Show a Card that is 'Shocking' (whatever that means to you personally)...

[JollyElm]

Show a card that just rocks your world in a strange way for whatever reason, and explain why it does.

Here's mine:
This is Johnny Keane. He was born in November 1911, which means if this picture was taken during the 1965 season, HE WAS ONLY 53 YEARS OLD at the time...but since the uniform indicates the photo shows him as a member of the Cardinals, it could've been taken anytime between 1961-1964, meaning he was years younger than that!!

1966keane.jpg

Feeling old yet??? I shudder.

[Kutcher55]

Well he only lived until he was 56 and barely made it to 1967 so life definitely took a toll on him.

[jchcollins]

To me, this card is shocking one because of what I paid for it ($125, paper loss / tape on the back...) but mainly because I never thought I'd own one again. Picked up in December. As a kid in the 1980's I had a nice one that also had paper loss on the back, but I traded it away for something...




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Harliduck]

Wow, ol' Johnny is only a year older than me...haha...he looks 77 at best! Hard life for sure...

That's a good lookin' 55 Aaron. I've had a few come and go and I feel the same about the one I currently own...I still get giddy on pretty much any Hank Aaron...when I was a kid in the late 70s and early 80s he was my idol and to have his card was about the same as having a Ruth...unobtainable. Seeing an older brother of a buddy who had a wrinkled up 76 card with him as a Brewer seemed outrageous...that kid was a GOD. My first Hank was a 69 Topps card I got when I was 15...I will never forget that...felt like I had arrived...




Every time I see this card I just can't believe he let a photographer take his picture with his hair like this, classic hat head. I would have flat out refused!

[steve B]

I wonder if I can make a fantasy card with a built in taser....

Thank you, I'll be here all the week.

[Exhibitman]

This was shocking to us kids:



And of course:

[ALR-bishop]

Weird card from a serious set. What if it had been Mantle or Mays

[GasHouseGang]

I don't know if I find it shocking that someone would trim such iconic sports cards, or that PSA didn't notice.

[John1941]

You think Johnny Keane looked old? Here's Earl Weaver at 58:

[Exhibitman]

Weaver and Keane look like they've been married for decades; you know, just don't give a damn anymore about their appearances.

[ASF123]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

Weird card from a serious set. What if it had been Mantle or Mays

I’ve always wondered if there’s a story behind this one. Anyone know?

[John1941]

Originally Posted by ASF123

I’ve always wondered if there’s a story behind this one. Anyone know?

There's a thread about it from 2019, but it doesn't look like they decided on anything.

https://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=273327

[philliesfan]

Hard to believe Bob Nieman was 35 in 1962. Looks closer to 55 or 65.
Autograph Bon Nieman 1962 Topps607.jpg

[Harliduck]

Originally Posted by philliesfan

Hard to believe Bob Nieman was 35 in 1962. Looks closer to 55 or 65.
Attachment 505349

He even looks older in his 61 Topps card. Crazy. Also died young at 58...

[Cliff Bowman]

Originally Posted by philliesfan

Hard to believe Bob Nieman was 35 in 1962. Looks closer to 55 or 65.

I resemble that remark. He looks 85 to me.

[philliesfan]

I resemble that remark.
Cliff - You are a stooge

[Pilon]

I apologize in advance as my photo posting skills are non existent but the 1960 Lou Johnson card is a bit shocking.

[D. Bergin]

Not any particular card, but I think it was shocking for me when I first got into collecting boxing in the 1990's to discover that with very few exceptions (ie. Isaac Murphy), the only black athletes who were ever pictured on Trading cards in America in the late 19th Century and early 20th Century, were almost exclusively boxers.

As far as "shocking" baseball cards...I'm having a hard time thinking of anything relevant to me. The Billy Ripken card was more funny, then anything to me.

Maybe when I was a kid and I ran across the 1975 Zoilo Versalles MVP card with Willie Mays....and I loudly said to myself "WHO?"



Other then that, if you go into the Non-Sports card realm...there's some 1938 Gum Inc. "Horrors Of War" cards that are legitimately shocking.

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by Pilon

I apologize in advance as my photo posting skills are non existent but the 1960 Lou Johnson card is a bit shocking.

