Denial Reversed

So, Fuji was right.  My package of Paul Blair autographs showed up about a week after they went missing. The package arrived with the words "Not This Address" written across the front.  Apparently, the career dropped it off at the wrong house. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. I live on Alameda Drive and just to the south is Alameda Street.  The two streets run sort of parallel, so I would guess a new or substitute career got confused.
 

This is card from a 1990 Pro-Card minor league. I think it is actually an attractive card.  I would say this is a set I might not mind building some day.  But, this was the real find:

As I mentioned, I have only seen this card come available twice in 4 years.  Once it sold for $68 and the other for $105.  To get this in a lot with 8 other cards for a total of $36 delivered has to be the coup of my time as a collector. I was a little nervous because it appeared that the end of his last name was smeared, but I am happy to report that, when you can look at it in hand, it is just his shoe.

There is precious little information about this card out there. According to the Standard Catalog, Nabisco issued two small sets of autographed cards through mail order: 6 cards in 1993 and 4 in 1994.  But, Blair does not appear in the official checklists for either set. 1993 included Brooks Robinson, Catfish Hunter, Don Drysdale, Ernie Banks, Phil Neikro, and Willie Stargell.  And 1994's checklist was Bob Gibson, Jim Palmer, Frank Robinson, and Duke Snider. It appears there was nine other cards unavailable through the mail that could be attained at local events.  This Blair card is one of those 9.

Coming up in the next couple weeks, I have about three posts in the works.  Two related to my project to get my 1963 Fleer set autographed and another about a surprise pickup from before Christmas.