Tag Archives: skybox premium 1993

NFL

Waddle, Tom (2)

Skybox 1992, #116
Action Packed 1992, #27
Skybox Premium 1993, #255
Gameday 1992, #50

CARDS: Skybox 1992, Skybox Premium 1993, Gameday 1992, Action Packed 1992
ACQUIRED: TTM 2023, C/o Home
SENT: 6/22 RECEIVED: 7/7 (15 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

NOTES:

Many years ago, thanks to my friend Bryan who was taking a break from collecting I acquired a few of Tom Waddle’s autographs. At the time I didn’t have anything from Waddle and gleefully added him on 2 cards. Well after all those years, I’ve developed specific set needs and now I needed him on a few of them, including both these Skybox sets and the Gameday 1992 issue.

Skybox 1992 had very few disappointing cards, chief among this one. There was no reason that any manufacturer at this point- especially one that prided itself in the ‘poster card’ design style, would come up with this one of Waddle just standing there with his hands on his hips. They should’ve used the action shot from the Skybox set’s Bears team card for this and relegated this hip pose to that team card instead.

All the others feel like nice designs- though Pro Set 1992 used a less close shot of the same image from the Action Packed 1992 card. I love the clarity of the Gameday 1992 card. Although probably unintended, the people in the background and the referee are so clear, that you can see their astonishment with Tom laying out to catch that pass.

NFL

Higgs, Mark

GameDay 1992, #247
Action Packed 1992, #148
Action Packed Rookies 1991, #75
Skybox Premium 1993, #27
Skybox 1992, #98

CARDS: Skybox Premium 1993, Skybox 1992, Action Packed Rookies 1991, Action Packed 1992, Gameday 1992
ACQUIRED: TTM 2020, 2024, C/o Home.
SENT: 9/24/20 RECEIVED: 10/3/20 (9 Days)
SENT: 3/21/24 RECEIVED: 4/5/24 (15 Days)
FAILURE: TTM 2017, C/o Home

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Mark Higgs played RB from 1984-’87 for the Kentucky Wildcats.
  • In his senior season he ran for 1,278 yards on 193 carries.
  • He finished his career at Owensboro with 2,892 rushing yards- good for second all-time on the school’s rushing list.
  • Originally a 8th round choice of the Dallas Cowboys in the 1988 NFL Draft.
  • Buried on the depth chart and relegated to special teams his first 3 years in the NFL playing for the Cowboys (’88), Eagles (’89), and Dolphins (’90).
  • His first TD was a blocked punt he returned 19 yards for a TD against the Patriots in 1990.
  • He’d finally get his shot starting at RB in 1991, in place of Sammie Smith, running for 146 yards in the season opener.
  • The following week Higgs ran for 111 yards, marking the first back to back 100 yard performance by a Dolphins RB since ’82.
  • He finished the season with 231 carries for 905 yards and 4 TDs- the highest season total by a Dolphin since… 1978.
  • Mark topped those numbers in 1992, running for 915 yards and 7 rushing TDs.
  • Starting in 8 contests in 1993, Mark ran for 693 yards and 3 TDs primarily in a backup role behind Terry Kirby.
  • During the 1994 season he’d be cut and sign with the Arizona Cardinals.
  • After spending the majority of the 1995 season on IR due to a back injury, Mark opted to retire.

ACCOLADES:

  • University of Kentucky Hall of Fame 2006

NOTES:

Mark missed out on Pro Set 1989, but he sure did make up for it with a bevvy of set needs in Skybox, Gameday, and Action Packed sets. He provided a nice shot in the arm along with the rejuvenation of the Dolphins offensive line to buy Dan Marino a few more injury free years.

I finally got Mark back in 2020, and then realized I didn’t ask him for his autograph on his Skybox card. Time flew by really quickly after that and I lost track of sending out to him again for it. In the meantime the premium set from the year afterwards became more interesting to me, so it made a lot of sense to send both of them out together.

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NFL

Jeffires, Haywood ‘Freakwood’ (7)

Pro Set 1993, #170

CARDS: Skybox Premium Thunder & Lightning 1993, Pro Set 1993, Memorabilia
ACQUIRED: In Person 2023, GTSM Houston

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

NOTES:

I mean- are there anymore cards that I can get signed by Haywood at this point that from a design point I like that are from his HOUSTON Oilers era? Probably a few, but there are only a few more left.

I decided to get a few more during the GTSM event in Houston in 2023. The Skybox Premium insert is the backside of a Thunder & Lightning with Warren Moon– that I’ll probably have to get at a later time, since Warren cancelled at the last second and GTSM was slow to notify everybody. It’s a great looking card. I wish I had a paint pen. I’d have had him sign in light blue.