My First Frankenset: The Top Cards (#10 to #6)

With all of the pages from my first Frankenset finally uploaded (view them all here), I decided to do a recap of my 10 favorite cards from the set. I recently recapped the cards that just missed the top 10. Today, let's take a look at the bottom half of the favorites.

#10 - 1993 Stadium Club #257 - Oscar Azocar

This card appears on many "funny card" lists and for good reason. This classic sneaks in at #10 of my favorites from the Frankenset.

#9 - 1973 Topps #530 - Jim Kaat

An American League pitcher batting became a rare occurrence this season (1973), with the designated hitter coming to the AL. As of last season, the DH is now universal across MLB, a rule change that I dislike the most out of the Manfred Mess (and there's a lot of bad ones to choose from). The fact that this card features an all-time great, an AL pitcher, and an action shot secures its spot at #9.

#8 - 1976 Topps #564 - Kurt Bevacqua 

(Bubble Gum Blowing Champ)

Another notable "funny card". The back of this card is great, too, as it gives us the full championship bracket from the bubble blowing competition. Ralph Houk's Tigers and Danny Murtaugh's Pirates did not send a player to compete. Kurt Bevacqua beat out Johnny Oates for the title in a competition I wish would return.

#7 - 1994 Stadium Club #400 - Orel Hershiser

Someone unfamiliar with baseball would likely be surprised to learn that this card depicts one of the most dominant pitchers of the mid to late 80s. And that this man's nickname was Bulldog. 

I once knew what precisely was occurring in this photo, but couldn't track it down for this post. The only reference I found was behind an LA Times paywall. 

#6 - 1994 Topps #705 - Jose Rijo

One of several mid-90s cards showing Jose Rijo with a squirt gun (Super Soaker brand perhaps?), this one is great because it appears Rijo is taking aim at someone in the crowd. I have one or two other Rijo squirt gun cards in the Frankenset. 

Do you have a favorite from this group?

Coming soon: the top 5 cards!

Gum and Guns: The Frankenset Recap (Page 63: Cards 560-568)

Welcome to another installment of a series covering my completed Frankenset. I thought it would be fun to share the set page by page on this blog, and also provide some random commentary with each page. More information on the Frankenset as well as links to the pages that have been revealed can be found here.

Today we'll look at page 63 of the set, which includes cards #560 to 568. 

1994 Collector's Choice #560 - Jose Canseco

Dateline 1994: Jose still keeping up the charade that his athleticism was all-natural.

2001 Topps #561 - Trot Nixon

Trot's given name? Christopher Trotman Nixon. 

1989 Upper Deck #562 - Carney Lansford

Carney and the ump discussing dinner plans. 

1989 Topps #563 - Bill Schroeder

Just happy to be here, Skip!

1976 Topps #564 - Kurt Bevacqua

Bevacqua defeated Johnny Oates in the final round of the Joe Garagiola Bazooka Bubble Gum Blowing Championship (better known as the JGBBGBC). The Tigers and Pirates were the only teams not to send a player to join the competition, depriving us of knowing the bubble blowing potential of John Wockenfuss or Rennie Stennett. 

1991 Fleer #565 - Bill Pecota

Even if he checked his swing, this still looks like a strike. 

1991 Topps #566 - Craig Wilson

Did Wilson hit .171 in 1991 because he was spending too much time on his juggling? You decide.

1983 Fleer #567 - John Grubb

Ranger Aid fell out of popularity after people discovered its two ingredients were crude oil and the tears of Rangers fans.

1998 Fleer Tradition #568 - Miguel Cairo

Hacky sack with a baseball? Better be wearing your steel-toed cleats.

What is your favorite card from the page? I almost have to go with the Bevacqua, probably followed by Carney Lansford arguing (I love player/manager arguing cards), and maybe Bill Pecota third. 

An Unexpected PWE: Everyone's Dream

I recently received a PWE from Brendan, better known as Elliptical Man over at A View from the Third Floor. When I saw the envelope, I didn't think I had won a recent giveaway or anything, so I was intrigued. So, what was inside? It didn't take me long to see they were all candidates for my Frankenset, but if there was any doubt, Brendan included a little checklist guide to what he sent.

Eighteen cards in total made their way from beautiful San Diego to the less picturesque Fargo in a 70 cent envelope. Some were cards I already had in my Frankenset, but some were new to me, so I will need to see if they might find a home in the set. 

Dave Stewart the cameraman. Chuck Finley hugging a runner. The Gary Pettis is a great find. He missed the bunt! Hadn't noticed this one before. Some great glasses/sunglasses shots, too. Do you know the guy in the middle? Scroll down for the answer. And Steve Carlton with the White Sox? Just doesn't look right.

Chris Bosio signing some autos. Why is 40-something Carlton Fisk bunting? Tim Raines bunting - makes more sense. Pitcher running the bases. Two legendary nicknames. Love a good bubble gum card. And then you have the Rollie Fingers mustache battling the Justin Turner beard (sorry it's sideways). 

I appreciate Brendan going through my list and finding some awesome cards to fit my Frankenset categories. He's a loyal reader of the blog, too, so I owe him a double thanks! 

The man in the middle on page one was the one and only Jay Buhner. If you got it wrong, you owe me one Ken Phelps card.

Tebow Time, Bubble Gum, and a Sucker: My Favorite Frankenset Card by Page; Page 9 (Cards 91-99)

It's time for another installment of my favorite Frankenset card (by page), where I show off my Frankenset by giving you my top three favorite cards from each page of the set. Let's jump right in.

3) 2019 Bowman Draft #92, Tim Tebow

I think 2020 would have been Tebow's last best shot at taking a few at-bats late in the season at the major league level, but the minor league season was canceled. Not sure he had much of a chance to begin with, but it's probably not going to happen now. Still, what he has done at the minor league level is really impressive after not playing since high school. 

2) 2016 Stadium Club #96, Adam Eaton

Not quite a Bevacqua-level bubble, but quite impressive for an in-action photo. 

1) 1993 Upper Deck #99, Mark Portugal

This is the quintessential Frankenset card. Signing autos. The glasses. The STRAP on the glasses! The sucker in the mouth. Golden.

With page nine now in the books, here are the Frankenset standings. For this post, we have an "Wrong Sport" with the Tebow, a "Gum" card with the Eaton, and a combination "Glasses" and "Signing Autos" card with the Portugal. The Portugal fits into more than one category, so it will be split into half points. After nine pages, here's what we've seen:

Category
Lesser Known:	4.5
Odd Team:	4
Glasses:	4
Mustache:	3
Pitcher Hitting:	3
Field Action - Awkward:	2
Equipment Oddity:	1
Facial Expression - In Action:	1
Field Action Fail:	1
Pitcher Running Bases:	1
Position Player Pitching:	1
Gum:	1
Wrong Sport:	1
Why is he bunting?:	0.5
Chew:	0.5
Funny Name/Nickname:	0.5
Hair:	0.5
Signing Autographs:	0.5

What is your favorite card from page nine?

Thanks for reading!