Another Thurman Munson rookie card?

BaltimoreYankee

I was just thumbing through my 1970 Topps set and the uniform #15 jumped out at me. After a little digging, I saw that Thurman played 26 games with the Yankees in 1969 but I wasn't sure if he had uniform #15 then. I found this on 'Pinstripes Nation' to confirm:
"Thurman Munson got his opportunity to join the major league roster on August 8, 1969. The Yankees activated him to play in a weekend series against Oakland because their regular catcher, Frank Fernandez, had to go on reserve duty. To make Thurman feel at home, the Yankees gave him the number 15 jersey, which was the same number he wore during his college days."
Edited to add: I looked up Yankee uniform #s for 1969 and Tom Tresh also wore # 15 so it could be him in the background here:

82FootballWaxMemorys

I'm no expert but based on photos that's Tresh. The Torso to Leg ratio also does not look anything like stocky/beef/squat Thurm.

jay0791

Hmm can't rule that out. A few sites say it is Munson.

Applejacks

Tresh

Groo

Totally Tom Tresh

Ironmanfan

so this is totally unscientific, however Tresh was traded to Oakland on 06/14/69 for Ron Woods & my thought is if Woods was pictured in a full Yankee uniform in the '70 set, it might indicate that the Topps photographer was on site later in the '69 season (and the #15 in the background might be Munson).

however the Woods card simply shows him with no cap and a white undershirt...

just a thought....

IMF

rbsalezman

Considering Topps and the MLB Players Association has a dispute in 1969 that led to Topps recycling old images and over-relying on minor leaguers in the early series of their 1969 set as well as Topps habit of using images in their sets many years after they took the photo, my bet is on Tom Tresh.

Ironmanfan

If you're looking for another Munson rookie card from the '70 Topps set, there is always the team card (he's pictured in the middle of Row 2):

IMF

1951WheatiesPremium

Here’s an unusual rookie with just Thurman Munson on it:

1969-70 MLBPA NY Yankees Framing Pictures

1951WheatiesPremium

@rbsalezman said:
Considering Topps and the MLB Players Association has a dispute in 1969 that led to Topps recycling old images and over-relying on minor leaguers in the early series of their 1969 set as well as Topps habit of using images in their sets many years after they took the photo, my bet is on Tom Tresh.

Just adding some of the legalese to back up what you’re saying for anyone interested…

”Meanwhile, the Executive Board's decision to adopt a policy of non-renewal began to produce results. The players complied with the decision and refused to sign extension agreements with Topps. When this occurred Miller obtained concessions in the scope of Topps' individual agreements and the remuneration offered to the players. On November 18, 1968, the Association reached a new agreement with Topps that modified all then existing individual agreements with the players.
The terms of the 1968 agreement increased the players' lump sum license payments from $125 to $250 per year. In addition, if the revenues collected exceeded this amount, each player received a pro rata share of 8% of Topps' sales up to four million dollars and 10% of Topps' sales over four million. If the Association were to be presented with a competitive licensing proposal that might infringe on Topps' exclusive right to baseball cards sold alone or with gum, Topps promised to notify the Association as to whether it would release its rights. Topps also reserved a right of first refusal as to any merchandising proposal that included player pictures larger than 5 X 7 . In return, the MLBPA promised it would not "interfere with Topps' contracts, its procurement of such contracts or its policy" for eight years. Under the 1968 agreement, all publicity royalties went to the players on a pro rata basis. In 1974, a detail was changed so that Topps paid any excess over the $250 minimum to the MLBPA. The Association, again acting solely as a conduit, distributed these amounts in the same fashion as the licensing revenues under the commercial authorization contracts.
After the signing of the 1968 agreement, the MLBPA granted several licenses to merchandisers for the production and sale of baseball trading cards. These licenses covered the sale of baseball cards with cereals, candy, and novelties. The MLBPA also licensed the sale of trading cards with cheap non-confectionary novelties, often referred to as "sham products." Topps objected to such licenses in principle because their marketing was tantamount to the sale of baseball cards alone, and hence an infringement of Topps' exclusive rights. Nevertheless, in 1969 the MLBPA granted Sports Promotions, Inc., a license to market trading cards with cheap novelty rings, iron-on patches, and similar novelties so long as the value of the novelty represented half of the total retail value. In the spring of 1970, Topps learned of this promotion and complained to the Association that its rights had been infringed. The MLBPA disagreed and managed to secure a letter agreement in which Topps did not object to the promotion for one full baseball season. The MLBPA issued several other trading card licenses during the 1968-1976 period; some of these were also over the objection of Topps.”

craig44

What an interesting mystery. I wonder if there are any original slides that exist in the Topps vault that would better reveal who the player is?