ERROR: 1988 Fleer Jody Davis & Keith Moreland

I was sorting some of my doubles from my recent Cubs lot pickups and came across some funny business. 

These are the standard Jody Davis and Keith Moreland cards from the 1988 Fleer set. These have been upgraded over time from my childhood cards but one copy or another has been in my possession for the past 25 years. In fact, my 1988 Fleer team set has probably been complete for just as long.

But then this card showed up in one of my recent lots.

I knew that set was complete so I skipped right past it on the initial sorting. The second time around though, on the detail sorting, the two different Keith Morelands were suddenly next to each other and obviously different. Maybe one came from a box bottom or some other kind of advertising? Nope.

That's where the Jody Davis comes in. The bunting "Moreland" is actually catcher Jody Davis and an error card. The batting stance Moreland is the corrected version. I thought I was up to snuff on late 1980's/early 1990's early cards, but this one slipped through the cracks.

And since I scan the fronts and backs of all of my cards, here are the backs. Despite the error on the front, the Moreland backs were the same on both cards so I just uploaded one.

Men in Blue

Quite a few years ago, I picked up an old 45 record. I don't even recall the circumstances. It may have been a card show, but it may have also been a flea market. Whatever the case, during my big reorganization in 2013, I came across it again and moved it into it's rightful spot in my Cubs collection.

I'm almost positive that I don't have anything in my house that can even play a 45. I had a couple of records growing up but mostly cassette tapes. And by the time I was in middle school, CDs were the next big thing. Now, with my trusty mp3 player, I can't even tell you the last time I listened to a CD.

But thanks to good ol' youtube, I can transport myself back to the mid 1980's when this song would have been all the rage:

It wouldn't have won any Grammy Awards but its got a nice, catchy upbeat tempo. And not only is the song about the Cubs, but it was performed by some Cubs. These five Cubs from the 1984 team to be precise:

And aside from just being awesome that 30 years ago these guys put out a cheesy song, I'm bringing this up because I recently sent my copy of the album in for a signing with Leon Durham. I haven't been able to find an album cover, but I hope to get all five to sign it and maybe frame it up with the cards above or some kind of photo.

The signature bled a little into the grooves but I'm still pretty pleased with how it came out. And still plenty of room for the other four signatures.

I did not scan the reverse side but it has another song called Good Ol' Time Tonight, by the same five Cubs. I couldn't find it on youtube, so without a record player, it will remain a mystery!

And as you might imagine, I sent in a few cards for Durham, too, so you'll see those tomorrow.

Keith Moreland

Yesterday, you asked for it. Today you get it! More Moreland! Ok, so you didn't really ask for it. But you're going to get it anyway...

I live outside of the Chicago area so I haven't had much opportunity to listen to Moreland as a Cubs radio announcer. Just a few snippets here and there. So I remember him mostly as a member of the "Chicago Phillies", a group of former Phillies who made their way over to Chicago with Dallas Green in the mid '80s. They wouldn't have had a bench but I'm pretty sure they could have fielded a team.

These cards were signed during the Cubs trip to Seattle back in mid summer. I'm more than happy to knock another ATCRCS off the list and this time, I even sent a few extra "real" cards. I have a half-hearted notion to try to get the Cubs Diamond Kings signed but we'll see how that goes.

And one of my new favorites to the collection is this dual signed Keith Moreland/Fergie Jenkins Batting & Pitching Leaders card from 1984 Topps. Jenkins signed it last year sometime and Moreland was just recently added. The numbers on the card aren't spectacular by any means, but neither were the 1983 Cubs...