1980 chris chambliss

chris chambliss was traded to the braves in december of 1979.  here is his 1980 o-pee-chee card:

here's the topps front:

now the o-pee-chee back:

and the topps back:

funnily enough, however, it wasn't the yankees that sent him to atlanta.  they had traded him to the blue jays in november of 1979 for rick cerone (they needed catching help after thurman munson died).  the blue jays flipped chambliss to the braves for barry bonnell and a couple of other guys a month later.  in atlanta, chambliss had what may have been two of his best seasons.  he hit 20 home runs for the only times in his career in 1982 and 1983 while posting a career high ops of .847 in 1983.  he stayed with the braves, though his playing time diminished, until he was granted free agency after the 1986 season.  the yankees brought him back in 1988 for one last at bat in may of that year, and chambliss struck out.  at least he went out as a yankee, i guess, and not with one of those stupid 'one day contracts' that are signed during spring training a la nomar and the red sox.

voici à vous, 1980 chris chambliss!

1977 chris chambliss

in what may be the weakest variation o-pee-chee ever issued, the facsimilie autograph on chris chambliss' 1977 o-pee-chee card was rotated differently than on the topps counterpart.  see for yourself - here's his 1977 o-pee-chee card:

here's the topps front:

now the o-pee-chee back:

and the topps back:

it's actually a tad more difficult to read on the o-pee-chee card.  i wonder if they were trying to line it up to be more perpendicular to the pinstripes?  who knows.  like i said, it's a weak variation.  i like how topps/o-pee-chee noted chambliss' mid-season walk off home run against the red sox instead of his pennant clinching bomb in the 1976 alcs against the royals.  those new york topps boys really wanted to rub it in to the red sox fans, i guess.

voici à vous, 1977 chris chambliss!