Card Spotlight: 2-20-09

1989 Baseball Cards Magazine #56 - Carlton Fisk

Of all the different ways that I was introduced to vintage designs, these cards have to be the most memorable. Sure, things are exciting when you find out about cards from before you were born, but there was just something about holding cards with those designs in your grubby little hands that made everything come alive.

I would sometimes pick up the baseball card magazines just for the insert cards. One of my favorite publications for doing that was Baseball Cards Magazine. Not only did they include designs inspired by older Topps designs, but the entire magazine was a pretty good read.

The cards were just changed enough, not to be a complete rip off. There is no mention of where the design came from, on the card itself. It even has a copyright date linked to the magazine on the back. With Topps lawsuit happy, I'm surprised that the magazine was able to get away with putting out the Topps designs.

Just in the stack I received from Greg, there were designs liberated from 1959, 1968 and 1970 Topps cards. I seem to recall having cards based on 1960 Topps cards, in the past.

I miss picking up baseball card magazines just for the special cards. They didn't have to be perfect. They just had to show my favorite players or a hot rookie and I would be satisfied. The more I collect the past, the more I realize that those days are gone forever. I still have my memories and that's something.