JBF Epic Boxes: Packs 5-6

Here are two more packs in the Jaybarkerfan Epic flat rate boxes that he sent my way a while back. Each pack was like a repack of my favorite team. It was a blast to go through.

I'll stop boring you with my gushing and show you team bags 5 & 6:

Pack 5

First up, a nice slew of Mattingly. I always loved that illustrated Upper Deck card.

This Ted Williams set is so underrated. I actually have this Bobby Brown card autographed, and it looks great. Just a simple, classy looking set.

So Ricky Ledee was supposed to follow Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio in the line of great Yankee CFers. He didn't quite pan out, although his tenure in the Bronx did have a lot of big moments, including starting the 1998 World Series. He also hit a HR and made a game-saving catch in David Cone's perfect game. The next year, he helped bring over David Justice in a trade. See? Ledee did a lot!

 And the card of the pack? This Ralph Houk! What a cool card. It's from 1987 TCMA.

Total cards in pack: 49
Running total: 147

Pack 6

This team bag starts with even more Jeters. I may need to do a postmortem and recap how many Jeters were included. There had to be 20 or so.

I love both of these cards. The Gardner...that's just a ball player. The Adrien Hernandez is cool too. Minor league cards are so much fun. Look at those ads! Hernandez was actually called "El Duquecito" or "Little El Duque." Unfortunately, he didn't have a very successful career.

The card of the pack? This 2013 Topps Target Red Parallel of Francisco Cervelli after a walk-off hit. I love the emotion. And look who is there to join Mr. Cervelli! An ARod cameo. Zippy Zappy, do you need this parallel? If so, it's yours.

 

Total cards in pack: 41
Running total: 188

A lesson from Ralph Houk

About 10 years ago or so, I sent a TTM request to Ralph Houk, and it taught be a valuable TTM lesson: send the cards by themselves - no penny sleeves or top loaders. Up to that point, I usually put the few requests I sent out in a penny sleeve or a soft plastic case. When Mr Houk returned my request, I found that he had signed the penny sleeve and not the card. My fault - the guy was obviously pretty old and it was naive of me to think he would take the card out. I ended up sending the card back with no case and got this one back signed.

Since then, I've never included a case or sleeve of any kind. After this happened, I started putting two index cards on both sides of the card, but then started to get worried that a player thought I wanted those signed in addition to the cards. Now I just send the card unprotected in the letter and fold the SASE around them. For the most part, the cards come back unscathed. I've had a few come back with dinged corners or a crease, but overall no issues. Condition doesn't matter too much to me anyways, these are for me.

Thanks for the valuable lesson, Mr. Houk. Even after your coaching days you were still a great teacher and I thank you.