Cardboard Junkie: Bowman Heritage Background Fun

Since Upper Deck is swiping Topps' gimmicks right and left, it's only fair for Topps to do the same to them. UD mimics the Topps mirror set concept with their psychotically large 2008 Yankees insert set as well as the short printed 'error' card trick with the just released Ex-Rod variation. Topps can play that game too, and copies Goudey's motif of taking classic backgrounds from vintage Diamond Stars, Play Ball and Heads Up sets and using them on contemporary cards. 2007 Bowman Heritage features ten cards with backgrounds that are familiar to fans of the original 1952 set it is patterned after. Problem is, '52 Mantles aren't exactly a dime a dozen, and a lot of people who are buying cards nowadays have never seen one. Luckily reader Roger Nisly has stepped up to the plate and offered some scans so us collectors without a '52 set can compare the cards. Roger has apparently been helping out with some other galleries as well, so kudos to Roger!

Topps made some pretty solid choices for the pairing of their cards. Musial & Pujols, Mays & Bonds and Scooter & Jeter are obvious pairs. Big Papi shares a background with Red Sox favorite Johnny Pesky. Ryan Howard takes a mighty cut in front of the same ominous building on Phillies great Richie Ashburn's card. Players from teams that weren't around in 1952 get matched with Brooklyn Dodgers. A-Rod and Mantle? Well, we'll see how contract talks go before passing judgment on that match. Dice-K's card partner is a cool choice. Mickey McDermott had some crazy times in the majors and had a lot of interesting stories to tell. Roger notes in his e-mail that the Pujols and Reyes backgrounds are reversed. So is Barry's background, but it's really hard to catch without seeing the cards side by side. Enjoy the scans, I'll have a gallery of the other special background cards up later in the week.

#50 Albert Pujols and #196 Stan Musial