What's the story with the Cubs team cards from '71 to '81?

ToadMan

What's the story with the team cards for the Cubs from 1971 through 1981, except for the years of '73 and '75?
As far as I can tell the Cubs were the only team to not have a team photo, but instead floating heads.

SOM

Good question.

I always wondered about that too

CocoaBeachDodgers

IDK,

But I do know that if I played for the Cubs I surely would not want to line up for a team picture!!!

PaulMaul

This is asked every few years, but I have never seen a definitive answer.

mccardguy1

I can tell you that these exact images were sold as souvenir team photos at Wrigley Field. I wonder if it was just easier to send a team photo from their concession stand than to line up the team for a real photo.

parkerj

I can also confirm that these were the same photos you got as souvenirs you received at the ballpark, i used to have a few that were bought in 77 -80 when i attended. I would strongly suspect that Topps photographers were not the ones that snapped the team photos. Many topps photos were taken when the teams visited NY, or from spring training. I would guess that the photos for team cards were provided by the teams, and since the cubs team photos were just floating heads, then that is what they provided to topps.

bishop

I had assumed it was to make it easier for other teams to keep track of and manage The Cub Factor


Text

leftofdial

For some reason, the Chicago Blackhawks also used the same format in '76 for the team card. Normal team pics in '75 and '77, but the floating heads in 76.

wrongleg

I believe that Topps used the team photos supplied to them and did not take the pictures themselves and this was the way that the Cubs did it back then. I don't have any information to back this up other than I remember reading about this in one of the old hobby magazines when I was collecting in the 80's.

I missed Parker's comments above. I agree with Parker. :-)

Ironmanfan

I remember back in 1991 when Topps randomly placed vintage cards in their packs, I have a rack pack with the 1976 Cubs team card showing on top.

IMF

Porkins

<< <i>I remember back in 1991 when Topps randomly placed vintage cards in their packs, I have a rack pack with the 1976 Cubs team card showing on top.

IMF >>



Not to change the thread subject, but I would love to see a picture of this.

MrSnuffleupagus

I bet this guy knew!

GDM67

<< <i>I believe that Topps used the team photos supplied to them and did not take the pictures themselves and this was the way that the Cubs did it back then. >>

That's always been my understanding, as well. I think the Cubs simply just didn't take the same sort of team photos, with everybody lined up in three or so rows, that every other team did.

miwlvrn

I wondered about those Cubs cards for a long time too. The series of them posted sure makes it seem to me like they cycled through managers at an unusually high rate.

sdsalezman

Maybe it's a Chicago thing as the White Sox were pictured like this as well in 1975 Topps.

bbuckner22

<< <i> The series of them posted sure makes it seem to me like they cycled through managers at an unusually high rate. >>


Some things never change.

stevebay

Fleer to the rescue...



Question. Is this the only team photo that Fleer ever created? I can't recall another one in their 80's or 90's set?

sdsalezman