1976 SSPC trade bait

I only had seven cards from this set previously. This seems to be a very popular set so I figured I would show off those cards, which are all available for trade:

297 Lynn McGlothen
455 Otto Velez
487 Mike Norris
493 Gene Tenace
525 Frank Robinson
598 Whitey Wietelmann
626 Jim Davenport

1976 SSPC Part III

The last part of the set is an eclectic mix. Some multi-player checklist cards, some minor leaguers and some coaches.

Here's a great photo of stylish Maury Wills, then a TV announcer, posing with John Knox, who had a brief career as a speedy outfielder for the Tigers.

 There is a corrected version of this error card. For me I only need to have one version of a card for a set to count as complete. This version is considered slightly rarer than the corrected.

 There are some rather random minor league cards, I guess whomever SSPC could get a photo of. Great Mud Heds patch on Larry Cox here.

 Ike Hampton was one of a few Tidewater Tides in this set.

 This photo of Ken Conroy in what I believe is a Midland Cubs uniform is one of my favorite in the set. Just a terrific baseball photo.

Most of the coach cards were former big league stars, but not all. Ralph Rowe was a long-time Twins third base coach, now all but forgotten.

 Richmond Braves cap on Frank LaCorte.

 Blogger favorite (well, one blogger) Billy Muffett as an Angels pitching coach.

 Finally, the always intimidating Ted Kluszewski lurks in this great card.

1976 SSPC Part II

Some more great cards from 1976 SSPC. It's easiest to showcase the photography, but it is also interesting to see unfamiliar players, and familiar players in unfamiliar uniforms. I think of Gene Michael as a Yankee lifer, but he actually ended his career with a year in Detroit.

 Jim Northrup, meanwhile, spent almost his whole career in Detroit but ended it with the Orioles. For some reason most of the Orioles are hatless in this set.

 The extremely rare bearded Yankee. The beard ban still lives on today; Thurman Munson remains the only one to seriously defy it.

 This card may be the best one to show of No-Neck Williams's lack of neck.

 Everyone posts this card of Joe Hoerner in a lady's hat whenever they acquire it; I am no exception.

 Another great shot of the streetlights behind Shea Stadium. I guess they are just parking lot lights but I like to think they are actually from the street. The player in question is A's pitcher Jim Todd.

 The cards feature uniform numbers on the back, which makes it easy to figure out that pitcher John Candelaria is holding Richie Zisk's bat.

 Check out the old double-breasted NYPD uniform behind Pirates pitcher Bob Moose.

More to come!

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!

1981 Topps Joe Lefebvre

The front: Nice view of the Yankee Stadium façade, with Getty and Brut ads clearly visible. They probably purposely angled him away from the Marlboro ad in right field.

The back: Lefebvre’s team was Concord High School in Concord, NH. One of his teammates was future Giants GM Brian Sabean. They also played ball together at Eckerd College.

The player: In 447 games over six seasons with the Yankees, Padres and Phillies he hit .258 with 31 HR and 130 RBI.

The man: After his career he stayed in the Phillies organization as a coach. In 1990 his old buddy Sabean brought him to the Yankees, and in 1996 Sabean hired him again with San Francisco. He is currently a senior scouting advisor for the Giants.

My collection: I have 18 of his cards, from 1981 to 1985. I would be interested in trading for 1980 TCMA Columbus Clippers #26.