My 1956 Topps Project

[Eric72]

Of the cards I picked up at the Philly Show, there was exactly one of a Hall of Famer. Robin Roberts was the ace of the Phillies staff in the 1950s, racking up 199 wins and securing seven All-Star selections during the decade. Roberts also finished in the top 10 of MVP voting five times in a seven year stretch, a further indication of just how good the right-hander was.

This particular example is on the lower end of the condition range I'm looking for, as it sports a crease in the bottom left corner. Still, the card displays nicely and the crease does not distract from any of the features or images.

Roberts' portrait stands out to me for several reasons. For starters, his eyes are intensely focused, almost penetrating. Also, the way his eyebrows are shaped, he has a somewhat sinister look about him. It almost seems that he is staring intently at me, through the cardboard, from a moment captured 64 years ago. Additionally, and almost comically, there is Roberts' cap. He hasn't quite pulled it down as far as other players would. It makes me think he didn't want to mess up his hair that day. Given the seriousness of his facial features, this looks (to me, anyway) hilarious. Rather than wear his cap, Roberts put the thing gently atop his head.

One other thing grabbed my attention. In the top left quadrant, underneath the nameplate, there is an orange box. Contained within this box are the position and team name. As with some other cards in this set, there is a definite slant. As stated previously, little imperfections such as this are neat to me. They serve as reminders of the time in which they were made...and the time frame in which they were put together.

Lastly, there is the action pose, which is simple yet effective. It captures Roberts as he enters into a wind-up, amidst a plain yet beautiful background. All in all, this is a very attractive card of one of the best pitchers to ever wear a Phillies uniform.