Sunday, December 8, 2013

UGH...THOSE 1972 TOPPS "AWARDS" CARDS...(#621 THROUGH #626): TODAY, CARD #621 "COMMISSIONERS AWARD"

I don't know what many of you feel out there about that 1972 Topps "Awards" sub-set (#'s 621-626), but I have always hated those cards!
The concept was great! But why on earth Topps felt kids (or adults for that matter) would be interested in cards that featured plaques and trophies OVER the very players that "won" the awards is beyond me, especially since a few of those players were super stars and future Hall of Famers!
I mean, jeez! What kid was happy to pull out a card of the "Commissioner's Award", instead of having another Brooks Robinson card in their collection!?
I know I've seen a couple of redesigns featuring the actual players who won the awards depicted on the cards somewhere on the web, but I've also gone ahead and redesigned all six of the cards, with the player (or players) who actually won the hardware depicted on the actual card.
To kick off this "sub-set" thread of a sub-set, we'll start in numerical order and profile the aforementioned "Commissioner's Award" card (#621), which was actually won by Baltimore Orioles legend, Brooks Robinson.
Take a look at the card issued by Topps:
 
Seriously? What kid was happy with THIS card?!
 
Give me a break!
Allow me to "jazz it up" a bit with a redesign showing Brooks during the year he won the award.

I'd like to think kid's would have preferred this...

Better, no? I sure do think so!
Rather have a player depicted than some trophy.
Anyway, this was definitely a fun sub-set to work on, and I'll be profiling the other five cards in the near future.
Keep an eye out for them.

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