The Captain And Me

It started out simple enough. I mentioned the one card that I needed for 1991 Donruss to complete my White Sox team set. The next thing I know, I have an offer to send me one. Well, not only did Captain Canuck send one, he sent three copies. I guess all the Barry Jones cards migrated to Canada after he went to the Expos.

I got a nice handwritten note on the back of a Sports Illustrated swimsuit day calender page from September 23, 2008. Nice touch. It reminded me of an aborted trade that we tried to set up a few months ago. Honestly, I don't remember that specific trade talk, but there are a lot of trade talks that never pan out for whatever reason. I've been planning a wedding, watching an overachieving team make it to the playoffs, and trying to seek lasting employment. So, I can understand if I don't remember a few things.

My mom is going up to Winnipeg on Thursday to visit relatives for Thanksgiving (Canada's Thanksgiving is in October, actually on Monday), so this package has a wee bit of irony to it. Well, maybe not so ironic, but weird in a cool sort of way. OK, maybe I should just stop typing my exact thoughts and get on with the trade reporting.

The package contained some cool extras that I was not expecting, but welcome with open arms. The journey of these cards will stop here. I know that was a really corny joke, but what are you gonna do about it? Anyway, here's what came in the package.

1982 Drake's - Carlton Fisk
1984 Topps Glossy All-Star - Carlton Fisk
1985 Donruss - Carlton Fisk (2)
1985 Woolworth's - Ed Walsh
1986 Topps Glossy All-Star - Carlton Fisk
1987 Fleer Record Setters - Carlton Fisk
1987 Topps - Steve Carlton (2)

Lots of Carltons so far!

1989 K-Mart Dream Team - Harold Baines
1991 Donruss - Bobby Thigpen MVP
1991 Donruss - Barry Jones (3)
1991 Stadium Club - Alex Fernandez
1991 Woolworth's - Alex Fernandez
1992 Donruss - Robin Ventura
1992 Fleer All-Star - Robin Ventura
1992 Fleer Smoke 'n Heat - Jack McDowell
1992 Score Cooperstown - Carlton Fisk
1997 Collector's Choice All-Star = Albert Belle
2005 Absolute Memorabilia - Frank Thomas
2006 Turkey Red White - Scott Podsednik

Wow! Those were some cool cards! I never even knew about the 1991 Woolworth's Alex Fernandez card. I'm psyched to have finally completed the 1991 Donruss set!

But wait... there's more!

There was one more note in the package.

"I warned everyone on "APAD" whomever I trade with.... gets Hoops!"

With that ominous warning, how could I not be intrigued? So what could it be? Four packs of Hoops basketball. Basketball? OK. I've been known to follow a Chicago Bulls game. I did follow basketball from the late eighties until the mid nineties, then pretty much just followed Bulls games. It should be interesting to see if I remember anything from 1990. Basketball is pretty foreign to me now, but I followed it when these packs were created.

Let's rip!

1990-1991 Hoops

270 - David Robinson
I know him! Good start!

267 - Sean Elliot
I remember him.

66 - Stacey King
A Bull!

177 - Larry Krystkowiak
The name looks familiar.

242 - Mark West
Drawing a blank.

320 - Bill Musselman
I don't remember many coaches.

217 - Dave Corzine
Born in Arlington Heights, Il. and played 7 seasons for the Bulls. The name sounds familiar, but not really.

244 - Wayne Cooper
Rings a bell, but I don't know why.

76 - Paul Mokeski
His middle name is Keen?

96 - Jerome Lane
Not a clue.

133 - Vern Fleming
I know of Ian Fleming.

8 - Robert Parrish All-Star
I know him!

263 - Willie Anderson
Nope.

145 - Gary Grant
Uhhhhh... sorry.

108 - Gerald Henderson
Not sure of who he is.

The first pack started off strong, but then kind of trailed off. These may all be great players, but I don't remember most of them.

Second pack
1990-1991 Hoops

91 - Michael Adams
Sorry.

159 - Byron Scott
I know the name.

34 - Alexander Volkov
Who?

86 - Derek Harper
Not sure.

33 - Kenny Smith
I'm at a loss.

114 - Rod Higgins
Sounds familiar.

139 - Rik Smits
Sounds very familiar.

299 - Charles Jones
A Bullet! Why did they ever become the Wizards? That sounds so lame.

178 - Brad Lohaus
Can't recall.

58 - Robert Reid
Yeah!... no.

303 - Darrell Walker
Another Bullet! Sounds familiar.

16 - Clyde Drexler All-Star
I know him! Who or what is a Drexler?

197 - Jack Haley
I remember him!

268 - Caldwell Jones
Did he start a bank? That's what I'm thinking.

156 - A.C. Green
I remember him!

Not bad, but I don't recall a lot more players in this pack. On to pack three.

1990-1991 Hoops Series II

147 - Danny Manning
'Kay...

370 - Pooh Richardson
Pooh? Really? An illustration of Pooh? 'Kay...

229 - Hersey Hawkins
I remember him!

48 - Brian Shaw
Not a clue.

365 - Reggie Miller
An illustration of a player that I know!

157 - Magic Johnson
About $180,000 shot directly into the bloodstream seems about right. Without it, the Red Hot Chili Peppers couldn't record their song.

288 - Blue Johnson
I don't want to know how he got that nickname.

241 - Kurt Rambis
Don't remember him, but he looks like he should be teaching science.

346 - Bob Wiess
Old school Bull alert!

255 - Antoine Carr
Nope. Sorry.

189 - Tod Murphy
Who?

435 - Sidney Green
Kinda sorta remember him.

183 - Jack Sikma
Uh-uh. Don't recall.

310 - Richie Adubato
He replaced Dick Vitale and looks like Dick Cheney.

387 - Dell Curry
Stay In School. It's Your Best Move. Good advice from a trading card.

On to pack four!

1990-1991 Hoope Series II

295 - Mark Alarie
He gets points for being a Bullet, but nothing from my memory bank.

412 - Joe Wolf
Not a clue here.

128 - Larry Smith
He looks demonic in his profile pic on the back.

248 - Drazen Petrovic
I seem to remember the name, but not much else.

440 - Checklist
You could find yourself whisked away to Delaware. Hi. I'm in Delaware.

36 - Dominique Wilkins
I know him!

233 - Kenny Battle
Great name! No clue.

141 - Randy Wittman
There sure were a bunch of white guys that I've never heard of in this set.

380 - Karl Malone
An illustration of the Mailman!

54 - Armon Gilliam
Sounds like a European vampire who sketches. I don't remember him either.

307 - Gene Littles
I remember coaches even less.

411 - Orlando Woolridge
Sounds very familiar but can't place him.

121 - Tom Tolbert
I remember him for some odd reason. Who knows why.

279 - Shawn Kemp
I know him!

406 - Danny Ferry
Not a clue.

That was interesting. I did better than I thought at jogging my memory from almost twenty years ago. Thanks, Brian! These packs were very interesting to go through. They were a nice capper to the baseball cards.