Awesome night card, pt. 212

Hey! I squeezed in a post! That means I didn't pass out from all the estrogen in the room and have momentarily broken away from discussions about home decor to provide this quick ditty about a night card.

It's one of my favorites. I wrote about it in one of my introductory posts on this blog. And I've been waiting all this time to be able to add it to my night card binder.

This card also came from Dave, who was the star of my last post. I'm not sure if it's the best night card that I own, but it probably has a very tiny number next to it on one of those countdown shows (does this mean there will be a countdown of the best night cards of all-time someday? Maybe. It kind of just popped into my mind just now).

There is lots to like about this card. The play at second base. The colorful '70s uniforms. The dust flying. The ump's arms flying. Lights suspended everywhere in the background. Sheer greatness.

What makes it even better is that the play was a crucial one during Game 3 of the World Series and also features the hero of that game, Bert Campaneris. (The other players in the photo are Felix Millan making the tag, umpire Russ Goetz calling the play and shortstop Bud Harrelson backing things up).

The Mets led Game 3 by a 2-0 score since the first inning. The A's scored a run in the sixth to cut the lead in half. And that's where we pick up the action.

In the top of the eighth, Campaneris solves Tom Seaver for a base hit. With Joe Rudi at the plate, Campaneris steals second base. That is the play you see in the photo. Rudi then singles to right field to score Campaneris with the tying run.

The game would last until the 11th inning. Campaneris' single scores Ted Kubiak from second base. Campaneris is thrown out trying to stretch his single to a double. So Campaneris forced a call twice at second base in the game.

This, of course, is what makes World Series cards great, and why they should always be in Topps' sets. Moment in time. It doesn't get any better than that on cardboard.

But the greatest night card ever? I guess that's a topic for another post.

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Night card binder candidate: Game 3, 1973 World Series, 1974 Topps, #474
Does it make the binder: Yes. Unfortunately, it knocks this guy out of the binder.