Winifer Fernández

Encouraged by how my Allison Stokke card turned out I was eager to try another Upper Deck inspired design. 

Winifer Fernández basically became the Allison Stokke of women's volleyball in 2016 when images and video of her went viral because she's really, reallly attractive.  But, just like Stokke she is way more than just a pretty face, but rather a very accomplished athlete at her own respective sport, and like Allison Stokke that was pretty much overlooked on account of her being smoking hot.  So, like I did with Allison Stokke I made a custom card that highlights both Winifer's beauty and her athletic brilliance. 

I wouldn't have minded again using the 1989 Upper Deck baseball design for this card but I didn't think it lent itself as well to volleyball.  So, I went looking for a basketball design since both sports are played indoors on a gym floor.

1992-93 Upper Deck McDonald's

I landed on the 1992-93 Upper Deck McDonald's basketball.  I remember being really excited about theses cards when they came out.  I don't have stats and figures but I want to say around this time basketball cards were taking the hobby spotlight from baseball.  This was due to it being Shaq's rookie year and there was never anyone quite like him before, a true phenomenon.  You also had hobby favorite Michael Jordan and his Chicago Bulls thoroughly dominating the league in the midst of their first three-peat run.

The 1992-93 Upper Deck McDonald's were a 50 card set only available at McDonald's restaurants.  I seem to recall with the purchase of a value meal you could also get a pack of these cards.  McDonald's did something similar with NBA Hoops the season prior. Cards came three to a pack in the familiar Upper Deck foil wrappers.  It was just star players bolstered by a solid rookie class that was headed by names like Shaquille O'Neal, Alonzo Mourning and Christian Laettner.

I was always a fan of oddball type issues.  I dunno, just something about them that's a bit more exotic I guess.  Cards used to come as cereal prizes, on snack boxes, as fast food premiums, retail store exclusive boxed sets, etc.  These were always favorites of mine because they were a little more difficult to come by, especially pre-internet.