Since finding night cards in current product isn't as fun as it used to be, I don't look for them more than a couple times a year.
Usually it's at the start of the card season and at the end of it, although the season never really ends. So, let's say I look for them when Topps flagship comes out in February and then again when I'm stuffing those cards in a box around October/November.
The 2023 cards are like the 2022 cards, which were like the 2021 cards, which were like the 2020, etc., etc. It's close cropping on the main subject so you can't pick up on any ballpark atmosphere. Boring cards, basically.
Determining whether a player is photographed in a day or a night setting comes down to the lighting in the photo in most cases.
These are all night cards, and so is Riley Greene above. You won't find a light in any of the photos, except for the scoreboard lights behind Brandon Marsh, but the darkened setting is a tip off. All you got to do is compare it to a card in a daytime setting.
Still, I am not fired up to put any of these in my night card binder. The other cards in that binder would laugh at them.
Here is one exception that I'd be happy to add:
Yeah, it's a close-cropped shot, but look at that scoreboard shine and the double-play action. Vaughn Grissom is retiring the Rockies' Sam Bouchard on a double play turn.
This photo comes from Getty Images. In the original, which is from last Aug. 31, you can see that Dansby Swanson was cropped out. I'd love to know what the scoreboard is advertising behind the play, but all I see on Getty is an image from later in the play that seems to say "Gas -- something".
This also is one of the "hot" cards in flagship, at least that's what I heard a couple weeks ago, which would mean if I wanted to add this to the night card binder I'd need to pony up a buck or so for another one, as I try to get a duplicate for the binder, at least for modern cards.
To determine a card's night-card binder worthiness you must turn it over to find the card number. And when I did, I was hit by someone who has absolutely no experience in the 20th century. That's a bit alarming.
It's good to know I can still find a night-card binder candidate even with Topps' cropping ways, so I'll keep looking and keep a light on for those night cards.
But, alas, Grissom won't be appearing in the binder anyway.
Nobody is getting past Disco Dan Ford.
(Hey, tight-cropping on a 45-year-old card, too!)
Comments
Disco Dan was part of a trio of stars who left the Twins, either via trade or free agency, for the Angels in the late 70s. Carew being the most famous but Lyman Bostock being the tragedy.
I think one of the first true in action cards, from a day game, was a beauty. The Munson card from 1971 where's he's making a play at the plate.
The first night game photo I could find was the 1972 WS game 4 card from 1971 series showing Roberto Clemente leading off 2nd base, though it's hard to tell it was a night game from the photo. But this was the 1st night game in WS history. I absolutely love that card along with his 72 in action where it looks like he just got called out on strikes in a game at SF.
Paul t.
Well, I remember I had a fairly decent job at a hotel and I earned myself a small, dank and fiercely drafty office near the “old locker room” or whatever went down in there. My boss Jerome tells me “this office is a gift and you need to keep it in shape” and as he’s saying that a roach peered out from a hole in the wall and emptied a tiny trash can onto the floor before demanding that we “keep it down.” Well, I oblige and keep this rats nest tidy. One day I get a knocking in my heater and I don’t think much of it.
Well, a few weeks goes by and Jerome needs to borrow my office as they’re fumigating his. And so whatever. I go back to a cubicle and I grab my box of baseball cards and pet rock and I jet for the ass-end of the hallway. A few minutes later and my desk phone rings and so I pick it up
“Wendell!l
“Jerome?”
“What the hell is that noise? It sounds awful!”
“I dunno, man”
He then hangs up and we hear this smashing sound. Finally the door opens and Jerome calls me in. There’s a mess and a smashed vent and Jerome is all sweaty and he’s panting and holding a smashed umbrella.
“Look” he points downward “what is that?”
“Oh s-!” I exclaim as I bend down. “That’s Dan Ford and I’ve been looking for that card”
I worked a week free to pay for that vent. Pfff. Labor laws.
Such sweet memories.
Wendell!
Keep looking...some of the horizontal shots (which you love) were taken at night (which you love) and are pretty cool looking.