The 2007 Upper Deck Goudey set is an example of the retro craze done right, but it still can't compare to its source material. With its 2 3/8" X 2 7/8" size and its bright, basic ballpark scene backgrounds, the base set is clearly inspired by the 1934-1936 Diamond Stars cards. Today I made a long-overdue trip to the
Baseball Card Outlet, armed with a coupon for 20% off the price of any vintage ungraded card. (The coupon appeared in the monthly Clipper Magazine that showed up in my mailbox last week. It's the first time I've ever come across a coupon from a hobby shop, and I think it's brilliant.) After a few minutes of careful consideration, my eye was drawn to an assortment of Diamond Stars cards in one of their display cases. At $15 ($12.72 after the discount), I couldn't pass up this 1935 Wally Berger card:
It really has it all - the incredible pre-WWII Boston Braves uniform, the stylized dugout scene, and the featured player himself. In 1930, Berger set a rookie record (since broken) by hitting 38 homers for Boston. He also tripled 14 times and drove in 119 runs, with a batting line of .310/.375/.614. He was an All-Star from 1933 through 1936, representing the Braves in each of the first four Midsummer Classics. Shoulder and hand injuries helped bring a premature end to his career, but he retired with career marks of .300/.359/.522 and an OPS+ of 138. He totaled 242 home runs and 898 RBI. I don't often limit myself to a single purchase when I go card shopping, but when I find the right card, it can be pretty satisfying.
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