[Eric72]

After completing the Phillies team set, I decided to set my sights on the Big Apple. In 1956, baseball fans in New York had not yet felt the sting of losing two of their three teams. The Yankees were perennial favorites, the Dodgers had just won their first World Series, and the Giants captured a championship the year before. New York was the center of the baseball universe, and most of the brightest stars played their home games in the city that never sleeps.

The background picture on this Bob Cerv card exhibits many of the small details I enjoy from the 1956 Topps set. The stands are filled with fans, giving the scene a lively feel. Adding to the energy of this image is the twisted body of Cerv as he rounds first base. There is also a small cloud of dust around his feet, further displaying Cerv's somewhat frenetic movement.

Perhaps the most interesting detail is one that I missed when first looking at the card. At a spot roughly halfway between Cerv's chest and the ear of his portrait, there is a white sphere. Sure enough, it's a baseball. There are even visible stitches on the thing. Its size makes the ball appear closer (to the viewer) than the rest of the subjects in this scene. Additionally, it leaves me to wonder what happened to the ball before and after this precise moment in time.

Such a detail reinforces the depth and realism Topps likely sought to present with this image. It also truly brings me into the action. I can almost imagine being along the first base line on a late afternoon, watching the action up-close as the shadows grew longer and the game sped towards its conclusion.

EDIT TO ADD: I'm still not entirely sure Cerv is rounding first base here. the curvature of the dirt and presence of the foul line certainly led me to believe it was first. However, the stands in the background also seem to be located along the first base line. That scene even appears to include a dugout. Maybe Topps fused two images together? I'd love to hear some theories.