Gas Station Fried Chicken and a Christmas Duo-Tang

1989 was a wild year for me and my family. My aunt, uncle and cousins had just moved next door with my grandparents from my dad’s side while their new house was being built (as noted in this previous post here). My mom finally had a steady office job (until the company went under in August of 1990). My grandparents from my mom’s side moved from Colorado to Pennsylvania, and I got to see them once every few months rather than 3 times a year. Also, I finally started getting an allowance for completing chores around the house like washing dishes, taking garbage out and dusting the living room. Three whole dollars every month. With those $3, I planned on buying as many 1989 Topps packs as possible to try to compile the entire set. A lofty goal for a 7-year-old kid, but I was determined. 

When my birthday rolled around, my family members bought me 1989 Topps packs to try to help. In mid-October that year, I realized I probably wasn’t going to be able to complete the set before packs started drying up in my area to make room for new products. Once they were gone from the usual spots where I could get a pack or two per week from (Foodland, Dunham’s, KMart, general store, gas stations), then I’d have to figure out how to fill all the holes in my binder by either by trading or buying. 

Well, after 1989 came to a close and we were in the thick of 1990, I still had 37 cards I needed for the 1989 set. Just as I had suspected, packs dried up in my area. I decided to move on and placed all of my 1989 Topps cards in a large box and put them on the shelf in my closet. I was so upset that I didn't complete the set or pull the iconic Gregg Jefferies Future Star card that I wanted so badly. My brother had pulled one, and asked to trade it to me, but I refused. If I was going to have that card, I wanted to pull it from a pack myself. It's no fun having such a cool card and saying, "Well, my brother traded it to me." Lame. 

In the last weekend in July in 1990, my family had a family reunion. It's always at the same place. There's no air conditioning, there are fans blowing all over the place, but the food is worth it! My grandma usually makes a few dishes to bring and this year she made a lasagna! Lasagna is my favorite food. Always will be. Since my family had to make a 3-hour trip to this reunion, my parents usually brought cold drinks in a cooler and bought some sort of food out there, so it was hot when we arrived. Finally, after the 3-hour car ride, we made it to my grandparents' new house. Since we were staying for the weekend there, my brother and I unloaded the car and took our suitcases inside and dashed to see inside. Once we got settled, we packed into my grandparent's boat of a vehicle and planned to stop at a gas station near the venue to pick up some fried chicken (my grandfather said it was the best in town). Keep in mind, where my grandparents live, there is a low population, only 1 or 2 general stores, 2 gas stations, so it was slim pickings when it comes to restaurants or things to do. Once we got to the gas station, my grandfather parked, opened his door, locked the rest of the doors and grabbed me (I was sitting right next to him in the front seat while he drove). He and my dad always tried to grab the check or pay for each other's things, so him locking the door meant my dad could not get out and I was probably allowed to grab something from this gas station while our chicken was being packed up. I scanned the candy and was going to grab a slim Jolly Rancher Apple, and then I saw a box of 1989 Topps!

It didn't take much convincing for my grandfather to cave and buy me a pack, but he insisted I pick something up that my brother would like, so I grabbed my brother a Whatchamacallit candy bar and he paid for the chicken, cards and candy bar and we headed back to the car. I decided to wait until we were back at my grandparents to open the Topps pack though. 

We had a good time at the reunion, my brother and I skipped rocks at the dam nearby, waded in the creek, and also caught some crayfish. After 5-6 hours, the reunion was over, and my brother and I helped clean up and then piled back into the car on the way back to my grandparent's house. Once we arrived, we unloaded the car and then everyone took a seat in the living room. They had pink carpet. YUCK! I took a seat on the floor near a pair of wooden shoes my grandfather brought back from Holland when he was stationed there in the army, and I decided it was a good time to rip that pack open. Well, let's see what was inside. Take a trip back with me to 1990, will ya?

Look at that wax pack...

The back, with a stain on poor Don Baylor.

YUM, some tasty gum from 35 years ago!

