It’s strange that because it was just used as an inset on the bottom right of the card, the terrible, and I mean TERRIBLE, paint job on the photo doesn’t look as bad as when you see the actual negative used.
Holy cow! The pink logo, the pen-like outline on the cap. It’s all there!
Of course this all just brings up the harsh reminders for Mets fans that Fregosi came to the team in a trade that sent future Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan to the California Angels, perhaps the worst trade in the organization’s history.
Though to be fair, Fregosi was the best hitting shortstop in the American League during the 1960’s, was a six-time all-star that received MVP votes every season between 1963 and 1970. And was still only 30 years of age, with Ryan being a young fireballer who could not get his fastball in control at the time.
So really it wasn’t, AT THAT TIME, such a ridiculous trade. Just turned out to be in the coming seasons with Fregosi’s downturn in performance, and Ryan’s immediate impact for the Angels.