I Love The 80s: A Real Kick to the Head Regarding 1984

Last year I celebrated most of the week leading into my birthday on this blog with a look back at the 1980s.  I was born in the 80s and had a lot of fun with those posts.  You can revisit any "80s week" post here.

While my most influential years of my life were the 90s, I actually prefer all things 80s compared to the 90s.

Give me Thundercats over Ren & Stumpy

Give me Motley Crue over Foo Fighters

And give me Karate Kid over Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

Karate Kid is a top 10 movie of mine.  I always viewed Daniel Larusso as the film's hero and Mr Miyagi as a spiritual instructor who looks to bring inner peace. 

A video and article made 5 years ago could make you rethink that logic.

This analysis of the movie directly leads into the newest incarnation of the franchise, Cobra Kai.  

Cobra Kai was initially a YouTube streaming show, but has since moved to Netflix where it was just revealed a 3rd season will be released next year.  In the meantime you can get caught up on the original movie and the first two seasons that directly follows up on the first movie 30+ years later.

Cobra Kai is amazing and I plan to binge watch the second season this week!  

Here is the scan of a card that ties the original Karate Kid released in 1984 to the latest season of Cobra Kai released in 2019.

I have had this card forawhile but just got around to scanning it this week.  The shine and design really pop with all the primary colors on it.

The back design features the same context all other 1984 cards have from the 2019 Silver Packs, but this also has the fine print about the signing of all Topps products.

I put it in a one touch and what a beauty

What is your favorite movie from the 80s that has seen an extension to the mythos in recent years? There's been lots like Terminator, Rambo, all the toy selling cartoons (TMNT, Transformers, Ghostbusters, GI Joe), or maybe something?

Digging through the Archives, how I wish they were made differently

In 2011 Topps issued a release called Lineage.  It featured active and retired players on a new design.

The set also showed the lineage of Topps by revisiting some of the more popular designs and creating insert sets around them.  The fans loved the idea and Topps never produced Lineage again.

Well not under the title of Lineage that is.

Beginning in 2012 Topps would go into their archives and create a set called Archives.  Each year Topps would utilize 3-4 different designs from their cardboard making history and feature players on a design (mostly from their non playing days).

I have at minimum every base card of Andrew McCutchen from the Archives release and today I am going to post a series of designs I wish that McCutchen was used for over the first 8 years of existance of the brand.

2012 Topps Archives
Designs used by Topps: 1954, 1971, 1980, 1984
Design chosen by Topps for McCutchen

1971

While I like the design of 1971 and it is nice to have Cutch wearing the black and gold in a design from the year the Buccos won a World Series, I knew Cutch would eventually get the 1971 cardboard treatment in 2020 Topps Heritage.

I would have much rather gotten the 1954 design of Cutch.  No Pirates were represented using the 1954 design so it would have been an extra bonus to get Cutch in a 1954 design just for that reason.

Here is his Team USA teammate Adam Jones on the 1954 design.


2013 Archives
Designs used by Topps: 1972, 1982, 1985, 1990
Design chosen for McCutchen

1985

I am ok with this selection, but if I was given a choice of another design, I would lean towards 1990.  I don't see 1990 Topps as being a popular set by fans and can't imagine Topps using the design again until 2039 Topps Heritage. 

2014 Archives
Designs used by Topps: 1973, 1980, 1986, 1989 (the last year they use 4 designs)
Design chosen for McCutchen

1986

This is my favorite of all the Archives cards produced.  A strange thing about this card is that I think it may be an unannounced short print.  Try finding one on eBay or COMC right now.  You're likely to find less than a handful between all the after market places.  Try looking for any parallels including those sold on eBay, COMC, or WORTHPOINT and I promise you won't find any.  

Despite the perceived short print of this card, I approve this selection.



2015 Archives
Designs used by Topps: 1957, 1976, 1983
Design chosen for McCutchen

1983

I am so sick and tired of seeing modern players on 1983 designs.  Any of the other years would have been fine with me.  The 1983 design was also used for Josh Harrison and Bill Mazeroski.  The 1976 design was used for Gerrit Cole, Starling Marte, and Roberto Clemente.  

Given the choice I guess I would want Cutch in that 1957 design since Willie Stargell was the only Pirates player to get the 57 treatment.

2016 Archives
Designs used by Topps 1953, 1979, 1991
Design chosen for McCutchen

1991

Were it not for the Desert Shield foil variants I would have been begging for a 1953 Topps design.  It seems likely that Topps will continue to avoid putting Cutch in a Topps Living Set card even though JP Crawford and Bryce Harper already both have two entrants in the set.  I like the 91 set.  I have many fond memories opening these packs and trying to build the set with my dad.

No need for a change especially since I have this 1953 style card from 2019 Topps Transcendent.

2017 Archives
Designs used by Topps: 1960, 1982, 1992
Design chosen for McCutchen

1992

For many of the same reasons (foil parallel reminiscent of the ones available during initial release) I liked the 2016 Topps Archives selection of 1991 Topps, I am supporting the 2017 selection of 1992 Topps as the design for Cutch.  The design was also used for Roberto Clemente, Gregory Polanco, Starling Marte, and Gerrit Cole.

