This is by far the strangest card that I received in last month's care package from Max. As you can see, I determined that it is a 1989 Star brand card featuring a player for the Hagerstown Suns, the Orioles' AA affiliate at the time. But that's the extent of my knowledge. There is no name, no position, and no stats on the back. See for yourself:
Thanks to the Trading Card Database, I was able to find scans of the entire 1989 Star team set for the Suns, but none of the cards pictured match the blank one that I possess. Nobody in that 22-card set even bears much of a resemblance to this skinny, mustached right-handed mystery man. So what gives? Was he originally supposed to be in the set, but got cut out midway through the printing process? Was it a prototype? A half-finished custom card by a collector with an odd sense of humor? Any information you can provide is appreciated, dear reader. Failing that, I'll accept conspiracy theories and cheap jokes.
It's clearly David Letterman.
ReplyDeleteHe has the grin of someone who is absolutely not a player. Beyond that, I have no idea.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a first baseman's mitt on his hand, or maybe a bullpen catcher's mitt.
ReplyDeleteThat's all I can add.
Could it be Erik Sonberg? He seems to have retired in 1989, possibly causing Star to halt printing of his card.
ReplyDeleteI love a good mystery. I don't even remember where I found that card.
ReplyDeleteHe does looks like Erik Sonberg, but the glove's for the wrong hand.
ReplyDeleteCOMC has a second no name card from the same set.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.comc.com/Cards/Baseball/1989/Star_Hagerstown_Suns/NoN/Missing/11311495