This is the first time I've prominently featured a Sammy Sosa card on this blog.
That's no accident.
I grew up watching the likes of Bonds, McGwire, and Sosa. They were my introduction to the game of baseball as a kid.
As I got older, I found out what was really going on with those "record breaking" sluggers.
They weren't playing by the rules.
Unlike many other bloggers, I grew up during the "steroid era" of the game.
Because of this, I've largely shied away from showing any of the "faces" of that time period on the blog. For one thing, I don't collect any of them.
But, more than that, I don't think I'll ever be able to fully get over the fact that these guys were my "heroes" as a young baseball fan.
Every once in a while, though, something comes along and makes you forget about that for a moment.
That's exactly what we have with this "gem".
Judging by what I look for in a baseball card, I should despise this one.
I've never liked the Studio brand. For the most part, they remind me of bad high school yearbook photos.
And this one features Sammy Sosa.
Not exactly the makings of a "great" piece of cardboard.
Still, I can't help but smile every time I see it.
That devilish smile on Sosa's face is something straight out of a horror flick. When does Michael Myers pop out of the background?
Then, we've got that hair. Where to begin?
I don't know what the heck to call that hairstyle. It looks to be somewhere between a mullet, a Jehri-curl, and a flat-top.
The best thing about this card?
It only cost me a dime.
That's a small price to pay for such greatness.
I may not like Sammy Sosa. I may not like the fact that he "juiced". I may not like that he got busted using a corked bat. I may not like that he disappointed me as a "hero".
That should tell you just how much power this card holds.
Every time I see it, I forget about all that.
Even if it is just for a moment.
2 comments:
I think that haircut could best be described as a "high top fade" albeit a shaggy one. I knew I learned something watching Fresh Prince of Bel Air.
I feel your pain about about growing up with the so called "heroes" such as Sosa, Bonds and McGwire. I was on the McGwire bandwagon more-so than Bonds and Sosa, but the end result was the same.
It's still a hard thing to swollow but I'm not going to be throwing out any of their cards anytime soon for whatever reason.
I just still wonder about the guys that slipped through...The ones that got away with it that we don't usually think about when the term "steroid-era" arises. Guess it's too late to tell now lol
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