Airbrushed Fridays: 1976 Topps #386

Is it just me, or was that the longest in-season break in meaningful baseball ever? Okay, I guess it wasn't just me. There's nothing at all that I understand about the decision to extend the all-star break this season and I hope that it's not permanent. Real baseball is coming tonight! Hopefully the Cards will have an answer for those pesky Reds.

Who is this week's victim, and why do we care? Ed Goodson's the name. Part-time baseball was his game. Goodson was a corner infielder who spent eight years in the league, all during the '70s.

Why does this card exist? Goodson was packaged alongside current Reds manager Dusty Baker in a 6 player swap between the Braves and the Dodgers after the conclusion of the 1975 season. Topps had to airbrush his photo to include him with his new team in the 1976 set. They left everything but the cap alone, it seems.


Airbrushed Fridays is a weekly feature as the name seems to imply. If you know of a card with an altered photograph that you'd like to see featured, please contact me. You probably won't win anything other than a hyperlink and a pile of Topps Stickers adhesive backing, but you never know!

Airbrushed Fridays: 1976 Topps #34

Throughout my time in school, I would find that I could write a three to five page paper in about 10-15 minutes, except for the introduction and conclusion. It seems like an intro should be the easiest part in some respects, but I would agonize over the task and just stare at a mostly blank screen for several hours without being able to come up with anything. I'm not sure why that is. I see it creep over into the blog from time to time (and even into my professional life), which is why this intro has nothing to do with anything.

Mike Garman was a right-handed relief pitcher who spent nine fairly competent seasons with five major league teams, notching 42 career saves in 303 total appearances over the course of his career.

Why did Topps airbrush Mike's photo? Garman was traded by the Cardinals to the Cubs for Don Kessinger shortly after the previous World Series, in a move that was just slightly less significant than the Brock for Broglio deal. Topps attempted to capture Garman in his new gear even though he hadn't suited up with the Small Bears yet.

What's wrong with this picture, anyway? This airbrushing is so ridiculous that I'm not actually sure Garman was even originally wearing a hat or what's trying to be a collared shirt.

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.

Airbrushed Fridays: 1976 Topps #63

Why oh why must the Cardinals struggle so much against the Brewers? After last night's win, the Cards are now 11-21 at home versus Milwaukee since 2008. The two teams have two more series to play against each other before the season is out, three at home and three on the road. I'm just hoping the Cards can make up some ground against other teams, starting tonight with the Rockies.

Bobby Darwin was a converted pitcher turned outfielder, who logged seven seasons in the majors in the '70s after a single appearance on the mound in 1962 with the Angels. He resurfaced in Minnesota as a Twins everyday outfielder, showing some pop and leading the league in strikeouts for three years running. We're not talking Mark Reynolds or Adam Dunn pop, unfortunately.

Why did Topps airbrush Bobby's photo? Darwin saw his playing time cut in 1975 as he struggled, and he was eventually shipped to the Brewers in a midseason deal. The reduced playing time caused him to lose out on his change to lead the league in Ks for a fourth straight year. You would think, however, that 55 games in Milwaukee would have provided ample opportunity to get a photo with his new team.

What's wrong with this picture, anyway? Someone wanted to make Bobby's cap so blue that they got some of it on his shoulder, too. There's little blue airbrush particles everywhere. I wouldn't be surprised if somehow some of it got on the person who first pulled this card from a pack.

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.

Airbrushed Fridays: 1976 Topps #265

I'll be in Seattle this weekend for some actual live baseball games. The idea was pretty exciting a month ago when both the Mariners and the Rays were actually in contention, but it will still be fun to see some baseball under sunny skies and the not-at-all-oppressive Seattle heat. Garlic fries and nine dollar beers await.

Smilin' Willie Davis was the Dodgers' center fielder throughout the '60s and early part of the '70s, helping L.A. win two world series crowns while picking up a few Gold Gloves along the way. He was a two-time All-Star. He took over for one Duke Snider and certainly had some tall shoes to fill. He stole nearly 400 bases in his impressive career. Sadly, he passed away last year.

Why did Topps airbrush Willie's photo? Willie bounced around quite a bit in his waning years after 14 seasons with the Dodgers. He came over to the Cardinals in a midseason swap with the Rangers in 1975 before being flipped to the Padres in the offseason for someone named Dick Sharon.

