2019 Topps Archives Expos and the Washington Nationals
2019 Topps Archives was one of my most anticipated card releases of this year. I usually don't care too much about the Archives line, beyond buying a few retail packs, but this year is different...
I didn't want to commit to a full hobby box price as soon as the product hit the market, I had other cards to buy on that visit to my Pal's at the LCS. Despite that tempting "2 On-Card Autographs Per Box!" hard sell, I opted to take the last five packs in the display box and call it good for the day. Although I chose to open them in the store, which is something I don't normally do. The Twins game was on the TV, and they were winning, so another inning while I search for the biggest possible hits tailored just to me!
Illustrated here by the Nats creepy eagle mascot Screech, waving the white flag (?) to celebrate a different win. While I personally find it a lot harder to be a Nationals fan that it should be (given their history), I could not be happier to see the Nats in the World Series. Especially since the Twins pulled their standard panic, roll over and die routine once seeing the letters N and Y after September...
Recently, Laura and I travelled to Washington D.C., Maryland and Delaware. On the docket was the last Nationals game of the 2019 season. Washington beat Cleveland that afternoon, 8-2. So I guess we brought them the luck that the Twins sorely needed.
Nationals Park was really nice, though more of shopping mall with a ballfield inside. I'd like to watch more games at this stadium, but I don't know when we'll get back here. Looking at what the District of Columbia built to house the team that came from Montreal, inevitably I compared it to all the conceptual drawings of the long ago proposed LaBatt's Park. Had that team saving stadium become a reality, perhaps I would be cheering on the 2019 Montreal Expos as they played in their first World Series ever?
Which of course shouldn't be their first World Series. 2019 is also the 25th Anniversary of the strike robbed 1994 Montreal Expos. Whose chances at what could have been a World Championship were taken away by Bud Selig.
Earlier this year, Topps announced the 2019 Archives release would feature an insert set honoring the 50th anniversary of the Montreal Expos 1969 debut season. Much like they did a few years back with a set honoring the Seattle Pilots lone season of existence in Major League Baseball, Topps chose 25 former Expos stars and put them on cards featuring the 1969 design.
My first encounter with 2019 Archives came at my LCS. Boxes of 24 packs were about $100. Pretty much what I expected. Odds of pulling an Expos insert are 1 in 24 packs. Hmmm… 1 per box... Not sure if I’m liking those odds enough to commit to a full box at this point, so I bought the 5 loose packs left in an open box.
It’s a good sign when a product I’m interested in hands me an autograph in my first pack. The jury is out on weather Sheffield will live up to his former first round draft pick hype. He’s already on his third team (after being traded from both the Indians and Yankees minor league farm systems), but solid enough of a prospect to claim a home in my Mariners bin.
Although this was one of three Expos in the base set, not one of the 50th Anniversary inserts. However, it was a purple bordered parallel of the base card, making it more extra special!
A few packs later, I pulled the regular Randy Johnson base card. No color on the borders, no serial number on the back…
The Johnson base card was patterned after the 1958 Topps design. Which I feel is the least best of all the 1950’s Topps sets. But I have no complaints over this card at all… The other Topps designs featured in this year’s Archives set are: 1975 (an all time classic design) and 1993 (an all time disappointing design). One out of three isn’t bad?
On yet another side note, it was during this vacation that I finally was able to pick up the last three cards I needed to complete my 1975 Topps set. A collecting goal I’ve had for almost 10 years!
The second former Expo in the base set would be Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter. Not sure why Topps chose to place Carter in the 1958 block instead of the 1975 group. Carter’s actual rookie card is in 1975 Topps, so it would have made more sense…
He could have switched spots with Cranky Zack Greinke (with his fresh Spring Training mullet) and I would have been just fine with that!
