1993 Medford Philadelphia Phillies Photo Cards

Number of Cards:  45
Card Size:  4" x 6"

Description:  For the fifth year in a row, the card fronts feature a photo with the player's, coach's or manager's name in a red band with white text.  The card backs feature biographical information along with complete career statistics.  Medford Food Company was in the third year of its sponsorship of the set.  Size-wise, the cards lost an eighth of an inch with this set, settling into the 4" x 6" size that has been used for each team-issued photo card set produced by the Phillies as of this writing.

I always thought this was one of the weakest of the team issued sets from the 1990s, and it's a shame since the 1993 squad is really the only team from the 1990s worth remembering.  Some of the cards suffer from strange cropping, dark backgrounds and/or blurry photos.

How Distributed:  As originally detailed in this post from March 2013, the original 35-card set was available for sale at Veterans Stadium through at least early August.  A five-card update set was available for sale at some point during the second half of the season.  A second 36-card set was sold at the ballpark late in the season which included a Bobby Thigpen card and four photo variations of players included within the original 35-card set.  This second set would have been sold at The Vet at some point after Thigpen's acquisition from the White Sox on August 10th.

Complete Set Checklist (Unnumbered, presented here alphabetically with uniform number and position from the front of cards): 

1. Kyle Abbott (#37 - LHP) 2. Ruben Amaro (#33 - OF) 3. Larry Andersen (#47 - RHP) 4. Bob Ayrault (#53 - RHP) 5. Kim Batiste (#5 - INF) 6. Juan Bell (#24 - INF) 7. Larry Bowa (#2 - Third Base Coach) 8. Wes Chamberlain (#44 - OF) 9. Darren Daulton (#10 - C) 10. Jose DeLeon (#50 - RHP) 11. Mariano Duncan (#7 - INF) 12. Lenny Dykstra (#4 - OF)

13. Jim Eisenreich (#8 - OF) 14. Jim Fregosi (#11 - MG) 15. Tyler Green (#28 - RHP) 16. Tommy Greene (#49 - RHP) 17. Dave Hollins (#15 - INF) 18. Pete Incaviglia (#22 - OF) 19. Danny Jackson (#27 - LHP) 20. Ricky Jordan (#17 - 1B) 21. John Kruk (#29 - 1B-OF) 22. Denis Menke (#14 - Hitting Instructor) 23. Mickey Morandini (#12 - INF) 24. Terry Mulholland (#45 - LHP)

25. Johnny Podres (#46 - Pitching Coach) 26. Todd Pratt (#23 - C) 27. Ben Rivera (#34 - RHP) 28. Mel Roberts (#26 - First Base Coach) 29. Mike Ryan (#9 - Bullpen Coach) 30. Curt Schilling (#38 - RHP) 31. Milt Thompson (#25 - OF) 32. John Vukovich (#18 - Dugout Assistant) 33. David West (#40 - LHP) 34. Mitch Williams (#99 - LHP) 35. Phillie Phanatic

Complete First Update Checklist (Unnumbered, presented here alphabetically with uniform number and position from the front of cards):

1. Jeff Manto (#30 - INF-C) 2. Roger Mason (#48 - RHP) 3. Kevin Stocker (#19 - INF)

4. Mike Williams (#41 - RHP)          5. 1993 Phillies All-Stars

Complete Second Update Checklist (Unnumbered, presented here alphabetically with uniform number and position from the front of cards):

1. Darren Daulton (dugout background) 2. Tommy Greene (dugout background) 3. Mickey Morandini (dugout background)

4. Bobby Thigpen (#37 - RHP) 5. Mitch Williams (bright background)

One and Only Phillies Baseball Card (0):  N/A

First Appearance in Phillies Team Issued Set (13):  Bell, DeLeon, Eisenreich, Green, Incaviglia, Jackson, Manto, Mason, Pratt, Stocker, Thigpen, West, Mike Williams
Returning Players in Phillies Team Issued Set (23):  Abbott, Amaro, Andersen, Ayrault, Batiste, Chamberlain, Daulton (x 2), Duncan, Dykstra, Greene (x 2), Hollins, Jordan, Kruk, Morandini (x 2), Mulholland, Rivera, Schilling, Thompson, Mitch Williams (x 2)

Manager (1):  Fregosi
Coaches (6):  Bowa, Menke, Podres, Roberts, Ryan, Vukovich

Phillie Phanatic (1):  The Phanatic is shown walking on the field with the green and black Veterans Stadium outfield wall behind him.

