A couple of cards

Man, December is kicking my butt and it doesn't even have to do with any holiday stuff.

 

I just have a couple of cards for you and it shows you how much energy I have that I labeled the post "a couple of cards" after sitting here for too long trying to come up with a title.

I grabbed two cards in Diamond Jesters' latest time-traveling trade and they both happen to be from 1968 Topps.

I'm on record as not enjoying the 1968 burlap design that much, so how do I explain my pick-ups?

Well, 53-year-old cards are 53-year-old cards. They always have an advantage over newer and shinier cards whether they look like grandma's kitchen wallpaper or not.

Secondly, I can't resist players like Frank Howard. Even though he wasn't playing for the Dodgers by this point, he's still someone I wished I could have seen play. 6-foot-7 batters don't come around very often. Everyone 6-7 and above is either Aaron Judge or a pitcher. And you know how much people loathe seeing pitchers standing in the batter's box these days.

With Howard, there's just something so great about someone that powerful and big, mashing home runs and wearing spectacles, too.

The other '68 card I jumped at is of Ricardo Joseph here. I suppose I need to explain myself for getting so excited about this one.

It's because I can do this!:

There is just no way Topps would have survived if they put a set out like 1969 Topps during the social media age.

The '69 card is so great -- the exact same picture and Joseph STILL isn't in the right uniform. In fact there's MORE of the wrong uniform showing! It's a good thing Joseph lasted a little while longer and Topps was able to get him in his actual Phillies uniform for the 1970 set.

So, that's all I've got for you tonight.

I did have time to do a little more research today though -- in between all of the various life crises and nonsense -- and if nothing comes crashing through the ceiling or blasting in from the center of the earth, I'll have the results of that for you tomorrow.

Stay tuned.