Not-So-Secret Santa Return #3: Night Owl Cards

This year, I sent out a total of nine different not-so-secret Santa gifts.  The returns are still coming in but I did get a few back prior to Christmas including today's package from the award winning blogger better known as Night Owl (aka Greg).

Greg and I have been trading back and forth for well over a decade now.  As such, we generally have a pretty good idea of what the other person likes - and I think that's evidenced in our latest swap of packages.  For my part, Greg sent me a number of awesome items including a book that jumps up to the top of my "to read" stack:

Yep, Greg knows I enjoy Pacific baseball cards and so he sent me a book written by the founder of the Pacific card company.  I can't wait to crack the book open - I'm sure I'll learn a lot about Pacific and how things operated there.  I do wonder if the book delves into the Manny Ramirez controversy (the corked bat card).  Also, I'd be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the fact that Greg took the time to even wrap my gifts!

In addition to the book, Greg also sent three cards from my want list including two from the 2006 Fleer Greats of the Game Nickname Greats insert set.  

I've been working on this particular set for what feels like forever...and in one shot Greg was able to knock out two of the last three cards I needed (now I'm down to needing only Ron Guidry's card).  

Finally, in an awesome closer to the package comes this lovely little Johnny Bench relic card from 2011 Topps Lineage.

Back when Lineage was released, I went all in on the set - so much so that I even decided to chase after all of the Reds mini relics.  That list included two tough-to-find cards (one of which is the Bench you see above while the other is the Tony Perez relic which is the last card I need).

All told, a big "thank you" to Greg - not just for the awesome trade package but also for being a great internet friend and an exceptional blogger.  Much appreciated all around!