Repack Box Remorse - Volume 3

Aargh, not again!

A collector friend who buys so much retail he should own stock in the store recommended the $20 Championship repack boxes to me.  So the last time I was in my local Wal-Mart, there wasn't much of anything else interesting, so I caved and got one. 

The Box

When I got it home, I expected the concealed innards to contain packs of ubiquitous junk wax to contrast the newer stuff that was mounted in the windows. 

The visible packs

What I found was an even worse abomination than just junk wax.  Inside were several "bundles" of junk wax cards that had apparently been created by a previous buyer* who must have returned the box to the store.  They were five card groups of 1987 Topps, 1989 Donruss, 1990 Donruss, 1990 Fleer, 1991 Topps, 1991 Upper Deck, and 1995 Fleer sealed in what looks like penny sleeves closed with a shrink wrap heat sealer.

The inside "wrappers"

I thought it was just a cheesy way to repack old cards.  My friend says that these boxes are usually all more recent packs, so I knew I got screwed.   To make matters worse, I got DUPES in the bundles and a couple of the packs.  The OPC Premier pack only had five cards in it.

Dupes from bundles (top row) and real packs (bottom row)

Needless to say, this tarnishes my desire to ever buy any more repacks, especially from that store.  I'll have to check if their shrink wrap has logos on it normally.  This box was one of only two left along with one football box.  No use trying to return it now, since I opened everything.  More trade fodder at best....



* [Sensitive readers go back to the text now] Previous buyer = fucking douchebag.

1990 Michigan State Spartans All Time Greats

Between the Bipped boxes, the boatload of '94 Pacific, and these, I feel like I'm becoming the Duke of Bad Wax on this blog (chemgod is the king, of course).
For your viewing (or cringing) pleasure, here is a pack from one of two boxes I got from a friend. He paid $2 a box. 200 card set with eight cards to a pack. The wrapper is that stretchy plastic that you should almost cut instead of rip. Notable athletes include, Magic Johnson, Steve Garvey, Kirk Gibson, Rod Brind'Amour, Joe DeLamielleure, Gene Washington, Ron Saul, Eric Allen, Earl Morrall, Ron Perranoski, Bubba Smith, Morten Andersen, Sam Vincent and Billy Joe DuPree. Set includes all four sports, coaches, and combo cards. Still doesn't make it that collectible, even if you live in Michigan....

First, the box:


Now the pack:

Most packs consist of two-, three-, or four-card runs of consecutive numbers.

148 Sam Vincent (basketball) - Boston's first round pick (20th overall) in the 1985 NBA draft.

147 Dan McFall (hockey) - Had most goals by a defenseman in a season, 1983-84.

146 Ron Mason (hockey) - Coach who was entering his 12th season that year. Second winningest coach in NCAA history at that point.

145 Kelly Miller (hockey) - Taken in the 9th round of the NHL draft by the Rangers. Starred as a Washington capital.

11 Brad Van Pelt (football) - Five time Pro Bowler for the New York football Giants from 1976 to 1980.

12 Andre Rison (football) - Five time Pro Bowler (1 First team), drafted 22nd overall in 1989. Played for Falcons and Chiefs among others in 11 year career.

30 LeRoy Bolden (football) - Led MSU in rushing and scoring in 1953 and scoring in '54. Played two seasons with the Cleveland Browns, primarily as a kick returner.

29 Bill Simpson (football) - Free safety with the Buffalo bills for eight years.

Some other notable cards from the set:

Bubba is just a badass. Can you picture Garvey on the Rams and Gibson on the Lions?

1990 Leaf Baseball Series 2

Here's a pack of '90 Leaf baseball series 2. Leaf was probably the best set to buy that year. Not quite the quality of Upper Deck but much more limited production and a better rookie card selection. I remember as a kid when this set came out you couldn't find it anywhere and when you did it was like five bucks a pack so I never bought any but always wanted to. Thanks to the internet and a depressed economy I was able to score seven packs of the stuff for less than nine bucks delivered. Bonus. Here's the first one I opened. Could there be a 20 dollar Frank Thomas rookie lurking inside? Only one way to find out...

For a video of this pack break click here.

The pack is actually made of real aluminum foil. Nifty, you don't see that anymore.

Yogi Berra Foil Puzzle Pieces 52,53,54
Looks like one of his shin pads.
466 - Glenn Braggs
Any card with double knit unis is officially vintage.

