This really got to me when I first started seeing his posts - in a good way. It made me appreciate just how a "frankenset" could truly be anything one wanted it to be: a team, a player, a pose, a position, a pantheon of ridiculousness, etc. I started buying some of the ones Nick wrote about, and, when I started this blog all of two months ago, he kindly sent me some doubles of his of a few more. Then I found some others I really enjoyed, and we were off to the friggin' races.
For me, the kingpin card in my hall of idiots is this 1973 Topps Dick Green. The error being made, the cloud of dust, the face he's making - it's just perfect. To me, the best cards in this would-be frankenset are ones that show things going wrong, like errors, broken bats, weak pop-ups or awkward slides. It thrills me no end that Topps, or Pinnacle or whomever said "that's it - that's the picture we want of this guy". I mean, aside from the Dick Green card, does it get any better than this 1993 Pinnacle Bob Zupcic? Hit the deck, Bob! Jesus H. Christ.
Another gem that I learned about from Dime Boxes is this absolutely absurd Ryon Healy card. It was just a couple of seasons ago when every Oakland Athletic who gave a post-game interview and had just done something great got a pie in the face. This one, with the unnamed teammate soaring above him with two pies, milliseconds before the point of impact, is a true work of art.
Those are my top 3 idiots that I own. Here are the other 7 that round out my Top 10 - for now. We're just getting started here, folks.
I thought this post would be all about Trevor Bauer and Aubrey Huff until I read it. Interesting idea! I'm sure I could find a few, especially from the 70s and 80s, like the one in your avatar.
ReplyDeleteI'm proud to have the Espinoza and Sammy Stewart in my Frankenset. These are some of my favorite cards to find.
ReplyDeleteGlad I could spawn a collection of idiots! Wait, that didn't sound right. Anyways, these are all fantastic cards and (of course) staples of my frankenset. I especially like the Hundley because that pie actually looks like it might've been kinda tasty. (Also, Alvaro Espinoza and I share a birthday!)
ReplyDeleteThe Zupcic is one of my favorites!
ReplyDeleteIf you like the '88 Fleer Stewart you should check out the Tekulve from the same set. Personally I feel like the newer ones like CJ Wilson feel staged, not as authentic as the 70s/80s/90s cards.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on that, Bo. It certainly doesn't make them any less idiotic, but there's something lacking when an entire series of cards exists in which the players are doing doofus things like karate kicks.
DeleteFunny cards.
ReplyDeleteI have one of Erik Pappas eating his dinner in the dugout. But I can't think of any better ones in my collection.
Though, in football, I have a couple of QBs getting sacked on their own cards. Steve Walsh is one of them. Elway might be the other one.
Dick Green must have used that 73T card as motivation, because he was one of the stars of the 1974 World Series against the Dodgers. According to a book I read (100 Things A's Fans Should Know Before They Die), many of his teammates would have voted him the WS MVP over Fingers due to his outstanding fielding.
ReplyDeleteP.S. That Sammy Steward is awesome!
The very absolute terrific best thing about the Dick Green card is while Green is making the error, his position silhouette appears to be making the exact same play CORRECTLY, as if to point out: this is how you do it, idiot!
ReplyDeleteLove that card.
Ooh, good point - didn't catch that detail...!
DeleteI don't think I've seen that Sammy Stewart card before. That's a great one!
ReplyDeleteThe 1993 Stadium Club Oscar Azocar is a great one, not to mention the 1995 Stadium Club Rex Hudler.
ReplyDelete