2003 Topps 205 Box Break: The Finale
December 5th, 2009 by slangon

Here’s our final push to get this sucker done. I apologize in advance for all the terrible scans. I never realized how careless you get when you’re scanning 1,000 cards at one time. Anyway, here we go.

Pack 15:
#22 Mike Scioscia
#45 Brian Jordan
#21 Bobby Cox
03205coxA couple of years ago, Bobby Broke John McGraw’s record for most career ejections. Barry who?
#93 Pedro Martinez
03205pedroAt the time that this set came out, was there anybody more awesome than Pedro? His 2002 numbers 20-4, 2.26 ERA, 239 SO.
#44 Mark Mulder Polar Bear Back Mini
#TF40 Omar Vizquel / Alex Rodriguez Polar Bear Back Triple Folder
03205vizquell_rodriguezTFI like this triple folder because Vizquel looks maniacal and A-Roid just looks boring. It’s an interesting contrast.
#146 Dick Hoblitzell
03205hoblitzellAnother one of these reprint / old timer cards, which I think are really sweet. Dick played 11 seasons between 1908 and 1918, splitting his time between Cincinnati and Boston. Lifetime .278 average, 593 RBI and 27 HR. In 5370 plate appearances, he only struck out 256 times.
#66 Preston Wilson

Pack 16:
#95 Al Leiter
03205leiterDuring the late 90’s and early 00’s, Al Leiter was one of my favorite Mets. One thing I really appreciated about him was how well spoken he was. I remember hearing him call games a few times during the post season and All-Star games and things like that and really looking forward to him announcing for the Mets when he retired. I gotta say, I feel a little bit back-stabbed, Al.
#30 Todd Helton
03205heltonHoly Smokes! I thought this was the kid who delivers my newspaper. Geez. No wonder he grew that sweet-ass beard.
#52 Paul Konerko
#36 Kaz Ishii
#25 Shawn Green Brooklyn Back Mini
#TF16 Ryan Klesko / Ichiro Suzuki Polar Bear Back Triple Folder
#58 Orlando Hernandez
03205elduqueThis must be one of them uncorrected error cards, because El Duque never played for the Expos, did he? Actually, during the 2002-03 off-season, the Yankees worked out a three way deal with the White Sox and Expos that sent him to Montreal. He then missed 162 games with an ankle injury. So he was on the Expos, he just never played for the Expos.
#40 Pat Burrell Brown Bat
03205burrellVarBHere’s another one of them front variations, this time featuring Pat Burrell. The variation is question is the color of his bat, this card being brown. Was he called “Pat the Bat” back then? I wonder if that’s why his variation had to do with his bat.

Pack 17:
#120 Austin Kearns
#19 Carlos Delgado
03205delgadoI’ve grown quite fond of Mr. Delgado during his time with the Mets. I’m kind of bummed how his remaining time with them ended up, as I’m sure he is. As much as I love him though, I really hope Minaya and company do not try and bring him back. Cut the rope, Omar. No more old dudes.
#117 Ken Griffey Jr.
03205griffeySpeaking of old dudes… It’s Ken Griffey everybody!
#59 Barry Zito
#13 Greg Maddux Polar Bear Back Mini
#TR38 Alex Rodriguez / Miguel Tejada Polar Bear Back Triple Folder
#110 Nomar Garciaparra w/ Gold Trim
#12 Mike Piazza Yellow
03205piazzaVarBHere’s the other Piazza front variation. The “Yellow” front. Looks more like he’s in a forest fire if you ask me. From now on, I’m calling this the Forest Fire Variation.

Pack 18:
#69 Jimmy Rollins
03205rollinsUgh. Jimmy Rollins. I hate this dude so much it actually gives me a little bit of pleasure to hate him. Which reminds me. I’m kind of pissed of at Shane Victorino too. You see, by comparison, Jimmy Rollins looks a little less douchey when Victorino is around, which makes me hate Jimmy a little less, thus reducing the pleasure that I take in hating him, which in turn makes me hate Victorino more. It’s a vicious cycle. Makes me yearn for the good old days when Jimmy had corn rows and there was only room for one douche on the Phillies.
#88 Mark Prior
#17 Roger Clemens
03205clemensDouble Ugh! how many douches are in this pack?
#73 Randy Johnson
#62 Edgar Renteria Polar Bear Back Mini
#TF26 Bernie Williams / J.Gimabi Polar Bear Back Mini
03205giambi_williamsTFThe double douche fist bump. (I actually don’t have anything against Giambi or Bernie. I was just trying to keep the douche thing going, and Bernie had a bit of douchey look on his face. I actually liked Bernie as a player, and was amused by Giambi with the whole porn mustache / gold thong thing.)
#18 Miguel Tejada Green
#143 Michael Garciaparra

