A Stately Gesture from the King

Okay, I'm just gonna lay right out there: I whined, and I got cards.

That's the Reader's Digest version.  So, if you just want to skip the next few paragraphs and just check out the scans of the cards, I'd certainly understand.

So here's what happened.  A while back I commented on a post form the Card Raven's page, in which he was showing off all the great loot he got from somebody called "The Diamond King".  The King had sent the Raven a so-called "welcome to the blogosphere" package, which included a bunch of neat cardboard that was genuinely brag-worthy.

And, because I'm an overgrown, immature baby, I commented something along the lines of, "Oh I guess my welcome package got lost in the mail" blah blah blah, wah wah wah.  I think I threw a little emoticon smiley face in there somewhere just so I wouldn't give off a petulant vibe.

But, it's okay, I'm a big, cranky baby.  I know.  And now you all know it.

However, there are some out there who have outgrown the third-grader's mentality and handle themselves with kindness, grace and maturity.  And that's where the Kevin (aka the author of The Diamond King blog) comes in. I'm guessing he saw my response on the Raven's page and took pity on me, because I got an email from him a week or two later offering to send me a package.

My initial reaction was to slink away and admit I was just kidding.  No need to send me anything, etc.  I guess I kinda, sorta did that.

And followed it up by sending him my mailing address.

I know, I know.  I'm a rotten human being!  But, hey, if someone is offering to send you cards which -- judging by the package the Raven received -- would knock your socks off, are you going to say no?

Well, I didn't.  So, it was earlier this week that I received the royal offering from the munificent Diamond King. And, the cards he included were every bit as amazing as I had expected.  A bounty of wonderful cardboard! Kevin obviously checked out my player collection needs, and he delivered big-time.

I got a whopping 23 cards of Vladimir Guerrero:

2001 Fleer Platinum Grandstand Greats, #GC14

And there were 18 Sammy Sosa's:

2007 Bowman Heritage Rainbow Foil, #122

Thirteen great cards of Manny Ramirez:

1991 Classic Draft Picks, #60

A nifty five-pack of Albert Belle:

1999 Fleer Brilliants Blue, #107B

Five cards of Albert Pujols, including a really neat fold-out:

2004 Fleer Platinum Big Signs, #BS1

Carlos Delgado?  Three cards:

1992 Upper Deck Minors, #264

And a trio of John Olerud's:

1990 Donruss The Rookies, #2

A pair of Beltran's:

1997 Bowman, #377

A deuce of cool Pedro inserts:

2000 Upper Deck People's Choice, #PC6

And, for good measure, a swell 1978 Keith Hernandez, sans mustache:

1978 Topps, 143

It doesn't get much better than '70s Keith, does it?  The perfect way to conclude the highlights of the package. Needless to state that this was a great collection of cards, and an even nicer gesture.  But, I'll state it anyhow.

Thanks very much, Kevin!  I promise to return the favor in the future.

And, sorry for acting like a baby :-)

MK