Yeah, I see that.

[Kutcher55]

Not sure if this qualifies as shocking, but the Moose looks shocked in this card, as though he sees the ghost of Babe Ruth and realize he can never live up to that standard.

[Gr8Beldini]

You wouldn't understand unless you're my age (58) give or take. Buying a pack of cards in April '71 and seeing this for the first time. There was never anything like it. All of the other cards are upright. This one is sideways. Never saw an action baseball card before. Topps never made action cards before... and what action! This isn't just some in-game action card. This was truly spectacular. AND (icing on the cake) the trophy! My 7 year old friends were always chasing the trophy guys. We didn't know better. We thought these were the best guys (hence the trophy). Pulling this from a pack and seeing it for the first time was stunning. Editor's note: In case my photo doesn't attach properly, I'm (obviously) speaking of the '71 Munson.

[Gr8Beldini]

You wouldn't understand unless you're my age (58) give or take. Buying a pack of cards in April '71 and seeing this for the first time. There was never anything like it. All of the other cards are upright. This one is sideways. Never saw an action baseball card before. Topps never made action cards before... and what action! This isn't just some in-game action card. This was truly spectacular. AND (icing on the cake) the trophy! My 7 year old friends were always chasing the trophy guys. We didn't know better. We thought these were the best guys (hence the trophy). Pulling this from a pack and seeing it for the first time was stunning. Editor's note: In case my photo doesn't attach properly, I'm (obviously) speaking of the '71 Munson.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=...AAAAAdAAAAABAW

[Gr8Beldini]

Originally Posted by GasHouseGang

I don't know if I find it shocking that someone would trim such iconic sports cards, or that PSA didn't notice.

What would happen if the card owner sent it to PSA for either a re-grade or just to re-holder the card? Would PSA turn around and now say, "it's not the legit 6 we told you it was. Turns out it's trimmed." PSA authenticated the card and the card was subsequently purchased based on that authentication. Are they liable in any way to the current holder?

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by Gr8Beldini

What would happen if the card owner sent it to PSA for either a re-grade or just to re-holder the card? Would PSA turn around and now say, "it's not the legit 6 we told you it was. Turns out it's trimmed." PSA authenticated the card and the card was subsequently purchased based on that authentication. Are they liable in any way to the current holder?

PSA thinks not, but it hasn't been court-tested.

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by Gr8Beldini

All of the other cards are upright. This one is sideways.

Munson is not the only horizontal '71 Topps card. Yes, most were upright - but there are others in that format, I'm not sure how many total - but Rudy May, Bud Harrelson, Jim Fregosi, and Roy White come to mind.

You are correct in that the Munson was the first Topps "action" format card in a set that included them. Topps would go on to use "In Action" photos while returning mostly to portraits for base cards in 1972, and then of course the '73 set is mostly action - with a variety of both good and terrible shots of that genre which make it pretty much it's own animal.

[John1941]

Originally Posted by jchcollins

Munson is not the only horizontal '71 Topps card. Yes, most were upright - but there are others in that format, I'm not sure how many total - but Rudy May, Bud Harrelson, Jim Fregosi, and Roy White come to mind.

I think he's saying that he hadn't seen any horizontal cards in previous years.

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by John1941

I think he's saying that he hadn't seen any horizontal cards in previous years.

Ok. Action shots were new to '71 Topps. Horizontal formatting was not. But makes sense that a '70's kid would not have seen a 1960 Topps card I guess.

[JollyElm]

What's weird is the 1971 Topps Thurman Munson card can be 'officially' called the first regular season Topps action card, because it is #5 in that set and the four cards preceding it numerically are all 'normal' cards.

[rats60]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

What's weird is the 1971 Topps Thurman Munson card can be 'officially' called the first regular season Topps action card, because it is #5 in that set and the four cards preceding it numerically are all 'normal' cards.

There were several other action cards in the first series, so unless Munson was the first one pulled it wouldn't have been the first. To me the first action card was the 1970 Bud Harrelson. It showed him signing autographs at a game. That was surprising to me when I pulled it. When I saw more action cards in 1971, it was no big deal.

