Airbrushed Fridays: 1974 Topps #412

Sunday is my birthday (yes, Halloween), so the blog will be quiet for a couple of days following my Saturday Ducks post. I do have some packages in the works for, among others: Cardboard Collections, The Card Chop, Nr Mt, Too Many Grandersons and Thoughts and Sox. I also have the biggest box of cards I've ever sent to anyone all taped up and leaning against the front door for the genius mind behind Smed's Baseball Card Blog. In fact, today's post is brought to you by that very same blogger, who's most recent post has unlocked a memory I thought I never had about a long lost Bo Jackson card. Man, I miss the early '90s.

Chuck Taylor was, to be perfectly honest, not nearly as famous as the guy who influenced a shoe line that has endured for nearly 100 years and revolutionized the design of a basketball. This man pitched baseballs for a living, lasting portions of 8 major league seasons in relief (and a starting role with the Cardinals) with pretty respectable numbers.

Why did Topps airbrush Chuck's photo? Signed as a free agent at the start of the 1973 season, Taylor made only 8 appearances with Montreal in his first year. He made few friends at Topps for being the only paid athlete with sideburns in the 1970s to oppose any sort of drug culture, according to the cartoon on the back.

What's wrong with this picture, anyway? Actually, this is probably the least terrible airbrushing job I've run into so far with cards from this era. That isn't saying a whole lot, however. His cap is pretty noticeably "drawn" and he could just as well be wearing a snuggie with a collar line made from permanent markers.

If you are interested in obtaining a card featured here, please send me an e-mail. If you have a card you would like to nominate for Airbrushed Fridays, please get in touch as well. I will require that I am able to see the card in person, either on loan or as a donation, so that I can examine the card and experience it in all its cruddiness.