Broadcasters (0):  N/A
Other Cards (1):  1993 Phillies All-Stars, featuring Mulholland, Daulton, Fregosi, Kruk and Hollins.

Set Composition:  The original 35-card set includes the entire 25-man opening day roster and adds cards for Kyle Abbott and Ruben Amaro.  Amaro would be called up in mid-June, but Abbott would spend the entire season pitching in the minors.  The four players added to the first update set first appeared with the Phillies between mid-May and early July, with Kevin Stocker being the newest member of the bunch having been recalled on July 7th.

As mentioned above, the second update set only included one new player - Bobby Thigpen.  The reliever was acquired from the White Sox on August 10th in exchange for Jose DeLeon.

Omissions:  Early season roster additions who could have made an appearance in the first update set include Mark Davis, Doug Lindsey, Tim Mauser and Joe Millette.  All spent time with the club prior to Stocker's debut.  Joining the club prior to Thigpen's acquisition, but omitted from the second update set was Paul Fletcher, but he pitched in just one game.  September additions left out entirely were Tony Longmire, Donn Pall, Kevin Foster and Brad Brink.

Variations/Rarities:   Comments on earlier posts and e-mails from fellow collectors have led me to the six cards listed below, which I'm calling Non-Set Variations.  How and why these cards were created and issued is still unknown to me, although it's possible the Mike Schmidt card was created for the Annual Phillies ALS Charity Event, held on August 2nd.  Then again, the card comes with a printed black facsimile autograph, so it's doubtful it would have been created for Schmidt to add his actual signature.

Dale Murphy was released by the Phillies on April 3, 1993.  I originally thought the Davis and Mauser cards would have been created for the ALS event, but Davis was released on July 2nd and Mauser was traded to the Padres for Mason on July 3rd, a month before the cards would have been needed had both players still been with the team.

Non-Set Cards 1. Mark Davis 2. Tim Mauser 3. Dale Murphy

4. Dickie Noles (Blue Cross Blue Shield logo on back)   5. Mike Schmidt (with black facsimile autograph) 6. Kevin Stocker (running)

Also See:  1993 Topps Phillies; 1993 Medford Phillies Variations (March 2013) and Update (April 2013)

Resources:  Beckett.com; Phillies collector Rick (@rickphils)

This set was originally featured in a post back in November 2014, and I'm going through these older team-issued set posts to update them with new information learned (if any) over the past six years.

1992 Medford Philadelphia Phillies Photo Cards / 1994 Philadelphia Phillies Photo Cards

1980-1999 Phillies Team-Issued Photo Cards Want List / Phillies Team Issued Sets Index Page

1965 Topps - 3rd Series Phillies Alumni

It took us a while, but we finally finished off the third series of the 1965 Topps set we've been collecting since late 2019.  I'm getting closer to completely wrapping up the set, and the blog celebrating every card in the set, so I'd expect these series review posts to start to come a little quicker.

Here's a look at the 20 cards in the set's third series featuring a former Phillies player, coach or manager.  Clicking on the card number underneath each picture will take you to that card's post.

#184

#186

#187

#190

#192

#198

#201

#203

#207

#210

#211

#213

#225

#228

#239

#248

#252

#253

#256

#264

1965 Topps 2nd Series Phillies Alumni / 1965 Topps 4th Series Phillies Alumni

Philly Baseball Card Show Report - Finishing 1971 Topps, Starting 1965 Topps

On Saturday, and for the third and final time this year, Doug and I attended the Valley Forge baseball card show.  Doug was given a "loan" based on his anticipated upcoming birthday money haul and he spent the show picking up new Bryce Harper, Scott Kingery and other Phillies cards along with adding to his Mike Trout personal collection.