525 - Dana Kiecker
Like Bowman, this set is loaded with prospects with no major league experience. It makes for some great rookie cards but also colossal misses, such as this guy.
519 - Shawn Boskie
I kinda like the design. Clean and simple.

513 - Chris Hoiles
I learn on the back of his card he was traded from Detroit to Baltimore for Fred Lynn. Interesting.

507 - Joe Hesketh
I forgot he once played for the Braves.

501 - Duane Ward
The Braves flipped this guy for Doyle Alexander. Then they flipped Alexander for John Smoltz. Not bad.

495 - Brad Arnsberg

489 - Trevor Wilson
483 - Randy Johnson
I like the Big Unit's blue glove on this one. It matches well with his sleeves and cap.

477 - Gene Nelson

471 - Dennis Rasmussen
465 - Jim Leyritz

524 - Lee Smith

518 - Fred Manrique
512 - Scott Ruskin

Well not much in that pack but I did much better in the other six packs. Click here if you want to check it out.

1990 Donruss Baseball

I recently received two boxes of '90 Fleer that I purchased off eBay and the seller generously included some free junk wax packs. Bonus! Among them were 5 packs of '90 D-Russ and here's the first one I ripped.

For a video of this pack break click here.

Carl Yastrzemski puzzle pieces 4,5 and 6
Looks like the top of Yaz's bat.

363 - Clay Parker

602 - Terry Kennedy
From the back of his card I learn he made All Star appearances in '81,'83,'85 and '87.

254 - Jack Howell
This guy had two of the quietest 20 homer seasons ever in '87 and '89 for the Angels.

141 - Craig Worthington

617 - Don August

451 - Bob Melvin
How about that. Melvin was once traded straight up for Terry Kennedy whom we got earlier in the pack.

456 - Otis Nixon

342 - Pascual Perez
Back to back Expos. I miss the Expos.

285 - Jerome Walton
Pulling the '89 NL ROY would've been sweet back then.

641 - Darrin Jackson
Fun Fact: Hit .800 in '87 for the Cubs.

175 - Dan Plesac
Is on this year's Hall of Fame ballot. Somehow I don't think he'll make it in.

482 - Carmello Martinez

368 - Kirk Gibson
Gibby!

608 - Curt Wilkerson

260 - Cecil Espy

147 - Gary Carter
With a big 'ol wax stain and bits of the wrapper on the back. Gotta love '90 Donruss.

1990 Topps Big Series 1

I promised you guys this pack rip last night, but I have less than no time to write it up right now. So here's what I'm gonna do. You know how often games are better on TV with the sound muted? Like ones called by Tim McCarver or Joe Morgan? You're getting the sound muted. I'm just going to post the images of the cards and let you appreciate them for themselves. I made a snap decision on whether the front or the back was cooler, I hope you like my choices.









Ok, a little commentary. The John Smiley cartoon is utterly fantastic. We finally know what makes John Smiley smile.

1990 Topps Big Series Two

I went to a card show today and picked up some horrifically bad junk wax out of a 10 for a dollar box. They had stuff like 1989 Donruss, 100 Fleer and 1990 Topps football but I didn't get any of that. That's mainly because the packs were all OPEN. Every dang one except for the poly or cello packs (and even a few of them too) were open. I'm not buying an open pack of 1989 Donruss even for a penny because I know damn well WHY they are open. Instead I got a few unopened non-sports packs and two tightly sealed cello packs of Topps Big. Here's the 1990 series two pack, I'll open up the series one pack tomorrow.

197 Eric Anthony
162 Frank Viola
118 Terry Steinbach
203 Ozzie Smith
153 George Bell
146 Craig Worthington
120 MARK LEMKE
209 Bob Geren

Aw yeah, a Lemmer! Screw everything else, that card is the pinnacle of my card show experience. See kids, this is why you don't buy opened packs. If soemone had searched them, they would surely have snatched the Lemke up and replaced it with some worthless junk like Barry Bonds. This is a really bizarre looking set though. This originally started off as a tribute to 1956 Topps, but in its third (and last) set the design started to go really crazy. Of course if you were to go back in time and hand these cards to a kid in 1956 and tell them that this was a card form 1990They'd probably think that was about right and then ask you for a ride in your flying car. The pack itself isn't half bad. There's one certified Legend (Lemke), a Hall of Famer in Ozzie, two certified stars in Viola and Bell and I guess Steinbach was a decent player. The rest, meh.But 5 of 8 cards are decent so it's less than half bad. The cartoons on the back are stellar as usual, featuring mostly minor league highlights with a couple of bad puns thrown in. George Bell's cartoon caught my eye though

because it looks awfully similar to a card I just got from Treasure Never Buried.

