Card numbers for commons: 333

 

Check out the look of panic on some of you as you see another Allen & Ginter card.

Take it easy, this is merely a card that inspired today's post.

Steve Garvey is card No. 333 in this year's A&G set. For A&G, No. 333 usually means a short-print. Otherwise, the number is often relegated to common status, or at least was when Topps had its hero-number thing going in full force, reserving numbers ending in 0 or 5 for players like Garvey.

But 333 is one of the more fun common numbers there is so let's focus on that on this Friday. If you remember the exercise, I track down my top 10 favorite 333s in my collection and then I add five 333s that I don't own but might want to someday.

OK, let's go:

10. 1977 Topps, Paul Reuschel

Paul Reuschel is the lesser-known of the Reuschel brothers as his career lasted a mere five years while his brother Rick's career kept going and going and going. In fact, if it wasn't for the Big League Brothers cards of the two Reuschels in 1977, I could have missed Paul's career entirely as I never pulled any of his other cards out of packs. And missing those horned-rim classics would be tragic.

9. 1983 Fleer, Lynn Jones

These days, Lynn Jones' cards are special to me as he was one of the teammate buds of the late, great Johnny Wockenfuss back in the day. But prior to that this card was notable because Pat Benatar is at the ballgame and nobody is freaking out!

8. 1993 Upper Deck, Paul Molitor

Bat flip! ... Yes, this has become another commercial for my forthcoming 1993 Upper Deck blog. Are you ready? More importantly, am I ready? I still feel unprepared.

7. 1974 Topps, All-Star Second Basemen

The '74 All-Star cards are often overlooked and criticized because not only do the All-Star designations belong on that player's individual card but whatareyadoin squeezing two stars onto one card! This isn't some prospects card! These are damn All-Starz!!!! Still, I cannot deny a Carew-Morgan card.

Also this is on the back:

Watch out.

6. 2003 Topps, Shawn Green, Season Highlights

I love me a good Dodger Home Run Highlight card. They come along so seldom. Nine home runs in one week is crazy, especially since Green had just three for the season going into the week. The back of this card shines almost as much as the front as the writer breaks out the phrase "whoopin' stick."

5. 1976 Topps, Bob Coluccio

You need to know your 1970s baseball card history to really appreciate this card -- specifically, knowledge of Coluccio's 1974 card is a must.

The "your brain on drugs" commercial folks missed an outstanding visual.

 

 

4. 2005 Topps, Randy Johnson, Season Highlights

Horizontal cards can do things vertical cards can't, and displaying the KKKKKKK is one of them.

3. 1998 Topps Chrome, Raul Mondesi

Never has a tape roll received such star treatment. I chose the Chrome version of this card because this reminds me of how well I could scan Chrome cards, heck it reminds me of when I used to be able to scan cards.

2. 1991 Topps, Chipper Jones

I can feel the outrage. Why isn't this No. 1? Well, look at it. Chipper's just standing there. And that ain't no MLB uniform. But it's still an iconic card and kind of wild that the No. 333 reached such heights.

1. 1967 Topps, Ferguson Jenkins

But the best example of 333 hanging with the big boys is the 1967 Topps card. I use this card every time I do one of those "The Most Hall Of Famers" posts and it's partly because it amuses me that Jenkins was not fit for a card number ending in at least 5 at this point. Jenkins would show Topps by winning 20 games in 1967.

OK, now five #333s that I don't own:

5. 1994 Flair, Ruben Sierra

 

Flair with its multiple images is such a weird set. It's too weird for me to collect but on this card the dual images work great, Sierra is facing off against himself! 

 

 

4. 1997 Fleer Ultra gold medallion, Royce Clayton

The '97 Ultra set is odd in that the gold medallion cards had different images. 1997 was also the year that I asked Royce Clayton if I could talk to him for a 5-minute interview in the Montreal Expos clubhouse. He told me he had "to go work." I just know that was him 2 minutes after saying that to me.

3. 1995 Pinnacle, Ozzie Smith

Weird card. Every image in my head of Ozzie Smith doing his pregame flip shows him vertically. Good for Pinnacle thinking outside of the box. Still odd though.

2. 1992 Upper Deck, Jose Canseco

I don't believe TCDB when it tells me I don't have this card. It's got to be around somewhere and if it isn't someone has ripped me off! Evil stealers. I would never get rid of a multi-image Jose Canseco card. I'm sure Canseco has wished there was three of him at some point.

 

 

1. 1952 Topps, Pee Wee Reese

Obviously. ... I'll probably never land this particular #333, especially since I probably have 3 or 4 reprints of the card. But, sure, it would be nice to own it.

So, there, as always it's nice to discover what gems reside at rather mundane numbers. Although, I'm sure there are collectors out there who collect 333 cards, so they probably know all about these, and some of the ones I missed.