By the page: Dave Stieb

I don't know why it took me as long as it did to find 9 cards of possibly the best pitcher in franchise history (it's between him and Roy Halladay, IMO), but I think I've got a good group of 9 for the owner of the best slider that Jays fans have ever seen.

Top row:  The early years

All 3 photos show the trademark Dave Stieb determined look, even the posed shot for his '83 Donruss card on the left.  I like the minimal writing on the front of the '85 Topps all star card on the right, no need to clutter up the card with fancy logos and such.  I wonder if that's Damaso Garcia or Tony Fernandez in the background photo bombing the card.

Middle row:  87 through 90

Had to include at least one Canadian issued card on the page, so the '87 OPC on the left does the trick.  I was never a big fan of the Classic releases, and misspelling his last name doesn't help matters any.  2 decades ago, you couldn't attach a pole vault pole to a javelin and still get me to touch a Donruss Studio card.  Over the years, the photography grew on me, and I appreciate them now a lot more than I ever thought I would.

Bottom row:  Later on in life

For a guy that was known for so many close calls when it comes to no-hitters, it was only fitting that the No-Hit Club card from Score '91 be on this page.  The Upper Deck checklist art has always been a favorite of mine, and the '92 UD that features Stieb in the Skydome with the CN Tower in the background is a classic for me.  The '93 Topps in the dark blues....you know how I feel about that particular jersey.

I managed to even make the page chronological.  Sometimes I surprise myself. 

I also find that it's easier to discuss cards from the mid 80's to mid 90's era.  I'm not sure why that is, but I just feel more comfortable discussing how I feel about each release.   Maybe it's because that was a time where I was really in tune with collecting, and the cards bring back a lot of memories for me.

thanks for reading, Robert