Take a look at the 1973 Topps card for pitcher Vincente Romo:
At first glance the airbrushing job is pretty funny and makes me want to spotlight it as an airbrushing failure.
But then again, the more I look at it the more I appreciate the effort that was put into the job.
I love the shading and shadowing job the "artist" did on the cap and left shoulder.
And Lord knows working with that awesome mustard-yellow Padres color must have been glorious.
There was even an attempt at the embroidered stitching on the "S.D." logo on Romo's cap! How awesome is THAT!?
Funny? Yes. But a nice job nevertheless wouldn't you agree?
Oddly enough, as a kid in the early '80's Romo was probably the
first player I noticed as a "long time no see" guy when he appeared on a
Topps card in the 1983 set as a Los Angeles Dodger.
It was a cousin of mine who reminded me that Romo had a card in the 1975 set as a Padre, and nothing in between.
As far as I can remember it was the first time something like that came to my attention.
After the 1974 season Romo went off to pitch in the Mexican League
for the next seven years before making it back to the Majors with the
Dodgers.
In 1982 Romo appeared in 15 games at the age of 39, starting six of them, posting a 1-2 record with a 3.03 E.R.A.
That would be his final taste of the big leagues, but he'd get that
last card a year later in one of my all-time favorite sets, 1983's
offering by Topps.
By the way, I just love those Padre uniforms from the early 70's!
Taking a line from the sit-com "Night Court", "What a bold fashion statement!"
