So, I had some errands to run, and after hearing rumors of early Gypsy Queen sightings, I made a trip to both my local Walmart and Target. I stuck out at Target (but did find a $11.99 box of Bowman Platinum – a post for later), but Walmart had 4 boxes and a full rack of hangers. I bought 2 boxes and 2 hanger packs, just to see what the White Border paper cards looked like. I beat the odds, got two hits, a SP mini, and I’m really loving these this year.
My last and final foray into National Treasures just arrived in the mail. I picked up a really slick booklet card, another first for me (see yesterday’s printing plate).
Numbered 14/99 with an incredible green jersey swatch, Jacoby Ellsbury booklet card from Panini National Treasures. The thing I noticed, and I’m not sure how many other people did since these were going for relatively cheap on eBay, is that those green uniforms are only worn once a year. So, if that’s authentic, and I have no reason to think otherwise, that’s from 1 of less than 12 possible games. The Sox have worn a green jersey once each year during Spring Training, on St. Patrick’s Day, since 2004 (9 times) and then only twice during the regular season, both time to celebrate the Celtics. So, that’s a pretty rare jersey, at least by my standards.
As with all these National Treasures cards, presentation is everything and this card is no exception. Gorgeous detail all around, great printing, super thick. Now I just need to find a booklet holder to put this in. A very awesome addition to my PC.
I was going to wait until tomorrow, but I’ve got a little “Christmas morning” syndrome going on at the moment and I simply can’t wait. Just arrived in the mail 10 minutes ago…
Nice.
The front
And this is the actual card it produced, just for reference.
This is my very first printing plate. I’m super excited to have one, especially for my boy, Danny Bard. This thing looks awesome. This shoots right to the top of the permanent collection, and I just couldn’t wait to show it off.
So, hopefully most people should have their packages at this point. I know I’ve gotten a couple emails already, a couple blog posts as well. I’m really happy you guys liked them. I’m glad the cards found the right homes. They were just collecting dust in my possession, so I’d rather see them put to good use.
Just a quick update about teams that remain, here’s the current list:
That leaves the White Sox, Brewers, Pirates, and Giants. I would normally send my Braves to Derek and my Royals to Kyle4KC, but they’ve both stepped back from blogging and/or collection and I’m not sure they’d want them (if you’re reading this, either of you, let me know if you’d still like some cards!).
Derek was actually one of my inspirations behind this. He sent me 3 boxes of cards last year, for no reason other than generosity, and in some small way I’d like to think I’m paying it forward.
So, with this update comes this new post to claim a team on. You can claim any of the remaining teams by leaving a comment on THIS POST, and then, after you’ve done that, sending me your address via my contact form. Gotta leave the comment first though, that’ll be our “time stamp” of sorts for claiming. I just got two more claimed teams over the weekend, the Mariners and Athletics, and those will be going out probably in a week or so. I like to batch them up and send more than 1 or 2 out at a time.
I learned this morning that SCAD has completely dismantled their baseball program. The 2012 season was their last and there will be no more SCAD baseball or softball going forward. Apparently they did the same for basketball a couple years back as well. In all honesty, Division III ball in the Florida Sun Conference isn’t exactly top-level, but they were fun to watch. The rumors surrounding the closing of the program involve, and no one from SCAD will be surprised at this, the President’s daughter becoming head of the “Equestrian Team” and the funding for those horse-jumpers surpassing all other SCAD sports combined. The “official” reason is that it helps reallocate money to the scholarship fund and that baseball, being the largest sport, was easier to cut that a lot of smaller programs combined (cross country running, golf, etc). I don’t buy it.
The sad part is that the SCAD baseball program was actually pretty good, even for being in a crappy division. They routinely competed in the playoffs, they had multiple players on All-Star teams, and they even had two players drafted. Ryan Pope, currently playing for the Yankee’s Double-A team, the Trenton Thunder. And Charlie Zink, minor league knuckleballer for the Red Sox, then Angels and free agent released in 2011.
I might have to pick up a Pope and Zink card, or even auto if they exist, just to say I collect something from the old alma mater. What I really want to know is where the baseball jerseys ended up? My brother tells me that all the jerseys they had at Dartmouth, they had to routinely turn back in, and weren’t allowed to keep, but they could keep their hats. I can only presume it’s similar for SCAD, especially with them being such cheapskates. I would love to get my hands on one. I bet you anything they’re sitting in a closet in the Athletic Directors office somewhere, just going to waste. That also reminds me, I can’t get a decent fucking SCAD hat anywhere. Right before we graduated, they switched companies and eFollett, those text book assholes, took over the out-sourcing of our college tshirts, hats, coffee mugs, etc. Now I can only get cheap, generic “campus” style hats from the bookstore. I really wanted one of the nice, pro-style, wool hats with the bees logo.
Edit: It’s come to my attention that this post is actually #1 on Google if you search for “SCAD Baseball Jersey” and #7 if you search for just “SCAD Baseball”. That said, hopefully someone from SCAD and/or any alumni that have old baseball jerseys will see this. If you’re either of those things, please contact me. I’d be very interested in getting my hands on a jersey for old times sake.
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