The 1978 Topps Texas Rangers
The 1978 set has 32 Ranger images, excluding the Medich paint job and including those of Darold Knowles and Nelson Briles.
The team photo was taken in Arlington Stadium after July 25, which is when Bevacqua joined the club, and he is shown seated 3rd from left in the bottom row. The other players are too indistinct to make enough further identifications which could help date the image better. If anyone has the key to this photo, please pass it along.
The small black and white image of Billy Hunter was taken while he was with the Indians in 1958.
A number of pics were taken during one of the club's swings through the Bronx, either 5/25 or 8/26-8/28: Wills, Harrah, Devine, Alexander, Hargrove, Campaneris, Ellis, Sundberg and Grieve. Hunter and Bevacqua were taken during the August trip.
Some were taken in Oakland, either 6/27-6/29 or 9/23-9/25: Washington, Beniquez, Fahey, Mason and Henderson. Barker was snapped there in September, and Briles in June.
Several images were taken at Municipal Field in Pompano Beach, FL during spring training: Blyleven, May, Moret, Boggs, Alomar, Perry and Knowles.
Lindblad, though wearing his away uniform, was also snapped at the Rangers' spring home because the sign behind him is the same sign visible on Moret's card.
The rookies, Putnam and Smith, are tough ones. Putnam, wearing his home whites, appears to be completely matted around his head and shoulders. However, since no images are known to have been taken by Topps in Arlington Stadium, it must be concluded his picture was taken in Pompano Beach.
Smith is also in his whites, and for the same reason should also be considered to have been photographed in Florida. Municipal Field did have a section of seats which were green in color, but the image isn't in itself convincing that it was taken there. But, there are those whites. So, I will assume Pompano Beach.
Ellis and Horton are even tougher. With Lopez and Jones from the Mariners, I am placing them in Tiger Stadium, either 5/3 or 8/5-8/7, until better intel becomes available.
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