[Northviewcats]

Hello Everyone,

My favorite set from the 1960s is 1961. The design was so simple, it reminds me of the default layout for Power Point presentations, just three boxes. A large photograph on top, and two smaller boxes, on the lower left the player's name and position, on the right the team. The colors are solid and bright. There is no confusion. The focus on the back is on the statistics, not commentary; and the cartoons on the back are fun to read and taken as a whole give an interesting insight into the life of a baseball player. I know there are a lot of portraits and not many action photos. I remember that when I collected the set as a kid I was drawn to the action photos. My favorites were Jerry Adair, Hank Aguirre and Bill Mazeroski, but now I've grown to love all the head shots. I would argue that the 61 Mick is the most recognizable card in the Mantle cannon. In the portraits the personalities of the players is really revealed.
The set pays homage to the great moments of the game: Ruth's 60th Homer, Hornsby's .424 average, Chesbro's 41 wins and the feats of Mathewson, Johnson and others. The set is loaded with Hall-of-Famers and history. Like all sets there are faults, for example, the manager cards are silly and it is difficult to find perfectly centered cards. Nevertheless, when you look at the set in an album its symmetry, artistry and design are striking. Take a moment to examine below one page from my set and you will see what I mean.

Best wishes,

Joe