A Canadian, a Blue Jay (who got away) and a Pretty Useless Map

 Random.org chose the following as my random card of the day. This 2017 Upper Deck Team Canada #44 featuring Sam Reinhart.

Reinhart has to be the least likely 57 goal scorer in the history of the NHL. Seriously, where did that come from. Can't say I watched many Panther games at all last year, not sure if he just got on an insane heater or what. Zach Hyman's 54 last year were slightly less surprising since he rides shotgun on the wing of the best player in the world.

I currently own 28 Reinhart cards and 407 Team Canada cards.

My favourite new card I added to my catalogue recently is this 2022 Bowman Chrome - 2021 AFL Fall Stars insert #AFLS-14 featuring Gabriel Moreno of the Toronto Blue Jays

Why ? Because Toronto sports fans are destined to suffer.

New additions to my all-time roster project catalogued yesterday were :

• Bradenton Marauders player # 6 - Dariel Lopez
• Brown Bears (baseball) player #1 - Olivia Pichardo
• Cleveland Guardians player #12 - Gabriel Arias
• Colorado Rockies player #114 - Nolan Jones
• Milwaukee Brewers player #138 - Brian Anderson
• Minnesota Twins player #152 - Josh Winder
• New York Yankees player #174 - Jhony Brito
• San Francisco Giants player #128 - Thairo Estrada
• Seattle Mariners player #119 - Andres Munoz
• Tampa Bay Rays player #88 - Ryan Pepiot
• Charlotte Hornets player #32 - P.J. Hairston
• Connecticut Huskies (basketball) player #1 - James Bouknight
• Atlanta Falcons player #48 - Arnold Ebiketie
• Buffalo Bills player #82 - Marquise Goodwin
• Chicago Bears player #72 - Darnell Wright
• Colorado Buffaloes (football) player #4 - Shedeur Sanders
• Denver Broncos player #64 - Josey Jewell
• Georgia Bulldogs (football) player #13 - Kelee Ringo
• Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (football) player #5 - Dontae Smith
• Jacksonville Jaguars player #58 - Anton Harrison
• Los Angeles Chargers player #20 - Mike Williams
• Maryland Terrapins (football) player #6 - Roman Hemby
• Minnesota Golden Gophers (football) player #3 - Tanner Morgan
• Notre Dame Fighting Irish (football) player #5 - Javon McKinley
• Oregon Ducks (football) player #3 - Bucky Irving
• Penn St. Nittany Lions (football) player #10 - Dani Dennis-Sutton
• Philadelphia Eagles player #64 - Carson Strong
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers player #70 - Kyle Trask
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers player #71 - Tristan Wirfs
• Texas Longhorns (football) player #16 - Jaheel Billingsley
• Toledo Rockets (football) player #1 - Kareem Hunt
• Virginia Cavaliers (football) player #2 - Dontayvion Wicks
• West Virginia Mountaineers (football) player #3 - CJ Donaldson Jr.
• West Virginia Mountaineers (football) player #4 - Nicco Marchiol

No links to the cards today, more than half don't have an image on TCDB, and until I can find time to fire up the scanner, doesn't make sense trying to figure out which do and which don't. 

My All-time roster project now stands at 15,243 combinations. The 2 new teams represented by a first card bring the unique number of teams to 953.

My random postcard of the day is this card from Mexico City, Mexico featuring a stylized map of the city centre.

This card is unwritten and was bought when I was on an extended work assignment living in Mexico City. I currently have 99 catalogued postcards from Mexico.

A Dodger, a Bruin and a Cathedral

 Random.org chose the following as my random card of the day. This 2011 Topps Allen & Ginter - Hometown Heroes insert #HH-37 featuring Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Have to admit, I'm not a fan at all of Allen & Ginter, to me it just seems like badly forced nostalgia. But Kershaw is one of only likely 2 or 3 baseball players whose cards I will always grab if they are reasonable which explains having this one. 

I currently own 55 Kershaw cards and 588 Los Angeles Dodgers cards.

My favourite new card I added to my catalogue recently is this 1999 Topps Stadium Club Hockey - Goalie Cam insert #GC3 featuring Byron Dafoe of the Boston Bruins.

You don't really think of Stadium Club as hockey brand, but they had a good run for about a decade. This is an interesting card because it actually folds open to show a larger photo printed on the inside. Kind of a precursor to the booklets of today, only just photography, no relic or autograph.

