip into as 1986 Donruss is scant in my collection. While I only got one "star card" so to speak (Eddie Murray), I did get a guy who played in Italy, a rookie card of one of the best relievers of the 1980s and early 90s, and few other neat cards. I doubt I'll be able to find any more 1986 Donruss packs on the cheap like this but, you never know.