Best Last Active Player Card?

[Exhibitman]

Who had the best final card? So many of the last cards of then-active great players were with bizarre teams, or were just sad looking portraits of burned out old guys. My personal pick:



Classic pose, and he went out with a HR.

BTW, the 1969 Topps Mantle is not eligible; he retired before the season started and never played an inning in 1969, so the 1968 is really his last active card.

[egri]

1956 Topps Jackie Robinson. You can't beat the action shot of him stealing home.

[Econteachert205]

53 topps satchel paige

[VoodooChild]

'73 Clemente with exactly 3,000 hits as his career total on the back.

[CW]

I'm not sure which one would qualify here, but Hammerin' Hank's regular issue '73 or the tribute card in '74 were both pretty cool...

[Taxman]

69 white letter Mantle.

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by VoodooChild

'73 Clemente with exactly 3,000 hits as his career total on the back.

The 1973 Topps Roberto Clemente??

[brian1961]

It might be historically accurate that Mickey Mantle's last playing year was 1968, but to simply dismiss any of his 1969 cards from being included as best last cards is a crock of horse manure.

I quote from page 221 of Tony Castro's marvelous biography, MICKEY MANTLE, AMERICA'S PRODIGAL SON, "Mantle had gone to spring training early that year to see if he could turn back time but knowing deep down that his career was over." He knew in his heart he was all done, but WE did not know, and neither did the people at Topps. In Fort Lauderdale, on March 1, 1969, Mickey Mantle announced his retirement from baseball.

Until that point, for all intents and purposes he was going to suit up and gamely play another season for the Yankees. Topps included Mantle in every single set they possibly could, which was considerable when you take into account their test issues. Topps could have removed Mick from their sets, but wisely chose not to. For the same reasoning as Topps, I nominate two cards as the best of the last---Mickey's 1969 Topps and his flat out beautiful 1969 Topps Super Baseball that Chris nominated.

---Brian Powell

PS--I agree with the choice of that exotic Ernie Lombardi '48 Signal Gasoline. Hey, you know none of us impassioned card collectors could ever choose just one card if our life depended on it. As I remember, in about 1976 Topps led off with a beaute of Hank Aaron, a full length batting pose; it was stunning.

[PolarBear]

Originally Posted by the 'stache

The 1973 Topps Roberto Clemente??

I agree as well. The 73 Clemente is probably his best card. It doesn't really fit the OP's rules though, since Clemente never played in the 73 season.

But who cares about rules, the 73 Clemente is the winner.