What's wrong with this picture, anyway? Someone didn't quite master the art of the interlocking SD logo. They also got a bit carried away with the yellow triangle, which clearly extends beyond the actual hat and is threatening to bleed into the card border.

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. If you're still reading this boiler plate nonsense that I post every week for some reason, congratulations. E-mail me the name of your favorite team or players and I will send you a couple of team bags of free cards. Offer stands for the first five people that actually fall for this.

How Did I Miss This?

I've had a stack of '70s cards on my desk for quite a long time that I pick through when I'm looking for material for my Airbrushed Fridays posts. The cards originally came from Smed's Baseball Card Blog and are heavy on the airbrushing victims, although there were some other interesting cards in the pile. It took me a really long time to notice that one of the cards was an actual factual Hank Aaron card from his playing days. Amazing! Sure, Hammerin' Hank was playing for the Brewers and in the twilight of his career at this point, but this is an awesome card to own.

Smed's is hosting a Spring Cleaning event if you haven't already had the chance to partake. He's unloading tons of cards for nothing more than some items off his wish list and the cost of shipping. Having received a number of packages from him in the past, I am sure that it will be well worth your while to sign up, both in value and fun factor. Check it out! I can't promise that you'll receive a Hank Aaron card or anything, but I'm sure that there's plenty of great stuff to be had.

Airbrushed Fridays: 1976 Topps #301

Jackie Brown is a 1997 American crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It is an adaptation of the novel Rum Punch by American novelist Elmore Leonard and pays homage to 1970's blaxploitation films. The film stars Pam Grier, Robert Forster, Robert De Niro, Samuel L. Jackson, Bridget Fonda and Michael Keaton. It was Tarantino's third film following his successes with Reservoir Dogs (1992) and Pulp Fiction (1994). (Thanks, Wikipedia.)

Jackie Brown was a right-handed starting pitcher and part time reliever who spent the majority of his major league career with the Washington Senators (later the Rangers) franchise. He ended his career early at age 34, after spending his final season making 25 starts with the fledgling Montreal Expos. Brown later became a coach at many different levels of professional baseball including stints in the big leagues spanning four decades.

Why did Topps airbrush Jackie's photo? Jackie was a midseason pickup for Cleveland in 1975, part of a package that was swapped for Gaylord Perry.

What's wrong with this picture, anyway? It's not Pam Grier.

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.

Airbrushed Fridays: 1976 Topps #535

Playoffs! Why are you sitting in your stiff old desk chair when you could be relaxing in your comfy recliner, remote in hand, watching America's greatest sport while teams battle it out for the pennants? What's that you say? The Yankees and the Phillies are just going to win again? Ugh...

Dave Nelson was a former All-Star second baseman who spent the bulk of his career with Rangers franchise, moving to Texas when the team moved from Washington. He's now a Brewers broadcaster who has filled in for the ailing Bob Uecker, who sadly is back in the hospital in need of more heart surgery.

Why did Topps airbrush Dave's photo? Nelson was traded after the completion of the 1975 season to Kansas City, where he would spend his final two major league seasons. Even though there's no way they could have had a current photo available, you have to applaud Topps for at least trying to be current back in those days.

What's wrong with this picture, anyway? Short on time, and "magical" blue paint, the so-called artist bailed on the 'C' portion of the KC logo when he found out that he was getting paid by a piece rate instead of by the hour. I'm also starting to think that if heaven were to exist, it would look a lot like the background of an airbrushed baseball card from the '70s.

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.

Oh, and... Go Yankees!

NOT Airbrushed Fridays: 1976 Topps #109

Are you serious, man? No one is going to airbrush Larry Lintz. Larry Lintz wants no part of the A's. Have you heard about that American League, man? They have some new thing going on this season where the pitcher doesn't have to bat, and someone gets to sit on the bench all game and just bat whenever his name is called. Just bat? Seriously?

Why did Topps... Hey, look man, I'm not changing my shirt! I'll just throw a towel over my shoulder and call it cool. I've got some grounders to take. And some batting practice. With pitchers! Pitchers bat in my league.