New additions to my all-time roster project catalogued yesterday were:

• Anaheim Ducks player #82 - Simon Benoit
• Buffalo Sabres player #169 - Brett Murray
• Chicago Blackhawks player #172 - Isaak Phillips
• Columbus Blue Jackets player #94 - Gregory Hofmann
• New Jersey Devils player #159 - Mason Geertsen
• New Jersey Devils player #160 - Marian Studenic
• San Jose Sharks player #122 - Zachary Sawchenko

My All-time roster project now stands at 15,204 combinations.

My random postcard of the day is this card from Velehrad, Czechia featuring the Basilica of St. Cyrillus and Metodius.

So Random.org keeps us in Czechia for the 2nd consecutive day. The church is the most important Christian pilgrimage site in Czechia. This card is unwritten and was received through a swap on an online postcard exchange forum. I currently have 295 catalogued postcards from Czechia/Czechoslovakia.

A Coyote, a Canuck and a Really Creepy Way to Spend Eternity

 Random.org chose the following as my random card of the day. This 2016 Upper Deck - UD Portraits #P-73 featuring Jacob Chychrun of the Arizona Coyotes.

I have no idea what to make of Chychrun as a player. Trying to figure out if defensemen on bad teams are the cause of them being a bad team, or a victim of being on a bad team is above my hockey IQ. If you want the answer to the question, ask a Buffalo Sabres fan, they should be experts at it by now.

I currently own 18 Chychrun cards and 293 Arizona Coyotes cards.

My favourite new card I added to my catalogue recently is this 1997 Upper Deck #375 featuring Kirk McLean of the Vancouver Canucks.

No special attachment to McLean, just thought it was an eye-catching card.

New additions to my all-time roster project catalogued yesterday were none.

My All-time roster project now stands at 15,196 combinations.

My random postcard of the day is this card from the Sedlec Abbey Ossuary in Kutna Hora, Czechia.

Yes, those are bones. The bones of an estimated 40 to 70,000 people are used for display in the church. The famous chandelier in the church contains one of every bone in the human body. This however is the coat of Arms of the Schwarzenberg who paid the the 19th century to 'organize' the church and its remains. This card is unwritten, and I bought it when visiting the church. I currently have 295 cards catalogued from Czechia/Czechoslovakia in my collection.

A Maple Leaf (legend), A Bruin (also a Leafs legend) and 2 Cranes (not Leaf Legends)

 Random.org chose the following as my random card of the day. This 1993 Score Black's Toronto Maple Leafs Pop-ups #15 featuring Bill Berg.

I'd been trying to find a copy of this card for years, without success, I mean I'm guessing I'm the only person on TCDB with Berg listed as one of their favourite players. One time I saw the full set on offer, but for an outrageous price. Then I was doing a trade with another local TCDB member and saw they had it for offer, and very generously they sent it to me as a PIF. Shout out to the great TCDB community.

I currently own 18 Berg cards and 1,739 Toronto Maple Leafs cards.

My favourite new card I added to my catalogue recently is this 2003 Topps C55 #43 featuring Felix Potvin of the Boston Bruins.

Why ? Because it's The Cat. Nuff said. Although Felix just doesn't look right in any uniform other than the Leafs. Vancouver, Los Angeles, the Islanders don't look right, but a Bruins uniform is especially jarring. 

New additions to my all-time roster project catalogued yesterday were:

• Philadelphia Flyers player #159 - Adam Ginning
• Philadelphia Flyers player #160 - Samuel Ersson
• Philadelphia Flyers player #161 - Tyson Foerster

My All-time roster project now stands at 15,19 combinations.

My random postcard of the day is this card from Malaysia (at least sent from there) featuring 2 Eurasian Cranes.

There is nothing on the card to indicate where it was printed. Despite being sent from there, it's unlikely it was actually produced in Malaysia as the species is not found there. The card is written and was received through a trade on an online postcard exchange forum. I currently have 23 postcards catalogued from Malaysia in my collection.

A Mariner, a Canadien/hat model and some Stained Glass

 Random.org chose the following as my random card of the day. This 2022 Topps #206 featuring Kyle Lewis of the Seattle Mariners.

Finally after a long run of hockey, Random.org pulls us a different sport. Lewis certainly had an interesting career path. From unanimous Rookie of the Year to out of professional baseball (for performance/talent reasons, not legal or otherwise) in less than 4 years. Modern day Joe Charbonneau as it were. Sorry to any Mariners fans reading this for the reminder.

I currently own 18 Lewis cards and 393 Seattle Mariners cards.

