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Blog bat-around: The last base card

 
All right, we're blog batting around again! These come in super-handy when the window is super-tight for blogging, which it is today and tomorrow. (But May is almost over!)

John's Big League Baseball Blog asks us to discuss our favorite player's final base card, the one that wrapped up his career. That card must be from a major set, no inserts, later retro cards (such as the one shown above), relics or autographs or buybacks. I like the way John thinks. Base cards never got anyone into any kind of hobby trouble. Can't say the same for a lot of that other stuff.

My all-time favorite player is Ron Cey. His career ended quite awhile ago. Here is his final Topps base card:
 


What's that? You say that's not Ron Cey's final base card? He has cards later in his career when he played for the Cubs and A's?

Oh come on, you don't believe those urban legends do you? This is what happens when too many people make too many custom cards and start churning out things that never happened. Such as this:
 


Look at how disgusted Cey is to be pictured in a polyester softball top with -- lordy, a Cubs logo plastered on it? That's some slick photoshopping, eh?

All right, fine, if you insist, a lot of people say that this is the final card from The Penguin's career:
 

Yeah, the Oakland A's. Wild. It's amazing what people will believe off the internet. Ron Cey in a green uniform? What? And where did that wonderful 1970s mane of hair go? Those AI images can't get anything right.

1983 Topps is Ron Cey's final card. Thanks for allowing me to participate.

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(OK, sure, Ron Cey played for the Cubs and the A's during a few dark years in the 1980s. The Dodgers trading Cey never seemed like a smart decision to me, even if his skills were starting to decline a little. I spent a lot of the 1980s adjusting to players from my childhood suddenly showing up in strange uniforms and this was the most difficult instance.

(But I stayed true to the Dodgers, unlike one person I know who actually changed his favorite team due to the team's transactions at this time. And Cey as a Dodger will always be the best Cey).

Comments

Grant said…
2012 Topps #371, though #97 is far and away a better card.
Old Cards said…
Too bad Topps didn't issue the Ron Cey archives card in 1972 as an actual card. Even though it doesn't look like the standard 1972 player card, it would have been much better than the multiple player card that was actually issued. That also goes for every rookie that has been pictured on a multiple player rookie card since 1962 to present!
Fuji said…
Damn. The Penguin looks sharp wearing Green & Gold.
bryan was here said…
Ron Cey and Reggie Jackson in the same lineup. With Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire even. Too bad they missed Dave Kingman by a year.
bbcardz said…
"...Cey as a Dodger will always be the best Cey." Well said!
Zippy Zappy said…
This is the first BBA in a while that I can't participate in since my favorite is still active, and hopefully it stays that way for a few more years.
Jafronius said…
Nice post, thanks for sharing. Cubbie Blue Penguin is the better sunset card for me...look at walking all nonchalantly, like he's an action hero walking away from an explosion and not turning around.
night owl said…
I always thought he just grounded into a double play and he's walking back to the dugout after throwing off his helmet in disgust.