Tuesday, May 14, 2019

I bought some modern cards: 2019 Topps Series 1

I said in my last post that I had bought some 2019 Topps and some 2019 Donruss, which is a big departure for me as I hardly own any modern cards.  I showed some of the more interesting Donruss cards last time, so today I'll show a selection of the Topps cards.  I bought two blasters at Target, for about 200 cards.
Hank Aaron and Mike Trout.
Greatness has returned, according to Topps.  I really like the picture of Hank Aaron batting here.  I don't know if Mike Trout is a new Hank Aaron, but he's certainly also great.
Nick Ahmed and Cesar Hernandez.
I got two numbered parallels.  This stars-and-stripes Nick Ahmed is numbered 20/76, and the gold Cesar Hernandez is 1932/2019.  I heard a lot about Ahmed in the offseason as a possible shortstop for the Pirates to pick up.  They didn't, and they do have some trouble at shortstop.  As I write this, Ahmed and the Diamondbacks are pummeling the Buccos.
Willie Calhoun.
Rich Hill.
I guess you'd call these two rainbow foil parallels.  We have a Future Stars, Willie Calhoun of the Rangers, and also Rich Hill, pitcher for the Dodgers.  Just like when I was a kid in 1987, it is nice to pull Future Stars and All-Star Rookies from packs of Topps.

Then we have a selection of stadiums I've been to.
Fenway.
I have a friend and longtime research collaborator at Boston University, so I visit there often.  BU is just a short walk from Fenway, so I've availed myself of the opportunity to catch a game a few times.
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
Another good friend and research collaborator is at University of California at Berkeley.  So when I was visiting him once, I asked him to take me to an A's game.  We met up with a couple of friends, one from high school and one from college, who both moved to San Francisco.
Citizens Bank Park.
In the 80s and 90s, I would say that Dad and I went to about 50-75 Phillies games at the Vet.  Then when I wasn't living in the area anymore, they tore down the Vet and built Citizens Bank Park.  I moved back to the area at some point, and Dad got sick.  I wanted to take him to see the new park before he died, so me, my wife, Mom, and Dad all went to a game together.  The game started but then got rained out.  We got a rain check and came back for the completion of the game.  I'm so glad Dad and I got there before he died; he's been gone over six years now.
Mike Piazza.
Randy Johnson.
Finally, I'll close with these commemorative patch cards, which are guaranteed at one per blaster.  The back proclaims "Congratulations!" for receiving the card, which strikes me as odd since you're definitely getting one per blaster.  I'm not quite sure what the point of these is, but I do like both Randy Johnson and Mike Piazza, so it's good to have more cards of them, at least.

Overall, despite the lack of logos, I think I actually prefer the Donruss.  I would describe the design of the Topps cards as overwrought, while the Donruss cards seem to capture more fun to me.  Anyway, thanks for reading!

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