Saturday, June 1, 2013

ACCIDENTAL PHOTO-BOMBING IN THE BASEBALL CARD WORLD: PART I

Wasn't it always fun to spot a star player who was caught in the action shot of someone else's baseball card?
I think the first time I took notice was on Carlton Fisk's 1977 Topps card, where he's waiting for a throw at home while Willie Randolph was trying to sliding in.
Over the years I spotted a bunch more of these cards and kept a mental note for no reason whatsoever. But now I can actually put it to some use by starting a thread that I'll revisit from time to time, called "Accidental Photo-bombing...".
Each time, I'll present a couple of cards where stars "snuck" into someone else's baseball card.
I don't know how many there are out there, but I know I already have about ten off the top of my head.
Today we'll start with two of my favorites: the 1971 Chris Short (#511), and the 1974 Fran Healy (#238).
On the Chris Short card, we can easily spot Pete Rose taking a lead off Second Base while Short is delivering a pitch. Classic stuff.

Dig the "Alpo" ad in the background!
Next up is the Healy card, featuring a great action shot on a horizontal design. That's Thurman Munson sliding safely into home in what seems to be a night game. Pretty cool.
Funny enough, Healy would be Munson's back-up catcher just a couple years later, where he would end his career as a player and move on to a successful career as an announcer.

Is this a night game?