Sticking with the 2012 Heritage set (as we have with the first two editions), we'll take a look at card No. 183 and see how well it matches up to it's 1963 counterpart.
First, we'll go way back to '63 to see what player was represented on No. 183...
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| 1963 Topps, #183 |
The back of the card foretells that Joe Pepitone is primed to make a bid for the Bombers' regular first base job in the wake of the Moose Skowron trade. It also touts him as a "youngster" who "can hit for power." Well, they were right on all counts, as the Brooklyn native popped 27 homers in 157 games for the Yankees in 1963. Pepitone played 12 seasons in the majors, eight of which were spent as a Pinstriper. He totaled 219 long balls for his career, maxing out with a 31-homer campaign in '66. This card represents Pepitone's first stand alone card; his cardboard debut was a "Rookie Parade" card (No. 596) in the '62 set which featured Pepi and three other rookie infielders.
And now we flashforward to 2012 Topps Heritage...
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| 2012 Heritage, #183 |
While Pepitone had barely cut his teeth in the bigs when his '63 card dropped, this 2012 Heritage card finds Mark Teixeira a nine-year veteran. Tex had just completed his third season as New York's first baseman in 2011, a year that once again saw him swat at least 30 homers and drive in 100-plus RBIs. The factoid on the back of the card places Teixeira in elite company: "Mark, Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera are the only three men with 100 HRs, 300 RBI and 300 Rs since 2009." Like Pepitone before him, Teixeira is a defensive whiz at first base. His 2012 Gold Glove is the fifth in his trophy case.
The Final Say: Tex has the upper hand on Pepi in Gold Gloves (5 to 3) and World Series rings (1 to zip), but the former is a Maryland kid. And, well, there is something to be said about a handsome, Italian-American lad from Brooklyn who plays first base for the New York Yankees. Advantage: Pepitone.
MK
Previous "Fun with Heritage" features:
2nd Edition: 1963/2012, card No. 111
Seminal: 1963/2012, card No. 124
Pepitone more handsome than Tex? Sounds like it's time for a new poll question!
ReplyDeleteJust kidding, please don't.
I like this feature. Makes me wish that the Padres were around in '63, because the "connections" they make for the Friars are pretty strained, usually just a guy with the same position (with a few exceptions).
Every time I look at Tex I can't help but think, "Hey, Fred Gwynne!"
DeleteI love that Pepitone card. It's his first solo. His '62 is one of those profile "rookie parade" deals and is a high #. I've been stalking them on ebay for years but can't bring myself to drop $30 plus they seem to go for because (1) for that kind of money there are a lot of other cards I'd rather have, and (2) the rookie parade cards are really ugly.
ReplyDeleteYour '63 Pepitone is a lot nicer than mine.
http://classonave.blogspot.com/2011/04/joe-pepitone-1963-topps-183.html