1976 SSPC (Part I)

The main focus of my vintage collecting has been the Topps base sets. However, I was always intrigued by the 1976 SSPC set, and when I saw a chance to get the 630-card set for less than a dime a card shipped, I jumped at the chance. I love the early 80s Fleer sets and this set is just like it, with offbeat, quirky photography. It also has a lot of obscure players, and even a few minor leaguers, plus retired players and coaches. You can read more about this set with Night Owl's definitive blog post. In fact, now I have to go find his definitive magazine article.

I started taking photos of cards I found interesting. I stopped about halfway through the set but will do more tomorrow. While preparing for this post, I realized Night Owl had posted many of these same cards. Ah well, great minds think alike, and these great cards do deserve to get shown more and more.

I know a lot of people like the "pure design" but I do wish SSPC had just put the names on the front, so you don't have to flip it over if you don't recognize the player. This Cincinnati Red caught by surprise in the locker room is Don Gullett.

 Here's a Hall of Fame slugger in the prime of his career, bunting in extreme close-up.

 Even more than early '80s Fleer, 1980s minor league cards are a good analogy for this set. Andy Messersmith is one of many pitchers shown clowning around with a bat.

 I would say about 95% of these pictures were taken at Shea Stadium. Both the Yankees and Mets were playing there in 1975. I love this card of Steve Yeager because of the great view of the Shea scoreboard. I'm kind of surprised that "scoreboard shots" aren't someone's mini-collection.

 This card of Giants pitcher Charlie Williams just might be the 70s-est card in the set.

 Most of the pictures look they were just shot on the go by someone with an inexpensive camera (which I consider part of the charm). That means you sometimes you get weird camera effects like the strange glow over Willie Montanez. It's the type of thing you might see in a family photo album in the 1970s.

 I'm a Yankee fan but I love vintage cards in Shea Stadium. Before they built up the outfield more you could see right out to the streets beyond the outfield wall. This dusk photo of Hal McRae is fantastic because of the streetlights on the left and the green lights on the traffic lights on the right, perfectly visible in this evening setting. It's like the photo was taken while McRae was standing on the corner of 126 Street and 38th Avenue waiting for the Q48 bus.

 One of the best players in baseball closing his eyes making a goofy expression. This could so easily be 1982 Fleer.

 For some reason a bunch of Twins (and only Twins, I think) had photos from the old Yankee Stadium, which must have been taken in 1973. Steve Braun's card has the best view of the outfield.

 I also love this one of Jerry Terrell. The sign behind him says Datsun: Pride of the Yankees.

 You've probably seen the card of George Brett making this face on a card in this set. Several other players do too, including Jim Colborn. For some reason a few teams, including the Brewers, had just about every card in extreme closeup.

 This was the lone Brewer not in closeup. Schaefer Beer, Manufacturers Hanover, a pitcher behind the screen, and one of the greatest players in history make this card an all-time great.

 We'll stop with Woody Fryman in the bullpen cart. More tomorrow!