I recently sent Night Owl a card of Hideo Video Nomo, and he returned the favor by sending a few Reds cards my way. He also subtly reminded me that I needed to update my wantlists, as three of the cards he sent came from sets that I didn’t have listed yet!
The first card is an upgrade of a card I already had from my birth year: 1975 Topps Bill Plummer.
Anytime I get a card as old (or older) than me, it’s a good day. 1975 was such a great year: the baseball card set is one of the all-time greats, the World Series was one of the most memorable (and the Reds won it!), and I was born. How could it be any better?
Then he hit me with an Eric Davis card that I had seen on around the blogs from 2013 Archives.
The card design is 1987, the photo is from 1988 (check out the All-Star Game patch on his sleeve), and the on-deck batter is Paul O’Neill (I’m 99.9% sure of this). I love how Topps decided to use the Tiffany-type cardstock reminiscent of the Traded sets instead of the gray cardboard. When I first saw this card on the blogs, my blood pressure started going up because I remembered how hard it was to get Eric Davis cards in Cincinnati in the 1980s and was worried that it would be just as difficult to track this sucker down. He was cardboard gold. Thanks for sparing me a trip to the doctor, Greg.
Next was a mascot card of Gapper from the 2013 Opening Day series.
I sometimes wonder if Mr. Redlegs, Rosie, or Mr. Red ever get jealous of Gapper’s Topps contract. I also wonder why the Reds need four mascots.
Finally, N.O. sent me another insert card from 2013 Opening Day, Jay Bruce “Ballpark Fun.”
This is, in my opinion, the proper use of foil on a card. It’s an insert card, a special card, a celebratory card. Normal, everyday, run-of-the-mill cards should not be littered with foil. But for these kinds of cards, go all-out!
My wantlists have been updated, and my new cards have been crossed off. Thanks for the cards, Night Owl, and as soon as I find some more of those “CardToons” Dodgers cards, I’ll send them your way!
The Writer's Journey 
I all of those cards you just received. I enjoy my cards and so does my 7 yr old. Gapper is the official mascot of the Reds and the other 3 are there for heritage. I agree with the foil on cards, should only be on inserts, but some sets have way to many inserts and you don’t know what is insert and what is a base card.
Gapper is my least favorite of the mascots. If it were up to me, Mr. Redlegs or Mr. Red would be the top dog.
Four mascots. Wow.
I’ll send you that Paul O’Neill card someday!!!!!