Buyback Franken-set: Work Week Relief

This week was a long one, but I'm now at home for the weekend and ready to relax.  What better way to celebrate than with some new buybacks for the franken-set project?  Here are ten more from a lot of 68 that I picked up for the price of a blaster at the beginning of the year...

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