And lo... there shall be a banner!

Finally finished the banner! Being an Anaheim native, I had to keep the Anaheim in the logo (at least for now). And since this is a blog about Angels cards, I figured it was finally time to throw some up here. As I was flipping through the binders, I decided to go with a spread of the Angels' uniforms throughout the years, including some of my favorite players, coolest cards, and a legend. So here's the lowdown on the cards in the banner:

1961 Topps #413, Eddie Yost

This was the first card to feature a player in an Angels uniform. And he looks damned happy to be wearing it!

1986 Topps #345, Donnie Moore

If you know your Angels history, you know all about Donnie Moore. I found this signed card on the eBay, and had to grab it.

2003 Topps Prime Cuts Autograph Series #PCA-DE, Darin Erstad, numbered 14/50

Topps really went crazy with the Angels inserts after we won the World Series. This is perhaps the coolest - an end-of-the-barrel chunk of Ersty's bat, and it's signed.

1980 Topps #700, Rod Carew
Although I was a Dodgers fan as a kid, Rod Carew was almost enough to make me an Angels fan as well. One of the greatest hitters, ever. And you can't go wrong with the only player to ever be name-dropped in a Beastie Boys song.

2009 Topps #5, John Lackey
I included a card from the Angels' first year, so why not include one from this year? Lackey was the winning pitcher of Game 7 of the greatest World Series to date. Big John is also the only Angel to ever appear as card #1 in the Topps Regular set (2007).

1972 Topps #595, Nolan Ryan
How this man never won a Cy Young during his Angel years is beyond me. This is probably the most expensive non-insert Angels card ever. I'll eventually have to upgrade this one, as there are chunks gouged out of the back of mine.

2001 Topps Base Hit Autographed Base card, Mike Scioscia

This may actually be the coolest card in my entire collection. The front of the card states, "Authentic game-used opening day 2000 base," and the back states that Topps went to 28 MLB ballparks plus the opener in Japan to grab bases. Which should mean that not only is this card signed by the greatest skipper in Angels' history, but the chunk of the base is from his very first game as Manager.

1969 Topps #653, "Aurelio Rodriguez"

Here's the legendary card I mentioned earlier. Not because it's the last card from the year I was born. Not even because I knew about this card even when I was a kid. No, it's because this is likely the greatest blunder Topps has ever made with a card. The guy in the picture isn't Aurelio Rodriguez. It's the Angels' bat boy, Leonard Garcia. How they managed this, I have no idea. Much worse than when they put a picture of Adam Kennedy on the David Eckstein card in 2004.

2008 Topps Highlights Autographed Relic #HAR-VG, Vladimir Guerrero, numbered 21/25

I practically squealed with glee when the Angels signed Big Daddy. His only auto/relic card as an Angel definitely belongs in the banner.

1997 Topps #254, Rex Hudler

The Wonder Dog! I was lucky enough to get Rex, the one-time Angel and current Angels broadcaster, to sign this for me at the Angels Fan Fest in '05. Thanks, Hud!

2003 Topps #721, World Series Highlights

The greatest image ever to grace a Topps baseball card. Ever.