Back Packs: 1991 Donruss Series 1 Jumbo Pack

Oh, 1991 Donruss. This may very well be one of the most overproduced and least valuable sets ever made. However, as I've mentioned before, it's a product that is special to me as it's the first pack of cards I ever opened. I had gotten a rack pack of these as a gift when I was a kid because of good grades on a report card. I remember sitting in a drive-thru of a Hardee's looking at the cards and seeing Hector Villanueva and Scott Chiamparino staring back at me.

I snatched up this particular pack during a flea market trip back in the winter for a mere 25 cents. This is series 1 which I've always been a fan of. Series 2 and the green borders? No thanks. Anyway, here are the highlights of this 40 card behemoth.

A double dose of everyone's favorite curmudgeonly catcher, Carlton Fisk. I've heard stories of Fisk not signing autographs or even taking pictures with people when approached but not exactly sure how accurate those tales are. I'll keep the base card but the highlights card goes into the bin of the expendables.

One of the things I like about 1991 Donruss is the photography and this is a good sampling. It ranges from packed stadiums to spring training. Yes, I know the backgrounds of the photos are blurred out but really, do you want to see an ad for Jerry's Bail Bonds behind Charlie Hough? I'm sure Jerry and his bail bonds business wouldn't mind.

Palmeiro was the sole Diamond King I pulled out of the pack. Does anyone else but me find it a little redundant that Panini puts Diamond Kings in the basic Donruss set but also issues a set called Diamond Kings? I'm showing off the Maddux card just because Palmeiro needed a friend.

Bobby Bonilla was the Grand Slammer insert card that I was promised on the wrapper. Too bad it couldn't have been someone I actually somewhat cared about. I could be wrong but I don't think I have the Gary Carter card, at least until now. I sort of enjoy getting cards of Gary Carter, especially when he's not featured in a Montreal uniform.

I'll wrap this up with a few notable players in Andres Galarraga and Jeff Reardon. I find it interesting that the background isn't blurred out on Reardon's card but it is on every other card I've shown here. I'm guessing probably because it was a posed shot with hardly anyone in the stands?

Anyway, there are the highlights from a jumbo pack of 1991 Donruss Series 1. I'm sure everyone has seen these cards millions of times and so have I, but still it was pretty fun opening a pack from the product that got me into collection the first time around.

Back to the trade packages later this week!

You've Got Mail #17: Infield Fly Rule

Besides myself, there is another guy named Adam in the Super Traders group, that being Adam of the Rockies-centric blog Infield Fly Rule. He sent a priority mail box that seemed like it was bursting at the seams when it landed at Casa de Clubhouse.

Let's start off with some 1993 Leaf. The thing that makes these cards stand out for me it is the marble style coloring on the bottom. Jeff Reardon looks really strange without his trademark beard. Smiley and Browning were two solid pitchers for the Reds, well at least Browning was until his arm snapped in 1994 throwing a pitch.

Awesome! A bunch more Barry Larkin cards for my collection! Plus, Leaf and 1993 Donruss, which as I mentioned in a previous post, is probably my favorite Donruss set ever.

Spuds!!! Sabo is one of my favorite Reds of all time. Any Chris Sabo card is a good card and after the 1993 season he jumped to the AL for a few years before coming back for a final year with the Reds. He doesn't get much love in the collecting world either I've noticed but Topps has included him in some recent products.

Hal Morris! This package just keeps getting better and better! Morris was the first baseman of my youth and always stood out to me for his wacky batting stance. 

A couple other random cards that were thrown in. The reason I collect Jeff Brantley is simple, he's a joy to listen to on TV and radio broadcasts.

No we come to the forgotten Reds portion of the program. I have zero recollection of these guys playing for the Reds in the 90s. Juan Samuel is the most notable player here and the photo looks to be from spring training.

Along with the Reds, Adam also sent along a nice mix of old Expos cards. There were some new, some old, and some guys I've never even heard of. These are definitely the best of the batch with some of the Expos biggest names in Tim Raines, Andres Galarraga, and Moises Alou.

Finally, not sure how these found their way into the package but they're definitely appreciated, especially the Palmeiro rookie!

This the second time I've received a trade pack from Adam and he never fails to load it up with great stuff. I'm definitely working on a return package, just waiting for my Rockies stack to get big enough to warrant sending out.

2015 Panini Contenders Baseball Blaster Box

I've been looking forward to this. Contenders is something I've wanted to rip into for a while now but I haven't had the time to make it to the card shop to pick up a few packs. However, during a post-Christmas run to Target for some misc items, I made a quick stop by the card section and there it was, the last box of Contenders left on a shelf that had otherwise been picked clean. We've got seven packs with six cards per pack, let's dig in.

Here are the two guaranteed autographs ... Aristides Aquino and Max Wotell. Aquino played just up the road in Dayton this season for the Reds low-A affiliate there. Wotell looks to be an up and coming Mets prospect. These will go really nice is my box of "good stuff".

These cards are nice but they don't scan good at all. Anyway, these are some really nice young players that I didn't think I would land ... Alex Bregman, Andrew Benintendi (local guy!), and the top overall draft pick, Dansby Swanson. 

The thing I really like about Contenders is that you get older players mixed in with the newer players all in their college uniforms. I think that Ozzie Smith card with the black and white photo is great.

Some of the other cards I got in the box. Frank Howard in the OSU colors is a beautiful card. The collegiate connections inserts are pretty neat too, I like the one that shows Will Clark and Rafael Palmiero.

This was well worth the $20 price for a blaster and I'm definitely going to get more of this. For the price of nearly three packs in the card shop, you get seven here with two guaranteed autographs. I'll have this over Bowman any day of the week.