The dime box frankenset, Numbers 1-99: Top 5 additions

Earlier today, I revealed the top five cards that missed going into my frankenset binder from cards 1-99.

This post will have a bit of a happier tone. I'll be counting down the five best cards that I've added to my frankenset in recent months.

I picked up all of these pieces after their particular frankenset page was revealed on this blog. Some of these are fairly recent additions, while others secured their place in my binder a while ago.

This one of "The Unibrowed One", Wally Moon, fell into my hands back in August at the National. And yet it's not one of the five best cards I've recently added to my frankenset.

That should tell you how well this whole frankenset business has been coming along lately.

#5 -- 

The card: 1996 Stadium Club #53 Jim Bullinger

Knocked out: 1998 Collector's Choice #53 Kevin Orie

This is a case of one great Cub knocking out another from my frankenset.

I absolutely love the crosstown throwback featured on the Orie, but it's got nothing on this fantastic shot of Jim Bullinger.

Of course, my hometown bias has made me partial to shots of Wrigley Field. Thanks to a beautiful rooftop view from across the street, I've never seen the place shown in a better light.

Tremendous, tremendous work on the part of Stadium Club.

#4 -- 

The card: 1973 Topps #35 Willie Davis

Knocked out: 1995 Topps #35 Ricky Bones

The #35 slot has already undergone a few transformations in the short history of my frankenset.

When I wrote the post devoted to that particular page, a neat alternate-uniformed Craig Breslow was in the binder. I later acquired the Ricky Bones card that would ultimately be booted by the '73 Topps Willie Davis you see above.

Mr. Davis is a fresh new frankenset nominee, as I snagged it from a dime box at last week's card show. I'd seen it before then, but never managed to land a copy. From the looks of it, Davis just avoided a high hard one from the opposing Phillies pitcher.

Call me crazy, but I think the #35 slot now has a permanent resident.

#3 -- 

The card: 1998 Fleer Tradition Update #U-48 Wilton Guerrero

Knocked out: 1987 Topps #48 Wally Backman

The #48 slot was empty at the time of my post on the page.

Since then, it's been home to a few strong frankenset nominees. The Backman is a superb "play at the plate" shot, and one of the better cards from the '87 Topps checklist.

Still, there was no way it was going to take down this great "brotherly love" piece, one that includes a cameo from a personal favorite.

Of course, Wilton Guerrero was overshadowed by brother Vladimir for much of his career. To me, Vlad is a surefire HOF candidate.

Even he was a braces-wearing youngster at one point, though.

#2 -- 

The card: 1973 Topps #45 Ellie Rodriguez

Knocked out: 1986 Fleer #45 Darrell Porter

Ellie Rodriguez finally did the impossible.

He knocked the awesomely-bespectacled Darrell Porter out of this frankenset. After all the strong cards he'd previously defeated, I thought Porter was one of the "unbreakables" in this little project.

As another of my 10-cent pickups from last week's show, Rodriguez further emphasizes the downright strange photography Topps used in 1973.

I count three Brewers, no opponents, and one umpire rumpus in this particular shot. And yet I have absolutely no idea what is actually happening.

Such a strange card makes for a fantastic addition to this frankenset.

#1 -- 

The card: 1981 Fleer #46 John Wathan

Knocked out: 1993 Donruss #46 Jose Oquendo

This is the second time I've mentioned Mr. Wathan today.

Not only did he knock out Jose Oquendo in an absolute landslide of a decision, but he also kept the painful '93 SP Pat Borders from occupying a spot in my frankenset.

As I mentioned earlier today, such a great "play at the plate" shot is just so atypical of '81 Fleer. It's quickly become one of my favorite cards in this frankenset.

So, to recap, my favorite addition from numbers 1-99 just so happened to have the same number as the best "outside looking in" card from the same group.

I'll tell you, it was one tough decision.

Then again, no one ever said this frankenset business was going to be easy.