Nostalgic Box Break: 1996 Collector's Choice Series Two (Part Three)

And so we soldier on with the 1996 Collector's Choice break. With the added element of 'YOU CRASH THE GAME' inserts, as well as the insane amount of great base card, there's enough to tide us over for another two posts. After that...we're going to explore a very, very dark set. Don't say I didn't warn you.

But for now, on with the next nine packs:

Pack 19-
Steroids: 3/12
Hall of Famers: 1/12
Deceased Pitchers: 2/12

Surhoff had some okay years with Baltimore, mostly backing up Chris Hoiles until he somehow got a starting gig. Ruben Sierra was good for DHing gigs and a killer 1992 Stadium Club card.

The dearly departed...in the same pack. Damn, '96 CC.

Frank Thomas' is a YOU CRASH THE GAME! So...WOULD YOU HAVE CRASHED THE GAME?
Let's see, did the Big Hurt hit one out in between Sept. 2nd and 4th? YES. He had a nice one on the 4th. So...if this were 1996, SEND IT IN!
Also, Jermaine Dye's rookie card was in this set. Huh.

Tim Salmon was the checklist poster boy for the Angels this year. I guess it makes sense.

Pack 20-
Hall of Famers: 1/12
Guys I'll Collect til I die: 1/12
Padres: 2/12

Pensive fielding shots- Darrin Fletcher's is dramatic, while Keith Lockhart's has a bit more 'OHHHH NOOOOOO!' balanced in.

RAAAAAAUUUUUUUULLLLLLL! The Rookie!
Tim Salmon is our latest You Crash the Game. WOULD YOU HAVE CRASHED THE GAME?
Did Salmon hit one out from Sept. 9th-12th? No, he did not. Down series for Salmon evidently.

As an added bonus, an autograph-hunting Frank Thomas is the checklist for the South side.

Pack 21-
Hall of Famers: 2/12
Former Managers: 1/12
AL West: 4/12

Tony Pena's splitting, in preparation for...uh, being the Indians' backup for 1996.
Chris Gomez' swing shot is a pretty damn cool one.

PEDRO MARTINEZ...true to character, he gets a pretty powerful base card. Jason Kendall's RC one is a bit too dull and static for me.

Another checklist shows a nice, full bleed autograph shot of the great, powerful, and LEGENDARY Cal Ripken.

Pack 22-
Hall of Famers: 1/12
Wrong Things to do with Baseball Bats: 2/12

Sid Fernandez somehow on the Phillies? The Loretta is evidence that maybeeee the Brewers' mid-90's uniforms needed a few more tweaks.

Ernie Young just seems jazzed to be here. Shawn Estes' is a pretty nice action shot.

The Cal is one of the set-encompassing CAL RIPKEN COLLECTION, giving a ton of great photos a season after his record-breaking tear. Also, Richard Hidalgo looks like he's here for a golf demonstration.

Because it was 1996, Gary Sheffield was the Marlins' checklist. Here, it looks like he's about to give a Tarantino-esque final blow to someone's face.

Pack 23-
Blah: 12/12

Our only highlights here were a Cecil Fielder checklist and a nicely-done Edgar Renteria rookie.

Pack 24-
People Really Happy to be Sitting Down: 3/12
Rookie Class: 3/12

Ellis Burks was still an offensive threat, even away from Boston. Also, Marvin Benard looks really, really happy for some reason.

Delino DeShields makes a great catch, while Rick Aguilera seems to be yanking off several people's arms at once.

What seems like the thousandth full-bleed checklist in this set, of Juan Gonzalez.

Pack 25-
Rookies That Didn't Age Well: 1/12
Yankee Catchers: 2/12
SUPER COOL HIDEO NOMO INSERTS: 1/12

Steve Finley furiously runs, while a slightly-less furious Antonio Osuna laughs from the sidelines.

Hey, remember when Brooks Kieschnick was supposed to be this huge rookie phenom for the Cubs??

No?

Well, thank God for Kris Bryant, then...

Rich Becker makes a long-lunge to warrant a pretty cool horizontal shot.

The most undeserving one-and-done Hall of Fame balloters- Hideo Nomo, in yet another Scrapbook insert, and a close-to-rookie card of the great Jorge Posada.

The 90's Brewers were so bad that all they could get for a checklist was a smiling, posed Greg Vaughn.

Pack 26-
Rookies: 3/12
Phillies: 2/12

A smiling Jim Eisenreich, and an aggravated , pointing Mike Bordick.

The Phillies' situation was so dire in 1996 that they could only get Mickey Morandini to be their checklist...instead of Curt Schilling, for some reason...

Probably one of the only Arizona League subset cards that's actually worth anything, here's a rookie-ish card of Johnny Damon, which is always a nice get.

Pack 27-
California: 4/12
Rookies: 3/12

A seriously throwing Paul Assenmacher, and a relatively graceful late-career card for Brett Butler.

Plus, here's a fun card of Ismael Valdes waiting for the outcome of the throw.

On one-hand...three-billionth checklist. But still, there's a Billy Wagner Rookie Class card we get to have, so it's not all bad.

The last fourth will be up very soon.