Nostalgic Box Break: 1992 Stadium Club Series Three (Part One)

600 cards down and filed. 300 to go.

I'm not exactly sure why I made it a point to go back and collect every great Stadium Club set of the 1990's, going at least until 1995 with an option for 1996, but it's done me well, giving me some wonderful nostalgia, and keeping my appreciation for the spoils of junk-wax flowing.

So now, we have 1992 Stadium Club Series 3. It's another 300 card set, which is different for SC- usually Series 3 would be much shorter, and would essentially be an Update set in the future. But here, it's all 300, which means there's as much of a chance to miss a few cards as there is to get all 300, as BOTH can be done.

Like I said, 300 card set, 36 packs, 15 cards per pack. Hopefully we'll actually get 15 per, unlike Series 2's box. Let's see if we can call it a day on this classic set.

 Pack One- Right off the bat, you can see the 90's beginning to form itself in this pack.
Cards I need: 15/15
Steroid Abusers: 1/15
Guys With Goofy Glasses: 1/15

 Starting y'all off with some cool landscapes. Foster's is just an excuse to show of the Reds' alt-uni. Ward's is a really nice wide-angle shot.

 Our three star cards. Zane Smith would have some nice years as a flamethrower for Pittsburgh. Henke's best years were behind him, in the 80's. Sosa...his career was just getting started on the North Side.

 Pack 20
Cards I need: 15/15
Hall of Famers: 3/15
Awesome Shades: 2/15
Borderline HOFers: 1/15

 Two posed Spring Training shots. Valdez' looks pretty awkward, but Hickerson's pretty glad about the whole thing.

 Armstrong's is a standard pitcher shot. Rickey's just being awesome, stealing a base somewhere.

 That Jose Rijo card may have just jumped to the top of my favorite junk wax cards list, and it may not be the only Rijo shades card there. Him and Ruben Sierra should have awesomely dated 90's card parties.
Sheff's just hitting one out. Don't mind him.

 One of the greatest shortstops of all time, and one of the greatest all-time hitters. Next to each other. I love Gwynn's, because you can see so much in those reflector shades.

 Pack 3-
Cards I need: 15/15
Absolutely Gorgeous Zoomed Out Cards: 3/15

 Lind's is nice, especially for the little flag on his hat.

 Both of these are amazing. Tartabull's has a degree of dramatic, as it's his first shot as a Yankee. Wilson's is just lit at the exact right angle, looks pretty dynamic.

 Walden's in his college uniform, and looks pretty amazing from that angle.

 Pack 4-
Cards I need: 12/15
Dupes: 3/15
Hall of Famers: 2/15

 Just some nice commons. Ortiz' is great for the catcher's gear. Eichhorn's is just pensive and zoomed in enough.

 Two great fringe players from the 80's, and a nice Jeff Parrett shot.

 Our two Hall of Famers in unfamiliar uniforms. Murray was still pretty awesome on the Mets. Winfield was on his way to a World Series ring (finally) with the Blue Jays.

 Pack 5-
Cards I need: 14/15
Dupes: 1/15
Hall of Famers: 1/15
Former Yankees: 1/15
Future Yankees: 1/15

 Denny Neagle's giant chin reminds you that he came up as a Pirate. Rusty Meacham gets a kick out of that one.

 Nolan Ryan...one of the greatest pitchers to ever live.
Steve Sax...was okay.

 Pack 6-
Cards I need: 15/15
Hall of Famers: 1/15
Borderline Hall of Famers: 3/15
Former MVPs: 2/15

 Beltre's is a great stance shot. Joyner's looks so great as a sideways shot- much more detail is in this when you get the full picture.

 Juan Bell playing solid 2nd base. Wayne Edwards is nice enough to sign a ball for the fans.

 The Former MVPs. Gibson, while he was still on the Pirates (which I forgot about), and Mitchell, when he was trying to come back with the Mariners (which I also forgot about)

 Three definite 1990's icons. Johnson, of course, would become one of the most dominant pitchers of the decade. Galarraga would soon more to Denver and become one of their best hitters, while Lofton would stay in Cleveland for a while and take up base-stealing.

 Pack 7-
Cards I need: 15/15
Hall of Famers: 1/15
Guys who SHOULD be in the Hall of Fame: 1/15

 Ah, cards of people in Hawaiian shirts...I sure do adore the 90's.
Even Assenmacher is checking that shirt out.

 Three one-time superstars. Bret Saberhagen was trying to come back with the Mets. Bob Welch was still a great arm with Oakland. Incaviglia was close to joining the NL Champion Phillies.

 Two of the best. Nolan Ryan was the Member's Choice, which was pretty fantastic for a guy in his 40's. Morris was just heading towards another World Series ring, his third.

 Pack 8-
Cards I need: 8/15
Dupes: 7/15
Hall of Famers: 1/15
80's Stars: 1/15
90's Stars: 1/15

 Ron Gant's just getting going, Jeff Reardon's just slowing down.

 Man, Griffey looks awesome here, in this Member's Choice insert. Must be the teal.
Eric Davis is just feeling comfortable in his Dodgers uniform, even if his numbers don't.

 Pack 9
Cards I need: 14/15
Dupes: 1/15
Cards of guys who look pissed: 2/15
WAY TOO CLOSE shots of future Yankees: 1/15

 Eddie Taubensee is pissed that Bob Walk hasn't allowed any walks thus far. He had a perfect joke saved up and everything.

 Dale Sveum also looks pretty down. Maybe he's looked into the future, and sees that the guy on his right is going to be a manager for way longer, and for a way more important team, than he is.

 Darryl Kile mows 'em down for Houston. Chuck Knoblauch...way too close.

 Pack 10-
Cards I need: 15/15
Guys Considered Stars in 1992: 7/15
Hall of Famers: 1/15
Steroid Abusers: 1/15
Legendary Pitchers Who Pitched FOREVER: 2/15
Stars of the very late 80's: 2/15
Guys whose relatives are in the Hall of Fame: 1/15

 Sandy, just starting his 1,000 year career as a catcher, and George Bell, just finding out that the jheri curl is indeed dead.

 Dennis Martinez looks overjoyed to still be playing. Charlie Hough's knuckleball in action. Bobby Bo's still hitting 'em.

 Andre Dawson is proudly a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Barry...had his chance.

 Pack 11-
Cards I need: 5/15
Dupes: 10/15
Two-Sport Icons: 1/15

 Even Bo Knows how awesome this card is.

Pack 12-
All Dupes. Man, we were doing so well, too...

I'll stop it there, as that's enough for one night. I'll pick up with the next 12 packs sometime in the next few days, but suffice to say we come exceptionally close to 300.