1976 Topps Tribute: Posed Pitching

The 1976 Topps set is filled with goofy posed action shots. All these shots were taken with the players standing in foul territory in mostly empty stadiums. Wasn't it easier to take pictures during a game? Or was photography equipment not quite ready for stop-action? I guess all the action shots from the 70's were pretty grainy.

Here are 2 cards of pitchers posing:















Niekro is posing with the classic, hands-over-the-head, I'm-about-to-wind-up pose. There are probably 50 cards with this pose. (I didn't count but maybe I will one day) How many pitchers actually started their wind-up this way? Do any pitchers do this now? Aside from camera technology, I also wonder how good the deodorant was back in the day.

Moret at least realizes that he looks absurd. He could not help but laugh as he posed as if he had just pitched the ball. Check out that arthritic left hand!

Phil, with his fully grey head would pitch forever and ever. He never won a Cy Young and only pitched on 5 All-Star teams but his 300+ wins made him a sure thing HOFer. (With Maddux getting to 350, its fun to talk about what the new magic number will be for automatic induction.)

Rogelio, sweet name by the way, won 14 games in 1975 and was 47-27 for his career. (A much better percentage than Niekro, 318-274) Wikipedia tells an odd story about Moret being found in a catatonic state, holding a slipper. He only pitched in 6 more games after this.

Next up in the tribute: Stuff in back pockets!