Cutch got a rookie card in 2009 Heritage High Number similar to the 1960 Topps rookie style made famous by the Yaz rookie.  Both Tyler Glasnow (rookie) and Honus Wagner represented the Pirates with the 1960 design.  I guess 1982 could have been a possibility since the double hockey stick style border was only used for Willie Stargell.

It seems Pops kept getting the short stick (no pun intended for this design) when being placed as a representative for the Pirates in Topps Archives.

2018 Archives
Designs used by Topps: 1959, 1977, 1981
Design chosen for McCutchen

1959

This is a selection that I approve, but given the choice of switching it up I would prefer 1981 Topps.  1959 is a great design and this is the only time Cutch got a solo card in the 1959 design.  However, he also got the 1959 treatment in the card "Bashers of the Bay" with Buster Posey. (Both pictured above)

So if that card was still produced, I would have liked to see a 1981 design for Cutch especially if it was given a pink border like what his team mate Buster Posey got.

2019 Archives
Designs used by Topps 1958, 1975, 1993
Design chosen for McCutchen

1958

This is actually a perfect selection among the designs offered.  As I have stated above McCutchen debuted in 2009 so his first Topps throwback design was 1960 Topps which appeared in 2009 Topps Heritage High Numbers.  He missed out on all the 1950s set via the traditional Heritage route.  The yellow background and red name letters make this card pop much in the same way Rip Repulski did in 1958.

The only other option for me would be 1993, but again that is only because I would want that gold foil found on Topps Gold style cards for that era.  The 1993 design isn't my favorite of the early 90s Topps designs.  Cutch did receive the 1975 design in 2011 Lineage.

2020 Archives

Designs used by Topps 1955, 1974, 2002

Design chosen for McCutchen

Nothing.

Cutch didn't receive a card in 2020 Topps.

This is an absolute shame that the streak of appearing in every Archives release comes to an end.  

Given the choices of 1955, 1974, and 2002 I would probably opt for 1955 Topps because it is an iconic set for Pirates fans (Roberto Clemente rookie!!!).

Getting a Cutch on a 1955 Topps design in his prime in a similar pose to the Clemente card would have been a perfect card.

Unfortunately Cutch is now with the Phillies and his 1955 style card may have resembled what this Steve Carlton looked like in Topps Archives.

My second choice would be 2002 Topps.  I wasn't collecting in 2002 and the set is so ugly I want a Cutch card to be represented in my collection with that ugly design.  

Former Pirates outfielder, Starling Marte, made it look kind of cool.

Have you ever looked at Topps Archives design samples and wished that a player got a different year treatment?

Happy Jackie Robinson Day (again)

For the second time this year, MLB is celebrating Jackie Robinson Day.

Jackie Robinson Day is traditionally celebrated on April 15th each year to recognize the day he broke the color barrier, but due to the world wide pandemic the games on that day were cancelled.  The MLBPA wanted to still recognize what Jackie did even during a short 60 game season.  The date was set for today and it couldn't have come at a better time to recognize the struggles that Jackie faced as the United States are once again having lines drawn for racism.  

Let's take a moment today and remember we are all people, regardless of skin tone.

Jackie Robinson started a change in the world over 70 years ago and we continue to face that change today. 

Here are all the Andrew McCutchen cards I have that feature a reference to the man that changed the game, #42 Jackie Robinson.

This is now a top 10 card in my collection.  I bought it via Twitter.  It features the Jackie Robinson Patch worn by Cutch on April 15, 2018 when Cutch was a member of the Giants.  It also has a nice on card signature and the hologram referencing the game the patch is from.  This card is SICK!!!

Here are a pair of parallels that Prizm unfortunately doesn't do anymore.  These are the 2013 and 2014 Jackie Robinson parallels numbered to 42 copies.  Each card is serially numbered on the back and feature a "42" pattern border.

2018 Gypsy Queen Jackie Robinson variant base and logo swap.  There are also color parallels of this card to chase as well (green and black). Cutch is circling the bags after what became a game winning homerun in late innings at Wrigley Field 2017.

Here is the 2018 Jackie Robinson manufactured pin relic available in packs of 2018 Update.

This is the 2017 version.

Here are a pair of 2012 Triple Threads Unity Gold Relics numbered to only 9 copies.  Both cards feature Cutch in a Jackie Robinson Day uniform and reference two of Cutch's early career accomplishments (the 2009 Topps All Rookie Team and the 2010 Heart and Hustle Award).

National Treasures produces a Jackie Robinson tribute in their sets from time to time.  This diecut version is from 2015.

The following year had a more colorful design, but the die cut was removed and the jerseys were no longer guaranteed to be worn on Jackie Robinson day.

Cutch received the photo variant Jackie Robinson parallel in 2019 Gypsy Queen.  The patch on the right sleeve is the same patch I own and I showed to begin the series of posts.

