Brady Anderson, 1993 Topps Black Gold #24

Since I showed off the Mike Devereaux Black Gold card on Tuesday night, here's the other half of the team set. It looks like Brady Anderson's bat is coming right at you, doesn't it? Much like Devo, Brady had a career year in 1992...at least to that point in his career. Though he later reached new heights with an out-of-nowhere 50-homer season in 1996, the young outfielder from California established his big league bona fides in '92 with a .271/.373/.449 batting line and an OPS+ of 130. He scored 100 runs and notched 28 doubles, 10 triples, 21 home runs, 80 RBI, and 53 stolen bases. Brady had a lot to do with the Orioles improving from 67 wins in 1991 to 89 in 1992, and Topps gave him his due by including him in their insert set.

Mike Devereaux, 1993 Topps Black Gold #28

For as fervently as I collected 1993 Topps in my youth, I never did get my hands on the two Orioles Black Gold inserts...until now. A hearty padded envelope arrived yesterday from Max, with a stack of 2014 Heritage set needs complemented by some assorted O's cards. Included were 1993 Black Gold cards of Brady Anderson and Mike Devereaux, thus filling my team needs from that particular 44-card insert set. I still think these cards, which were seeded one per every 72 wax packs, hold up well, which you can't say for most of their contemporaries. The design just pops. I remember how thrilled I was when I pulled a winner card that entitled me to the last 11 cards in the Black Gold set. Now that I've got Brady and Devo, I've rekindled some of that feeling. Gracias, Max!