Pack 19:
#107 Phil Nevin
#7 John Olerud
03205olerudIt was a sad day in my house when the Mets couldn’t lure Olerud back for a few more years. He was a good one.
#54 Moises Alou
03205alouMoises was a dude that I liked no matter which of the 47 teams he played for he was on at the time. Too bad the Mets got him when he was a little too broken down. (Not that he wasn’t broken down anywhere else he played.)
#100 Ichiro Suzuki Look Ahead
03205ichiroI hear tell that Matsui might join Ichiro up in Seattle next season. That’d be cool.
#26 Raul Ibanez Piedmont Back Mini
03205ibanezMiniBAnother of the mini back variations, this one being Piedmont.
#TF19 Andruw Jones / Chipper Jones Polar Bear Back Triple Folder
03205jones_jonesTFYou know, if I had actually busted this box in 2003, I think I’d be a bit bummed to pull this card. Both the Jones boys on one card, celebrating something?!? For a Mets fan?!?! Pulling it now though is fine. Chippers a shadow of himself and Andruw is something of a clown.
#127 Mark Teixeira
#88 Mark Prior

Pack 20:
#65 Troy Glaus
#2 Brett Boone
#113 Javier Vazquez
#40 Pat Burrell Black Bat
03205burellVarAThe other Pat the Bat front. See how he’s got a black bat now? I didn’t really notice earlier how high he looks. I remember this kid in high school who totally got high before his senior portrait. Man, were his folks pissed.
#140 Joseph Gomes Sovereign Back Mini
#TF35 Miguel Tejada / Ichiro Suzuki Polar Bear Back Triple Folder
#145 Louis Sockalexis
03205sockalexisInteresting card. From that Keith Olbermann Propaganda Letter:

“Louis Sockalexis was the first known Native American to play major league baseball. It was his popularity and talent that led teams in Cleveland to known as the “Indians” as early as 1897. Sockalexis, a slugging, speedy outfielder, never appeared on his own card. We though – given that this is the 100th anniversary of his last professional game – that it was about time he did.”

#130 Khalil Greene

That does it for the packs. Last thing to do is open that Mini Pack box loader thingey. (I just scanned some of the cards that I liked a bit more.)

Mini Pack:
#86 Trevor Hoffman Brooklyn Back Mini
#118 Tony Batista Sweet Caporal Back Mini
#12 Mike Piazza Orange Piedmont Back Mini
#126 Gavin Floyd Cycle Back Mini
#55 Johnny Damon Sovereign Green Back Mini
#1 Barry Bonds w/ Helmet Sovereign Back Mini
#136 Bryan Bullington Sovereign Back Mini
#99 A.J. Pierzynski Polar Bear Back Mini
#36 Kaz Ishii Brooklyn Back Mini
#89 Rich Aurilia Polar Bear Back Mini
#46 Rafarl Palmeiro Polar Bear Back Mini
#107 Phil Nevin Polar Bear Back Mini
#40 Pat Burrell Black Bat Polar Bear Back Mini
#93 Pedro Martinez Polar Bear Back Mini
#94 Rodrigo Lopez Brooklyn Back Mini
#54 Moises Alou Polar Bear Back Mini
#110 Nomar Garciaparra w/o Gold Trim Polar Bear back Mini
#38 Tim Hudson Brooklyn Back Mini
#100 Ichiro Suzuki Polar Bear Back Mini
#147 George Graham Polar Bear Back Mini
#10 Ivan Rodriguez Polar Bear Back Mini
03205minis

And some of the different backs:
03205minisB

Well, that does it for my 2003 Topps 205 box break. That was tiring. I’ll write up a final summation in a day or two.

One Response to “2003 Topps 205 Box Break: The Finale”

  1. Great stuff. But no way are you going to get me to click on a link that includes both “Giambi” and “thong.”

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