Thursday, November 9, 2017

no. 722 - astros


Who is the man: The Houston Astros in 1970 finished two games worse than they did the previous year yet moved up from fifth to fourth in the standings; the Braves had fallen on hard times, plummeting from first to fifth.

Can ya dig it: Jiminy, what a disaster this thing is. Not only are the high-numbered team cards a bear to find in solid shape, but there are so many weird things going on with the photo. No. 1, they couldn't even get all the guys in the frame! The top row is cropped off! Secondly, the rows are in disarray. There's a guy between rows two and three that seems to have started a row all by himself.

Right on: Digging the old guy on the right with the glasses.

You see that cat Walker is a bad mother: Manager Harry Walker is grinning away in the middle of the first row, fourth seated guy from the right.

Shut your mouth: No numbers on the front and I couldn't find another version of this photo with an ID key so I won't try to guess anyone here. Although I believe Joe Morgan is weirdly peaking out from behind a teammate as the second guy on the left in the second row.

No one understands him but his woman: It still amuses me that there is a clubhouse guy dressed all in white crouching down who is shown prominently on this card, yet players have their heads cut off.


(A word about the back): The yearly standings show zero winning seasons. The Astros' first winning year would be 1972 when they went 84-69.

3 comments:

  1. I'll guess Joe Pepitone seated at the right next to the bespectacled gent, and Jesus Alou second from right, second row.

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  2. Who would have thought back then - the Houston Astros would play the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2017 World Series.

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  3. Only the 2nd set to include an Astros' team card!

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