Any
of you who have been following me for a while know that although I do
love those classic 1970’s airbrushing jobs Topps created, and I even
profile them here from time to time.
However when I do come across a solid image of a player in correct
uniform, I’ll go and create a re-done card for that particular year,
such as today’s example, the 1973 Wayne Granger card:
Now here’s the original as issued by Topps:
Granger found himself in St. Louis after a year pitching for the
Minnesota Twins, and Topps jumped right in and airbrushed (or should I
say colored in with a crayon) the correct, up-to-date cap with a BOLD Cardinal “St. L.” logo.
It seems the original photo was of him with the Cincinnati Reds for whom
he pitched between 1969 and 1971, coming into his own out of the ‘pen,
leading the National League in game appearances twice and saves with 35
in 1970.
After a solid season for the Twins in 1972 he never attained that level
of play the remaining four years of his nine-year career, pitching for
the Cardinals, Yankees, White Sox, Astros and finally the Expos.
In those nine-seasons Granger totaled 451 appearances with a 35-35
record and 108 saves in 638.2 inning pitched, and his 35 saves were a
record until Clay Carroll came along with the very same Reds in 1972
with 37.
Not a long career by any means, but a solid one nonetheless.