Topps sourced two floating heads from past sets; the other three appear to be alternates from on-field sessions that produced the regular card.
- Bob Gibson: 1961 Topps #211
- Sandy Koufax: 1962 Topps #5
- Bob Shaw: alternate from 1963 Topps
- Bob Purkey: alternate from 1961 Topps
- Don Drysdale: alternate from 1963 Topps
This reuse shows up throughout the decade and Don's 1963 head shot even popped up six years later (!) as 1969 Topps checklist #314.
Thanks in part to their pitcher-friendly home park at Chavez Ravine, Drysdale won 1962's NL Cy Young and Koufax followed with three more from 1963-65. Bob Shaw and Bob Purkey both reached at least one All-Star team, but never the stature of GIBSON, KOUFAX, and DRYSDALE.
Today's card sat below #30 Harvey Kuenn on the printing sheet, as seen on this mis-cut.
Topps leader card design changed to larger photos in 1964 (with more Drysdale and Koufax) and added team-specific leaders in the 1980s, with occasionally hilarious results.
Speaking of Falstaff Beer, have you enjoyed the manly pleasure of jumping from a plane right to your local bar?
Impossible to park outside the bar; parachutes are the answer.
Value: League leaders cost less than regular player cards, but the presence of three HOFers bumps this up to about $5 in low grade.
Fakes / reprints: Topps reused the 1963 style for their 2012 Heritage set, so floating heads (and--ugh!--trademark symbols) are back, with one Dodgers still pitching lights-out.
2 comments:
however, in 2012, topps forgot to put the number 1 guy in the diamond in the middle of the card. i;ve posted before about how hilarious that photo of drysdale is - and how he looks intimidated by bob gibson on more than one occasion.
Ha, true! Hadn't noticed Gibson and Drysdale's interchange on the card before, but that's spot-on.
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