Cards from America: NPB Card Guy Sends Total Awesomeness!

Look at these three cards. Then the title. Then back at these three cards. Then look at the cards below.

 What do they have in common? They all came from NPB Card Guy, and they are all cards I need for my player collections. But what's so special about a bunch of cards from active or recently-retired players? Just keep looking.

 Did you know that Chipper Jones had three rookie cards in Topps flagship?

  He made some bad choices off the field, but Chipper dominated third base after Terry Pendleton left the Braves' infield.

 Oh, those? Just Cal Ripken rookie cards! Well, player collections do have rookie cards too, right? (I'm still in shock over having these in my collection!)

 And more Cal. I've managed to get most of the regular playing cards for most of my player collections, but the rookie cards have remained on my want lists.

 Yes, Jose is in my player collection! I hate what he became in the 1990s, but Canseco was the first player I followed. I've related the story before, but for those who missed it or forgot, I grew up in the Bay Area, Canseco played in the Bay Area, and my mom was a Giants fan so I naturally had to like the A's in the 1989 World Series. Besides, Canseco was the hottest thing in baseball when I got into cards in 1989.

 Of course, that changed with the coming of The Kid. 'Nuff said.

 One of the most overpriced players in baseball is Barry Bonds. Nobody seems to collect his cards, but sellers don't want to drop their prices.

 He was, at best, polarizing, but he was a beast even in his early years and when he stepped on the field everybody knew. I remember when he came to Atlanta with the Giants in 2006 and I saw a couple games... that's another story.

 Griffey hit it big fast, and I was a big fan even in the 1990s, but I didn't have his Upper Deck rookie card. I did, however, have Frank Thomas's 1990 Leaf rookie. 1992 was a big year for me, because I moved to Georgia and really dove into card collecting, and that horizontal card was really cool in my mind.

 Rickey Henderson stayed in the game for a long time. After his time with Oakland and New York was up, he hopped from team to team, wherever he could get in the lineup.

 It all started in 1980... with his rookie card!

 There's not much I can say about Tony Gwynn that I haven't already said.

 It is interesting to look back through all these cards and see how he's changed over the years.

 Early 1980s Tony looked pretty cool, with that light mustache that Griffey Jr. would sport in his career. I think Griffey's was a little narrower, though.

 Speaking of players who went from team to team and played for quite some time, Charlie Hough seems out of place in my collection. He is the only one here that has virtually no chance at getting in the Hall of Fame, but I like him for his stick-to-it-ness. Watching him pitch in 1993 in the opening game for the Marlins, it was almost funny seeing him just toss the ball up there. But in retrospect, he was an artist on the field, painting that knuckleball across the plate.

 Speaking of pitchers who had difficulty with control, here's Nolan Ryan. I don't think I knew who he really was until 1991, when he tossed his seventh no-hitter. Let's face it, Texas was a long ways away. But I quickly learned about him and have been a fan ever since.

 No Ryan rookies were in the package, but I think I have quite a bit to send in return as it is!

Looking at and holding these cards, especially those awesome RCs, just made my evening. There was more in the package, and I'll have some of that for you next! Thanks, NPB Card Guy!