1973 Phillies Team Poster

[Deertick]

I posted about this 11 years ago. Time for a refresh!

Over the past 40 years or so, I have been trying to find out some info on this poster. I have had it stored for the past decade plus to prevent any UV damage, but recently pulled it out with the thought of maybe getting it framed properly.

For some reason (mainly because of my Schmidt-centric PC), I never really dove into the content of the picture. It really strikes me as odd.

1) There are 35 players (plus 2 listed as missing). Was this a 40-man roster photo? I mean, they noted that Nelson Garcia was missing? AA Reading, never made the bigs, Nelson Garcia????

2) 10 of the players pictured did not make the ballclub (including Mike Bruhert who was returned to the Mets before the 3rd game of the season).

Jim Nash was released 15 days prior to the 1st game (3/22/73 vs 4/6/73.) So that helps date the photo.

Downs, Clark, Stone, and Leshnock played their last MLB games in 1972. Bannister didn't make his debut until July 1974. Stephenson, Martin, and Garcia spent 1973 in Eugene or Reading.

3) I haven't pinned down if any players not pictured made the opening day roster. Mike Wallace was called up in June and Craig Robinson was called up in July. Those are the 2 'extras' to what I believe are the active 25.

Anyone have any theories or experience with something like this with your hometown team? Searching hasn't helped as most of the results have been for the standard 25 player official stadium team photos.

Hope someone found this at least a little bit interesting.

[Deertick]

BTW, the original thread was about getting it signed or not. We can see the choice I made.

[roarfrom34]

photo would have been taken in Clearwater during Spring Training (most likely for use in their yearbook)

[Deertick]

Yes, right outside the locker room at the Carpenter Complex. They pulled the stands that they are on from the field that would be right behind the photographer.

ETA: It is a 22"x 17" poster. The only other examples I have seen are poorly cropped , low-res 8" x 10" copies on ebay.

[thetahat]

Correct, it is at the Carpenter Complex. I had many Phillies team pics from the 1970s on my office wall, there are others (see 1972) that were taken in the same spot. Sometimes they sat on wooden bleachers. Eventually they were taken inside the Vet and one year outside the Vet. I got mine from their yearbooks, they were always in the middle and easily detachable. … As you can tell I absolutely love Veterans Stadium.

[bobw]

That team photo came as the centerfold of the 1973 Phillies yearbook, folded into 4s...the back should have artwork.

[Deertick]

BobW, Awesome! I have seen the yearbooks with that poster listed before, just never saw the reverse, sort of like Greg has shown. Mine does not have anything on the reverse, which would have been helpful indeed! I assume it was an insert and not stapled?

Greg, That is a nice display! As best as I can tell, it appears that some years they included the 40-man and some they didn't?

I wonder if mine IS something that was sold separately from the yearbook.

[Deertick]

I'm also wondering about the difference in cropping?

[bobw]

There are staple holes when held up to the light......plus the ebay photos are knock offs....they have to fit an almost squarish image onto an 8x10.

[bobw]

"Anyone have any theories or experience with something like this with your hometown team? Searching hasn't helped as most of the results have been for the standard 25 player official stadium team photos."

I know the early edition of the 1967 Mets yearbook also has a spring training team photo that has everybody.

[Deertick]

Originally Posted by bobw

There are staple holes when held up to the light......plus the ebay photos are knock offs....they have to fit an almost squarish image onto an 8x10.

Our two examples are cropped differently.

Originally Posted by bobw

I know the early edition of the 1967 Mets yearbook also has a spring training team photo that has everybody.

Holy smokes! I think I spotted a hotdog vendor in there.

[thetahat]

Originally Posted by bobw

That team photo came as the centerfold of the 1973 Phillies yearbook, folded into 4s...the back should have artwork.

The “Direction ‘73” poster is so cool. I love the little Girard Bank logos that dot the i’s in Phillies …

[philliesfan]

Love seeing stuff from my team! Go PHILS!

[Cliff Bowman]

I wonder why Larry Christenson and Dick Ruthven aren’t there? They both debuted for the Phillies in mid April 1973.

[Deertick]

Originally Posted by Cliff Bowman

I wonder why Larry Christenson and Dick Ruthven aren’t there? They both debuted for the Phillies in mid April 1973.

Good question! Ruthven was drafted in Jan and went straight to majors in mid Apr. Maybe he wasn't signed by mid Mar when the photo was taken? I have no idea on LC, as he was drafted the previous year. It seems odd as he was the 3rd overall pick? Maybe he was in minor league camp? He wasn't even 20 yrs old.

There are 3 other players missing from the 40-man. With Bruherts' release, 4 before final roster.