a couple more 1979 topps cards that should have been - the jim gilliam tribute

before i move on to the 1980 installment of the 1978 topps dodgers, i have one more card that should have been in 1979.  i know it is unrealistic of me to have thought that the card would have been something that topps might have done, especially since they didn't have a card for lyman bostock in the set, and they hadn't featured a coach on a card since 1974.  still, it would have been nice to recognize jim gilliam, the dodgers' first base coach who passed away just before the 1978 world series.

here's the back - it's card number 731, because the three postseason cards would have been 727-729, and the bostock would have been 730.

i took the photo from the dodgers' 1976 photo album.  if you're wondering, that's ellie rodriguez lurking behind gilliam.  the dodgers wore a patch on their sleeves during the world series to honor gilliam, and i tried to recreate that patch to add something to the card.

i had previously created another card that should have been that showed the patch, and then i received this card from captain canuck the other day - a 2007 upper deck sweet spot classics reggie smith card

the only other card i can think of where i have seen the patch is the 2002 upper deck sweet spot classic steve garvey card, so it's nice to see the patch on another real card, even if it wasn't issued in 1979.

while i was dabbling with the 1979 design, i figured i should make a card for andy messersmith, so i used a photo from the 1979 photo album (it might have been the yearbook - i scanned it a long time ago).  as much as i appreciate the 1979 andy messersmith o-pee-chee card, here is the 1979 topps messersmith card that should have been

the back was easy to do - i just changed the team name on the real topps back

i suppose derrel thomas and gary thomasson are jealous.