Catching My White Whale (And a Contest!)

Alright, that title is extremely misleading. I didn't pull a one-of-one from Topps Triple Threads (nor will I ever purchase the product) or complete any other collecting goals worthy of being compared to Ahab's tireless pursuit of Moby Dick (not to be confused with the venereal disease). However, I did pull my first 2010 Topps Gold Bordered card, a feat that had eluded me for far too long. So it wasn't exactly a white whale, more like a white fish--maybe a cod or tilapia? Something that's good with ketchup.

The gold parallels in this year's Topps fell 1 in every 14 packs--the most difficult rate I can ever remember for the gold parallels. After 10 regular retail packs and one rak-pak, I still had not tracked down an elusive gold card, and the frustration mounted with each passing day. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep and I couldn't stand the sight of another bland white-bordered card. I don't know whether it was stupidity or hubris that caused me to continue to buy Topps, but I knew I couldn't stop until I landed my prize.

Finally, after weeks of a tortured existence, the baseball card gods freed me of my overwhelming burden. Before work on Monday I had enough time to stop by Shopko and grab a few packs. The first pack yielded nothing and I began to feel myself turning from mild-mannered Bud Bareither into the green ball of rage known as the Hulk. I opened the second pack in a frenzy, ready to rip a phonebook in half if I didn't strike gold, but just like an old prospector heading out North I found my fortune--a gold bordered parallel of Luke Scott #422/2010 (the number 422 is of course significant to Scott because it is equal to his slugging percentage in 2009 minus his HR's + 2B's in 2009 minus his total hits for the Astros in 2005). I let out a long overdue sigh of relief, knowing that I would never again be haunted by gold parallels...at least until 2011.

Now, if you've managed to read through my boring account of pulling an absolutely worthless card, you're probably hoping the contest will make it worth your while. Well, it might. Since I really only continued buying packs of Topps in the hopes of pulling a gold card and I don't collect the base set, there are plenty of cards I don't need. So, everyone who comments on this post will be entered into a contest to win the 100+ base cards I pulled plus a random relic to sweeten the deal. The contest will run through Friday, 10 PM Pacific. Good luck and I pray that none of you ever suffer through what I have with 2010 Topps...I may never fully recover.

PS: Thanks for mailing it in on the serial numbers Topps.