1973 Topps #261 - Pat Kelly
Kicking things off we've got a '73 Pat Kelly, who is sporting a nice baby blue and red Chicago White Sox jersey (which also looks to be a zip-up?). Pat played in the Majors from 1967 through the strike-shortened 1981 season, but 1973 was the only year he was selected as an All-Star, which gains this card some points.
Already had a pretty sweet buyback in slot 261 though...
I'm not sure why, but the photograph in that '70 Motton buyback just speaks to me, Pat Kelly's out.
1978 Topps #287 - Kiko Garcia
Next up, a '78 Kiko Garcia that's really beat to hell. I don't have much to say about this card, and it also has some tough competition standing between it and the franken-set binder:
I'm going with the Jim Hardin based on the photograph, the card condition, and the fact that I like the 1972 Topps set more than I do their 1978 effort.
1978 Topps #277 - Bruce Boisclair
Another '78 follows Kiko Garcia, this one featuring Bruce Boisclair's 'do. Bruce grew up in Killingly, CT, just a town or two over from where I did, and was drafted right out of high school by the Mets. Honestly though, this is about as boring a baseball card as you're ever going to find.
I've already got a hat-less player in slot 277 of the binder...
...and the locker room photo on the Gary Nolan is slightly more interesting. Slightly.
1978 Topps #338 - Dave Heaverlo
Let's keep rolling with yet another '78, right-handed pitcher Dave Heaverlo of the Giants. I don't know much about Dave, who wrapped up his MLB career before I was even born. Once again we've got some solid competition here:
Love this one.
Man, this is getting brutal. That's four straight contenders rejected to lead off today's post.
1978 Topps #157 - Pete LaCock
Pete LaCock makes the set uncontested though, and the 12-year-old in me rejoices! (On a side note, it's funny that I pulled this card for posting on the same day that I read about it on another blog).
1978 Topps #323 - Jim Fregosi
Starting to build a little momentum here, as 323 is a new number for this project as well. Jim Fregosi makes the cut wearing one of the seemingly endless variations of Pirates' uniforms during this era.
1979 Topps #56 - John Hale
John Hale played in 359 games over the course of 6 seasons with the Dodgers and Mariners. I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did given that he's a lifetime .201 hitter. John might have barely squeaked over the "Mendoza line", but as far as the franken-set goes he's in for now! I fully expect this card to be replaced by a much more interesting #56 buyback at some point in the future however.
1979 Topps #17 - Donnie Moore
A young Donnie Moore vies for slot 17 via this '79 Topps buyback. Sad to think how it ended for Donnie just a decade or so after this card was printed up. Between the Cubs get-up and the backdrop of sky there's a whole lotta blue here.
I've already got this great Johnny Stephenson Heritage buyback in slot 17 though...
...and there it will remain.
1973 Topps #55 - Jon Matlack
Speaking of great Mets cards, here's a nice Jon Matlack with the Topps All-Star Rookie Cup on display as well. This would have been a nice pull back in '73 I'd imagine, with Matlack having been named Rookie of the Year the season prior.
Coincidentally, Matlack is pitted against a buyback from another NL Rookie of the Year for slot 55 in the franken-set.
This was not an easy choice at all. Though Matlack was probably the better player over the course of his career, I really like that '63 Virdon.
1975 Topps #573 - Orlando Pena
Here's the last card for today, the final Topps card issued of longtime MLB pitcher Orlando Pena. I like that this "sunset" card features the colors of an actual sunset, and depicts Pena looking off above the horizon. Great stuff, and with a nice high number like 573 it makes the franken-set uncontested.
Well, that's a wrap for today. Just four new cards, and six conflicts. Slow and steady wins the race...
Franken-set Progress: 338/792 (42%)
"Rejected" Buybacks: 126
Total Buybacks in Collection: 464
You know I like the red Sox uniforms so boo on that one. I guess I can be forgiven for not remembering Fregosi with the Pirates. I wasn't collecting cards then and he only played in 56 games over two seasons.
ReplyDeleteBrutal to have the Matlack and Virdon be the same number. I'm a Mets fan, but I can certainly see why you'd pick the Virdon.
ReplyDeletePete LaCock, BTW, is the son of longtime Hollywood Squares host Peter Marshall.
That '74 Gary Nolan is a strange card. It looks like something out of a high school yearbook.
ReplyDeleteP.S. -- I'm preparing a PWE for you as we speak with a few more buybacks for Shoebox Legends HQ!
Hey! It's Pete LaCock! (Thanks for the link)
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame that Matlack & Heaverlo got bumped, but that's the way it goes with a Frankenset.
Funny you mentioned that Nick. Before I got sidetracked thinking about Fregosi I was going to say that Nolan reminded me of a kid I went to school with.
ReplyDelete