The Quarantine Project

I never imagined that in July of 2020, I would still be talking about the quarantine life. I have officially had my hair cut twice in the front yard, haven’t eaten at a physical restaurant since March 6, haven’t been in a physical store other than Wal-Mart since March 17, and haven’t hugged a non-family member since Eric Tucker in Lowe’s on March 13. To be honest, if I had to hold on to one non-family hug for the rest of my life, it might as well be Eric.

I think one of the most insane things that I can say about my routine is that I went 8 consecutive days during a stretch without driving a vehicle. I drove a Kubota, but not a vehicle on a paved road. And I drive every day, multiple times a day in my normal life; so it’s been strange. The extent of my entertainment the last few months has been an occasional swim with family and, most recently, a kayaking trip on a deserted creek. There were four people on the creek that day and we all were together.

It’s been a weird time. It’s abnormal but has almost become normal. I have learned to live like this and not feel like I’m missing out on something. While the world has become even more complex, day to day life has become simpler; if that makes any sense. The one thing I have missed is going to the LCS, but I have certainly made up for that on eBay, Dave & Adam’s, and Steel City Collectibles. The money I have saved on gas with all of those non-driving days has been diverted to my card purchases. I’m not proud, but I’m honest.

I started a little project during this quarantine time; and that I am proud of. I have a lot of projects going on; the Dated Rookie Autograph Project, the 1991 Topps Project, the ongoing Ron Gant Project. So, why not add another? Mail days are fun and this one includes me filling in gaps in my collection that I never imagined possible when I was a kid. But it’s coming together now and I have enough of it going to be able to show some of it off. I call it the “Great Quarantine Rookie Project of 2020”. But the title is a bit fluid at this point.

The rookie card has long been the go-to item in collecting. When I started in the 80’s, that’s what we were searching for. The veterans were always nice to add but the rookies were the Kelly Kapowski’s of the hobby. And today, they still are but there are autographs, relics, 1/1’s, parallels, prizm, SP’s, prospects, 1^st Edition’s, and everything in between. It has even become difficult to determine what a true RC is. So I went to my card Zen master for his definition.

According to Stephan Loeffler, also known as @JunkWaxTwins on Twitter, a true RC “should be a player’s first real card. That might’ve been easier to discern in the 50’s and 60’s, but nowadays with multiple releases and brands that’s not as simple an answer. This is why I love Upper Deck’s stance where there’s no cards until a player debuts on ice, whereas a future MLB player may be featured in several years prior – look at Bubba Starling! Nowadays, I think a player’s first card should be their first release in a “flagship” product. Series One Hockey, Series Two/Update Baseball, NBA Hoops/Prizm, what have you. So yes, 1985 Topps not 1987 Topps, 1952 Topps, 1996 SI For Kids Tiger over 2001 Upper Deck.”

With that being said, I have been somewhat liberal with this project. I have considered 1^st issues, Rated Rookies, Rookie Cups, Traded/Updates, and even non-licensed cards as a part of the player’s rookie set. Some players only have one because they were rookies in the 1970’s; but the later we get, the more convoluted things tend to be. So instead of just talking about this, let’s actually look at what I’ve put together to get this going. The player’s full rookie sets may not be complete yet but we have it started.

Tony Fernandez

One of the first rookies I went after was that of the late Tony Fernandez. I was a big fan of Tony Fernandez back in the day because I was a shortstop myself. That’s also why I loved Ozzie Smith – but Tony flew a bit under the radar. He was a rookie in 1984 after a 15 game cup of coffee in 1983. While “flying under the radar”, he finished his 17 year career with a .288 career avg, 2,276 hits, was a 5x All-Star, 4x Gold Glove Winner, and World Series Champ in 1993. I have added the 1984 Donruss, Fleer, and Topps to the collection, with my personal favorite being the ’84 Donruss.

Mike Greenwell

Mike “The Gator” Greenwell was cool before Big Papi and Pedro Martinez were making the Red Sox a perennial power. While being overshadowed by Wade Boggs and Roger Clemens, Greenwell played 12 productive seasons and finished his career as a .303 hitter. He hit some home runs (130), stole some bases (80), and knocked in some runs (726). He was a 2x All-Star and a Silver Slugger Winner but I think his career was much better than that would indicate. He hit over .300 seven times in those 12 years! I have added his 1987 Donruss, Donruss “The Rookies”, Fleer, Topps, and Toys R Us.

Bo Jackson

I have tons of Bo Jackson RC’s, from baseball to football. But while perusing eBay, I stumbled upon this 1986 Southern League Future Star from his days with the Memphis Chicks. This card just called my name and was one of the quickest “Buy Now’s” I’ve ever snatched up. I absolutely LOVE this card!

