dazzy vance is ready for his close-up, mr. demille

seriously, it looks like dazzy was hit with a sack of flour and then had some lipstick, rouge and orange dye applied to his face and hair. 

i think it is fairly obvious that it's not excessive makeup, but rather some artist's attempt to colorize an old black and white photo that gives dazzy his glamourous appearance.  this is a 1983 big league collectibles diamond classic card, by the way.  it's a card i had never heard of before receiving it in the mail.  this card, and the others featured below, plus a lot more were sent to me about 5 months ago by reader steve. 

i am sorry it has taken me so long to get these posted.  anyway, the box steve sent over included some dodger minor league sets from the 80's which means awesomely 80's glasses and crewneck polyester uniforms as orel hershiser showcases on his 1982 and 1983 tcma minor league cards

he actually looks younger in the 1983 card because he gave the glasses back to kent tekulve or tim foli.

there were also some cards of another dodger ace, sandy koufax, like this 2000 upper deck legends card

i remember when this set was released.  koufax had granted a license to upper deck and they were milking it.  i was pretty stoked, too, especially after the completely awesome and contender for best upper deck set ever (1999 upper deck century legends) was forced to omit koufax.

2002 upper deck a piece of history

this was from back when opening a pack of 'a piece of history' didn't result in cards of turkeys or computers or some old satellite.  those were the days.

and, because you can't have koufax without don drysdale, here's a 2003 fleer fall classic 'postseason glory' card featuring big d and the duke of flatbush

too bad upper deck didn't give duke snider the dazzy vance treatment.

another brooklyn dodger, jim gilliam on a 2003 upper deck sweet spot classic card

this was a nice set, too.  lots of dodgers if i recall correctly.

there was also a nice surprise - a semi-high number 1972 topps pete richert

this card was from richert's second tour with the dodgers.  in between he pitched for the senators and orioles (he's shown in an orioles jersey on this card) and pitched in three straight world series with baltimore.

steve also included a few 1978 topps cards of players who had spent time with the dodgers but were on different teams such as ivan dejesus and von joshua and this guy, danny walton

walton appeared in a total of 18 games, exclusively as a pinch hitter, for the 1976 dodgers.  he managed two singles and a walk in those 18 appearances.  they traded him to houston (who had originally drafted walton in 1965) for alex taveras, a middle infielder who didn't play for the dodgers until 1982.  there's a decent chance that the original photo used on this card shows walton in a dodger uniform as it is obviously airbrushed along with the helmet.  i have to admit, i didn't realize danny walton was once a dodger.

thanks steve!