I don't think I've ever done this before

After searching for what seemed like an eternity this evening, I was dismayed to find no inspiration in the cards that I own.  Mondays are normally reserved for a Blue Jays post, but I felt that I had played that hand quite a few times over the past week with trade posts, etc.

Rummaging through an endless supply of monster boxes did me no good, and I pretty much resigned myself to a fate of settling for a Blue Jays post.  Inspiration then struck, from a little 12 card pile to the right of me on my desk.

The burgeoning Jim Thome pile.

After announcing my intention to collect Jim Thome as my 2nd player collection, I really haven't been actively searching for his cards on either the trade front, or the eBay front.  After some thought, I remembered an image on an eBay auction that I had spied a few days before.

So, I've decided to do something that I don't think I've done before....write about a card I don't own.

When I saw the image, it struck me as one that would define Jim Thome for me.  I don't throw this word around, but when I looked up the definition, I'm more confident about using the word for this card.

Iconic--Adj.  Depicting a victorious athlete in a conventional style.

You definitely could say that I'm stretching the use of the word iconic.  It is after all a baseball card, right?

What is the "iconic" image?  This card.

2008 A&G #76

While not the greatest image off the web, you get the idea.  How many times over his 22 year career have I seen that pose; Thome waiting for the pitcher by holding his bat with just his right hand. 

612 different times pitchers have seen that pose and then watched as a ball flew into the outfield stands behind them. 

In 2008, I was only buying a pack here and there, definitely had never seen anything the likes of A&G in the stores.  If only I knew then what I know now. 

Jim's back is to you, and you can barely see his face, but I'm already looking forward to owning this card.  I'm sure that when I do finally receive the card, it will be a long time before I put it down. 

It's not too often that a single card has this kind of an effect on me.  That's good, because I can get in trouble for using a word such as iconic...the baseball card police just might come and get me.

thanks for reading, Robert