I didn’t get the last Expos base card out of a pack until I first bought it as a single… Hall of Famer Tim Raines (on a 1993 Topps design) set me back 50 cents. A duplicate was found inside a retail pack later that day…
Okay Topps, major complaint time… I understand there wasn’t enough room to list out Raines complete career statistics on the back. But when you picture him as an Expo on the front of the card, but leave off his statistics from his best seasons actually PLAYING for the Expos from 1980-1988, something is VERY wrong! You don’t need to waste precious space just to say he didn’t play in 2000… Nor does that whopping 11 at bats in 2002 warrant an entry…
This was highly disappointing Topps. I keep expecting better than this, yet you find new and more creative ways to let me down…
Montreal’s closer from 1981-1986, he’s a bit more famous in my neck of the woods for leading the 1987 Minnesota Twins bullpen to a World Championship. Nice card, and I was happy to see Reardon make the cut of 25.
These are a decent take on 1969 Topps, but I feel a cartoon on the backs accompanying the write-up would have made them feel more authentic to 1969 Topps. Again, I’m expecting too much I think…
Kevin Tapani on a Fan Favorite Autograph! (1992 Topps design, likely to commemorate the 1991 World Series winning Twins!) With all of that Expos excitement going on, I forgot there would be some Twins to chase!
Back then, a quarterly magazine was published by Topps to show off their new products and written fluff ball pieces about top stars of the day. Pedro didn’t really make a splash until the 1994 season, but I want as many Expos as possible added to this set!
However, inserting these at one per retail jumbo pack seems like a bit of overkill. I like it, but I don’t need to see them all the time.
After a couple weeks of not stopping by, I hit up the local LCS during my Sunday morning shopping chores after breakfast at the folks house. As soon as I entered, I was told to check the Expos box, as more new insert cards had been added, along with a couple of autographs from the set…
The best years of Hill’s career came as an Expo, from 1992-1994, Hill anchored the staff before becoming too expensive for Montreal’s bare bones ballclub. He was a favorite of mine, and his autograph was a first to add to my collection.
A photo I really like… Wallach was one of the few Expos player to ever player in a postseason game for Montreal. The Expos lost an NLCS game five heartbreaker to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1981. Blue Monday... Making it all the more sweet watching Howie Kendrick's grand slam in the 10th inning of game 5 this year!
I was told that an autographed version of this card came through my LCS, but the person opening the pack it was in didn’t want to sell it. Can’t say I blame him. I wouldn’t want to sell it either… But I found it kind of surprising there was someone else out there who cared about the Expos!
I followed Floyd’s career closely from his selection in the 1991 draft all the way up to seeing him almost daily as a commentator on the MLB Network. Quickly becoming a top prospect for the Expos, that horrific hand injury sustained at Shea Stadium, while playing the Mets, and his disappointing trade to the Florida Marlins in 1997. Which at least got him a World Series ring…
Floyd reappeared in Montreal for a week or so in 2002, when the Expos added him in a future damning trade, Bartolo Colon came along at the same time. Montreal was actually contending despite all odds. With the future of the franchise questionable, the Expos traded all of their top prospects to bring both to Montreal. It didn’t work out, and Floyd was traded again after just a few games.
The second autographed Expos insert waiting for me was Rondell White. Montreal’s top draft pick from 1990. The year before Floyd. White played with Montreal until 1999, so he had a longer Expos career, and was another favorite of mine.
I pulled it from a retail blaster of 1996 Leaf Signature Series (remember those?) purchased at this Denver, Colorado Kmart, located at Monaco Blvd. and Evans Ave. This Kmart closed in 2012, but was open back in December 1996, when I found two 1996 Leaf Signature Series blasters. They consisted of a big square box filled with styrofoam and one 5 card pack inside. For $11.99. I bought both of them. The second blaster had a Dean Palmer (from the Texas Rangers) autograph. I still have it.
For the entire time I lived at Greenwood Point in Englewood, Colorado (2006-2018), This framed autographed Rondell White Minnesota Twins Jersey sat on the fireplace mantle. This photo was taken in March of 2007, when some of the more notable pieces of the Transformers Museum shared it's perch. Along with Ed Belfour and Robocop!