[CobbSpikedMe]

This one came to mind for me.



.

[JollyElm]

delete

[JollyElm]

If this photo was taken during the 1964 season, Jack was a mere 35 year-old man at most...

s-l1600-2.jpg


...but, since the picture seems to be from the same photoshoot as his 1964 card (meaning a 1963 shoot date, most likely), he was just a 34 year-old man (at most) at the time...

s-l1600-3.jpg

Feeling old yet?

[Snowman]

Originally Posted by GasHouseGang

I don't know if I find it shocking that someone would trim such iconic sports cards, or that PSA didn't notice.

Oof! That Mantle... ouch.

However, that Wilt is most likely not trimmed, in my opinion. I have 3 of these Wilts, and a full set of the 61 Fleer cards. I'm very familiar with this set and have graded a bunch of these. The variance in size from the factory is remarkable (at least 3/16", maybe even a full 1/4" variance - it's THAT bad). Also, a large percentage of these have that horribly awkward diamond tilt like this one has. The bottom edge has the tilt too, it's just obscured by the bottom bumper, but if you look closely, it's there.

[JollyElm]

For my money, this is just one of the most ghoulishly creepy looking pictures to ever appear on a baseball card. It gives me nightmares. He doesn't look human...

1976cobb.jpg

[Harliduck]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

For my money, this is just one of the most ghoulishly creepy looking pictures to ever appear on a baseball card. It gives me nightmares. He doesn't look human...

Attachment 513059

I remember getting a beat up version of that card as a kid...first thought...COOL a COBB...then staring at it...whoa...trade anyone??

[carlsonjok]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

For my money, this is just one of the most ghoulishly creepy looking pictures to ever appear on a baseball card. It gives me nightmares. He doesn't look human...

Attachment 513059

Brooks would like a word....

[mortimer brewster]

How about a card back? This was pretty sad for a child to read.

[sthoemke]

This card shocked me when I was a kid

[Gr8Beldini]

Billy Martin giving the finger on a baseball card is shocking? I'd be shocked if he wasn't giving the finger.

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

This was shocking to us kids:



And of course:

[Gr8Beldini]

Originally Posted by Harliduck

Wow, ol' Johnny is only a year older than me...haha...he looks 77 at best! Hard life for sure...

That's a good lookin' 55 Aaron. I've had a few come and go and I feel the same about the one I currently own...I still get giddy on pretty much any Hank Aaron...when I was a kid in the late 70s and early 80s he was my idol and to have his card was about the same as having a Ruth...unobtainable. Seeing an older brother of a buddy who had a wrinkled up 76 card with him as a Brewer seemed outrageous...that kid was a GOD. My first Hank was a 69 Topps card I got when I was 15...I will never forget that...felt like I had arrived...




Every time I see this card I just can't believe he let a photographer take his picture with his hair like this, classic hat head. I would have flat out refused!

[raulus]

Not technically a card but a lithograph sold at the stick in 1960…

For those not familiar, the reference to reeg is referring to Bill Rigney, the manager at the time.

And naturally, mocking a player’s accent isn’t something that is encouraged these days.

[JollyElm]

I'm sorry, but could a player possibly look any more like an absolute psychopath????

1979yount.jpg

[ALR-bishop]

Not a card, but pretty creepy. What was Joe thinking about ?

[frankhardy]

I might not be shocked, but I crack up every time I see this card.

[JollyElm]

Originally Posted by frankhardy

I might not be shocked, but I crack up every time I see this card.

Double psychopath???

[Exhibitman]

[smrtn240]

How about this one

[JollyElm]

He loved rain delays...because there was nothing but wet Beavers.

Thank you! I'll be here all week.

[smrtn240]

Here is one from the famous cricketer H. Harry Butt.
Ok I'm done now

[brob28]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

For my money, this is just one of the most ghoulishly creepy looking pictures to ever appear on a baseball card. It gives me nightmares. He doesn't look human...

Attachment 513059

Agreed as a kid, that card gave me the creeps. This '77 Sanguillen card was shocking (still is) when I pulled it from a wax pack. Must have been late on a Friday when this one got through QC.