The Vintage Stack: 1977 Topps #152 Gaylord Perry

After showing some love for the oldest card in my Bay of E vintage stack of mystery, I believe it would only be appropriate to now check out the newest card in said stack.

Hello, Mr. Perry!

OH, where to start?!?!

The card is in pretty good shape.   Touched corners and a little low in the centering department, but overall the card looks great to me.   The colors are really vibrant and it is easy to forget that this card is nearly....wait for it......40 years old.   Dude?!

How about that ball cap?   The huge billboard-worthy front & bill give you the feeling that Perry is ready to:

- catch some bass
- clean his gun
- hurl a complete game
- kick someone's ass and steal their woman
- flip his hat, go "over the top", and drive away in a 16-wheeler
- all of the above

Glorious.   The giant "T" logo is superior and I only wish we could see more of the "TEXAS" scrawled across that baby-blue jersey.   How about the 'burns and hairdo?   I never noticed it before, but Gaylord could easily strut out into the middle of Fenway and belt out some "Sweet Caroline"...and I don't think anybody would be worse for wear.   A dead ringer for Neil Diamond!   But what really makes this card for me?   The subtle 4-seam grip that Mr. Perry is displaying so non-nonchalantly while he chuckles for the camera.

Here's the back:

Hello, giant font.   I don't have alot enough 1976 Topps in my collection.   In fact, my current set-building quests end much too abruptly in 1978.   However, please take a quick glance at my NEEDS list for '78 here.   As you can see, I'm nearing the end!   And what better way to extend the set quest than by simply rolling back through '77 and '76.....what do you think?

Anyways, GAYLORD PERRY is definitely the player on this card.   We have the usual bio-data below....6'4"!?!   Another great tidbit that I wasn't aware of regarding Mr. Perry.   Tall drink of water, particularly back in those prime Neil Diamond years.   My word, 2.91 career ERA after nearly 15 years.   That's eye-popping, almost as much as the 2670:999 K:BBB ratio.   Perry could certainly set them down, and a quick glance up his SO column show that he had 5 seasons of 230 or more strikeouts.   Another stat I like to review with these old pitchers are the IP totals.  Check it out -

- 12 seasons with 200+ innings for Gaylord.
- Eleven in a ROW when this '77 card was showing up in local drugstore
- SIX seasons with 300+ innings pitched, FOUR of those continuous from '72 - '76

My word.   Can you imagine?!?!

As a side note, the cartoon on this card might be one of the most depressing that I have ever seen.

"You okay, Darrell?"

"Whatever."

Another great card from the mystery stack!

Thanks for reading -

Ryan