That jersey came from the Charity Auction held at Twins Fest 2006, in the old HHH Metrodome (Rest in Peace, but God what a horrible place for baseball…). White was new to the Twins at that time, only having recently signed. Since he'd played zero games with the Twins, no one seemed very interested in bidding on it. The winning bid came in far less than the cost of just the frame itself. This picture is from 2001, so it’s not the correct year, but it was the only Twins Fest Charity Auction picture I had. So what are you gonna do about it?
Shortly before leaving on our planned vacation to the nation's capital, I paid another visit to my Pal's at the LCS. Waiting for me was my biggest Expos 50th Anniversary Autograph star...
A star for the Expos, but a much bigger star for the Colorado Rockies. I remember him smashing massive home runs all over Coors Field and the rest of the National League. While not a favorite player of mine, he's still one that plays a significant role in my baseball fandom.
Another interesting note on Galarraga; the Expos traded him to the St. Louis Cardinals after the 1991 season for Ken Hill. Both appear in this set, and both autographs are in my possession!
Laura and I left on our flight to Baltimore five days after I bought the Galarraga card. Our plans were to spend a couple of days in Washington DC, then drive over to Delaware. This would complete her goal of visiting all 50 states. The only planned events of the trip were the aforementioned Nationals game and hopes to find a nice oceanfront beach hotel to stay a few days at.
In addition to our stated plan, I wanted to find some Twins, Rockies and Expos cards from a new hobby market. Hopefully some abandoned buildings would pop up as well...
Not yet abandoned, there are still a few events planned for RFK in the coming months. Weeks before we came to DC, the city voted to have stadium demolished by 2021. I really wanted to photograph the site while here, but hadn't known where it was in relation to where we'd be. Driving into DC from Baltimore, the highway splits just after crossing the Anacosta River, with RFK Stadium sitting dead in the middle of where the road should go.
It was dark by the time we drove by, but would be daylight (and perfectly cloudy) when we were leaving town. It was right at where we needed to go and definitely not out of our way. I'm not going to tell that story now, that's a good one for later. We parked the car, I walked around the entire stadium and tried to get interior pictures through closed security gates and anything else I could find.
After the limp-wristed Bud Selig Death Punch that took repeated wimpy blows until FINALLY doing the job in 2004, the Montreal Expos moved to RFK Stadium in 2005. They played three seasons there while Nationals Park was being built. That chunk of significance added to my need to see it.
This 1970 Topps Washington Senators team card was picked up in Delaware, amongst my big and evil vacation card purchase. Even though it's badly miscut, it is a high number and is a very appropriate card to take from this vacation. The Senators are posing in front of the bright yellow seats inside RFK! Possibly some of the same seats I took pictures of through stadium corridors via gaps in security gate.
It would be very difficult to pick him out of this photo, by an all time baseball legend oddly appears here in a Senators uniform...
This card is one of my favorites in my collection. Just seeing Ted, looking all Ted like, wearing a SENATORS uniform? Well, he managed the Senators from 1969 through their final season in 1971.
Ted hung on after the club moved to Arlington and became the Texas Rangers, in 1972. The miserable season would be his last as a manager, with the pathetic Rangers going a meager 54-100.
RFK Stadium (then DC Stadium) opened in 1961. This was an answer to the ballpark problem that drove the Senators to Minnesota, after the 1960 season. The new Expansion Senators would soon be able to play in one of the first generation of multi-sport, cookie cutter stadiums that were the rage in the 1960's and 70's. RFK Stadium will also go down as one of the last standing, which is why it meant so much to see it in it's dying days. This is significant history in stadium architecture.
Rather than snagging an internet photo, I'll feature this oddball card from 1961 Topps. Having my copy of this card stolen decades ago, I needed a replacement for this story. Luckily, the LCS had a copy in acceptable condition for a reasonable price.
