Frankenset Page #70

Page #70 of my frankenset will definitely rank in the top 5 of all 74 pages when all is said and done, and by the end of this post, you'll understand why.

Representing every decade from the 1970s-2010s (excluding the 2000s), page 74 features cards #622-630. As we inch closer to the end of a series that's spanned over a year and a half, it's nice to have such a dynamic page as we draw to a close.

#622 1992 Sporting News Conlon Collection Rogers Hornsby

Among other things, the upcoming end of this 74-page frankenset series means that I won't have (as many) opportunities to showcase cards from the, at times, breathtaking Sporting News Conlon Collection set.

Hopefully, my 2nd frankenset series will give me the chance to discuss these cards at much greater length. For now, I'll just comment on how amazed I am at how beautifully the photographs were enhanced.

#623 1992 Bowman Ryan Klesko

COMC doesn't give me any information as to what type of parallel from the 1992 Bowman set is featured above. I know that the base cards feature white borders, so I assume it's some sort of gold parallel (it looks far brighter in person).

Ryan Klesko, on the other hand, can best be described as a Topps Archives Fan Favorite type of player. He hit .279 with 1,500+ hits in 16 seasons with the Braves, Padres, and Giants.

#624 2016 Topps Tommy Milone

The appearance of Fenway Park's Green Monster in the background inspired me to include this 2016 Topps card of Tommy Milone in the first place. Despite how iconic the feature is, I don't see the Green Monster make appearances on non-Red Sox cards all too often.

Now, if not for the unnecessary smoke that accompanied every card in the 2016 Topps set, this card would be elevated to a much higher level.

#625 1988 Donruss Ripken Baseball Family

One of the 2 combo cards featured on this page, the Ripken Baseball Family shot takes an otherwise dismal 1988 Donruss set and adds something of interest to it. On the card above, you can see Billy Ripken, Cal Ripken Sr, and, most notably, Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr.

Whether they're featured in original Topps sets, modern-day Heritage, or anything in between, I'm a sucker for combo cards which you'll see more of later on.

#626 1983 Topps Jerry Martin

Neither the 1982 nor the 1983 Kansas City Royals feature another player with the last name of Martin, according to Wikipedia, so it's interesting to see the letter J before "Martin" on the back of his jersey.

Of course, Martin was part of the infamous 1983 Kansas City Royals drug scandal along with 3 of his teammates, including former MVP Vida Blue and Willie Wilson.

#627 1981 Topps Luis Tiant

Though I prefer cards that depict Luis Tiant as a member of the Boston Red Sox, there's something about seeing the 3-time All-Star in New York Yankee pinstripes. I have a handful of cards featuring Tiant as a member of the Yankees, none of which rival his '81 Topps card.

From the pink frame around the photograph to the iconic uniform, there's a lot to like about this card, even if you're indifferent to the 1981 Topps set like I am.

#628 1974 Topps Ivan Murrell

There's a whole lot of San Diego Padres' team colors on this card, great if you like gold/light brown, but not if you don't. Personally, I love all the bright and bold uniforms from the 1970s, and '74 Topps is one of the better sets from that decade.

Plus, as is the case with several cards from the frankenset, the angle at which the photograph was taken is uncommon when it comes to Baseball cards.

#629 1985 Donruss

This page has already had more than its fair share of impressive cards/photographs, but now we have the fabulous combination of Yankee pinstripes, this time paired with the black-bordered 1985 Donruss design.

One of the more underrated sets of all-time, '85 Donruss makes an excellent look of sleek, thin black borders by pairing them with the colorful uniforms and overall uniqueness of the 1980s. In my humble opinion, it's the greatest set Donruss ever made.

#630 1982 Fleer Big Red Machine

It's rare for there to be one combo card on a frankenset page, let alone two, and this Big Red Machine, despite the excellence of this page, easily gets my vote for the #1 card.

By this point, the Big Red Machine was well past its prime with some players moving on and others soon to be retiring. Nonetheless, this photo of Dan Driessen, Dave Concepcion, and George Foster not only sheds light on some of the team's more underrated players but reminds Baseball fans how dominant this club was during the mid-1970s.

Given a page in which virtually every card is a standout, the Big Red Machine combo card thrives, garnering my vote for the best card of the page and will certainly rank among the better cards of the set.