Saturday, June 29, 2013

"WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?!"- PART V

The 1973 George Scott Topps baseball card, #263.
This card has held my fascination for over 30 years now. When I first saw it I thought it was a simple bad-airbrushing job. Then, as I took a closer look, I was confused because there was this odd outline around the players, especially Scott, that made it seem that they were cut out of one photo then pasted onto this another.
But wait, it continues!
Upon an even CLOSER look, I noticed that the crowd was looking somewhere else completely, and it was now obvious that indeed, the players and the crowd were from two different images.
Just look at it. What was going on here? 
And if all of that wasn't enough, another question I always had was that if Scott was playing first base, then you'd assume the play being shown was of a pick-off attempt with the A's Bert Campaneris just getting back to the bag before the throw. But look at Campy. It doesn't look like he's sliding back to the bag on a pick-off attempt, but that he's sliding into a bag at full steam, as if he's advancing, NOT sliding back to first. It's almost as if Scott was actually playing third base and was waiting for a throw while Campy was sliding in for a triple.
Now keep in mind that Scott did indeed play some third base for the Brewers in 1972, and I can't really confirm that he has a first baseman's mitt on. It could be a regular fielder's glove. Am I wrong? Anyone out there have any answers on this one? Is the crowd actually looking towards home? When looking to the left of the card, are you looking NOT to the outfield, but in the direction of home plate?
Such a strange card all-around. Where was that crowd image from then? Why the need to use a different background than whatever was originally there?
It's not a horrible card by any means, but just confuses me on so many levels I'd love to get the low-down on what went on here. 
It's cards like this that keep me coming back to the 1970's! Love it…
Just what IS going on with this card?!

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