Opening in 1911, Griffith Stadium was aging. The Senators were seeing even weaker attendance, with the recent move of the St. Louis Browns to Baltimore. Future Twins owner Calvin Griffith was unhappy with the location of the new DC Stadium, along with now having to pay rent on a lease and losing concession sales. After a brief battle, Griffith was allowed to take his team to Minnesota. Washington was awarded an expansion team (also named the Senators) for the 1961 season. Griffith Stadium closed in September of 1961, after the new Senators played the 1961 season there. They moved to the new DC Stadium the next year. The tennentless Griffith Stadium was demolished in January, 1965.
It's really hard to take this story at face value and not question it. First off, there's no video of this, so all accounts are from eye witnesses. And you know how people like to exaggerate... Either way, cool story, bro...
I made it to two different card stores, one in Maryland and another in Delaware (I'll cover those later) while we were on vacation. One of the items I was looking for was more cards from the 2019 Archives Expos 50th Anniversary cards I didn't have. Base, parallel, autographed, doesn't matter. I want them all!
A late night, post steak dinner stop at the WalMarts in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, netted a few retail jumbo packs to continue my search for an elusive Expo... While walking around the store, the mandated stop in the toy aisle revealed this...
Had no idea Hasbro was reissuing Soundwave from the original Transformers line. Even though I had no plans to add to the Transformers Museum during this vacation, Soundwave was the first Transformer I bought as a kid (coincidentally, while on vacation), meaning I had to have this. I'd somewhat been considering trying to buy an original, just for the displayability of it's original package art.
A couple of 1950's era stars on the 1993 Topps design. Robin Roberts in a great Spring Training shot, and Warren Spahn, pitching in front of a giant Hebrew National advertisement! Now that's product placement I can get behind!
The son of the former Expos third baseman and one of this year's hottest rookies (behind the son of a former Expos Hall of Fame outfielder).
Also numbered out of 99. But I didn't scan the back, so I can't tell you what number it is. But to pull another of these from a retail pack was pretty exciting. Especially with the season he had. A big reason for Tampa's surprising success.
A Minnesota Twins threesome of Byron Buxton, Max Kepler and Willians Astudillo. Covering all three of the 1958, 1975 and 1993 base designs.
And that's okay. Though, something that has bothered me about this great insert set is all of the big Montreal Expos stars that are NOT included. While I fully expected that Archi Cianfrocco wasn't going to make the cut, I've looked high and low and even with enhanced viewing methods, cannot find a single trace of...
As of writing this, the outcome of the American League Championship Series has yet to be decided, so it's not known whether the Nationals will be taking on the Yankees or the Astros.
2019 is the 50th Anniversary of the Montreal Expos. 2019 is also the 25th Anniversary of the 1994 Players Strike, which ended the season. Killing the World Series for the first time in 90 years. The Montreal Expos had the best record in baseball at that point, and were looking unbeatable.
In the American League, the New York Yankees lead the way. Seemingly everyone predicted 1994 would have seen a Yankees vs Expos World Series.
And in 2019, I'm really hoping to see it. Though none of the players are the same, and one of the teams is completely different...
I didn't want to commit to a full hobby box price as soon as the product hit the market, I had other cards to buy on that visit to my Pal's at the LCS. Despite that tempting "2 On-Card Autographs Per Box!" hard sell, I opted to take the last five packs in the display box and call it good for the day. Although I chose to open them in the store, which is something I don't normally do. The Twins game was on the TV, and they were winning, so another inning while I search for the biggest possible hits tailored just to me!
But before I get to that...
A few nights ago, the Washington Nationals clinched their first National League pennant.
Recently, Laura and I travelled to Washington D.C., Maryland and Delaware. On the docket was the last Nationals game of the 2019 season. Washington beat Cleveland that afternoon, 8-2. So I guess we brought them the luck that the Twins sorely needed.
Nationals Park was really nice, though more of shopping mall with a ballfield inside. I'd like to watch more games at this stadium, but I don't know when we'll get back here. Looking at what the District of Columbia built to house the team that came from Montreal, inevitably I compared it to all the conceptual drawings of the long ago proposed LaBatt's Park. Had that team saving stadium become a reality, perhaps I would be cheering on the 2019 Montreal Expos as they played in their first World Series ever?
