"BEVACQUA AND THE BUBBLE"- CARD #564 IN THE 1976 SET

Now I'll be honest.

I never really knew where I stood with the Kurt Bevacqua "Bubble Gum Blowing Contest" card in the 1976 set (#564).

 

Wouldn't those points at the end of that instrument "pop" the bubble?

 

When I was a kid and pulled this card from a pack in 1976, sure I thought it was "nifty".

But as the years passed, and for NO reason whatsoever, any time I came across the card I'd get this annoyed feeling as I quickly moved along to other cards.

I guess I got too "serious" with my card collecting and thought of this card as a waste of space.

Now, as I'm an "old man" of 44, I can't help but love the card for the playfulness and great example of that time and place that was the 1970's.

Not that bubblegum blowing was a sign of the free-wheelin' '70's, but it WAS just "kooky" enough to be part of that awesomely wild span of ten years!

I have to say my favorite part of the card is the bracket posting on the back, showing the "March Madness" style progression of which players advanced to the next round of the competition.

Take a look:

 

Now why didn't the Tigers or Pirates compete?!

 

You have to love looking at all the players involved in the "tournament". Awesome!

Seems the winner got $1000 for himself as well as $1000 for his favorite charity.

Jeez, how times have changed huh?

The contest culminated during the pre-game show "The Baseball World of Joe Garagiola" before game 3 of the 1975 World Series.

Kurt Bevacqua was the American League champ and he went up against National League champ Johnny Oates.

I wonder if Oates realizes how he missed baseball card immortality when he lost that contest?

You think?