Hiding in Plain Sight

[JollyElm]

It's funny when you realize there's a Hall of Famer right in front of your face on a card when he's not the focus of said card. Here are two that popped out at me from the 1972 Topps set. Join in and post any you're aware of.

Upon seeing this great shot, and like the anxious fans packed into the stands, your eyes are invariably drawn to Manny Sanguillen flying through the air...

Robinson.jpg

...but take a closer look at who's causing all of this commotion at home plate. It's our old buddy, Frank Robinson!!


John Ellis' baseball prowess didn't exactly set the world on fire, but somehow he was included in the special 'In Action' subset. I guess that says more about how bad the Yankees were in those days than anything else...

killer.jpg

...but take a gander at the grimacing first baseman who's trying to hold him close to the bag. It's the Killer, Harmon Killebrew!!

[Tomman1961]

Months ago I started a thread called soemthing like "stars on other players cards". We all came up with some nice HOFers.

[Samsdaddy]

Very cool. Interesting you picked cards with Frank Robinson and Harmon Killebrew on them. They are two players who I think are vastly under appreciated in baseball and in the collecting world, especially Frank Robinson.

It is also nice because they are also two of my favorite players after Billy Williams and Ron Santo.

[hangman62]

and on the 72T WS card..thats HOFer Zack Wheat with the sunglasses on leaning over the railing

[Exhibitman]

The 1971 Topps Vada Pinson has Thurman Munson on it.

[Rich Klein]

1971 Chris Short with Peter Edward Rose leading off 2nd base. Tons of others, the 1983 Topps Reggie Smith card has an early photo of one Ryne Sandberg. Tons o others, some arranged by the card companies in the 90's, some not

[KCRfan1]

73 McCovey has Bench behind the plate.

[JollyElm]

How about pics of the cards people are mentioning? C'mon, guys! You're making us search ebay to see what you're talking about.

[Paul S]

I forget which card but there's a 56T where the action shot is Mays sliding but the portrait and rest is of another player. (I think I got that right).

[almostdone]

Originally Posted by Paul S

I forget which card but there's a 56T where the action shot is Mays sliding but the portrait and rest is of another player. (I think I got that right).

That's on Hank Aaron's card

[almostdone]

Here are three cards from 1971 Topps. In the back of second on the Tommy Agee is second baseman and future HOFer Joe Morgan. The picture is taken from the same game as the regular issue Morgan card also seen here.
In the foreground of the Bud Harrelson card is a very young future strikeout king Nolan Ryan. I am not 100% sure but I believe that the player being thrown out is also Joe Morgan. I believe, although not completely sure, that the Harrelson play took place immediately after the Morgan shot at bat. If so I think that would make complete logical since the photographer would be in the same position.
Does anyone know a way to research if Joe Morgan faced Nolan Ryan during a day game at Shae stadium during the 1970 season? If the facts check out then that would lead me to conclude that these photos were all taken for the same sequence
Drew

[Eric1977]

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/box-...d=197005300NYN
Cool thread! Almostdone your theory checks out. This is the only game Ryan pitched at home vs. Houston that year. The box score says Morgan did have a SB off Ryan and Grote. I knew it was Ryan on the card but not Morgan. Great eyes!
Edit: Jimmy Winn also had a stolen base that day. Judging by his side burns in his 71 card (also shot at Shea) it may be him.

[Volod]

Originally Posted by Samsdaddy

Very cool. Interesting you picked cards with Frank Robinson and Harmon Killebrew on them. They are two players who I think are vastly under appreciated in baseball and in the collecting world, especially Frank Robinson.

It is also nice because they are also two of my favorite players after Billy Williams and Ron Santo.

Yeah, if Lee McPhail had left Baltimore a year earlier than he did before becoming the Yankees GM, Robinson would probably have been traded to NY in '66, instead of to the O's. That would have made his cards more popular than those of Maris, Jackson, Winfield, Rodriguez, or any other Yankee star purloined from another team, with the obvious exception of Ruth.

[Gr8Beldini]

Originally Posted by Eric1977

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/box-...d=197005300NYN
Cool thread! Almostdone your theory checks out. This is the only game Ryan pitched at home vs. Houston that year. The box score says Morgan did have a SB off Ryan and Grote. I knew it was Ryan on the card but not Morgan. Great eyes!
Edit: Jimmy Winn also had a stolen base that day. Judging by his side burns in his 71 card (also shot at Shea) it may be him.

I always thought it looked much more like Wynn than Morgan.

[71buc]

Here's the 73 Topps Bobby Bonds with Pops covering first base.

[bobsbbcards]