Some older Gold Label cards

I selected today's cards with Fuji and YoRicha in  mind, because they said they liked the Gold Label cards that I posted at the beginning of the week. All these cards are slightly pearlescent so I used the overhead scanner on them. The results are a bit flakey, but at least the design is visible. 

Card Number 968: Topps Gold label, 1998; #14

Awkward photo juxtaposition ahoy!

Seriously, that photo arrangement makes it look like Tony is kneecapping his larger self.

These 'cards' are printed on quite thick plasticky card - much thicker than usual card stock. The material they are printed on contributes to the sheen on the card. It also warps slightly. 

The candid photo on the back should have a thought bubble saying "Huh!?" next to it. 

Right, okay, back on Tuesday I questioned what Topps was doing by discounting the 1994 season and the .394 batting average that everyone associates with Tony on their modern Gold Label cards. Back in 1998, Topps didn't have an issue with Tony hitting .394 in a season that was shortened by strike action. Here they have it as his career best batting average. They also explain how they calculated the 'average season' using 'at bats' rather than the number of games. That makes more sense and just adds to my suspicion that the company's employees knew what they were doing back in the late 90s compared to the people working there now. 

I have one of the books mentioned in the factoid - Tony Gwynn's Total Baseball Player. One day I hope to get hold of The Art of Hitting as well. 

Card Number 969: Topps Gold Label Class 1, 1999; #6

Topps introduced the class system to the range in 1999 and the shine on the cards was even more iridescent.

That fielding photo looks really familiar, but I don't think it was on a Topps card.

On the back there is another cameo portrait of Tony with a quizzical expression. 

The factoid about Tony's loyalty doesn't mention that apparently other top players were annoyed with him for staying with the Padres because it was dragging down the market value of all the other players. (Did that really happen? Now it's all part of the mythos.)

For those taking notes, the career best batting average on this card is .394. Also, a bonus point for this card having the class number on the back (by the team logo) - which makes it a lot easier for people like me trying to work out which cardback is which!

Card Number 970: Topps Gold Label Class 2, 1999; #6

One of the photos has been changed on the front, along with the team logo behind Tony.

The cardback is virtually identical apart from the class number.

Card Number 971: Topps Gold Label Class 2, 2000; #11

In this year's set the class is printed on the front of the card, etched into the foil.

That photo on the back is from the photoshoot that Topps used on some of their tribute cards in the 2000 flagship set, except this time, Tony isn't looking straight down the camera lens.

So a couple of things about this cardback. Firstly, the important career batting average high point stat is correct! Secondly, a factoid about walks! This is a really rare topic for factoids, because although Tony drew a fair few walks (as is obvious by the factoid!), generally he made contact at the plate. Except when opponents opted not to pitch at all! 

I always love learning something new from a card - so kudos to Topps for this!

Total: 971 cards

Another take on leather

Wood and leather. The two main materials that symbolise baseball. For every card insert series focusing about lumber, there are cards focusing on leather. And even some sets that focus on both.

Card Number 606: Fleer Ultra Prime Leather (Gold Medallion), 1996; #16

It's hard to tell from, but the little gold circle above 'Tony' is a foil stamped medallion. This is a parallel 'gold medallion' version of this card.

The cardback follow up on the leather theme and talks about Tony's defensive game. 

Truthfully, by 1996 his fielding prowess wasn't as great as early in his career. Unlike Tony's batting, which improved in the second decade he was playing, Tony never won another fielding title after 1991. 

In his book Tony Gwynn's Total Baseball Player, there is a chapter called 'In Search of the Golden Glove' (p.89ff). The first piece of advice Tony offers is to always pick a glove you feel comfortable wearing, as he believes that "Feeling comfortable is the key to success in any sport."

Tony's advice can be summarised as:

• Pick a glove you feel comfortable in
• Use a big glove in the outfield (easier on ground balls)
• If you can, catch fly balls two-handed, so you can close your other hand over the top of the ball in the glove and make sure it doesn't pop back out
• Look after your glove
• Break in yout glove in practice, not a game
• While breaking in your glove, form it to create a pocket - that makes it easier to catch and quickly locate the ball with your throwing hand

It's a very short chapter, but there you have it - advice from a five time Golden Glove winner.

Total: 606 cards