What's wrong with this picture, anyway? Nothing is wrong! Except that whole... Oakland... thing. (And the racially insensitive cartoon on the back of this card. - madding) They don't play the right kind of baseball in Oakland. If I have to play for an American League team, I'm not even going to bat. That's right. I'm just going to run. Maybe I'll bat one time, but that's it.

Airbrushed Fridays: 1976 Topps #641

In one tiny section of one binder that I have lies my cheapie vintage cards. I have a strange organization method that is somewhat based on what I was doing back when I was in high school, so there's a part of me that can't really let go of Beckett's "book price". Don't fret, though, because I mainly only use this to determine how I should protect my cards, rather than what something is worth. Anything "worth" less than $5.00 and made before 1980 ends up in this vintage section. Most of these cards all came from one kid that I knew back in the proverbial day, and this card may have been one of them. It's not all that old, however, and it's in decent shape so I couldn't say with complete certainty that it's part of the small stash of vintage cards I traded for way back when. I also have no idea what I gave up for those vintage cards, but I do remember knowing that, even back in the early '90s, that less than mint old baseball cards were a lot better than anything made in 1991.

Tom Paciorek was a corner outfielder/first basemen who had a pretty lengthy career that belied his difficult to pronounce last name. I only say that it's difficult in that his card was one of the first baseball cards I remember coming out of a 1986 Topps pack. I couldn't honestly tell you how his name is really pronounced even now (I'm guessing puh-SHORE-eck?) He eventually became the Wimpy to Ken Harrelson's Hawk as one half of the most obnoxious TV broadcasting duo with the Chicago White Sox.

Why did Topps airbrush Tom's photo? Well, for starters, he didn't even finish his previous season with the team that he's depicted with on the front of the card. This wasn't common practice for Topps when I started collecting. No matter how early the transaction, I was always used to baseball cards initially showing players playing with the team they were with at the end of the previous season. I imagine that this was different while the Topps cards were released in multiple series formats as later series cards were probably produced later in the year, but I believe the 1976 set came out all at once. Since the Topps set has been released in, essentially, 2 or 3 parts (depending on how you look at it) for quite some time now, seeing players with their new teams is not that uncommon anymore, though they frequently resort to more modern (ahem, Photoshop) tactics to accomplish this.

What's wrong with this picture, anyway? Unless you're a dedicated Braves fan, I suppose this might not be the most obvious airbrush job around. However, a little inspection should reveal that the Braves lower-case "a" logo looks a bit like it was painted with watercolors. There's also another tell-tale sign: a dark shadowing effect above the top of the cap. And while this may not have anything to do with airbrushing, I am curious about what exactly happened to his ear. It looks like someone took a pink eraser to it.

Spirit of '76

In a flurry of eBay bidding awhile back, I ended up with a small pile of 1976 Cardinals cards. My pre-1979 Cardinals collection is severely lacking, so I knew I probably needed every single card in the lot. If anyone has any old vintage junk that they don't want, let me know. I can send you some shiny new stuff that's probably not worth the "cardboard" it's printed on, or maybe some old random things. Who knows?

Don Kessinger's card has to go into the Airbrush Hall of Fame. I've thought about doing an airbrushed card of the week type of feature here, but I know I don't have nearly the pool of great cards to choose from like others probably do (because of the pre-1979 thing that I mentioned.) Kessinger was a former All-Star who was near the end of his career when he came to the Cardinals. You'd think that the Cubs would have never dealt with the Cards again after the whole Brock-for-Broglio deal, but this ended up being a fairly insignificant trade.

If you look at John Denny's career stat line, it's a wonder he didn't get a lot more respect. He played on some pretty sub-par late '70s Cardinals teams, though, and he didn't have the longevity of guys like Greg Maddux and Jamie Moyer.

Bob Forsch is the lone player here from my era. He was around until the late '80s - even later if you're 1989 Score, a set where he was included as a Cardinal even though he had moved onto Houston.

I almost titled this post "I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson".

Being in the Seattle Mariners' local market, I only knew of Ron Fairly as an M's team broadcaster. I had no idea he ever played for the Cards. I really need more vintage cards.

I'm not sure what more I can add to this photo. Baseball-Reference.com doesn't think he exists, and he has no Wikipedia entry (not that that means anything really.)

After further review, this is actually Eric Rasmussen. He apparently changed his name. I just lost 10 minutes of my life.