If Porky just had a newspaper to read, he wouldn't be so bored!

Election Eve Special: 1990 Bowman Baseball

To watch the video of this pack break click here.

With tomorrow being the the climax of this year's election season, what could be more American than ripping open a pack of 1990 Bowman baseball? Don't answer that. Anyways, I've decided to give what would otherwise be a boring pack break more of an exciting political feel. There are 14 base cards in this pack so we will determine a winner in the same spirit of our great democracy. 14 candidates. 7 primaries. 1 winner. Let's begin...

Upon opening we have an 18-year old shattered piece of gum spill out. Oh well. Consider it the Mike Gravel of this pack. An early non-contender. Moving on to the primaries we get our first two candidates...

305 - Jack McDowell
Blackjack is sporting a red, white and blue jersey which automatically earns him patriot points. Plus he had a great career with the White Sox.
Campaign slogan: Good pitching will always defeat good hitting.
His opponent...

51 - Reggie Jefferson
About the only thing going for Jefferson on his card is that he's posing with his bat. He had a brief career with his best years, if you could call them that, coming with the Indians.
Campaign slogan: Walk softly and carry a big stick.

Your winner: Blackjack in a landslide.

Our next two candidates:

255 - Cal Ripken
Wow. You can't beat a HOFer like Cal. Plus on the card photo he kinda resembles a young FDR. If FDR wore eyeblack ... and a baseball jersey. I'm afraid this is gonna be a tough act to follow for any card in this set.
Campaign slogan: May 30, 1982. A date which will live in infamy.

288 - Jim Abbott
Well let's see here. FDR and Jim Abbott. Two Americans with disabilities that overcame all odds to triumph in their respective careers. Oh wait sorry, it's Abbott versus Ripken. No contest.
Campaign slogan: We have nothing to fear but fear itself.

Your winner: Ripken all the way.

Our next two candidates:
241 - Terry Kennedy
Whoa. Talk about presidential parallels, with a last name like Kennedy this one has to be in the bag. Plus Kennedy was a pretty solid catcher for the Padres and Orioles for a number of years. I'm talking about Terry Kennedy not Jack Kennedy.
Campaign slogan: Ask not what your catcher can do for you, ask what you can do for your catcher.


30 - Ryne Sandberg
Bam! Just when you thought Kennedy had this wrapped up along comes another HOFer like Ryne Sandberg. Sorry but ya gotta give it up to Ryno. I mean just look at his card. He's got his batting gloves and bat ready.
Campaign slogan: Ready to lead on day one.

Your winner: Sandberg in a sweep.

Our next two candidates:
137 - Kevin Elster
Versatile infielder for a number of years in the 80's and 90's, but never a considered a star.
Campaign slogan: You could do worse.

503 - Jack Daugherty
Was a prospect with the Rangers in the early 90's but never amounted to much.
Campaign slogan: You just did worse.

Your winner: Gotta go with Elster given that he actually had somewhat of a career but don't expect him to go much further than the primaries.

Our next two candidates:
147 - Ken Howell
Kinda sounds like Colin Powell who just endorsed Obama. Howell is a pitcher which is like defense in baseball and on his card he has a stern look on his face so he could definitely be a Secretary of State, like Powell.
Campaign slogan: Peace through strength.

383 - Gerald Perry
Perry shares a namesake with former President Gerald Ford who was famous for a gaffe in the debates when he said the Soviet Union would not control Eastern Europe on his watch which ... um yeah ... they already did for decades.
Campaign slogan: The Soviet Union will not ... uh wait ... it's called Russia now?

Your winner: Perry gave this one away to Powell, I mean Howell.

Our next two candidates:

192 - Ray Lankford
Lankford carved out a descent career with the Cardinals.
Campaign slogan: Why not me?

265 - Jeff Reardon
Reardon is rocking an awesome Lincolnesque beard! That's enough for me.
Campaign slogan: A nation divided cannot stand.

Your winner: Facial hair on a baseball card always beats no facial hair.

