Completed 1984 Topps set

I start this post off with a note of sadness today. Back in 2002 or 2003, I used to go to Spring Training games in Lakeland, Florida, trying to get autographs from whomever I could. It was there that I met a kid named Zach, who was only 7 years younger than me. He lived in Michigan, and would come down every spring with his mom to go to games and get autographs. I saw Zach just about every year, and we had tons of fun getting signatures every year. Zach was always kind, once trading me an '02 Upper Deck 40-Man card of Steve Colyer so I could get it signed since I didn't have one. Another time, we were at some practice fields, and Matt Anderson gave him a bat and a ball, and Zach was nice enough to let me have the ball since I didn't quite get to Matt before he was finished giving things away. My favorite memory of Zach, though, was seeing the joy on his face when I gave him a '95 Topps card. We were talking about players with funny names, and I mentioned how I had a card of Bucky Buckles (a guy who I actually collect). He thought I was crazy, and I promised him I had a card of Bucky, and I looked through a box of duplicates I had, which I thought would have an extra Bucky card, and sure enough, it did. I came to a Tigers practice the next day with a Bucky Buckles '95 Topps card for Zach, and he started cracking up.
So while getting on SportsCollectors.net today, I came across a post stating that Zach had passed away due to a car crash a few days ago. I will always remember all of the fun we had graphing, but most of all, your kindness, Zach. RIP.
Here is a photo his mother took of us one spring.


I finally finished the '84 Topps set, and if I never have to do another custom with 2 photos on the same card, it will be too soon. '84 was the biggest pain in the butt set I have ever done, but it is now finished. I hope to get back to the '93 set pretty soon, and that should be easy as pie compared to '84.
With the '84 set now finished, I have completed the 1983 Topps, 1983 Topps Traded, 1984 Topps, 1984 Topps Traded, 1992 Topps, 1994 Topps, and 1998 Topps sets. The links to the completed sets are at the right side of my blog if you want to look at them (as well as the checklists of other in-progress sets). Many thanks to Marc Weiss, who helped with many of these, and to anyone else who helped add cards to the set for me. Without further delay, the 1984 Topps and 1984 Topps Traded sets:

Down to the last 75

I have been working on the '84 Topps regular set as much as my schedule allows, and I have only the Yankees, A's, Mariners, Rangers, and Blue Jays left. Throw in a few highlight, postseason highlight, and checklist cards, and that is what I call a competed set once I get them done. All in all, I count about 75 cards that need to be made off of my master checklist. Is Tuesday afternoon an unrealistic goal? We'll see. If I can knock some out tomorrow, Sunday, and Monday afternoon, I don't think so at all. I guess it will all depend on if my son naps and for how long. The good news is that many of the cards are coach and highlight cards, which don't require that pesky 2nd photo. I will be glad when this set is put to rest. The only thing that could be worse is probably the 1954 design with 2 photos that you need to cut out, plus an autograph that needs to be added. That will be the final set I ever make. I'm looking forward to getting back to my 1993 Topps project once '84 is finished. That, and making some connecting '80's checklists (connecting my completed 1982-2001 checklists to the 1978 and 1979 ones I have completed).
Thanks for checking out my latest post.
-Jeremy

Hall of Fame customs

It has been a while since the HOF voting was announced, and although I think more players should've been added and one or two shouldn't have been added, here are some customs that I have done of each Hall of Famer.

I had a little help from Richard B. on the Baines card, but all of the rest were my customs, and missing rookie card at that. Figured I would post these to hold you over until I finish the '84 Topps set. Only about 12 teams left.
I keep checking the Topps site every day, hoping that their custom card maker will have the 2019 Topps design, but so far nothing. Perhaps they have caught on to our methods. Hopefully it will have them soon, because there are going to be many missing coach, manager, player, and team cards, and the regular design is a pain in the butt to replicate.
Sorry for the short post, but rest assured I am working on missing player checklists, organizing my card binders, and finishing the '84 Topps set. Thanks for checking out my latest post.
-Jeremy

First packs of 2019 Topps

Today after a very crappy day at work, I stopped at Target and got a hanger pack and hanger box of ‘19 Topps. I didn’t get anything too earth-shattering, but here is the obligatory first pack of 2019 post. 

Andrelton Simmons was my first ‘19 card, and that is great, because I collect him since he is part of the Dutch National Team. 

 I got 2 150th Pro Baseball parallels, and a World Series Highlight card to go into my highlights binder.

 2 Tigers and 2 Rays for their respective binders.

 A few guys for my Players Collection binders.

, Finally, we have the inserts. 2 Annual Over-Hyped Yankee I Don’t Care About inserts, a Homage to an old set insert, a Look at our Topps Now Cards! Insert, an Eck insert, and a nice looking Will Clark/Buster Posey insert. Basically I like everything except for the Yankee ones. 

I really was wanting to pull the Steve Pearce World Series Highlights card. He was a classmate of mine in high school. If anyone pulls it before I do, please contact me and we can work out a trade for it. My email is karensjer at gmail dot com. 

Overall, it was a decent run with my first packs. I want to get a few more packs, but not go crazy, because I am planning on buying the whole set at the end of the year. I like some of the inserts, and the design is better in-hand. I guess that sums it up. 

Thanks for checking out my latest post. 

-Jeremy