Like Panini America, Upper Deck does not have a MLB license, so there are no team logos. Heck, even notations about where a ballplayer played are not included. Instead, the base cards indicate only the sport they played, and as you can see below they use paintings instead of photos on the cards.
Overall, the cards in this set are aesthetically horrible. If there was an award for the ugliest set of the year, this one would be the favorite to win it. Its only saving grace is the inclusion of a couple of long forgotten former Dodger players... Oh, and the card I describe below.
Easily, the best Dodger card in the base set is the Ron Cey card directly below. He is shown in a tux and fancy top hat. Maybe it's an homage to his nickname as "The Penguin". After all, isn't that outfit often referred to as a penguin suit?
Base Set
#69 Steve Garvey
#129 Mark McGwire
Below is a card of old-tyme former Dodger Oyster Burns. He played for Brooklyn during the franchise's early years, from 1888 to 1895, and was one of the clubs earliest stars. Oyster batted .300, OPS'd .810 and stole 172 bases during those 8 seasons. He lead the league in home runs and RBI's in 1890 with 13 and 128, respectively. Also, during that season he became the first Dodger to hit for the cycle.
His real name was Thomas, but he was nicknamed Oyster because he sold shellfish during the winter. Oyster Burns was also an loud and obnoxious sort of fellow. He was described by the New York Clipper as:
"the noisiest man that ever played on the Brooklyn team. His voice reminds one of a buzz-saw."Ouch! That hurts, eh? Of course, considering that he once stabbed a sleeping teammate during a break in a doubleheader the above description might be too soft.
Base Short Prints SP
#133 Oyster Burns
I decided to include the Joe Kelley card below as a Dodger even though he spent a majority of his Hall of Fame career with the Baltimore Orioles. He played in Brooklyn from 1899 to 1901, and batted .317 during that time period. Kelley was also an important cog to a club that won 2 pennants while he was with the Superbas.
Base Super Short Prints SSP
Goudey Set
#2 Mark McGwire
Goudey Autographs Set
#2 Mark McGwire
Sport Royalty Autographs Set
#SRA-MM Mark McGwire
Baseball Prospect Autographs
#183 Chris Anderson #195 Joc Pederson
Autographs
#A-GA Steve Garvey
Memorabilia Set
#M-PE Joc Pederson
Memorabilia Platinum Series Set
#M-PE Joc Pederson
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LOL that Ron Cey card made me spit out my coffee. Just as atrocious as that Mattingly sweater card from a year or so ago. Only saving grace for Goodwin is that their autographed cards are on card autos.
ReplyDeleteI think the Cey card is a case of, "it's so bad, it's good"
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