Bad Card in a Great Set

[Brianruns10]

Okay here's a fun one: what are some great sets, with godawful cards?

The '52 Topps set is a masterpiece of art and design, but oh lord is Cliff Chamber's card ugly. I mean, it doesn't help that the player wasn't very easy on the eyes, but the card makes him look out to be from central casting on "Deliverance."

And the '51 Bowman set has a really bizarre card. Nearly every card in that set is really lovingly rendered from real life, but for some reason (maybe he offended someone at Bowman) poor Paul Richards's card looks like a really bad caricature portrait you'd get at the county fair. And speaking of county fairs, Richards looks like he's getting ready to go bobbing for apples!

[Gr8Beldini]

Roy Campanella's 1954 Bowman card looks like it was taken in one of those fun house mirrors.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

How about this one?

[judsonhamlin]

Can I nominate the '49 Bowman Floyd Baker? Cool set but that is a stinker of a card. I can't grab an image right now

[Brianruns10]

Originally Posted by vintagebaseballcardguy

How about this one?

Yeah definitely not flattering. Though I do give credit to Topps for doing a nice job of hand coloring the portrait.

As for worst debut card by a Hall of Famer, can there be any doubt that it is poor Hoyt Wilhelm's? The poor guy's eyes are closed! Talk about an inauspicious start.

[egri]

1953 Topps Willie Mays. Just one of the ugliest cards I've seen from that era. Also the 1963 Topps Pete Rose; the picture they used was very dark and I'm not a fan of the purple used for the team name.

[7nohitter]

Originally Posted by Brianruns10

Okay here's a fun one: what are some great sets, with godawful cards?

The '52 Topps set is a masterpiece of art and design, but oh lord is Cliff Chamber's card ugly. I mean, it doesn't help that the player wasn't very easy on the eyes, but the card makes him look out to be from central casting on "Deliverance."

And the '51 Bowman set has a really bizarre card. Nearly every card in that set is really lovingly rendered from real life, but for some reason (maybe he offended someone at Bowman) poor Paul Richards's card looks like a really bad caricature portrait you'd get at the county fair. And speaking of county fairs, Richards looks like he's getting ready to go bobbing for apples!

Good call on the '51 Bowman Richards...what the hell is that?

[bnorth]

Really hard to get worse than this Mossi.

[PolarBear]

[PolarBear]

[DBesse27]

That 51 Bowman Richards is hilarious! Thanks for bringing it to my attention. As for BEST card in that set, which is otherwise attractive, I nominate Campanella.

[egri]

Originally Posted by Brianruns10

And the '51 Bowman set has a really bizarre card. Nearly every card in that set is really lovingly rendered from real life, but for some reason (maybe he offended someone at Bowman) poor Paul Richards's card looks like a really bad caricature portrait you'd get at the county fair. And speaking of county fairs, Richards looks like he's getting ready to go bobbing for apples!

Holy cow, he looks like a Brontosaurus! I wonder what his reaction was when he saw that card.

[PolarBear]

[PolarBear]

[brob28]

Don't stare too long, it'll burn your eyes.

[Mark70Z]

Originally Posted by PolarBear

I don't know what you're talking about...that Brooksie is sharp looking (just don't look at the mouth portion)!

[Peter_Spaeth]

It would be a great pose otherwise, but on his 65 Topps Mantle's eyes are just about closed.

[TAVG]

Originally Posted by PolarBear

what the hell?

[brian1961]

Just a few that come to mind:

1961 Topps Harmon Killebrew

1961 Willie Mays--- So grossly disappointing. They shouldda used his 7th Series All-Star photo for his regular Topps card. What a radiant smile. Willie could look so energetically happy, such as his '58, '62 & '66 Topps.

1962 Topps Mickey Mantle-- He does look kinda hung over.

1963 Topps Mickey Mantle-- I don't even like to look at this one.

Most of the duo, triple, and quad player rookie cards. I genuinely feel bad for guys that really enjoy collecting rookie cards. You're better off sticking with the guy's first solitary card. For example, I'd take the Topps 1964 Pete Rose over his lower left corner rookie card any time, except if I was selling it. Same with the '69 Nolan Ryan.

1965 Topps Don Drysdale---Granted, a great smile, but Topps did too many head shots of Big D through the years. My two favorite are 60 & 61, notwithstanding.

1952 Topps Bobby Thomson---Again, granted, a great smile!. I'd have loved to have seen a colorized shot of him hoisted by his teammates after his pennant-winning home run in the '51 playoff. Such an important, unforgettable baseball moment in time.

1970 Topps Henry Aaron---That look on his mug was awful, just awful. For that matter, the look on his face for his '69 was disgraceful. Or his 61 Topps All-Star. I love his '60, and his '59 Bazooka.

1966 Topps Sandy Koufax is OK at the most. After that career year of 1965, the card of the following year celebrating his many great achievements should have been so much better, such as a compelling posed action shot, or if you could get him to flash his endearing smile, say from the waist-up. Then that winds up being his last baseball card. Topps should have done a tribute to Sandy, but he announced his retirement shortly after the 66 season, so that was that.

Well, I've posted my usual nickel-pack's worth. ---Brian Powell

[PolarBear]

Originally Posted by brian1961

Most of the duo, triple, and quad player rookie cards. I genuinely feel bad for guys that really enjoy collecting rookie cards. You're better off sticking with the guy's first solitary card. For example, I'd take the Topps 1964 Pete Rose over his lower left corner rookie card any time, except if I was selling it. Same with the '69 Nolan Ryan.

---Brian Powell

This x100. I've never understood the appeal of wanting a card of a player with 2 other no name players on the same card.

[jason.1969]