Monday, October 28, 2024

#422 Don Kessinger AS - Chicago Cubs


All-Star cards returned to Topps sets in 1968 under The Sporting News banner for a three-year run between 1968 and 1970.  Topps included 20 All-Star cards in its 1969 set, featuring 10 All-Stars from each league and one player from each position, including both a right-handed and left-handed pitcher.  

Building the Set / Card #380
December 3, 2023 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards)
Doug and I returned to The Philly Show in early December, once again held inside the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania.  eBay has taken over sponsorship of the show, with the quaint, bubble-lettered Philly Show logo that had been in place since the 1980s replaced with a more modern logo, keeping with the times.  I wrote about the show in a post over at The Phillies Room.

Similar to my strategy from March, I wanted to focus on accumulating commons and having found success with Uncle Dick's Cards before, I didn't mess around and headed right for the neon green binders.  I pulled 145 cards from the binder containing cards 301 to the end of the set, stopping when I reached 500.  This card was the 88th of 145 cards purchased for our set, and after the dealer discount due to my bulk purchase, it cost a little over $2.

The Card / Cubs Team Set Carl Yastrzemski Puzzle
Don Kessinger (#225) started at shortstop for the National League All-Stars in 1969, with teammate Ron Santo (#570) keeping him company at third base.  Kessinger was 0 for 3 in the game, and was lifted for pinch-hitter Willie Mays (#190) in the top of the fifth.  Denis Menke (#487) would take the field at shortstop in the bottom of the fifth.  Kessinger was a six-time All-Star between 1968 and 1974, making four starts.

The action photo of the leaping fielder is Pirates' third baseman Bob Bailey (#399) and the photo had been used on the back of Bailey's card in the 1964 Topps Giant set.  Linked below is a great article from Sports Collectors Daily, and the author did his best in tracking down the origins of the action photos appearing on these All-Star subset cards.  The backs of these All-Star cards contain a puzzle piece of either Pete Rose (#120) or Carl Yastrzemski (#130).  The back of Kessinger's card features one of Yaz's eyes, looking for a pitch to hit.

Topps All-Star Card Appearances (2):  1969-70

1964 Topps Giant #4
1970 Topps #456

Sources:  

Baseball Reference

#421 Brooks Robinson AS - Baltimore Orioles / #423 Bert Campaneris - Oakland Athletics

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