Dave Justice

While we are discussing minor league cards, I picked up this Dave Justice ProCards from his time with the Richmond Braves. I can’t own enough Dave Justice cards but I was actually missing this in my PC.

Willie McGee

Another “under the radar” guy was Willie McGee. Again, it’s a little difficult to fly under the radar as a 4x All-Star, League MVP (1985), and World Series Champ (1982). On top of that, he won two batting titles, though one is questioned by some. The first was strong as he finished 1985 with a .353 average. The questionable one was in 1990, when he won the National League Batting Title while finishing the season in the American League. He hit .335 with the Cards but then hit .274 with the A’s. The .335 stuck as the National League Lead. The new PC RC’s now include the 1983 Donruss, Fleer, O-Pee-Chee, and Topps. I love the ’83 Donruss!

Kevin Mitchell

In the “forgotten player” department, Kevin Mitchell shines as a former MVP (1989), 2x All-Star, and 1986 World Series Champ. While he was a masher, with seasons of 47, 35, and 30 Home Runs, he also hit for average; finishing his 13 year career with a .284 average. His most famous moment, for me, came when he caught a flyball barehanded against the St Louis Cardinals. The batter, ironically, was Ozzie Smith. I picked up his 1986 Donruss “The Rookies”, Fleer Update, Topps Traded, and 1987 Toys R Us. It is really hard to beat that Toys R Us design!

Eddie Murray

One of the more iconic RC’s of the 1970’s is the great Topps Card for Eddie Murray. Murray is my first Hall of Famer in the project and also won Rookie of the Year in 1977, hitting 27 Home Runs while batting .283. He played 21 solid years and hit 25+ Home Runs twelve times, knocked in 100+ six times, and hit .300+ seven times. This is a must have in every collection!

Dave Parker

Another must have, in my opinion, is The Cobra’s 1974 Topps. Dave Parker is a legend in baseball history and a member of the “We Are Family” Pirates of 1979. Parker played 19 years and hit 339 Home Runs, knocked in 1,493 runs, and finished up with a .290 batting avg. He was a 7x All-Star, 2x World Series Champ, the NL MVP in 1978, a 3x Gold Glove Winner, 3x Silver Slugger Winner, and 2x NL Batting Champ. The Cobra was the dude and adding this RC was sweet!

Dave Winfield

While the 1979 Ozzie Smith is my favorite Padres RC of all time, I finally added a RC of Dave Winfield from 1974. It isn’t in the greatest condition but I’m perfectly fine with that. Winfield’s accolades are tremendous. He eclipsed 3,000 hits, almost had 500 Home Runs (465), and knocked in 1,833 runs. He was a 12x All-Star, 7x Gold Glove Winner, 6x Silver Slugger Winner, and a World Series Champ in 1992. He won the Roberto Clemente Award in 1994 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001 with almost 85% of the vote (First Ballot). This one is a keeper!

John Elway

I am not just sticking to baseball with this project. And the first RC I had to add was John Elway. It is an iconic card and he’s an iconic player. The 1984 Topps is a card I have seen a million times but never actually owned it until recently. I’m not going to go on and on about Elway’s stats because I think most everyone knows just how good he was!

Mike Rozier

Here is one that may be a bit of a surprise to some but as a Falcons fan; Mike Rozier makes a lot of sense. Rozier started his pro career in the USFL with the Pittsburgh Maulers (1^st Overall), after putting up 4,780 yards and 49 touchdowns at Nebraska, where he would win the 1983 Heisman Trophy. He would only put up 4,462 yards in 7 seasons in the NFL but he was one of the few bright spots on the early 90’s Falcons teams. I love the look of USFL cards and this one is awesome!

Patrick Ewing

The last card in this post will be one of the coolest. The 1986 Star Patrick Ewing is a beauty! I know people love the 1986-87 Fleer set, but let’s be honest; this one is superior. First, it is closer to being a true rookie. Second, it is what 1991 Fleer wish it had been with that yellow. And lastly, just look at it! I love the Star set and will add cards whenever I find them at a reasonable price. I’m thrilled to add this one.

So what do you think about this Quarantine Project? It may seem a little simple but it’s really fun. I am picking up rookies of players that I don’t own. Yeah, I already had the ’87 Topps Greenwell, but the Toys R Us? Starting this project is how I ended up with the sweet Memphis Chicks Bo Jackson! I’ll continue to scour the web for unique and fun rookies of players that may not be everybody’s particular PC. I’ll pick up some legends along the way, like Elway and Winfield, but I’m really excited about finding some of the lesser known rookie cards, like Mike Rozier.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

J-Dub