Which of course shouldn't be their first World Series. 2019 is also the 25th Anniversary of the strike robbed 1994 Montreal Expos. Whose chances at what could have been a World Championship were taken away by Bud Selig.
That's an drastic oversimplification of a very complicated issue, but anyways...
Almost as if the company was speaking directly to me.
"Hey Honkass… You’re gonna want these, so we made them for you!"
Well, thank you Topps!
My first encounter with 2019 Archives came at my LCS. Boxes of 24 packs were about $100. Pretty much what I expected. Odds of pulling an Expos insert are 1 in 24 packs. Hmmm… 1 per box... Not sure if I’m liking those odds enough to commit to a full box at this point, so I bought the 5 loose packs left in an open box.
The first pack did not contain an Expo, but it did have some hand-written Justus!
Oh, and a serial number of 89/99 adds extra coolness!
The second pack had an Expo inside!
And serial numbered 17/175!
The Johnson base card was patterned after the 1958 Topps design. Which I feel is the least best of all the 1950’s Topps sets. But I have no complaints over this card at all… The other Topps designs featured in this year’s Archives set are: 1975 (an all time classic design) and 1993 (an all time disappointing design). One out of three isn’t bad?
On yet another side note, it was during this vacation that I finally was able to pick up the last three cards I needed to complete my 1975 Topps set. A collecting goal I’ve had for almost 10 years!
The second former Expo in the base set would be Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter. Not sure why Topps chose to place Carter in the 1958 block instead of the 1975 group. Carter’s actual rookie card is in 1975 Topps, so it would have made more sense…
He could have switched spots with Cranky Zack Greinke (with his fresh Spring Training mullet) and I would have been just fine with that!
The back of Carter’s 2019/1958 card…
Okay Topps, major complaint time… I understand there wasn’t enough room to list out Raines complete career statistics on the back. But when you picture him as an Expo on the front of the card, but leave off his statistics from his best seasons actually PLAYING for the Expos from 1980-1988, something is VERY wrong! You don’t need to waste precious space just to say he didn’t play in 2000… Nor does that whopping 11 at bats in 2002 warrant an entry…
This was highly disappointing Topps. I keep expecting better than this, yet you find new and more creative ways to let me down…
A retail jumbo pack from the local Targets gave me my first Expos 50th Anniversary insert card…
Jeff Reardon!
Montreal’s closer from 1981-1986, he’s a bit more famous in my neck of the woods for leading the 1987 Minnesota Twins bullpen to a World Championship. Nice card, and I was happy to see Reardon make the cut of 25.
These are a decent take on 1969 Topps, but I feel a cartoon on the backs accompanying the write-up would have made them feel more authentic to 1969 Topps. Again, I’m expecting too much I think…
My second Expos insert came from that same sampling of Targets retail jumbo packs.
Dennis Martinez!
But the 50th Anniversary foil stamping is blue instead of silver?
A serial numbered parallel… 91/150…
Because I’ll have to need more variations of this insert set to chase…
A week or so later, I picked up a few more retail jumbo packs from a different Targets. This batch included:
Big Sexy Bartolo Colon!
His Expos career lasted only the second half of the 2002 season, but I’m so glad he was included!
Nice note to mention him as the last active former Expo…
But that wasn’t the highlight of that days’ retailing…
At least Tapani got his entire career represented on the card back.
Speaking of 1992 Topps…
That card back just screams Topps Magazine! They did a good job on that…
After a couple weeks of not stopping by, I hit up the local LCS during my Sunday morning shopping chores after breakfast at the folks house. As soon as I entered, I was told to check the Expos box, as more new insert cards had been added, along with a couple of autographs from the set…
I’m all over that!
Ken Hill!
The best years of Hill’s career came as an Expo, from 1992-1994, Hill anchored the staff before becoming too expensive for Montreal’s bare bones ballclub. He was a favorite of mine, and his autograph was a first to add to my collection.
Received after I paid for it anyway…
Tim Wallach!
