Latest custom card: 1976 Frank Robinson

I recently rediscovered in a box of my baseball "stuff" a 1975 JB Robinson Jewelers Cleveland Indians player photo album, probably given away at a promotional game that season.

The booklet had some great photos of the players in their red softball-looking uniforms. They definitely weren't the same old pictures seen on cards and memorabilia of the day.

It occurred to me that the picture of playing-manager Frank Robinson could be the basis for a "card that never was." In 1975, Topps pictured the first-year manager on the team card, and also had a player card of him as a designated hitter. In 1976 and 1977, Robinson was only on the team cards.

I dithered with whether to make my custom in the 1976 or the 1977 style. While I suppose a 1977 card with his final playing stats would have been most collectors' choice, I opted for the '76 merely as a matter of personal preference.

Other than having to severely shrink the type for the stats to make them all fit on the back, the process went well. Hope you agree.

By the way, the Robinson booklet had a good portrait photo of Boog Powell in his Indians uniform. I believe you'll see that in this space some day, since Topps pictured the Boog-er as an Oriole in 1975, despite the fact he played all season with Cleveland.