Diamond Jesters proposed a nice blog bat-around idea, ranking the cards with your birthday number. I have a June birthday so there are a fair amount of cards that fit the criteria. Every set from 1969 on except for the late '90s when the set size shrunk for a few years. Even better, my birth date is the 25th, and 25 has sometimes been a "hero number" for Topps, so star players would be well represented.
I thought about doing a ranking, but instead decided on something a little different. There are 51 #625s in Topps flagship, so that breaks out into five 10-card posts (one with 11). I'm going to find something nice to say about each card and each player. Then I will pick my favorite, and invite the readers to pick theirs.
The first Expos star. Nice spring training shot.
The 1964 Cy Young winner. If an all-sand card is a Tatooine card, then this should be considered an Endor card.
HOFer, one of the best base stealers of all time. I like how on his jersey you can see the two birds but not the bat.
Former White Sox owner Louis Comiskey is on the award, renamed for Jackie Robinson in 1987. I like all the yellow on the card.
Hit a walkoff pinch-single in Game 4 of the 1972 World Series. Some more great yellow on this card.
One of the best right-field arms of his era. Zero-year-card - Traded to the Angels in October; bought by the Astros in March.
1970 AL MVP. Great shot of him saying "I've got it!" But why are the fans turned the wrong way?
Led the NL in strikeouts twice. Great jacket.
Five World Series rings, and the third and most recent no-hitter with zero strikeouts. Nice photo from the first year of the new Yankee Stadium.
The only Astro to be named team MVP four times. Simple head-shot but it goes well with one of Topps' best, most classic designs.
My favorite: The vintage era is tough, with players like Mack the Knife and Downtown Ollie Brown. But I can't vote against a great vintage Hall of Famer in Lou Brock.
Your favorite: ???
Boog wins it.
ReplyDeleteGotta go with Boog too.
ReplyDeleteThat Boog has been the subject of more than a couple blog posts by me. A very nice Brock card is in second place.
ReplyDeleteI think I'll go with JR Richard. That jacket! The number on the pants! The Astros of that era had style.
ReplyDeleteMack & Holtzy get my nod
ReplyDeleteI'll go with Brock too, (the red tape on the bat was key). :)
ReplyDeleteGood list. I look forward to the rest. Boog takes the nod in Round 1.
ReplyDeleteThat Boog is one of my favorite cards from the 70's. Hard to imagine that there is another #625 out there that will compete with that, but I'm excited to see if there is.
ReplyDeleteMac Jones is a masterpiece
ReplyDeleteI'm going to go with Brock as my favorite, with Boog a close second! Thanks for participating!
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