Today
on the blog we take a look at another OPC & Topps image variation,
this time the 1977 cards for former speedster Dave Collins, or at least
what was SUPPOSED to be him in the context of the Topps card:
 |
| OPC version |
 |
| Topps version |
Now
the reason I say what I said regarding the Topps card is because it
doesn't show Collins at all, but actually Bobby Jones, something Topps
never bothered to fix later on.
Over
on the OPC card, it was indeed the young Collins shown on the card,
albeit with a comically airbrushed cap with the Seattle Mariners' logo.
Collins played his first two seasons of Big League ball with the
California Angels, stealing 52 bases combined in a part-time roll,
giving us a preview of what was to lie ahead.
He would go on to play 16 years in the Major Leagues, stealing as many as 79 bases in 1980 while with the Cincinnati Reds, while also stealing 60 in 1984 when he was playing for the Toronto Blue Jays, a season where he also led the league in triples with 15.
I’ll always remember him for his disappointing year with the New York Yankees in 1982, a year that was a failure for the organization in so many ways actually.
Nevertheless, Collins would finish his career with 395 steals, while also batting a very nice .272 with 1335 hits over 4907 at-bats in 1701 games, finishing up with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1990.
I never even realized he made it that far to be honest!
He would go on to play 16 years in the Major Leagues, stealing as many as 79 bases in 1980 while with the Cincinnati Reds, while also stealing 60 in 1984 when he was playing for the Toronto Blue Jays, a season where he also led the league in triples with 15.
I’ll always remember him for his disappointing year with the New York Yankees in 1982, a year that was a failure for the organization in so many ways actually.
Nevertheless, Collins would finish his career with 395 steals, while also batting a very nice .272 with 1335 hits over 4907 at-bats in 1701 games, finishing up with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1990.
I never even realized he made it that far to be honest!