The Bucket List
I am sure many collectors out there have their Bucket List of cards they would like to collect. While I have never taken the time to do so, I do believe I just gathered two cards from said list in the last month.
Growing up in the junk wax era, there were many cards we thought would hold a lot of value, but sadly most of them did not. That didn't stop me from coveting two of said junk wax treasures as a child - and now into middle age. If you're 41 like me (or at least near that age), you remember vividly how the Bash Brothers, well, bashed baseballs. I certainly did, and I grew up a huge Jose Canseco fan - and, to a lesser extent, a Mark McGwire fan.
Having not started collecting until 1987, I was never lucky enough to pull one of their respective rookie cards from a wax pack. McGwire's 1985 USA Baseball card was issued a year before I even bought my first pack. Canseco's Donruss and Fleer rookies were something I knew nothing about having only collected Topps in 1986.
But thanks to Twitter friend Cliff (@oriolesrise), I was able to collect two Bucket List cards.
Cliff posted a group of cards he recently acquired, and I of course salivated over his McGwire USA Baseball card and TWO 1986 Cansecos (Donruss and the shared Fleer card with Eric Plunk). I casually remarked how I loved them, and he responded with something along the lines of "make me an offer."
I was so ecstatic to hear these were available - and to trade. It took some back and forth, but realizing he was collecting 1964 Topps coins was key. I had a large pile of them my grandmother gave me years ago while cleaning out her attic. I had four he needed, as he is trying to finish the set. It took a green Joey Votto Bowman and a pile of Orioles I accumulated by winning a spot in a break to finish the deal. While parting with the coins was difficult, the Votto was not a big deal and neither were the Orioles as I really am not super interested in current stuff. Sure, I buy it, but knowing it can get me junk wax Bucket List cards makes them more appealing to me.
I opted for the Donruss Canseco for a handful of reasons. No. 1, it was just him. No offense to Eric "Ker" Plunk, a future Brewers reliever, but I wanted just Jose on this card. No. 2, the dirty mustache sort of makes him look like me when I was in high school in the early '90s. No. 3, I always enjoyed Donruss more than Fleer - although Fleer did add more appeal as the years went on.
I had taken a road trip to Detroit to catch Comerica Park with a buddy, and when I returned Jose and Mark were waiting for me in my pile of mail. It made a three-day baseball trip (two minor league parks as well) even more exciting when I came home to two more cards crossed off my Bucket List.
Up until I got Jose and Mark in my mitts, these three were by far my favorite cards - and probably still are. Nothing will top the Yount rookie to me, and a Molitor/Alan Trammell combo is likely the highest valued card I own - even if it only graded a 5. Again, I'm a junk wax guy, so it's unlikely I have a card over $100 in my collection.
Not only were the Bash Brothers the guiding force in Oakland's late '80s, early '90s run, but Rickey Henderson helped put them over the top. He was a five-tool guy who added another dimension atop Oakland's lineup. I loved him as a Yankee, and I loved him more as an Athletic. I loved him as a Padre, Angel, Newark Bear, etc. Any rookies I can gather of Rickey would make me a happy collector.
Playing baseball as a kid, I didn't have the strongest arm so, naturally, I was a second baseman. Who was the second baseman du jour back them? Ryne Sandberg. His 1984 rookie is on my list. I was also a fan of Donnie Baseball, so Don Mattingly's 1984 rookie would definitely fit my list.
Others would include star Milwaukee Brewers rookies - guys like Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder, Cecil Cooper, Tommy Harper, Gorman Thomas, etc. If he was an All-Star as a Brewer, I want his rookie card.
Nolan Ryan was striking out guys like crazy in the '80s and early '90s - and I really became a fan. I was heartbroken when I couldn't get to Milwaukee County Stadium for Victory No. 300. The chances of me acquiring the Ryan/Jerry Koosman rookie is little to none - unless I stumble into a couple grand.
One other card on my unlikely list is probably on everyone else's as well: the Mickey Mantle rookie. I knew a little about him until *61 was released, but that movie made me a huge fan. I highly recommend his book, "All My Octobers," as it really gives a great look into a great player and a great partyer. But I know this card will either be the result of a divorce settlement or lead to me getting a divorce.
A guy can dream, right?
