Rookie Card of the Week: Shane Mack for $1

In yesterday's POWER RANKINGS, I devoted the number 7 spot to a touching story about how I bought Shane Mack's rookie card for $1 on eBay.  Jealous?  When I hit "buy it now" for that card, it gave me a chill.  It was almost as if I had just bought a time machine.  I was transported back to my youth, when buying baseball cards made me feel like a big man.  I want to repeat that feeling over and over, until I get bored or numb or whatever.

Each week, I am going to go on eBay and buy a new rookie card for less than $5.  I'll mostly buy baseball cards, but I might venture to other sports if the thrill is there.  Then, I'll open up Microsoft Word and write about the card, for you, the loyal reader.  I'll continue this pursuit until I get bored or I run out of money.  If you ever have the inkling to do the same, I'd be happy to post your tale on this very site.  You would literally have the eyes of eight people and about 400 spambots.  

As you already know, i bought this card this week:

I have written many times about my retro-love for Shane Mack.  I didn't love him as a kid because I was a stupid idiot, but I do love him as an adult because I am smart.  This card is fantastic.  First, Mack looks genuinely confused about what is going on.  He may have never seen a camera before, he may not understand why anyone would want to buy pictures of people on cardboard, or he may be working on some math homework in his head.  He was in school at this time, you know.  UCLA.  That's a good school.

Second, this card serves as proof that Shane Mack always had a sick mustache.  I'm 99.99% sure that Mack had that mustache on the day he was born.  I'd make a photoshop, but I don't feel good about defacing babies.  You can just imagine.  

Third, I think it's awesome that Mack was on Team USA.  That means he played for my favorite country AND my favorite team.  That type of two for one bargain is just too dope to pass up.  He was good for Team USA too.  He hit .287 with 4 doubles, 3 triples, 4 home runs, 4 stolen bases and 20 walks.  He did all of this in just 34 games because he was the man.  He was the first Bruin to play for Team USA, so he was a trailblazer too.

Finally, I want that hat.  It's deliciously generic.  It's hard to see in the card, but that USA team was sponsored by G.E., so it's possible that there exists a photo of Mack with that awesome mustache shaking hands with a young Jack Donaghy.  I'd pay a dollar for that picture.

Anyway, most dorks wanted the Mark McGwire USA card from that set, but I was mostly interested in the Kirby Puckett rookie card.  This set also has Roger Clemens' rookie card.  Mack was but an afterthought.  Shane Mack took zero steroids, so he shoots to the Puckett zone within this set.  I now have both of those cards and I secretly still want the McGwire.  Unfortunately, it costs $7 and is waaaaaay out of the budget.  I own the Mack and that's enough for this week.  

Next week, I'll look for another iconic rookie card on eBay and use my paltry budget to procure it.  You'll be the first to know.