Mission complete: Card Number 394

I started this blog on 9 May (which would have been Tony's 60th birthday). At that point I had 195 Tony Gwynn cards in my collection. I honestly expected to blog them all and then wait and update this blog as and when I acquired new ones.

However, there was no hiatus. After 152 daily blog posts, today is the day when I reach my target.

I have achieved this with the incredible support of the UK collecting community in various groups on Facebook. People have made cards available for sale or trade, several people have just sent me cards for the cost of postage or for no money at all. I have tried to thank people along the way as I have featured the cards on the blog. I am particularly indebted to Gawain who has sourced me over 250 cards since the blog was launched.

Other people, like Jeff and Bill, have even sent me free cards all the way from America. I have really appreciated the support from Fuji, who I think has commented on every post. 

Finally, my wife, Cathy, has let me disappear off to write blog posts and has always been interested to see what is in the numerous little packages that have arrived in the post. Her comments on some of the cards have sometimes been the best summaries I could publish.

I've saved this card for this target-reaching post because I love it.

Card Number 394: Topps, 1985; #717 (All Star Card)

This is Tony at the start of his career, fresh from a World series outing, rocking that classic early 80s San Diego colour combination. And yet, even though the uniform is so recognisable, this card is timeless. The blue sky behind him and the sunlight casting a shadow from his cap brim onto his face help to render this image iconic. He's looking down the lens of the camera, bat shouldered ready to swing. 

This is Tony Gwynn. All Star.

On the back you can see that nobody came close to his batting average in the National League that year. (Don Mattingly posted .343 in the American League).

That was an explosive April in 1984. No wonder he was an All Star.

Total: 394/394

So, what next...?

Well, I actually passed the 394-card target some time ago and I have been adding new cards in small quantities all through the life of this blog, so I'm going to keep going and posting until I have no new cards left to post. I may take a short break though from time-to-time depending on how things are going in my world beyond the blog! See you tomorrow!