1968 Topps - Reggie JacksonReggie started his career with the Kansas City Athletics on June 9, 1967, the year before the team moved to Oakland. Despite being the second pick in the first round of the 1966 draft, the future Mr. October did not get his first card until the 1969 set.
Before I delve any further in making of this card, I want to give thanks to jimfromdowningtown and Johngy for their suggestions and overall help in this endeavor. From photos to lists of players, they have ensured that this project will be around for a long time.
This Reggie Jackson card was a source of frustration. There are two different cards that I created. The final 1968 version is the one at the top of this post. It's a nice photo of Reggie posing during what appears to be Spring Training. It appears that the photo might be from 1968, since the MLB 100th anniversary patch is not present on the uniform. Reggie also looks like a spring chicken in the photo.
The first attempt was the perfect storm, until I realized this was the exact same photo used on Reggie's 1969 card. I toyed with leaving the card as is, since Topps was either too broke or lazy to spring for new pictures in some of their 1969 cards. Many of the photos in that set are the same photos from the 1968 set.After I expunged that silly notion, I went to work on finding a new photograph to use. Using the same photo that appeared on Reggie's rookie card was taking the easy way out. I do not want this project to fail like that. I will only use the same photograph used for an era card on a custom card when all other options are exhausted.
It took many hours, but I finally tracked down the posing photo. The main trouble is that the available photos are either from 1969 or later. I did not run across a color photograph of Reggie in a Kansas City uniform.
I did run across a great photo of Reggie leaning across the top of a dugout chatting it up with fans. There was only one problem... that 100th anniversary patch was clearly visible. Lucky for me and you, I was able to run across a great picture that I didn't see on any vintage era card.
Here is what Reggie Jackson's rookie card should have looked like... and a bonus alternate.
6 comments:
Another great one Steve! Reg was one of my favorite players growing up.
You are the master.
Have you seen the '68 Jackson that Topps did in the Fan Favorites set a few years back? Do you know what year the photo is from on that card? I'm not sure.
I didn't run across that Fan Favorites of Reggie before you mentioned it. That looks to be a Kansas City cap on his head.
Steve, I think the first Reggie, the one using the same one Topps used in 1969 is a SPOT ONE conjectured and envisioned card. First, because of contract disputes Topps was forced to use a number of previously used photos from prior years - especially with superstars. They also quite often "zoomed in" to create a different look of the same picture. This is exactly what you have created. It's an amazing product - and I will forever consider your work (with card "A") to be what Topps would very well have done. I love it
Thanks Greg. That means a lot. :-)
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