U-S-A!!! U-S-A!!! U-S-A!!!

One of the first Luke Hochevar base cards I remember picking up last summer was this 2005 Upper Deck USA Baseball card from Luke's time on the 2004 USA National Team.

Last week, I noticed a handful of autograph and jersey cards from this series popping up on eBay, so I picked them up.

The first one I found was this auto/jersey card, serial numbered 257/275.

Then, I made a rookie mistake on these autograph cards numbered to /595.  I really wanted one and both of these auctions were ending at about the same time, so I placed a bid on both fully expecting to be out-bid on at least one of them.  And wouldn't you know it, I won them both.

I like how Upper Deck used different photos for the different styles of cards.  Much more interesting than having a slew of cards with the same photograph.

Also, I don't know how to classify these autographs.  They aren't stickers (which is good), but I don't think they quite qualify for "on-card" as best I can tell, the autographs were signed on a different piece of paper and then incorporated into the card.  Maybe these could be "cut" autographs?

While I'm on the topic of USA Baseball cards, I also have these 2004 Upper Deck SP Prospects National Honors cards that feature a piece of authentic game-worn jersey swatches.

Last spring, I was able to watch a USA Baseball game here in Omaha when the USA National Team played a game against the Japanese National Team at Rosenblatt Stadium.  And a few weeks before that game, my wife and I watched the USA Women's Soccer team play against the Swedish team at Creighton University.  Both games were great fun.  What Omaha lacks in professional sports, it more than makes up for in amateur athletics.