Background Noise - 1988 Topps Mark Gubicza

This is the second in a series dedicated to the everything people do not focus on when looking at a baseball card.  Therefore, this new series is aptly named Background Noise. 

The holidays are over, and I spent most of the time sick with a nasty stomach bug.  I will not go into those gory details.  Needless to say, it is a quick, albeit painful, way to lose 10 pounds.  I digress...

Since the last time we left this new feature, I was diligently going through my 1988 Topps.  During that foray, I found another Background Noise gem.  While it does not reach the same pinnacle as the infamous Billy Ripken 89 Fleer card, this one does lend itself to similar pastures.

In this new background addiction, I having been paying close attention to billboards.  Look just to right of Mr. Gubicza's left arm.
 

 

I would venture to say this is the only baseball card with the word Hooter's scrawled across the background.  The 12 year old in me giggles.  Tee-hee.

I tried to figure out which Hooter's this sign was for, but the Royals are in their road uniforms, so it would almost be impossible to figure out the stadium locale.  If anyone can figure it out, post a comment!

Background Noise - 1988 Topps Billy Hatcher

This is the first in a new series dedicated to the everything people do not focus on when looking at a baseball card.  Therefore, this new series is aptly named Background Noise.

Well, it has been a long time since I last posted.  Many of you may have thought me a quitter, when in actuality I have been trying to not lose my job.  Government and budget woes have kept me quiet as I didn't think it prudent to blog during work hours, nor do I have the time to blog at home because I'm too busy playing husband and daddy.

Alas, I have a few spare moments and thought I would unveil a new series.  Three weeks ago I was finally able to get to my collection stashed in the closet.  My wife said goodbye to her side business/hobby of stamping and crafting, so I was able to claim the shelves and the accessible portion of our shared hobby closet.  Being able to access my collection, I have been furiously reorganizing my cards and consolidating three or four collections into one. 

During my consolidation process, I have been paying attention to the background of each card.  My first foray was working on 89 Topps.  Yeah, woo hoo.  I never realized how bad that set is until I focused on each card.  Not much background noise in there, but I will get to those later.

Today's subject is Billy Hatcher.  I knew that this one had to be my first post  in this series after reading Night Owl's Boogie Monster post.  Take a close look at the background of Hatcher's card. 

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Three faceless Expos.  What's even more disturbing is that Topps found it necessary to blur out the leftmost Expo's hand.  The first thing that crossed my mind was of course Thing.

 

Also, EVERY Hatcher card I have from 1988 has the disembodied blur above Thing. Even all  the cards I've seen online (yes, I'm the only one searching for this card online) have this weird ghost blur.  

And why would Topps want to blur out Expos?  Plenty of players are shown in the backgrounds of other cards.  The only reason I could think of is that since this is obviously a spring training game, perhaps those were visually recognizable players that did not make the Show, or did not have a contract with Topps.  Just like Tootsie Pops, the world may never know.

So, I hope this doesn't give any particular blogger another nightmare about brain-eating Canadian zombie monsters.  At least these "Canadian" brethren are probably nicer than those Phillie-fan zombies.  Don't-cha know, eh? 

PS - Does anyone need any 88 Topps?  I may post a want list for 88 Topps (ugh, why you ask?) because apparently I only need about 50 cards to complete four more sets.

Topps Cards That Never Were: 1988 Reggie Jackson

Two posts in two days, I hope my boss doesn't find out...

Well, pickings are getting slim on the ready made custom Topps cards, so you are going to be graced (or cursed) with this rendition of a 1988 Jackson. This card was incredibly difficult to make because of the Athletics name, plus I had a heck of a time finding a decent shot of Reg in an A's uniform that didn't come from the 60s-70s. Prime fodder for retro remakes, but I don't think a side-burned laden funky Jackson in a bright yellow uni would look right on an 88 Topps. Maybe would look good on Night Owl's new 75 Topps homage site though. PLUG!

Anyways, Jackson was really a non-interest guy for me in my childhood days. My dislike for the AL lead to me rarely following him, even when he was an Angel and a short drive from home. However, I've grown to enjoy Mr. Jackson (I am for reeeaaal), since his retirement. I've enjoyed some of his movie cameos and he actually seems to be a real nice guy and not the trouble maker those Damn Yanks would lead you to believe he was. Also saw him on PBS doing an interview with Bob Gibson (Yes, I am a nerd). Those two guys were intimidating just sitting around the table chatting, let alone on the mound or in the box.

On a side note, he has always kind of looked like my Dad, despite the obvious skin tone differences.

Reggie's final season was pretty ho-hum for a final bow. The soft AL rules did allow him to play to the ripe age of 41, and gave him his final resting spot of 563 on the dinger chart.

Also, I just read he is a cousin of Balco Bonds. Geez, who isn't?

Mr. October

Here are Reggie's stats from 1987:

YEAR	CLUB	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	AVG
1987	A's	115	336	42	74	14	1	15	43	.220