53 Bowman Reese

[Griffins]

isn't "legendary" another way of saying old?

This is what I've read about this card over the years:

It was a staged shot, done in spring training, before WWII, probably in 1941.

It's black and white and was hand colored for the card.


I know it's often cited as the greatest post war regular issued card of all time, but I don't agree. The lighting is crap, you can't see Pee Wee's face clearly, the sliding player (have no reason to doubt it's Frenchy) looks like he's trying to find a contact lens, and the corners are vignetted (darkened, like the lens shade was cutting into the frame). It just doesn't fit with the rest of the set.

BTW, there is another action shot in the set (sort of) and it does fit with the rest. There were 4 cards that weren't issued and were changed prior to the full printing. One of those is entitled Dodgers in Action, and it shows a play at home. I can't recall who was in it, but all 4 cards were offered in a SCP auction about 2001. A different card of Slaughter, Fain and one other player rounded out the quartet.