Growing up in the junk wax era, there were many cards we thought would hold a lot of value, but sadly most of them did not. That didn't stop me from coveting two of said junk wax treasures as a child - and now into middle age. If you're 41 like me (or at least near that age), you remember vividly how the Bash Brothers, well, bashed baseballs. I certainly did, and I grew up a huge Jose Canseco fan - and, to a lesser extent, a Mark McGwire fan.
Having not started collecting until 1987, I was never lucky enough to pull one of their respective rookie cards from a wax pack. McGwire's 1985 USA Baseball card was issued a year before I even bought my first pack. Canseco's Donruss and Fleer rookies were something I knew nothing about having only collected Topps in 1986.
But thanks to Twitter friend Cliff (@oriolesrise), I was able to collect two Bucket List cards.
Cliff posted a group of cards he recently acquired, and I of course salivated over his McGwire USA Baseball card and TWO 1986 Cansecos (Donruss and the shared Fleer card with Eric Plunk). I casually remarked how I loved them, and he responded with something along the lines of "make me an offer."
I was so ecstatic to hear these were available - and to trade. It took some back and forth, but realizing he was collecting 1964 Topps coins was key. I had a large pile of them my grandmother gave me years ago while cleaning out her attic. I had four he needed, as he is trying to finish the set. It took a green Joey Votto Bowman and a pile of Orioles I accumulated by winning a spot in a break to finish the deal. While parting with the coins was difficult, the Votto was not a big deal and neither were the Orioles as I really am not super interested in current stuff. Sure, I buy it, but knowing it can get me junk wax Bucket List cards makes them more appealing to me.
I had taken a road trip to Detroit to catch Comerica Park with a buddy, and when I returned Jose and Mark were waiting for me in my pile of mail. It made a three-day baseball trip (two minor league parks as well) even more exciting when I came home to two more cards crossed off my Bucket List.
Previous Bucket List acquisitions
Collecting these two cards made me wonder what else would be on my collecting Bucket List. I was fortunate years ago to accumulate three that most likely would have been on my list many moons ago. Growing up in Milwaukee in the '80s, every boy who loved baseball loved Robin Yount, Paul Molitor and Jim Gantner. The early 2000s introduced many of us to eBay and, well before I really got back to collecting, I couldn't help but track down all three rookie cards.
Up until I got Jose and Mark in my mitts, these three were by far my favorite cards - and probably still are. Nothing will top the Yount rookie to me, and a Molitor/Alan Trammell combo is likely the highest valued card I own - even if it only graded a 5. Again, I'm a junk wax guy, so it's unlikely I have a card over $100 in my collection.
What else is on my list?
Digging through my psyche, I can think of a few cards I would love to own - mostly rookies of my favorite players growing up (or guys who I have grown to love even though I may not have seen them play).Not only were the Bash Brothers the guiding force in Oakland's late '80s, early '90s run, but Rickey Henderson helped put them over the top. He was a five-tool guy who added another dimension atop Oakland's lineup. I loved him as a Yankee, and I loved him more as an Athletic. I loved him as a Padre, Angel, Newark Bear, etc. Any rookies I can gather of Rickey would make me a happy collector.
Playing baseball as a kid, I didn't have the strongest arm so, naturally, I was a second baseman. Who was the second baseman du jour back them? Ryne Sandberg. His 1984 rookie is on my list. I was also a fan of Donnie Baseball, so Don Mattingly's 1984 rookie would definitely fit my list.
Others would include star Milwaukee Brewers rookies - guys like Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder, Cecil Cooper, Tommy Harper, Gorman Thomas, etc. If he was an All-Star as a Brewer, I want his rookie card.
The highly unlikely cards on my list
There are some cards I would obviously love to have but never likely will.Nolan Ryan was striking out guys like crazy in the '80s and early '90s - and I really became a fan. I was heartbroken when I couldn't get to Milwaukee County Stadium for Victory No. 300. The chances of me acquiring the Ryan/Jerry Koosman rookie is little to none - unless I stumble into a couple grand.
One other card on my unlikely list is probably on everyone else's as well: the Mickey Mantle rookie. I knew a little about him until *61 was released, but that movie made me a huge fan. I highly recommend his book, "All My Octobers," as it really gives a great look into a great player and a great partyer. But I know this card will either be the result of a divorce settlement or lead to me getting a divorce.
A guy can dream, right?
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