October SMR

jaxxr

I do enjoy the SMR magazine, ads very informative, decent articles, and a price guide which while not extremely accurate, is a nice starting point to use. This month's has a couple improvements.

Now single card pricing goes up to and includes 1980 BB, very nice addition. If the final set issued in series, 1973, had some high number pricing as well as the new single pricing, that would be very nice.

There is a story about the eary 70's sets which is interesting. In the article J. Orlando does make several references to the 1973 BB set. " these cards will not win any beauty contests " and "this is clearly not one of the prettiest sets ". I wonder how such an "objective" assesment was made. Is not beauty in the eyes of the beholder ? Do uncommon border colors make a card more attractive ? 62,70, and 71 automatically become pretty ? Women who are older and are worth more are not always better looking than newer ones, would not this apply to cards also?. The 73 set is more traditional, using white borders, block printing, blend of action/posed photos etc.. Does the script printing on the 70s and the lower case printing on the 71s make them pretty? I understand they are worth more and are very chip-prone due to colored borders, but are rareness and cost, true factors in eye-appeal or beauty ?

I wonder how a non collector or a person from the rain forrest, Iceland, Chad, or such, would rate some of these cards as to beauty ? No big deal of course, just wonder how some others might feel.

Vargha

I always thought that the 1973 set was pretty cool. I loved the abundance of action shots.

zardoz51

Speaking as a representative from the rain forests of Iceland, I too, think that the 73 set is cool. I agree with Vargha that the action shots certainly separate this set from those that had been issued previously.

thegemmintman

It's the same thing with descriptions od sets in the PSA Registry - it's very subjective and not always accurate.

FB

I would have to go along with Joe on this one...

I remember 72 being the first real HEAVY baseball card year. I had stacks of cards everywhere and bought from St. Patties day to Halloween. As the winter came I remember looking forward to 73 when I could start all over again going to the store month by moth to work on one series at a time.

What a belly drop... After seeing all of the vibrant colors from the 72 set and recalling the Black Beauties from 71, opening that first pack of 73's was a real disappointment. That was as bland a card as I had ever seen. Many of the photos seemed to be taken from much farther away so the players looked smaller and some of the pictures of the action shots were so grainy that I couldn't be sure that the player in the photo was REALLY the name on the card.

For those who love the 73 set - more power to ya. I'll never question your sanity or your love for it. I agree with Jaxxr when he asks if beauty is in the eye of the beholder. My guess is that in the case of the SMR article, Joe is the beholder and he's willing to state his opinion - so good for him.

I'm betting that if a poll was taken rating the best looking sets of the 70's - that 73 would come out near the bottom of the list. Just my opinion.

LuxuryWines

I kind of concur with FB (as 72 was my first big year of collecting!) the 72 's I started buying in March, and can remember the excitement as each new series came out.....I remember many wonderful hours playing colors at the playground and at lunch with these cards.... After putting my baseball cards away in the fall I remember the anitcipation of the 73's around February and the sheer delight of seeing the first packs appear in my local drug store. WHen I opened it it was like getting clothes on Xmas Morning What a let down!

nnpopp

I have to throw my hat in the ring as a fan of the 1973 set. The quality of the photographs are probably the best of the 1970s (IMHO), with the possible exception of 1971. If my grandkids (god forbid . . .) ask me what baseball was like in the 1970s, I will show them the last DVD of Ken Burns' documentary (the rest of it was garbage, again, IMHO), and the 1973 set. But before I show them any San Diego Padres cards, I will provide them with UV-protective sunglasses to ward off the rays from those god-awful mustard yellow uniforms . . .

1973 Ron Reed - Great Action Shot