We added autographs from Benito Santiago, Brad Lidge and Ryan Howard, and I'll have photos of those friendly encounters up in a separate post.  Doug was happy to get the other half of his Pride of the Phillies print signed by Howard, as it had been previously signed by Carlos Ruiz.

Here's a summary of what I tracked down during another very productive, very crowded show:

•  I completed my 1971 Topps set, giving me a complete run of Topps flagship sets from 1970 to 2018.  The entire set took about 18 years to complete with the first batch of cards arriving from Santa on Christmas morning in either 2001 or 2002.  I purchased a large lot of cards (maybe 150 or so?) in the summer of 2002, and I've been slowly adding cards ever since.  The final three cards needed were #596 Mike Jorgensen, #662 Mike Hedlund and #715 Horace Clarke.
• Doug and I officially started our 1965 Topps set with the addition of 26 cards.  We had a goal of adding a bunch of commons and one or two semi-star cards, and that mission was accomplished.  I was very happy to add cards of Robin Roberts, Dick Sisler, Jim Fregosi, Cookie Rojas, Rick Wise, Johnny Callison, Dallas Green and Tony Taylor as part of this first batch.  I'll slowly post each of the cards added over at my new 1965 Topps blog.  I'm also proud to say that Doug rejected a few cards I had picked if they had corners a little too dinged up.  We're looking to build a set in great shape.
• I added three Phillies cards that had been on my want lists for quite a while - the 1972 Topps Steve Carlton, the Traded version, a 1941 Play Ball card of Chuck Klein and the 1962 Topps Rookie Parade card featuring Jack Hamilton, whose face is covered by a price tag in the photo above.
• Finally, a 1965 Phillies Yearbook entered my collection as I continue to slowly fill in the gaps I have in my Phillies Yearbooks collection.

It was another great day, although I'm happy (and my wallet is happy) that we now have a few months off until our next show.

Memory Lane

Valley Forge 1 - September 2010 - Thinking of my Dad
Valley Forge 2 - October 2012 - Doug's first baseball card show
Valley Forge 3 - September 2014 - Meeting Darren Daulton
Oaks 1 - October 2015 - Meeting Pete Rose and Steve Carlton
Valley Forge 4 - September 2016 - Phillies acquisitions and 4 Phillies Legends
Valley Forge 5 - December 2016 - Meeting Don Money
Valley Forge 6 - September 2017 - Doug's big day
Valley Forge 7 - December 2017 - Ben's first baseball card show with Mike Schmidt and Rhys Hoskins!
Oaks 2 - December 2018 - Meeting Matt Stairs and Cole Hamels
Valley Forge 8 - March 2019 - 5 Phillies Autographs and Vintage Phillies Additions
Valley Forge 9 - September 2019 - Closing in on 1971 Topps set and Andrew McCutchen
Valley Forge 10 - December 2019 - Finishing 1971 Topps set, Starting 1965 Topps set, adding key autographs from Ryan Howard and Brad Lidge

Grapefruit Games 9 & 10 - 1969 Topps #365 Jim Fregosi (50th Anniversary Buyback)

Orioles 4, Phillies 2
Spring Training Game 9 - Saturday Afternoon, March 3rd in Clearwater

Pirates 4, Phillies 3
Spring Training Game 10 - Saturday Afternoon, March 3rd in Bradenton

Record - 2-8

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies split their squad and dropped two games on Saturday.

What It Means:  We've got a little more than three more weeks of spring training games to go before the games start to count.

What Happened:  In Bradenton, Ben Lively threw three scoreless innings but reliever Brandon Leibrandt was touched for three runs in his 2/3 innings of work.  In Clearwater, the offense couldn't get going against the Orioles, managing only three hits.

Featured Card:  While battling some sort of hybrid cold/flu nonsense on Saturday, I had settled in to watch the Phillies-Orioles game on TV when our postal carrier delivered our shipment of 2018 Topps Heritage boxes.  The four of us settled in for an afternoon of pack opening, and it was the most fun I've had opening baseball cards in quite a while.  The sorting process is still underway, but that's all part of the fun of opening packs of cards.

Each of our boxes had a single card pack as a box topper and the wrapper indicated that an original 1969 Topps buyback card was included within.  I was thrilled when the first buyback pack we opened was former Phillies manager Jim Fregosi.  I was amused when the second buyback pack we opened was another Fregosi.  I was annoyed when the third, fourth, fifth and sixth buyback packs we opened were also Fregosi.  I'm chalking this one up to dumb luck and poor collation from Topps.  While I would have liked to have added a few different buybacks to my collection, the six Fregosis won't diminish the fun we had opening the boxes.

Camp Head Count:  63

1970 Topps - Phillies Cards

1970 Topps #336

1970 Topps #485

1970 Topps #665

1970 Topps #675

I've had fun the last few years putting together these season wrap-up posts, looking at all of the cards within a particular Topps set with a Phillies connection.  Anyone who has put on a Phillies uniform at some point in his career - as a player, coach or manager - qualifies for the list below.  I also included Woody Woodward's card in my tally as he briefly served as the Phillies General Manager in 1988. Most of these cards made their way into series preview posts throughout the year, but I wanted to show some of those cards that didn't make it.

National League East (45 - 16 without Phillies)
Atlanta Braves (4) - #105 Tony Gonzalez, #171 Jim Nash, #384 Gary Neibauer, #546 Ron Reed
Miami Marlins (0)
New York Mets (7) - #26 Tug McGraw, #83 Don Cardwell, #99 Bobby Pfeil, #309 Jerry Koosman WS, #468 Jerry Koosman AS, #610 Jerry Koosman, #634 Bud Harrelson
Philadelphia Phillies (29)
Washington Nationals (Montreal Expos) (5) - #332 Bobby Wine, #417 John Bateman, #442 Gene Mauch MG, #632 Gary Sutherland, #666 Adolfo Phillips

National League Central (30)
Chicago Cubs (4) - #69 Fergie Jenkins LL, #71 Fergie Jenkins LL, #240 Fergie Jenkins, #375 Johnny Callison
Cincinnati Reds (12) - #61 Pete Rose LL, #63 Tony Perez LL, #115 Alex Johnson, #181 Sparky Anderson MG, #296 Woody Woodward, #380 Tony Perez, #409 Bob Tolan, #458 Pete Rose AS, #507 Pat Corrales, #580 Pete Rose, #602 Ted Savage, #683 Wayne Simpson/Hal McRae RS
Milwaukee Brewers (Seattle Pilots) (1) - #556 Dave Bristol MG
Pittsburgh Pirates (5) - #141 Dave Cash RS, #166 Al Oliver, #264 Rich Hebner, #532 Danny Murtaugh MG, #643 Jose Pagan
St. Louis Cardinals (8) - #40 Rich Allen, #67 Steve Carlton LL, #92 George Culver, #162 Jerry Johnson, #220 Steve Carlton, #482 Tom Hilgendorf, #569 Cookie Rojas, #673 Jose Cardenal

1970 Topps #116

1970 Topps #23

1970 Topps #380

1970 Topps #537

National League West (9)
Arizona Diamondbacks (0)
Colorado Rockies (0)
Los Angeles Dodgers (3) - #174 Ted Sizemore, #260 Claude Osteen, #446 Billy Grabarkewitz
San Diego Padres (3) - #44 Roberto Pena, #130 Ollie Brown, #284 Jack Baldschun
San Francisco Giants (3) - #77 Frank Linzy, #378 Jim Davenport, #583 Hal Lanier

American League East (15)
Baltimore Orioles (7) - #45 Dave Johnson, #182 Dick Hall, #319 Clayton Dalrymple, #344 Marcelino Lopez, #477 Roger Freed RS, #497 Eddie Watt, #601 Pete Richert
Boston Red Sox (4) - #116 Sparky Lyle, #144 Ray Culp, #627 Gary Wagner, #665 Jim Lonborg
New York Yankees (4) - #23 Bill Robinson, #416 Joe Verbanic, #437 Danny Cater, #568 Stan Bahnsen
Tampa Bay Rays (0)
Toronto Blue Jays (0)

American League Central (6)
Chicago White Sox (0)
Cleveland Indians (2) - #59 Dick Ellsworth, #524 Alvin Dark MG
Detroit Tigers (1) - #313 Mayo Smith MG
Kansas City Royals (0)
Minnesota Twins (3) - #25 Cesar Tovar, #75 Jim Kaat, #194 Chuck Manuel

1970 Topps #106

1970 Topps #319

1970 Topps #663

1970 Topps #570

American League West (9)
Houston Astros (3) - #32 Harry Walker MG, #155 Denis Menke, #537 Joe Morgan
Los Angeles Angels (2) - #485 Jay Johnstone, #570 Jim Fregosi
Oakland Athletics (2) - #531 Ron Clark, #663 Tito Francona
Seattle Mariners (0)
Texas Rangers (Washington Senators) (2) - #106 Darold Knowles, #336 Del Unser

Memory Lane

1970 Topps - 114 cards with Phillies connections
1973 Topps - 107 cards with Phillies connections
1979 Topps - 111 cards with Phillies connections, plus one more
1985 Topps - 153 cards with Phillies connections
1988 Topps - 154 cards with Phillies connections

Opening a 2015 Phungo HOT PACK from @phungo2008

I'm no stranger to the annual Phungo baseball card product and its world-renowned packs.  For the seventh year in a row, an unexpected bubbleope showed up in our mail box yesterday and when I saw the return address, I immediately knew there was going to be great stuff inside.  I was right.

I'll have to check the packs from prior years, but I certainly don't remember the packs being so jam packed as the 2015 edition.  Maybe I received a special retail-only blaster special hot pack?  In any event, and as has been the case in prior years, the pack was full of this year's Phungo cards and an assortment of "buyback" cards that were miraculous all needed for my (and Doug's!) collections.

2015 Phungo #1

2015 Phungo #42

2015 Phungo #53

2015 Phungo #26

I was happy to add the first card in this year's set, former Phillies ace Cole Hamels, to my collection. Sadly, Hamels' season is done courtesy of shoddy Rangers fielding and the Jose Bautista bat flip heard 'round the world.  Ben Revere will advance to the ALCS along with the rest of the Blue Jays. Current Phillies closer Ken Giles was in the pack as was a nice card of Chase Utley, showing him in a non-take-out slide pose.

2015 Phungo #54

2015 Phungo #19

2015 Phungo #11

2015 Phungo #27

Some of my favorite cards this year feature former Phillies.  I received my first ever card of infielder Don Hasenmayer, who appeared in 11 games for the 1945 and 1946 Phillies.  Strangely enough, his Baseball Reference page indicates he wore #21 and #40 with the Phillies, but the team gave him a jersey with #23 on it for Alumni Day.  I also received Jayson Werth's card, which features a cameo from Garry Maddox, and a Jim Fregosi In Memoriam card.  I was able to scan the Mike Trout card before my oldest son Doug added it to his Mike Trout binder.

And then there were the "buybacks" not so randomly inserted into my pack.  I received a few early 1970s Phillies cards needed for my team sets along with another Trout card (for Doug's collection) and a short-printed 2013 Topps Archives card of Anthony Rizzo (again, for Doug's collection). Minor league cards of obscure Phillies are always welcome, and I added cards of Jim Vatcher and Gene Schall to my collection.  And that's just scratching the surface!  Without a doubt, this was my favorite Phungo pack yet and I definitely consider myself fortunate to receive such awesomeness each year.

1971 Topps #533

1972 Topps #587

1989 Star Clearwater Phillies #14

1992 Classic Best #266

Memory Lane

2009 Phungo
2010 Phungo
2011 and 2012 Phungo
2013 Phungo
2014 Phungo