This is the kind of intense action photo that sells baseball cards. Jeff Stone, bat still rested on his shoulder, has already watched the ball travel all the way from the pitcher's hand to the catcher's mitt. Now he stares dolefully at the home plate umpire, hoping that he'll call the pitch a ball and thus give him new life. Of course, Upper Deck probably didn't have much of a chance to photograph Stone as he performed feats of strength in Baltimore. After batting .291 as a part-timer for the Phillies in the mid-1980s, the outfielder was one of many players to crater out with the 1988 Orioles. In 26 games in April and September, he went 10-for-61 (.164) with a double and an RBI. It was the beginning of the end for Jeff as a major leaguer, as he totaled 50 games over the subsequent two seasons for the Rangers and Red Sox. But he is the second-best Stone to ever play for the O's, and that and a dollar will buy you a Snickers bar.
To be fair, this card was probably better than 90% of the 89 Topps set it was competing against. That first series from Upper Deck really changed the game for collectors. Crisp, clear images in untraditional poses and action shots, better quality cardboard, glossy finish...they certainly kicked Topps for a few years.
ReplyDelete@Rob, things didn't bottom out for Topps until 1990, design and photo-wise. That 1990 set is just the ugliest thing ever. Topps didn't get the hint until 1991 about the photos and waited until 1992 to whiten up the cardboard. Thank god such a quick acting and revolutionary company has a monopoly now on baseball cards, huh?
ReplyDeleteTotally! And I probably meant the 90 series, not 89. That 90 series was the worst baseball card ever made.
ReplyDeleteI wish Upper Deck was still allowed to print, if only to keep Topps on their toes...