A photo I really like… Wallach was one of the few Expos player to ever player in a postseason game for Montreal. The Expos lost an NLCS game five heartbreaker to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1981. Blue Monday... Making it all the more sweet watching Howie Kendrick's grand slam in the 10th inning of game 5 this year!
I guess I didn’t realize Wallach was the longest tenured player in Expos history until I read this card back.
Steve Rogers!
Going far back in Expos history now, all the way back to the Jarry Park days…
Oh, let’s dust off that classic 1969-1991 Expos logo because of it’s sheer awesomeness!
And circle back to their uniform and logo rebranding of 1992 to show off another of my all time favorite Expos…
Cliff Floyd!
I followed Floyd’s career closely from his selection in the 1991 draft all the way up to seeing him almost daily as a commentator on the MLB Network. Quickly becoming a top prospect for the Expos, that horrific hand injury sustained at Shea Stadium, while playing the Mets, and his disappointing trade to the Florida Marlins in 1997. Which at least got him a World Series ring…
Floyd reappeared in Montreal for a week or so in 2002, when the Expos added him in a future damning trade, Bartolo Colon came along at the same time. Montreal was actually contending despite all odds. With the future of the franchise questionable, the Expos traded all of their top prospects to bring both to Montreal. It didn’t work out, and Floyd was traded again after just a few games.
Points for trying…
Yeah… Those 1994 Expos…
Sigh…
Yes Topps, glad to acquire it!
Though this Rondell autograph was not my first…
This 1996 Leaf Signature Series card was.
But that’s still not the end of my Rondell White autographs…
That jersey came from the Charity Auction held at Twins Fest 2006, in the old HHH Metrodome (Rest in Peace, but God what a horrible place for baseball…). White was new to the Twins at that time, only having recently signed. Since he'd played zero games with the Twins, no one seemed very interested in bidding on it. The winning bid came in far less than the cost of just the frame itself. This picture is from 2001, so it’s not the correct year, but it was the only Twins Fest Charity Auction picture I had. So what are you gonna do about it?
Well, we’re gonna talk about the Expos some more!
Like Bill Gullickson!
In serial numbered Blue Foil parallel form!
Shortly before leaving on our planned vacation to the nation's capital, I paid another visit to my Pal's at the LCS. Waiting for me was my biggest Expos 50th Anniversary Autograph star...
Andres Galarraga!
Another interesting note on Galarraga; the Expos traded him to the St. Louis Cardinals after the 1991 season for Ken Hill. Both appear in this set, and both autographs are in my possession!
Laura and I left on our flight to Baltimore five days after I bought the Galarraga card. Our plans were to spend a couple of days in Washington DC, then drive over to Delaware. This would complete her goal of visiting all 50 states. The only planned events of the trip were the aforementioned Nationals game and hopes to find a nice oceanfront beach hotel to stay a few days at.
In addition to our stated plan, I wanted to find some Twins, Rockies and Expos cards from a new hobby market. Hopefully some abandoned buildings would pop up as well...
None more important than...
RFK Stadium in Washington DC!!!
Not yet abandoned, there are still a few events planned for RFK in the coming months. Weeks before we came to DC, the city voted to have stadium demolished by 2021. I really wanted to photograph the site while here, but hadn't known where it was in relation to where we'd be. Driving into DC from Baltimore, the highway splits just after crossing the Anacosta River, with RFK Stadium sitting dead in the middle of where the road should go.
I guess I found it!
It was dark by the time we drove by, but would be daylight (and perfectly cloudy) when we were leaving town. It was right at where we needed to go and definitely not out of our way. I'm not going to tell that story now, that's a good one for later. We parked the car, I walked around the entire stadium and tried to get interior pictures through closed security gates and anything else I could find.
After the limp-wristed Bud Selig Death Punch that took repeated wimpy blows until FINALLY doing the job in 2004, the Montreal Expos moved to RFK Stadium in 2005. They played three seasons there while Nationals Park was being built. That chunk of significance added to my need to see it.