My favourite new card I added to my catalogue recently is this 2006 Be a Player - Up Close and Personal insert UC11 featuring Cristobal Huet of the Montreal Canadiens.

Just for the general creepiness of it and making me wonder how many 1.50 meter, 130kg guys are using that photo on their online dating profile.

New additions to my all-time roster project catalogued yesterday were:

• Los Angeles Dodgers player #160 - Noah Syndergaard
• Los Angeles Dodgers player #161 - J.P. Feyereisen
• Los Angeles Dodgers player #162 - Emmet Sheehan
• Los Angeles Dodgers player #163 Yusniel Diaz
• Los Angeles Dodgers player #164 - J.D. Martinez
• Los Angeles Dodgers player #165 - Miguel Rojas
• Los Angeles Dodgers player #166 - James Outman
• Los Angeles Dodgers player #167 - Michael Grove
• Los Angeles Dodgers player #168 - Miguel Vargas
• Cleveland Indians player #119 - Scott Pratt
• Montreal Expos player #73 - Scott Stewart
• Houston Astros player #143 - Wade Miller

My All-time roster project now stands at 15,192 combinations.

My random postcard of the day is this card from Paris showing Notre-Dame Cathedral.

Obviously this would have been produced before the 2019 fire that damaged much of the building. I believe the reconstruction work is close to complete with a reopening scheduled for December. This card is written and was received through an exchange on an online postcard forum. Currently I have 109 catalogued cards from France in my collection.

A Thunderbird, a Senator and a Place You've Never Heard of

 Random.org chose the following as my random card of the day. This 2021 Upper Deck AHL #25 featuring Sam Anas of the Springfield Thunderbirds.

Anas have never made it to the NHL. It seems likely that dream is over since at last look he is playing in Belarus now (yikes). This card would have been perfection had he been a member of the Anaheim Ducks organization, not the Blues. Birdwatchers will get that.

I currently own 1 Anas card and 12 Springfield Thunderbirds cards.

My favourite new card I added to my catalogue recently is this 2007 Upper Deck Trilogy #69 featuring Ray Emery of the Ottawa Senators.

Emery's tale is a tragic one. He was from my hometown. He had a decent enough career, but sadly was found drowned in Lake Ontario a few years ago in a park where I at times take my dogs to walk.

New additions to my all-time roster project catalogued yesterday were:

• Washington Capitals player #155 - Brent Johnson
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers player #68 - Brad Johnson

My All-time roster project now stands at 15,178 combinations. 

My random postcard of the day is this card from Balti, Moldova featuring the St. Nicholas Church.

Apparently while an Orthodox church, much of the architecture borrows from Catholic churches. This card is both written and stamped and was received via a swap in an online postcard exchange forum. I currently have 10 postcards from Moldova catalogued.         

A Devil, an Angel and a Boat

 Random.org chose the following as my random card of the day. This 2019 Parkhurst #121 featuring Cory Schneider of the New Jersey Devils

I enjoyed Parkhurst as a set. Not quite as much as O-Pee-Chee, but the more simple approach is a reminder of what to me the hobby is about. Why Upper Deck needed to kill off an affordable set and turn it into a e-Pack only when they still release what seems like 25 high end sets I don't know. Well, I think I do know, but it sucks nonetheless.

I see Schneider is from Massachusetts, I'd have sworn he was Canadian, but I'm likely confusing him with Corey Hirsch.

I currently own 18 Schneider cards and 698 New Jersey Devils cards.

My favourite new card I added to my catalogue recently is this 2022 Topps x Bobby Witt Jr. Crown Collection - Green Rainbow #2 featuring Jo Adell of the Los Angeles Angels.

It feels like Adell has been a prospect for about a decade. It also feels like he's never going to establish himself. Why this card as a favourite, well, it's one of those cards that when you see it in the box, you think, what the heck is that from. And then you look it up on TCDB and wonder how in the world a card from a set like that ended up in a dollar box in southern Ontario. Plus, what better pairing for today with a Devil?

New additions to my all-time roster project catalogued yesterday were none. I continue to spend time working on other things, in particular enhancements to  my collection backup database.

My All-time roster project now stands at 15,176 combinations.

My random postcard of the day is this card from the United States showing a boat which seems a little past its best years.

There is no information on this card about the boat, if it is significant, the location of the photograph or anything. Perhaps it's just done as a postcard for the melancholy of the photo. This card is written and was received via a trade on an online postcard exchange forum. Currently I have 340 postcards from the United States catalogued.