1966 or 68 Deckle Proofs

[ALR-bishop]

There are 3 different 1968 Deckle proof sheets of the same 9 players. Yaz is the only one to appear in the 69 set. The sheets differ some in player placement but the main difference is the color of the autos...red, blue and black. Blue is apparently the scacest. I have the 3 sheets, here are 2. In full sheet form they are tough to find. I am not a graded card guy, but if this Yaz is in the PSA master registry set, it would be a fairly tough one. If it is in the master list and the list includes all 3 color autos, that would really be tough

[IMG]http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539
/img009.jpg?t=1336321118[/IMG]

[ALR-bishop]

[David W]

Al,

Those sheets are interesting in that the players are in different locations on the sheet, albeit in the same row.

Also, the selection of a minor league player is unusual.

Thanks for the pix.

[nolemmings]

I would still like to know how those are dated to 1968, given that a couple of players had changed teams before then and one was essentially out of baseball.

[ALR-bishop]

I have no personal knowledge, that is just the way they are listed in the Standard Catalog. Maybe Bob Lemke has more info. I assume because they were apparently never issued, there are only 9, they come on 3 different sheets, and it would not make sense they came out after the 69 set, although maybe they were also produced in 69.

As far as uniforms and playing status, Topps screwed those up many a time and often used pictures several years old that they then airbrushed. The 1969 main set itself, in the first several series, is full of such examples, apparently due to both expansion and the head to head between Topps and Marvin Miller over a new license agreement for future player photos. The later series in that set do have new photos, apparently after an agreement was reached with Miller.

My favorite though is the 1973 set of 1953 Reprints in which 3 of only 8 players are misidentified

[sflayank]

nice al
i only have the black sheet
u have doubles
?
larry

[nolemmings]

Thanks for the info Al. While you're probably right, I'm going to remain a little skeptical for the time being--maybe Bob Lemke can shed some more light on these. BTW, it was my understanding that Marvin Miller, while he had lots of fish to fry with MLB in '69, had already negotiated a deal with Topps in 1968. Of course maybe it was later in the year and after these "proofs" were made.

I know Topps was fond of the airbrush and routinely used old photos. Still, I'm curious why they would include Woodeshick when he was out of baseball after 1967--I'm pretty sure they didn't include him in the regular '68 set. I also find it strange they would airbrush one of the cards (Woodeschick) but no other*. In addition, you might think they would have done all airbrushing before putting on the facsimile signatures. Finally, 5 of the 9 subjects are shown with the wrong team and another is out of baseball if 1968 is the right year-- to me that all seems a little odd, but hey, what do I know.

* I mistakenly claimed in my earlier post that Adlesh's cap was airbrushed--I forgot that he was wearing it backwards and thus it would show no logo.