1977 dock ellis

this one confuses me.  dock ellis got a photo variation, as in o-pee-chee used a totally different photo, as well as the more typical autograph placement variation, but he wasn't a member of the blue jays or expos.  weird.  here is ellis's 1977 o-pee-chee card:

here's the topps front:

i guess the question is whether topps used an airbrushed photo, since ellis was only with the yankees in 1976, and lord knows they didn't always get a new photo for every player.  o-pee-chee was known to use spring training shots from 1977 for many blue jays and expos players, and they could have done the same for dock if his topps photo were airbrushed.  however, i think topps was more likely to get current photos of yankee players than any other team, and besides, that photo doesn't look airbrushed to me.

now the o-pee-chee back:

and the topps back:

ellis wound up pitching for the yankees for only a few weeks in 1977.  he was traded after 3 starts (he was 1-1 with a complete game and a 1.83 era) to oakland, where he went 1-5 in 7 starts and posted a 9.69 era.  in july of 1977, the rangers purchased his contract, and he finished out the season with them.  he went 10-6 in texas in 22 starts (he also made one relief appearance for the rangers) with 7 complete games, a shutout, and a 2.90 era.

ellis lost both games he started against the yankees in 1977 (one as an athletic, and one as a ranger), but was 2-1 as a ranger pitching against the a's.

voici à vous, 1977 dock ellis!