Non-sports sportscards... Me no likey!

The Baseball card industry has been on its own since the early 1950's. Before that the cards were placed in cigarette and gum packs. Foe example: The 1934 Goudey Gum card of Charley Gehringer pictured below. these cards came along with packs of gum and probably cost like a penny 80 years ago.

I love it. Baseball cards bring happiness to millions of collectors worldwide. but the industry has been bastardized by the card producing companies that are reaching for something that just is not there. There has always been offshoots of the sportscard industry that created sets of collector cards for things like Star Trek, Transformers, or Garbage Pail Kids. These card sets are fantastic and provide a tangible way for fans to collect something that commemorizes your favorite cult classic movie or freaky weird painted likenesses of Han Solo on a rectangular piece of cardboard. The problem that I am having is seeing non-sport cards infiltrating my beloved Baseball card sets. for example: in this years 2011 Topps Allen and Ginter set has cards made up of a number of non-sport people and items like The Royal Wedding (see below) yes you read that correctly the Royal FREAKING Wedding. Check it out.

Its a great picture of the very Regal William and Kate but this is not a set of Cricket or Polo cards. I realize it is an important pop culture event for England and some of the rest of the world, but does it really have to be in this set of cards of a very American game. here is another one that made a previous appearance in one of my blogs.

yup, thats a Surfer card. Not just a card but his autograph as well. FAAAAAANN TASTIC. why would this card make me want to buy more of this set if what I am looking for is a baseball card. at least surfing is actually a sport. whats next putting presidents card into my sets as we... wait... whats that? THEY PUT THE PRESIDENT IN THE SET TOO??? RIDICULOUS!
I'm done.
Before this blog comes to an end its time for everyones favorite segment.

GEMS OF THE DAY!!!!!!

Top Left: Tom Henke is just a happy fun loving guy with a fantastic Forest Gump-esque expression.
Top Right: Is that???? oh man it is... Ladies and gents, twerps and nerds... making his 2nd appearance in the GEMS section is KennnnnNNNNN PHELPS with another doozie. I have a feeling he will be back in later installments.
Bottom:  Mike Griffin... WHAT THE... Your face kinda scared me there. Nice hair Mike... Wowza. stand back ladies I think he might on the registry... and not the bridal registry... the State one.

Alright well again I thank you for your continued readership and as always. Peace and Baseball cards.