He also got the autograph treatment in 2019 Gypsy Queen.

More Swag In The Mail

I saw @Cheahacardworks had posted some tobacco style art cards on his Twitter account and I immediately asked if I could acquire them.  A week later they were in the mail to me.

These are the most swaggalicious tobacco cards I have ever seen.

He also sent them inside a fake pack with Willie Stargell on the front.

The backs are reminiscent of those old cards.

Many pieces of a jersey from a famous gif

If you search for Andrew McCutchen gifs on the internet, it won't take you very long to come across this one

Andrew McCutchen just about lost his mind when Giancarlo Stanton hit a homerun that was one of the most impressive HRs in a Derby I can recall.

The moment was from the 2014 All Star Game Home Run Derby.  Topps usually gets the workout jerseys seen similar to the one Cutch is wearing in the above gif and cuts them up for their high end releases like Triple Threads, Museum, and of course Update.

I recently got a jumbo patch in (before I was in single digit needs for 3K)

and it pairs nicely with these others that have been in my collection for years

1/1 sleeve patch

1/1 laundry tag

1/1 Logoman

/9 prime patch

/50 gold parallel jersey swatch

/25 triple jersey with Carlos Gomez and Yasiel Puig

/25 with Giancarlo Stanton and Yasiel Puig

/25 with Josh Harrison and Yasiel Puig

base jersey All-Star Stitches

Anotha one...

I have ZERO desire to only post cards as they come, but with October only a month away there will be themed events that will cease posting only "new mail day" cards.

In the mean time, enjoy card number 3,002 in the Cutch PC.  

It is the 2020 gold parallel numbered to 50 copies of the 1985 35th anniversary insert card found in Series 2 Topps.

I like the image used for this card.  I am curious about the "gold" border though.  It looks a little weaker than other gold parallels we have seen from Topps in recent years.

The back has a serial number that makes this an eBay 1/2 (do the math, it's fun).  I like that it has his complete playing career stats, an interesting recent fact about him and a random baseball trivia question.  This card back is very true to the 1985 design.

A couple quick notes about my collection.

I have joined TCDB finally.  I literally just joined so if you see that I only have a dozen or so cards checked off it's because I plan on updating my list later this week.

I have also added a few cards to my Instagram.

Both names are CollectingCutch, the same as this blog and my Twitter.  I plan to join other social media places as well so keep your eyes out.

Are there any places you can suggest for increasing my social media presence of CollectingCutch?

Card 3,001 is in hand

Yesterday I showed off a card that put me into pretty elite company.  I joined the 3,000 club.  I now own 3,000 unique cards of Andrew McCutchen.  I am starting to slow down a bit since he left the Buccos in 2018, but am still picking up plenty of Phillies, Yankees, Giants cards when they present themselves to me for a fair price or something so unique I have to have it.  

Card 3,001 came to me via a PWE for a cheap price off eBay.  It's the Meijer exclusive purple parallel of 2020 Topps Series 2.

Nothing too fancy, but it was a nice card to grab as I really like the purple parallels as they usually look bolder than many other parallels Topps Flagship uses.

I Love You 3,000

I have finally hit my milestone of 3,000 unique Andrew McCutchen cards.

It has been a wild 10+ year collecting journey.

To steal a line from the greatest superhero movie of All-Time

It is almost perfect that my 3,000th card is represented by this

You may be thinking, I've seen that card half a dozen times on the blog before. That's not new.

Ever hear the saying "Don't judge a book by it's cover?"

That's what is going on with this card.

This card is the 2010 Topps Pirates Team Set card sold only at PNC Park and surrounding areas.

The Pirates lost 105 games in 2010.  To say they were terrible would be an understatement.

That being said I went to Pittsburgh on 3 seperate occassions that year to cheer on the Buccos, but I not once bought the team set because of a few reasons.

1)I had just started considering myself a collector again in 2009

2)I didn't know that those blister team sets had different numbering or sometimes different photos (I was such a noob)

3)The Pirates were terrible that year

4)My "local born" pitcher (Charlie Morton) wasn't listed in the set

5)The Pirates were terrible 

So I didn't consider buying it.

Fast forward half a decade and it's on my list of cards I need for my "growing PC of Andrew McCutchen".  

It was never a huge want or need, but it was always on the radar if one ever became available.  

I couldn't find any sealed sets.

I couldn't find any singles.

This card never appeared for sale on COMC.  

A quick search on worthpoint and I see no sales of this single being sold.  

It may just be a simple basic card found in a $7 blister team set sold at PNC Park during the worse year in franchise history to many people (this year's team is giving them a run for the worse winning percentage ever though), but this card completes another milestone in my collecting journey.

Thank you all for reading this blog and following me on Twitter.  This has been a very fun journey over the past decade when I proudly said I had 5 cards numbered 1/1 and am now approaching 300 1/1s and can proudly say that I own

3,000 unique cards of Andrew McCutchen

Thank You!!!!!