Quote:
Originally Posted by bnorth
Here is a picture of both versions listed. I am also a big fan of custom cards.  |
A long overdue thanks to Ben North for coming to my rescue in posting scans of the fantasy 1962 Topps Mickey Mantle I spoke so highly of.
The specific photo I was referring to is the scan on the right side of the screen. It's a special image to me, personally. You see, when the awful day came in August 1995 that Mickey died and went to be with the Lord, the USAToday chose this same image to bring the news of his death. I still remember seeing the picture, and thinking to myself, boy, would that shot have made a nice baseball card of Mickey. I even bought the issue just to get that picture! As I had written before, I believe the caption with the photo stated it was taken in the summer of 1960, when Mickey was very healthy and still looked young. This image would have been most apropos for a 1962 Topps baseball card of The Mighty Mick, in a distinctive horizontal format.
If you've patiently read my recollection, thanks for bearing with me.
To be sure, fantasy cards mean something to me. In conjunction with my book, NEVER CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN, and with the help of an artist and a computer graphic artist, I lovingly made two versions each of fantasy 1954 Wilson Franks Mickey Mantle and Jackie Robinson cards. That was a lot of fun, though expensive! A quartet of breathtaking dream come trues, though!
Having a pretty good imagination, as well as knowledge of regional-collecting as it was, I play it out in my mind as a 10-year-old successfully begging his dear Mom to buy a pair of Wilson Franks packs, though the family brand was Oscar Meyer. Later that evening, I assisted her in the preparation of the franks, for the first time in my life! Opening the packages, the first "free prize" was Jackie Robinson. Jack looked terrific, as he's shown stealing home in a marvelous horizontal pose. The actual photo I chose to do the card was the moment Jack actually stole home against the Cubs in '52. Cub pitcher Willard Ramsdell nearly blew a fuse at his catcher when he missed Jackie by a whisker! With a nice light blue background, the card is perfect to me. Then, the second card. With apprehension, but tingling excitement, I slowly find the second "free prize". Wow---Mickey Mantle!!! I've always liked purple, even as a little kid. I found this evocative shade of red-violet that matched some I'd seen in mid 50s advertising. Fifteen years prior, I had sourced a profoundly beautiful action shot of Mickey about to slug the ball during a Yanks' home game. The time period of the game was close enough to work for a '54 Wilson Franks, since Mantle looked very young, and he was still batting with his regular cloth baseball cap on. You can see the dirt spray up on Mick's lead foot as he's about to swing. The wonderful NY on his uniform stands out beautifully. The complete package is ..... perfect! All in all, to get Jackie Robinson and Mickey Mantle Wilson Franks cards in a matter of minutes would put this baseball card-lovin' kid on a Cardboard Cloud 9, as I described it in my book, for a couple of weeks!
Though I could not market the cards legally, I went through the laborious process of having a few made for me, period. It was a great experience and very fulfilling, and made for an appropriate last chapter of my book, as I concentrated on Wilson Franks and focused on Jackie Robinson, particularly his 1947-49 Bond Bread cards. Oh yes, at the end of that chapter, you will find a a beautiful color page with all four of the fantasy Wilsons I made, arranged around a large color photo of the Wilson Franks package, just as it appears on their great cards.
Have a swell day, guys, as well as the ladies who frequent Net54.
--- Brian Powell