The mfc SCOREBOARD Collection UPDATE:1988

This card goes out to Louis because he was absolutely correct. How could I not have covered the late 80's and 90's scoreboard look! I was able to find one decent photo from, I think, 1988. If that is incorrect please let me know, I can change the border. 

As of now, it's a 1988 mfc SCOREBOARD card!

Thanks for the input Louis. If I find a better photo someday I'll update this one.

The mfc SCOREBOARD Collection 1962-2015

I've been waiting for the Mets to make a move and pump me up for 2015. And yes, a  move was announced the other day. A brand new ...shortstop,...Scherzer,...manager,..owners,...

SCOREBOARD!!!  YAY!!!

That's right folks. It don't take much to pump me up. A superficial move. I'm a simple man. I appreciate things like scoreboards. So lets bring on the mfc SCOREBOARD Collection!

 The Polo Grounds 1962-'63

Look at that old thing. I know as a kid I would have had to try and sneak up inside there. What are those? Offices? Amazin'.

The new fantastic space age Shea Stadium scoreboard was under construction in late 1963.

   Shea Stadium is born 1964. The scoreboard in all it's intended glory.

The giant slide show did not last long.

After the slideshow failed, before the logo, 1965

 The best scoreboard known to man and the universe circa 1969-'73.

I did sneak up into this the structure in 1971 or '72. There really was a giant slide projector up there behind that logo.

The Mets and Yankees shared the Shea scoreboard in 1975.
I didn't agree with the switching of the logos and displayed my displeasure by never attending any Yankee games at Shea.
 The Mets attracted 1,730,566 to their home games while the Yankees attracted 1,288,048 to their home games at Shea.
Special thanks to Joe Shlabotnik

                                     

Last look at the white shell.

Mets sell some prime real estate.

 

The twin towers stood tall at Shea.

Special thanks to Louis Smith

A last goodbye.

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 Citi Field's erector set scoreboard

 

 I knew Wright was too big for the original scoreboard.

And a "!" on a baseball card means it's exciting!

I wasn't sure but that clinched it. This is exciting news.

Yes, to me any Mets news is exciting.

mfc will continue with the 1973 World Series in the near future.

>>>>>>>>>>>'86mfc Diamond King Dwight Gooden

While I procrastinate over starting the pages for the last two games of the 1973 World Series  (spoiler, we lose) I'll continue to throw some stuff up. I did a drawing of Dwight Gooden and tried to get him to sign it at Shea back in 1988. Good story there, but I won't bore you with it now. Bottomline, Doc did not sign it.

 I recently came across a giant sized 1986 Donruss Diamond King Dwight Gooden. I had the card once but I had forgotten all about it. I forgot all about those Topps & Donruss jumbos in the mid 80's. Cards from the 80's are nostagic to me now. Yikes, I'm getting old. Oh, back to the Diamond King. Now that I make custom cards it occurred to me right away to put one of my drawings on a Diamond King when I was reminded of that Perez classic.

Donruss/Diamond King/ Dwight Gooden : Dick Perez

I colorized the drawing and popped it into the DK border. Doing a DK card is a personal fantasy come true for me. I envied Perez having that gig. I even borrowed his layout of big portrait, small action shot. But we all did that & I doubt he was the first. I drew up a bunch of players back in those days.

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Coming up, hopefully before next season starts, games 6 & 7 of the 1973 World Series.

I thought I'd be more into this blog in the off season. Maybe this is just a reflection of how boring the Mets off season has been so far. Cuddyer was nice, but we need another piece.

Pump me up Sandy! Make a move!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>mfc '68 Tom Seaver Alt

There was a very interesting article recently on the Mets 360 blog regarding Tom Seaver's 1968 Topps baseball card. In their Met Card Of The Week column they put up some info that I was never aware of.

The 1968 Topps Tom Seaver card that we all are well acquainted with was a rather blah portrait. They used the same photo for his 1969 card, and I was never happy when Topps did that kind of thing. Still, a great card, showing a boyish Tom under a clear blue sky (you'll notice I always will prefer nice blue skies in my custom cards, even if I have to create them).

Same photo on the 69t sticker!

Tom has had a few '68mfc cards made since the project started. The different early versions have been pulled in favor of the one below created for the '68 Opening Day Lineup page. This will be Seaver's official mfc card.

Doug Parker from Mets 360 brought to my attention that there was an earlier Topps Tom Seaver card printed in 1968 that was never issued. 

Why? 

Because Tom posed as a lefty pitcher in an attempt to fool the Topps photographer. Or maybe the photographer knew and was going along with the prank. Who knows? Well, Tom does.

Mr. Seaver, were you in cahoots with the Man From Topps?

In any case the card went so far as to be printed on a proof sheet before the photo was noticed. Another Hall Of Fame pitcher, Bob Gibson, also posed as a lefty (see uncut sheet), and someone at the company finally picked up on the gag. Topps pulled the cards and came up with the head shot portrait that we all know today. 

Bob Gibson's card was also substituted with a chest & up portrait shot.

As soon as I saw this article I knew I was going to try and re-create the unreleased Seaver card. Tom pulled his shenanigans at the world famous Sadecki (RIP) Spot and the background is recreated here. This is as close as I could get to the original card.

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Tom Seaver's 1968 mfc alternate Topps card recreation.

I hope Mr. Seaver is feeling better these days after his bout with with Lyme disease and Bell's palsy. We will always root for you Tom.

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>Photos of the 1968 Alternate Tom Seaver, Bob Gibson and 1968 Topps uncut sheet courtesy of METS 360
> I'd like to thank My Man From Topps, batmagadanleadoff of the CPF, a great source for Topps information. 

UPDATE!(3/16/16):

The great batmagadanleadoff has found a beautiful copy of the original 1968 Topps Seaver prank card. Look at this!:

Thanks batmags, this is absolutely awesome.

> Alpineinc of Behind The Bag & Baseball Fever has been an invaluable source for Mets photographs. Thank you sir.