The Wonderful World of Joe Shlabotnik

Kez Eylül 24, 2022

What a wonderful world it must be at Joe's! Shelves full of cards, boxes and binders. Oh my! One can only imagine. I don't know that anyone has ever seen Shlabby's place but I can attest to owning some outgoing contents. Discards, if you will. No. I did not dig through his trash cans. Is that really what you think of me?

Good ol' American Joe is certainly not trying to buy into the Cracked Bat Ballot Box but does have two mail-in ballots noted on my super spreader sheet. Cracked Bat favors multiple voting attempts. July brought a pwe and a fat little mailer. He picked a few cards off my want list; sent a couple I picked from his blog and tossed in some fun surprises.

From the gimmee list: 2017 Archives '59 Bazooka Harper, 2020 Heritage Bazooka Test Posey and Hostess 75 Rico and 79 Whitaker:

Beautiful wood

Gentle Giant

Twinkies!

I love me some big sticks - cracked or not. Black and white Conlons featuring some long gone heroes are perfect for my collection. Foxx, Lou and the Babe. Sometimes I feel I was born too late. Did I ever share my affinity for lounge music? The Rat Pack, Julie London.

I sent Joe some 2020 Big League assistance. He sent back part of a box. Wants me to cut out the card myself. Joe's never seen me with a pair of scissors. I will cut ~~you~~ me. One of us is obviously lazy. Responsibility, he says.

Obligatory vintage was included. Say what????? You did not know this requirement? You risk having your ballot rejected without it. LOL. That's laugh out-loud not little old lady, wise guy.

Steve had a kind face

My first Permagraphics! From 1983, Larry Parrish - super star, super fun! The few cards I've seen have been scratched up. This is a clean example. Credit card style, plastic card with apparently no credit limit. The backside has a space for a signature.

Here's a card from a set I'd never heard of - 1979 Diamond Greats. Backs are blank. My first thought was TCMA but this is not the case. You can read up on these here. I love the simplicity! Team, position and career stats and a checklist 400 cards deep. Also not cheap.

I WANT THEM ALL

Let me tell you a little about Joe. He thinks he's funny. So glad I'm nothing like that. Joe tells me he has an old 70s Wacky sticker with my name on it.. Still waiting for him to send it. These fine Altuves came though.

You've made it this point. Almost too much excitement for one post! But let me tell yah, this next one had me swinging from the disco ball:

Stare into the eyes of the Tiger. Closer. Put your nose on the screen. You. Will. Send. Me. 1978 Fleer Glam stickers. All. Of. Them.

Thank you, Shlabby

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It's that time again! Round Five voting is here. We have another team effort this week. Candidate A is a Topps Traded duo from years 1987 [checklist] and 1991 [checklist.] 1987 Maddux extended rookie looks pretty sharp. Matt Williams also has an XRC in this set. 1991 is still sealed. Notable Rookies are Bagwell, Giambi, I Rodriguez and Kennie Steenstra.

CANDIDATE A: