a first-ful of robinsons

2002-2004 were dead years to me in terms of collecting.  i really bought only stuff from the topps flagship those years, if anything, and certainly didn't pick up any higher end stuff like upper deck sweet spot classics.  so, i missed out on a bunch of jackie robinson cards, apparently.

well, i guess there were only 4 cards of jackie, three of which are shown above.  each one addresses a different 'first' in jackie's career, like first black player, first player to win the rookie of the year, and first player to have his number retired by all of major league baseball. the one card i am missing is number 113 in the set (look for it in the nefarious 9 very soon) and deals with his first international league game in 1946.  of course, he's wearing a brooklyn cap in the photo instead of a montreal royals hat.

what drew me to these cards was the close-up of his iconic number 42.  this may be the only card i know of that features a uniform number so prominently, and i think it is pretty cool.  the text makes one think that there will be another player whose number is retired across the sport, and that brings to mind roberto clemente.  i know that there is a movement afoot to give clemente that honor, but i don't know what the commissioner's stance is.  at any rate, if it does happen (and i can't think of anyone outside of clemente that might be deserving of the honor), jackie will have always been first.