I usually write about meeting celebrities, but I also have a ton of cards in a closet. If that isn't enough, my favorite card store, AU Sports, has a box of random packs for 50 cents. I relayed this to Matt and he agreed to let me contribute.
For my first pack, I selected a pack of 1991 Topps American Gladiators cards. These were from the original American Gladiators tv show. They are a bit cheesy, but they are a throwback to the old days of card collecting, before slick graphics, glossy finishes and digital photography.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqvUzUJlCYLvdzYeoyo5gsveSHuQSUmB3x9bNe8gN7Hkcw8Lc__tgqcGlpIdJezDaaLfyrpFZBi6D3X7AH776fHw165PpkQk9eHYiuzGQiKSq79gPSUbUaTYFRTptNzs6lWjuwZwsNvp26/s200/AmericanGladiators.jpg)
#67 Nitro-One of the most popular Gladiators, Nitro eventually joined the hosting crew on the show. Dan Clark played 2 years in the NFL pre-AG and did some acting post-AG.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpsmpaq1BrZ-IOxWCA4imGyEyKdqmi46qPuqLTdXbELSVRO4V_zjEvmUaDAF3-tjqzvHrHAL0pkJ0NzU34uBHOMety2LFN4XO97z-_B1dLT3rWHkoqKQQVcSZhQvJecNFB7c5xwiB0XYWu/s200/AGNitro.jpg)
#44 The Hosts-Hosts Mike Adamle and Larry Czonka are shown interviewing Nitro and Gemini. Adamle and Csonka were the third and longest-lasting AG announcing team.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBCieoImCZAWQnp2yn4sLUEPqszttSOOcef_e_V-AcKvcGWhzvTKa6mPDnz4wAwaHg6493ZnrB1gtS64eXFIB0ST-DZhStugemgcw9yc16IOI1tfbclwl-x9bovpuOZv0lpjJxpDeCU85z/s200/AGHosts.JPG)
#75 Zap-Zap was on AG through most of the original series run. Raye Hollitt was a bodybuilder, fitness model and actress. At one point, she benchpressed 310 pounds.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgtGJZedHJjfphmCXACWGsNR6yiUN5HUBeE0SusWoYn7wColrGucv5PxXAoAPgRbBz2Cr5X1lBXvx7ZD43yEkjDgleZ9YVI-2b_iQmF2_79mzND85GWmcl3zS2qcrRSDKcXFeWm5Fu0GkV/s200/AGZap.jpg)
#69 Gold-Gold appeared on AG from 1990-92. Tonya Knight won several bodybuilding titles.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBrUeJsi3E2wroSewRLQEYjNohIMIxRs6uNSSbt5klJ5ruZhaLuK-o7OpdSUAELBZMfToNZF2Dba6MQAebA2alsOKPqsJWenDZYxfDq4qqxFweV1wrMkekkHp6603nq01ksoQEZZgqmJJO/s200/AGGold.JPG)
#21 Atlasphere-This is a great shot of the Atlasphere game, one of the sillier contests on AG.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSzuJ_aYwB2H0bJauD-49FvifJCVOvfFrbujE0SlB3y3755K3ApHo2sIeEpuLhs8KjjbvqFe4VE5KTP8obVfpcZMdq67_KVCJGewI0nYIkm-e-YGG_j_T3qSvjEidufgVnf7WNVc5LiUgy/s200/AGAtlasphere.JPG)
#61 The Handbikes-The handbikes were part of the Eliminator, the final game on each show. The handbikes might have been the toughest part of the competition.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcCL87e_jxPzhQOuMsl2iZrf4I6lJVdTtNWjRA0wRLARijTr___I776vvM7lnuvrXJhsGdfBtZtPZ0xE8XoPPiHApOnCpkn-BnXohCLzoMgmyu1FyfvTTlGeVrV5rH-T10vC063BiXGf8/s200/AGHandbikes.jpg)
#31 The Joust-I loved the Joust. The competitor and the Gladiator do battle with 2 giant Qtips (Pugil Sticks, if you want to get technical). You can barely see what is happening on this card.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAz5zw5uT06vVCSXtcTub-EKI9gFCVxzUUam4DBzoSAwpeZywWH5J5nKoqkMs48fAu8_GTooY5iZCVSycVXV-5e2RGtIeOUMu0QXYATZmMtD6csS9rWDvdEb6twBHCnWxvd6Fv7Y6P13Cp/s200/AGJoust.jpg)
#66 Gemini-Gemini was one of the original Gladiators, appearing from 1989-92. I don't know much about Michael Horton, although he seemed like a big guy back then.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqbbe9ak1pjLvMsh4POrHKNRLXs3XZ_nRzkArlG0MeDRVQXB0Bgb1s_cD3HPx8pAYhQMizMPHTsIiONK9tjR6QXy3dJmH9i3Lu26cqEt7mdTu-5FDtcP4j0UAyJD4VpGWqtJ7Qmxz26S5G/s200/AGGemini.jpg)
#6 Zap sticker-This is a nice action shot of Zap nailing a contestant. Too bad the card design is dizzying.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYd4Raf5cPSGbRFFMdSmRhW35rBnk7YlZ45kF22vi-fD5eCZmTJriJFDVC9nxGyJPLEo_ZqhgS5mCUghCK_LEyXLbu4JlE41hmLU6aLc2Cx9ZvljOlkqnY7_33ug0P6VJnzExYR8geyhx6/s200/AGZap2.JPG)
Back in the pre-internet days, sets like these were especially cool. These cards were the best way to get pictures of the Gladiators and the contests.
2 comments:
I think the joust was always the best part of the whole show. Man, those ladies sure had some big.... hair!
It's so funny to see how cutting-edge the outfits seemed to be at the time.
That spandex now seems just too unitard-y and out of place, just like sprayed-out hair in an athletic competition. Wouldn't that be considered an unfair advantage for the Gladiators these days?
"What happened out there, Becky?"
"Well, I started out OK, but after that first tackle from Pez, I got a fat dose of Aqua Net, and then I felt the blackness surround me not long after."
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