Night of the Living 6-for-5 Bin

Night of the Living 6-for-5 Bin
February 25th, 2010 by slangon

Here we go with another “pack” of 6 for $5 vintage. I think I only have one more “pack” to go, so it might be high time to head on down to the old card shop soon. I think I need some binder pages anyway.

1976 Topps #400 Rod Carew

Sometimes I wonder about card companies choices of photos to use on different cards. I mean, I’m sure whether it’s a fielding shot or a batting shot or a base running shot there must be hundreds of awesome photographs of Rod Carew. Why did Topps decide to use this rather boring picture of him? I do kind of like the massive wad of chew in his cheek though. I’m torn on the whole listing All-Star designation on the base card. Part of me likes the simplicity of not cluttering the set with multiple cards of the same player, but part of me likes the idea of All-Star cards. I think maybe I just like the idea of All-Star cards back when the design of them was so much cooler. I believe the 1958 Topps set was the first one to include separate All-Star cards. When you compare that to the All-Star cards from the 2009 Update set, there really is no comparison. The 2009 version is the same design from the base set with a different photo and a logo and tiny headline saying he was on the All-Star team. If they’re not going to bother coming up with a cool looking All-Star subset, I think I’d rather they just make a note of the players All-Star status on the base card, like they did in the mid to late ’70’s.

1974 Topps #330 Juan Marichal

Unlike the above Rod Carew card, I can’t think of a more appropriate image to stick on a Juan Marichal card. There he is in all his glory, with the photographer capturing his motion at the apex of his high leg kick. I always appreciate cool action photos on cards, but I really get excited when the photo is really the epitome of that particular player.

1974 Topps #85 Joe Morgan

Here’s another pretty cool card of a Hall of Famer from the ’74 Topps set. Just because I’m in a nit-picky mood apparently, I kind of think this particular picture might have benefitted from a horizontal format, but that’s just me. I also have to admit that I was torn on getting this card just because I’ve grown to dislike Joe Morgan quite a bit over the last few years thanks to his announcing work. I guess I’m not the only one, though. (I really wish that site was still active.) I remember one particularly maddening game soon after the Mets picked up Luis Castillo from the Twins. Whatever Morgan and Jon Miller (who I might hate even more than Joe Morgan) were talking about, Joe made a comment about how Castillo wasn’t used to playing in the National League, since the Mets had just gotten him a couple of games ago. I guess being aware of the fact that Luis played for 10 seasons in Florida is beneath Joe’s notice.

1974 Topps #6 Hank Aaron Special 1970-74

This is the third of these Hank Aaron Specials that I’ve gotten from the 6-for-5 bin. I think that puts me halfway there as far as completing this little subset. This was a nice little tribute to the man who, in my opinion, will always be the Home Run King. I guess at the time it was considered a little inevitable that he was going to break Ruth’s record, but I think it was a little ballsy on Topps part to release these cards before he actually broke the record.

1973 Topps #180 Fergie Jenkins

There’s something about the composition of this photograph that I really like. I think it’s the way that the foul line and the edge of the grass form a mirror image that pulls you straight into the center of the card. That and the kind of pissed off expression on Fergies face gives this card a bit of a menacing aspect to it. This is also another card that was a valuable leaning experience for me. I learned from the back that that he played 2 years for the Phillies, which was shocking since I always assumed he was a life long Cubbie. Apparently in 1966, he was traded with 2 other guys to Chicago for Bob Buhl and Larry Jackson. He was also Canadian.

1973 Topps #199 Bert Blyleven

I’ve taken to referring to this card as the “Crooked Dutchman” for obvious reasons. As far as nicknames go, I don’t think that’s half bad. My favorite quote from Bert: