1986 Sportflics #73

Again, continuing with the 3-D bit of the 1980's we go on with another Cal Ripken Jr. oddball card. The Fact that I have 4 sportflics cards doesn't negate that its an oddball. I just have an oddball centric collection thus far! Fred, Eddie and Cal each were the Rookie of the Year. If that was enough every roy would be a Cooperstown member. As it sands only 66% of these guys are HOFers.

1986 Sportflics #69

Continuing my jaunt through the 80s 3-D tech, I come upon my Cal Ripken card with Rod Carew & Pete Rose. In this case the badly done moving card highlights the players with double award winners, "Rose and Carew became MVP's a decade ater their ROokie of the Year seasons, while Ripken earned back-to-back awards in 1982 and 1983. Cal lifted his batting average 54 points hits MCP year and led the A.L. in hits, doubles and runs. Rod had an ever bigger leap - 96 points - from 1967 to 1977 when he hit .388. Pete also improved considerably from 1963 to 1973." Comparing Ripken to Carew and Rose shows just how great Ripken was!!!

1986 Sportflics #57

Continuing with the 80'sness of Ripken oddball cards, I've got this 1986 Sportflics card #57 which Cal Ripken Jr. shares with Don Baylor and Reggie Jackson. Being of my age I shouldn't have a real clue who Baylor is and should only know Jackson through various World Series references to Mr. October. But, I happened to have a Baseball Almanac as a kid and basically had it memorized. Then I got more almanacs and felt I had to memorize those. Plus, Ken Burns baseball and baseball cards that have a whole lot of history on their back, which I memorized. At one point I could claim to be a wiki of baseball. Now, it's absurd to claim that considering the vastness of wikipedia. But, I digress. While I could care less about Don Baylor and Reggie Jackson was long past his collectibility when I began, I like this card nonetheless. Call me a sucker for everything 80's.

1986 Sportflics #54

There are very few things more 80's than bad 3-D vision. In this 1986 Sportflics card we have a great card for my collection. We have two of my favorites, Cal Ripken Jr. and Robin Yount. As a kid, all I ever wanted to do was to play shortstop. Considering that these are two of the best that I hoped to replace someday, having them both on a holographic changing card is ridiculously enjoyable to me. I can't remember the first Sportflics card I got, but the hologram cards from Denny's in the early 1990's really intrigued me. While I doubt that there is any real monetary value behind this card, it holds a special place in my heart. How often are you going to get a card with Don Mattingly, Cal Ripken Jr. and Robin Yount on a single card? Let alone a single card that morphs all their faces together??

1986 Donruss Giant

Well, this card encapsulates my childhood in an incredibly way and really points to how my child obsession became my adulthood hobby. In 1986 I wouldn't have collected this card. In 1986 I would have been busy with learning my ABC's and reading Dr. Suess and learning how to hit off a tee. But, there is a good chance I witnessed Cal in the flesh without realizing it, as my pops had access to 10-15 games at old Memorial Stadium. But, being a young aspiring baseball aficionado in the early 90's but subject to the wanton waste of money culture that is my generation's modus operandi, I love arcade games. As it would have it Chatham Mall in Ellicott City, MD had the most wonderful of layouts. At one end there was Caldor. At the other end, it had a K-Mart. Somewhere in the middle it had a Jo-Ann Fabrics. But, what made it extraordinary was that outside of the Caldor was 'The Dugout' and 'Flickers'.

'The Dugout' was a baseball card shop that had everything a seven-year old boy dreamed about. It had packs of cards that were to obtuse to be sold at 7-11, individual cards from the exotic decades of the sixties and seventies, and non-baseball cards as exotic as basketball and hockey. It was here that I met Al Iafrate in the flesh, and realized that without skates he was just impressive. Across from 'The Dugout' was 'Flickers'. 'Flickers' was the greatest arcade of all time. I learned to play video games there. I destroyed all comers on Street Fighter and then realized that my video game career would not be extended when Virtual Fighter came out. I can kill on 2-D games, but 3-D is too much. 'Flickers' had this great policy that you could trade tickets in for gift certificates for 'The Dugout'. I was unbeatable at Street Fighter, loved some Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade, but neither of those had tickets. Nor did Mortal Kombat (which my Mom didn't know I played during her Caldor and JoAnn Fabric endeavors). My allowance at this time was $2.00. Every game was $.25. With $1.00 I would play Street Fighter and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the forbidden Mortal Kombat. With the other $1.00 I'd play games that produced tickets. With the tickets I'd win I'd trade in for a 'Dugout' gift certificate. It was through this paradigm that I purchased my first ever vintage "card", a 1975 Topps Jim Palmer.

This all comes down to how I acquired my 1986 Donruss Giant Cal Ripken Jr. #14. On a double date with my now wife and her best friend from high school we went to Dave & Buster's in Charlotte, NC. We played all sorts of games. I crushed my girlfriend's best friend's husband at Street Fighter and played mostly game that had nothing to do with tickets. But with my remaining cash I accumulated some tickets. With those tickets I purchased a pack of 1986 Donruss Giant cards and lo and behold I got Cal's card!! What a delight!

It is sad to say, but Chatham mall didn't last. You can read all about the sad demise here. That means no more Fickers, no more Dugout...

1985 Topps Cal Ripken

The 1985 Topps set isn't my favorite of the 1980's. I'm pretty partial to 1986 and 1987, but the card I have is pretty damn sharp. It has good corners and pretty good centering. The only issue with the card is there is a little spot on the back. This 1985 Topps #30 card has a little fun fact that said Cal played little league baseball and a bit of soccer (just like me, somehow I think he had a bit more skill at both).

1982 Fleer Cal Ripken Jr.

I could have started with Aaron and worked my way down to Yount. But, I figured I'd start with my favorites and then work in a real haphazard way. So with out further ado, we will start with my absolute favorite of all time: Cal Ripken Jr. For the entirety of my childhood I figured I would be his replacement. Sadly, that didn't happen. I should have trained with Miguel Tejada's trainer and then I might have had a shot...

But, I digress. Let's begin with Cal Ripken Jr. In my entire collecting career I've only had one single Cal Ripken Jr. RC and that is the 1982 Fleer #176. I'll be honest, I know that the 1982 Topps Traded is the most valuable, the 1982 Topps is the most recognizable and that both the Donruss and the Fleer Versions are the least desirable, but my favorite of the lot is the Donruss. I've never had that one though, so I start with the 1982 Fleer.

I love this card. I love the early Fleer sets and to have my favorite player in it is all the more better. My card has sharp edges and good centering. The picture is fuzzy but I think that is the photographer's fault not the printers. But, that being said, it is a great condition of the card that is a year older than me!