Acquring Iconic Rookies: Eck's Missing Mustache

Today's iconic rookie post is brought to you by the year 1976 and upper lips that aren't covered by mustaches, but definitely should be.

Dennis' mom got him to shave up nice for his rookie card picture day. Unfortunately, he snuck in some patchy sideburns. Nice work on being super '70s, Eck. There's just something about a commonly mustachioed player missing facial hair that makes a rookie card that much more fun, thus we have Eck's 1976 Topps rookie car.

 

 

I snatched this card off eBay for right around $2 shipped. It took a little patience and a high tolerance for terrible centering, and now it's a part of the rookie collection. There's a lot to love about this card: the old school Indians lettering, the intensity in Eck's windup stare, the chaw in the cheek, and, of course, the always-trendy windbreaker-under-the-jersey look. We have so much awkward '70s-ness here, this card could be nothing but iconic.

 

And then there's Eck's career. Is there a better starter-turned-closer story out there? A bevy of awards in 1992, including the Cy Young and MVP, 51 saves and a crazy 1.91 ERA. 1992 was a big year for me, my second year seriously collecting cards as a kid, and Eckersley was an icon. Most memorable was his lustrous mullet and porn star mustache. No man ever wore the combo as well. So, today, we here at the Vealtones salute Mr. Eckersley's iconic rookie card. Get to growing that hair, young Eck.

Acquiring Iconic Rookies: Vida Blue

When it comes to cool baseball names, you can't really beat Vida Blue. And when it comes to epic single seasons, it's tough to beat Vida's 1971 season when he won both the Cy Young award and MVP, just like a certain favorite Tigers pitcher of mine. 

Vida had some tough years with screwy Athletics management, and then, of course, that little run-in with nose skiing. Ah, for the days when our baseball players were just sniffing their not-so PEDs. 

But Vida looks so hopeful in his split-card head-shot, and he should be. Heck, Gene Tenace even has a respectable 15-year career on his horizon.

I acquired this card at a show for 50 cents. That's a no-brainer purchase, in my book, for an amazing pitcher who deserved at least a few more Hall of Fame votes than he got. He probably marks the beginnings of the BBWAA's prejudice against any kind of drug use. I have my own opinions on this bias, what I think is somewhat of an absurdity in a very imperfect world. Whatever your opinion, Vida's rookie is an iconic must for any cardboard collection.

Acquiring Iconic Rookies: Second Best, eh!

Today's iconic rookie could be considered underrated or overrated, depending on what stats you're looking at. But, overall, he's a pretty consistent starter.

Here's Dempster's first Bowman card from 1996, which I consider his true rookie card. Why is it iconic? Because of Dempster's consistency, because he has a nice change-up, and, of course, he has the second most wins of any pitcher from Canada, eh, just after Fergie.

This is a much less embarassing '90s Bowman rookie card than many. I actually appreciate the composition, the way the shadows fall. Dempster looks dark and mysterious.

I snagged this card off eBay for less than a dollar shipped. Quite a steal for the rookie card of a player who likely won't have a Hall of Fame career, but has been a fan favorite and a national favorite for many years.

Acquiring Iconic Rookies: Getting Awkward with Clay

In this installment of Iconic Rookies, I might be jumping the gun a bit. Is this card or Clay's career old and established enough to be iconic? 

I'm going to argue yes. Clay is certainly making a case for iconic status with the crazy-good season he's having this year. This is his first Bowman rookie card, and in the tradition of first Bowman cards, this one is pretty awkward. Clay looks gangly and spindly, wearing a jersey a few sizes too large, a jersey he probably put on just for picture day. At least we can be grateful he's not wearing a tropical button-up and white khaki shorts on his Bowman rookie card. 

As awkward as this card is, if you're a rookie collector, this is Clay's true rookie, and, I think, one worth having in a rookie collection. I acquired this off of eBay a few months ago for less than a dollar shipped. I bet it's not going that cheap now, but I bet this card has made it into a dime box or two.

Iconic Rookies: The Wizard from the King

This iconic rookie is brought to you by the one and only Diamond King who is always a generous trader. And he sent me a card that was a big void in my collection.

It's a little off-center, a little dinged, and completely perfect. Look at those sideburns, the old Padres uniform. I'm not much for headshots, but this one is perfect. I think it's that it feels candid, that this isn't Ozzie posing, but Ozzie just being a badass. I'm not a fan of the 1979 Topps set, but this card makes me appreciate the design, especially the old Topps logo in the baseball.

This is another one of those cards every collection requires. And I have my refractors and The Diamond King to thank. What is he going to do with all those refractors? I have to know!

For the hell of it, because we can never have enough of them, here's a few extra Ripkens also included in the trade:

Acquiring Iconic Rookies: The Voters Wrong Biggio

No one got into the hall of fame today, and I kind of can't believe it.  My childhood enjoyed a bevy of amazing catchers, including, of course, Mr. I-Rod, Piazza, and Biggio. And, OK, Biggio wasn't a catcher for all that long, but that's how I'll always remember him, at the beginning of the '90s. I'm a big fan of Biggio, and he's in the 3000-hit club Come on! That should be an automatic in. He had a hell of a career, and no association with steroids, as far as I knew. He deserved that first ballot.

I'd been searching for an '88 Biggio rookie for a long time, and found this one on eBay for less than a buck. And that's about the respect Biggio got from the voters. I frequently find '89 Biggio rookies in the dime boxes, and today we witnessed the hall of fame voters tossing Biggio into the so-so. 

Really, I realize he'll get in, probably in the next year or two, but I was so sure he'd get in this year. A tiny bit of my childhood feels violated by the voting today, though. Biggio deserved it.

Biggio getting snubbed doesn't make this rookie any less iconic, though. Everyone's collection needs an '88 Biggio XRC.

Acquiring Iconic Rookies: The Toddfather

I'm always looking for them, those iconic rookies of hall of famers or future hall-of-famers or near-missers like the unfairly ignored Sweet Lou Whitaker.

Well, here's one of those rookies every collection needs:

It's a very awkward Mr. Helton from 1993 Topps Traded with his aluminum bat and his USA uniform. What's not to love about this? Sometimes a rookie card is like looking at embarrassing pictures of someone posing for their freshman year Chess Team photo.

I snagged this off of eBay for $1.50 shipped, which is a pretty decent deal. This card has definitely become more affordable lately, it seems.

Helton's gearing up for his 17th year with the Rockies. He's also reaching his 40th birthday. He's likely looking at his last season or close to it. It'll be the end of an era for Rockies fans, I'm sure. I doubt there's a player that's more of a posterboy for that team. Without a doubt, though, this is what I'd call an iconic rookie card of the '90s.

Card Show-off: Epic Vintage Bargains

Along with all the great stuff I got out of the dime boxes from the South Haven show, I also picked up a few vintage gems.

I love catchers, vintage Tigers, and 1956 Topps. What a perfect combo. Toss in a play at the plate in the background, and the fact that this cost me a buck, and what can be better?

Well, maybe this:

An iconic rookie card I didn't think I'd ever own when I was a kid. This is the mini version, and it's in pretty great shape, aside from a creased corner and a little damage on the others. I bet you couldn't guess what I paid for this. One dealer had a box full of great vintage cards marked half off. I lumped this into a deal for about seventy cards I pulled from his dime box. I ended up paying $6 for this. What a steal, right? I'm so happy to add this to my rookie collection, and it makes me love it even more with the crazy deal I got.