The deeper I look into 1970s baseball, the more its collectibles reflect an era of complex regional relationships for sports and its fans. Today's 1972-73 Venezuelan winter league set contains dozens of familiar names competing in a country far fewer Americans would visit today. Local magazine Sport Gráfico covered those leagues in detail, making them a natural fit for baseball collectibles.
| At time of writing, offered at $350 OBO on eBay |
| "Recorta por la linea de puntos" means "cut along the dotted line." |
| "Joven el deporte es vida" translates as "youth sports is life," a Gráfico motto |
- 25 Dick Pole
- 32 Bobby Mitchell
- 41 Enrique Gonzalez
- 67 Dwight Evans
- 84 Faustino Zabala
- 94 Jim Holt
- 99 Luis Rodriguez
- 104 Juan Francia
- 109 Jose Lopez
- 113 Larry Bittner (Biittner)
- 116 Francisco Borges
- 120 Luis Rivas
- 121 Simon Barreto
- 123 Bruce Heinbechner
- 126 Iran Paz
- 130 Armando Rodriguez
- 133 Hector Artiles
- 138 Al Bumbry
| As of writing, offered at $200 OBO on eBay |
It appears Gráfico pulled a number altogether to leave that blank, so I think its checklist contains 251 players. At least they kept the ocular intensity of #233 Rafael Alvarez!
That leaves 17 total players for 5-Jan's sheets.
- NNO Harold McRae
- 196 Richard Henniger
- 201 Barry Lersch
- 206 Ramon Webster
- 212 Harold Hunter
- 219 Charles Murray
- 221 Dagoberto Campaneris
- 223 Jose Carvajal
- 231 George Manz
- 232 Duriel Durand
- 233 Rafael Alvarez
- 242 Garry Raziano
- 243 Preston Gomez
- 248 Bill Lee
- 249 Emilio Rodriguez
- 251 Rafael Camejo
- 252 David Concepcion
Google's translation of this Spanish trading card catalog hints why we see that "unfinished" page.
"Series edited and produced by the magazine Sport Gráfico...inserted in the aforementioned magazine, with weekly 18 cut-out cards and 18 spaces numbered for the preparation of the album. The first came with magazine No. 387, dated 14th October, 1972, and the last one with No. 400 of 5th January, 1973. There were 14 in total for a set of 252 pieces and 13 for the preparation of the album. One was missing to complete it and that's why it remained at 234."
- ?? Enrique Guterriez
- 10 Alexis Corro
- 30 Ken Forsch
- 43 Graciano Ravelo
- 65 Gustaso Sposito
- 77 Olinto Rojas
- 80 Edward Janson
- 87 Juan Loaiza
- 89 Armando Chacon
- 92 Alfredo Ortiz
- 95 Urbano Lugo
- 101 Pablo Torrealba
- 107 Victor Colina
- 108 Dick Lange
- 111 Jose Martinez
- 115 Franklyn Moreno
- 118 Alberto Cambero
- 144 Virgilio Mata
My collection consists of one issue from 15-Dec, featuring Venezuelan fan favorite Dick Billings, who signed it by mail in October 2024!
This issue contains two blank album pages, #145-162.
Photo sheets from 15-December include personal faves Diego Segui and Jose Cardenal. #29 Walt "No Neck" Williams features one of this set's better portraits.
Of 15-Dec's 18 players, five in bold fit into its centerfold album. Others go with ealier or later issues.
- 13 Toby Harrah
- 28 Walter Williams
- 82 Carlos Avila
- 97 Lew Krausse
- 125 Pablo Torrealba
- 134 Diego Segui
- 139 John Lowenstein
- 145 Arquilio Freites
- 148 Leopoldo Tovar
- 160 Elias Lugo
- 161 Evangelista Nuñez
- 162 Leonel Carrion
- 165 Pancho Lopez
- 167 Jose Cardenal
- 168 Charles Day
- 172 Nelson Caras
- 174 Camilo Pascual
- 177 Ed Sprague
- 3 V. Acosta
- 4 Richard Billings
- 8 Ely Infante
- 20 Digoberto Mendoza
- 22 Alfonso Collazo
- 26 Neudo Morales
- 31 Antonio Correa
- 34 Oswaldo Troconis
- 36 Remigio ??
- 40 Ossie Virgil
- 49 Hector Fultiro
- 50 Con. Escobar
- 61 C. Torieto
- 74 Carlde Pascual
- 75 Francisco Navas
- ?? Damaso Blanco
- ?? Nelson Garcia
- ?? Juan J. Rivas Frim
Value: I bought my 15-Dec issue on eBay for $50, which came with two complete sheets. While I know of online scans for #5 Trillo, the card itself proves elusive.
Fakes / reprints: Modern counterfeits exist for at least one other South American set, so purchase hard-to-find type cards like these from dealers you trust.