Photographing an all-but abandoned major stadium was a highlight of the trip to be certain...
This 1970 Topps Washington Senators team card was picked up in Delaware, amongst my big and evil vacation card purchase. Even though it's badly miscut, it is a high number and is a very appropriate card to take from this vacation. The Senators are posing in front of the bright yellow seats inside RFK! Possibly some of the same seats I took pictures of through stadium corridors via gaps in security gate.
It would be very difficult to pick him out of this photo, by an all time baseball legend oddly appears here in a Senators uniform...
1969 Topps Ted Williams
Ted hung on after the club moved to Arlington and became the Texas Rangers, in 1972. The miserable season would be his last as a manager, with the pathetic Rangers going a meager 54-100.
RFK Stadium (then DC Stadium) opened in 1961. This was an answer to the ballpark problem that drove the Senators to Minnesota, after the 1960 season. The new Expansion Senators would soon be able to play in one of the first generation of multi-sport, cookie cutter stadiums that were the rage in the 1960's and 70's. RFK Stadium will also go down as one of the last standing, which is why it meant so much to see it in it's dying days. This is significant history in stadium architecture.
When it was built, it was to replace the crumbling Griffith Stadium.
Opening in 1911, Griffith Stadium was aging. The Senators were seeing even weaker attendance, with the recent move of the St. Louis Browns to Baltimore. Future Twins owner Calvin Griffith was unhappy with the location of the new DC Stadium, along with now having to pay rent on a lease and losing concession sales. After a brief battle, Griffith was allowed to take his team to Minnesota. Washington was awarded an expansion team (also named the Senators) for the 1961 season. Griffith Stadium closed in September of 1961, after the new Senators played the 1961 season there. They moved to the new DC Stadium the next year. The tennentless Griffith Stadium was demolished in January, 1965.
I guess Mickey Mantle did something important here?
Back to this cool story...
Unfortunately, neither card store I visited had any of these singles.
Had no idea Hasbro was reissuing Soundwave from the original Transformers line. Even though I had no plans to add to the Transformers Museum during this vacation, Soundwave was the first Transformer I bought as a kid (coincidentally, while on vacation), meaning I had to have this. I'd somewhat been considering trying to buy an original, just for the displayability of it's original package art.
$50 is a lot cheaper than $350...
So what did I get in those packs? Any Expos?
Fernando Tatis Jr.!
The son of the former Expos third baseman and one of this year's hottest rookies (behind the son of a former Expos Hall of Fame outfielder).
Willy Adames Future Star Autograph!
Also numbered out of 99. But I didn't scan the back, so I can't tell you what number it is. But to pull another of these from a retail pack was pretty exciting. Especially with the season he had. A big reason for Tampa's surprising success.
A Minnesota Twins threesome of Byron Buxton, Max Kepler and Willians Astudillo. Covering all three of the 1958, 1975 and 1993 base designs.
But no Expos...
And that's okay. Though, something that has bothered me about this great insert set is all of the big Montreal Expos stars that are NOT included. While I fully expected that Archi Cianfrocco wasn't going to make the cut, I've looked high and low and even with enhanced viewing methods, cannot find a single trace of...
Very disappointing...
A World Series against the Astros would feature some very interesting pitching match ups...
But on the other hand...
The Yankees are not looking nearly as strong overall, and could be easier for the Nats to pick off.
There's another reason I'm almost wanting to see Nationals vs Yankees...
And it all goes back to the Montreal Expos...
In the American League, the New York Yankees lead the way. Seemingly everyone predicted 1994 would have seen a Yankees vs Expos World Series.
And in 2019, I'm really hoping to see it. Though none of the players are the same, and one of the teams is completely different...
But in an odd way, as an Expos fan, it kinda feels right.
Go Expos!
Thanks for the post. I am in the process of getting all the expos. Any idea why Carter and staub were left out of the set?
ReplyDeleteI think they were only going to use players they could also get to autograph the cards. Both Staub and Carter would have been gone before they had a chance to sign. The omission that has always bothered me is Larry Walker!
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