Card 1: Ron Kittle #771 

I had this card already. Actually, I had multiple of this card. Kittle rockin the glasses!

Card 2: Tim Belcher #456

Another dupe! It's ok though since it was a Rookie Cup card. I loved those when I was a kid.

Card 3: Charlie Hough #345

Yet another dupe (sigh!). At least it's a Hall Of Famer!

Card 4: Bobby Meacham #436

I did have this one, but this one was in better shape than the one I had. 

Card 5: Pete Stanicek #497

Stanicek was a dupe. Wasn't he supposed to be a big base stealer (from what I remember anyways)?

Card 6: Mike "Spanky" LaValliere #218

Not a dupe! I actually needed Spanky to finish the Pirates team set! YAY!

Card 7: Dwight Evans #205

Evans was a guy I low-key collected back in the day for some weird reason. I did have his rookie card that I bought at a card show that was in pretty rough shape for $2 in 1991. The 1989 Topps, however, was a duplicate (bummer!)

Card 8: Gene Nelson #581

I can't tell you how many of this card I had. It was probably 7 or 8. So, dupe...

Card 9: Topps Company Store card

This probably met my bike spokes. When I got really into collecting, these were great because you didn't have to use an actual player card. Who else did this with these things?

Card 10: Jim Rice #245

The legend. However, a duplicate. I had plenty of this card in my '89's.

Card 11: I HIT IT! Gregg Jefferies Future Star #233

I finally had it! I pulled it myself! Once I saw the red outline and the F in Future Star, I knew it! Everyone was talking in the living room, and I put down the cards, got up and danced around the room cheering. My brother came over to my pile of cards to see what was the big deal, and I said, "Get your chocolatey fingers away from that Gregg Jefferies!" My dad knowing that I had wanted that card so bad gave me a high five and I went over to my grandfather's chair and gave him a big hug and said, "Thanks pap! I have been wanting that card for so long!" My grandfather said it was no problem and that he loved me and was glad I was happy. I loved this card so much that I kept the entire pack together for all these years. When I was looking for a Jeffery Leonard card for this post here, I found the 1989 Topps pack, still in its wrapper and figured this would be a good time to post this, so here you go. 

Card 12: Argenis Salazar #642

Another need! This pack was great! Why couldn't I have bought this pack in my own town?

Card 13: Neal Heaton #197

I saw Heaton pitch once with the Expos and another time when he played here for the Pirates. This card was a dupe though.

Card 14: Larry Andersen #24

This card was also a dupe. I recently saw Andersen pitch in a replay of the Kerry Wood strikeout game on the Marquee Network. 

Card 15: Baltimore Orioles Leaders #381

I had all the team leaders cards in the 1989 set, so I did actually already own this one.

Final card with a small wax stain on the back: Card 16: Don Baylor #673

I had plenty of this card, but I was cool with it since I pulled the Jefferies. 

This past year, it was probably around November, my oldest son who was in kindergarten had a yellow folder that he had to keep in his bookbag every day had come home with his folder looking a bit trashed. I joked with my wife and said, "Buddy, do you want me to give you my huge Bo Jackson 1988 Topps folder instead? Then I can buy the 1989 Topps Future Star Gregg Jefferies folder that is on eBay for $2.99 + shipping." My wife laughed and my son said he still wanted to use his yellow folder and that was that.

When Christmas rolled around, we were opening our presents and my wife said to me, "Hun, open that big bag over there. It's from me and the boys." So, I open this gift and my wife bought me the Gregg Jefferies folder. I got a little teary-eyed and told her the story about my pap buying me that pack and I got emotional for some reason about it. She had no idea, but it made the gift more special. So now I also have this:

1989 Topps Gregg Jefferies Future Star Duo-Tang (with a pen on it to show actual size):

So, that's my story about the ICONIC (it is to me still) Gregg Jefferies Future Star card and added duo-tang. As a side note, I never completed the 1989 Topps set, but it is on my list of things to do before I die, so eventually, I will get it done. 

Thanks for reading.