Spotlight on Cards:Jeff Conine

I am featuring an oddball Jeff Conine card I picked up years ago.  I am hoping someone might have some info on it.
It appears to be a card from 1992, because on the back it shows card values for 1991 cards (in the place where stats would usually be).  It is done using the card design of a 1973 Topps football card, which is odd considering it is a baseball card from the 1990's.  There is no card company logo or copyright marks on this card either.That is all I can tell you about this card.  If anyone knows anything about it or knows of any similar cards, let me know.

Autograph Tales:Jeff Conine

I spent a lot of time sending out cards to players hoping for their autographs. In the 90's, card companies started to make my life a little easier.
The Signature Series produced by Donruss was a beautiful collection of legitimately signed cards. I am not sure how it was decided who would get cards in these sets. There were stars, average players, hot prospects and some players who didn't do much.
I didn't get many of these cards, but I got the ones I wanted. I did not want any card more than I wanted Jeff Conine. Of the many autographed items I have, Conine was not part of my collection until I landed this beauty.  Until I meet this mancrush and get an autograph inperson, this will remain the best.

Jeff Conine's 1998 Donruss Signature Series card.

Friendly Encounters

This is another in a series about my friends meeting celebrities.

I have been a frequent visitor to 30-Year Old Cardboard, a blog written by Brian Applebaum for a while. Brian is always putting up interesting things, like Did You Know... (bits of trivia), Same Card, Different Paths (career paths of multi-player cards) and other cool stuff.
Brian is a loyal fan of the Florida Marlins, but he has a soft spot for the Chicago Cubs after living in Chicago for 5 years. He is a bit of an autograph hound (and he tells those tales), but in a respectfully enthusiastic manner (as in you won't see him bowling over kids to get to a player).
Brian shares many of my ideas about collecting and sports. We are flip-flopped when it comes to fandom. My team is the Chicago Cubs, but I have a soft spot for the Marlins.
Why would a lifelong Chicagoan like me like the Marlins? Jeff Conine. Oh my friends have heard that name too many times. Yes, I admit a mancrush on Mr. Marlin.
I happened to be checking some older stuff on 30-Year Old Cardboard and I saw a picture of Brian, his son and Conine. Conine! I had to have this on Johngy's Beat. Brian was gracious enough to allow me to share his story and picture.
Brian summed up his experience by writing, "I cannot begin to explain the feeling of sharing the bench with a player that has been in that same spot for hundreds of baseball games - it was electric!!!" I know that feeling and Brian described t exactly.
I appreciate Brian allowing me to run this. Someday I hope to have a picture of me with Conine, but at least I finally have Mr. Marlin on my site.
Jeff Conine, Brian Applebaum and his son in the Marlins dugout in Miami, FL-February 2009.