(Welcome to National Columnist Day. I've written a newspaper column or two, but I haven't done so in a long time. I've got a blog for spouting off now. This is Cardboard Appreciation and the 223rd in a series):
I am slowly building up inventory for my countdown of the 100 greatest cards of the 1970s. I continue to have work to do and cards to find, so I hope nobody is waiting in the theater with ticket stub in hand for the curtain to raise. It's going to be awhile.
But I made great headway with this card. This is the last of my "Goodbye to March" purchases.
The 1970 Topps set doesn't get much credit for photography, probably because of all the airbrushing. But you can't get much better than an Expo choosing his weapon out of an assortment thrown into a red shopping cart as a jacketed Montreal somebody observes in the dugout behind a chain link fence.
And, oh yes, I can't forget the monstrous rookie trophy. And the blue sky. And the fact his name is "Jose Laboy". Heck, let's go ahead and declare this card No. 1 right now.
Also, I improved upon this card by accidentally getting peanut butter on the scanner, plopping the card face-down on top of the peanut butter and then scanning. You can see the stain remnants down by the "L" in "Laboy". It's Jose "Peanut Butter" Laboy!
Actually, Laboy's nickname was "Coco", and you can find out more about him on my other blog.
It took Coco Laboy 10 long years to make the major leagues and receive his first solo card. But he made it a doozy.
That's why I'm ready to declare this card as the all-time best card in the 100 greatest cards of the 19 ...
... oh, right.
I landed this card, too.
I've still got a lot of work to do.
I am slowly building up inventory for my countdown of the 100 greatest cards of the 1970s. I continue to have work to do and cards to find, so I hope nobody is waiting in the theater with ticket stub in hand for the curtain to raise. It's going to be awhile.
But I made great headway with this card. This is the last of my "Goodbye to March" purchases.
The 1970 Topps set doesn't get much credit for photography, probably because of all the airbrushing. But you can't get much better than an Expo choosing his weapon out of an assortment thrown into a red shopping cart as a jacketed Montreal somebody observes in the dugout behind a chain link fence.
And, oh yes, I can't forget the monstrous rookie trophy. And the blue sky. And the fact his name is "Jose Laboy". Heck, let's go ahead and declare this card No. 1 right now.
Also, I improved upon this card by accidentally getting peanut butter on the scanner, plopping the card face-down on top of the peanut butter and then scanning. You can see the stain remnants down by the "L" in "Laboy". It's Jose "Peanut Butter" Laboy!
Actually, Laboy's nickname was "Coco", and you can find out more about him on my other blog.
It took Coco Laboy 10 long years to make the major leagues and receive his first solo card. But he made it a doozy.
That's why I'm ready to declare this card as the all-time best card in the 100 greatest cards of the 19 ...
... oh, right.
I landed this card, too.
I've still got a lot of work to do.
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