Our last two candidates:
293 - Bobby Rose
Even though he's not related, he shares a last name with Pete Rose and the last thing a politician needs is bad press.
Campaign slogan: I am not a crook.

428 - Alan Mills
Mills was a .500 pitcher mostly for the Orioles. But his last name isn't Rose.
Campaign slogan: I am really not a crook.

Your winner: Mills by a nose.

Now we get down to the nitty gritty. After hard fought wax pack primaries we are left with Blackjack, Cal Ripken, Ryno, Kevin Elster, Ken Howell, Jeff Reardon, and Alan Mills. Who will win the whole enchilada?
Drum roll please ... the winner and next president of the United States is...


Cal Ripken

Well, things could be worse...

And on a serious note if you are reading this, don't forget to vote, if you haven't done so already.

WABAC Machine: 1990 Upper Deck

Oh crud, we didn't get a pack up yesterday! I had a post-Halloween party to hit up, so I hope you'll forgive me. Here's another'un from the repack I just grabbed. It's from the infancy of Upper Deck, their sophomore effort if you wiiilllll.

330 Doyle Alexander - He must have had the longest arms of any pitcher in history. In every photo they're dangling around his knees.

382 Frank White - 1990 was the final year of Frank's distinguished 18-season career in KC.

444 Craig Worthington - Nice photo of Craig running the bases in Memorial Stadium as a Boston defender looks to the outfield.

426 Jerry Browne - I never realized that Jerry had some GUNS.

223 Vince Coleman - "Vincent Van Go" may be the only baseball player nicknamed for an impressionist painter who cut off his own ear.

216 Jose Rijo - His name rolls off the tongue: HO-zay REE-ho.

582 Rick Wrona - I wish it was "Wrick".

559 Ken Howell - Passed through the Orioles organization in one offseason, arriving from LA in the Eddie Murray trade and heading to Philly in exchange for Phil Bradley.

Indians logo sticker

612 Gary Mielke - This Minnesota native sported a fashionable mustache, to warm him during those bitter cold winters.

700 Checklist 601-700

197 Hubie Brooks - And his sidekick, Mr. Umpire!

155 Paul Kilgus - The photo on the back shows him batting. Did Upper Deck start the "pitchers batting" photo craze?

62 Mets Checklist (Dwight Gooden) - The full complement, from A-Aase to W-Whitehurst.

15 David West - "Was key part of 5 pitcher deal with Mets for Frank Viola." Yeah, how'd that work out? To be fair, the Twins also got Kevin Tapani, who was a key starter for several years.

617 Jose Guzman - Complete with stray holographic angel dust on the front.

Okay, that pack was a lotta nothin'. But the final part of the repack was a little more exciting. (TEASE!)

1990 Bowman Baseball

Long before there was BowChro...long before there was Bowman's Best...long before there was the great Bowman sets of '92,'93,'94 and '95...there was 1990 Bowman baseball. Probably the least desirable of all the Bowman issues. At least in '89 Topps tried the make the cards look like old vintage Bowman. But the next year they basically gave up and made them look like any crappy cheap card you might find in the nineties. Overproduced and featuring poor printing quality, this set still had a few decent rookies like Big Frank, Sosa and Juan Gone. Upon opening the pack we find a badly shattered piece of gum. Onto the cards...

To watch a video of this pack break click here.


142 - Todd Hundley
I remember when Hundley was a big time prospect. Whatever happened to him?

414 - Greg Gagne
Front is badly printed off-register as are most of the cards in this pack.

283 - Kirk McCaskill

498 - Gary Pettis
I forgot he played for the Rangers once.

290 - Gary DiSarcina


510 - John Olerud
I remember when his cards were worth something.

494 - Scott Coolbaugh
This pack is like a who's who of early nineties rookie flame outs. Kinda funny actually.


Robin Yount Bowman sweepstakes giveaway card.
This is actually a nice looking card. Kinda reminds me of UD Goudey.


440 - Kevin Maas

319 - Scott Fletcher
Nice shot of the old Comiskey in the background.

517 - Luis Sojo


27 - Greg Maddux
Finally a half way decent card.

469 - Erik Hanson
18-9 for the '90 Mariners and 15-5 for the '95 Red Sox.

44 - Danny Jackson
Started a game for the Pirates in the '92 NLCS.

509 - Jimmy Key

Nothing happening pack but it brought back some fun memories of when I collected these as a kid.