Once again, I bring up one of those things you notice as a kid,
feverishly collecting cards and examining each and every one of them as
they make their way into your collection: today it's the strange case of Leon
McFadden and his two Topps offerings from 1969 and
1970.
I remember years ago making the connection between both photos that made up his two-time "career" on baseball cards.
McFadden was pretty much up in the Majors for "a cup of coffee" as they used to say. He played in 62 games
between 1968 and 1970 on the Houston Astros, mainly as a shortstop.
After appearing in 16 games for his first taste of big league play in
'68, Topps had him on a "Rookie Stars" card in 1969 along
with Hal Gilson. The following year he appeared in 44 games, and Topps
deemed it worthwhile to have him on his own individual card in their
1970 set.
What is so strange about the McFadden cards are the way he was
posed. Take a look. For some reason on BOTH his cards he is looking far
into the distance, with this almost "glazed" look in his eyes, while up
against a brick wall.
Now, if ONE of his cards had an image like this, no big deal right?
But why on earth does he have the same exact pose the following year,
in front of what seems the same exact wall, but while wearing a cap this
time around?! Was this a little bit of an
inside joke with Topps' photographer? Could it really have been a
coincidence? For some reason I find this hard to believe. And what was with that expressionless face? I'm not saying the guy had to be jumping for joy or anything, but some emotion (like Gilson) would not have been too much to ask for.
So strange for this guy to be slapped up against a wall and
have the camera shoved right in his face two years in a row. Perhaps
both photos were taken at the same time, and Topps went and used the
second one the following year for lack of another
shot?
Who knows? But it sure stuck with me after noticing it. Here are the cards:
 |
| "Please look straight ahead" |
 |
| "Now to the right" |
It reminds me of some of the early-70's basketball cards (I believe
from the 1973 set) as well as a few of the 1977 football cards that
seemed to be photographed in a stadium tunnel or hallway. They all had
this creepy, sleazy feel to them, and of course,
because of that, I was drawn to them!