Card fact: This is one of five players with the last name May to be featured in this set. The others are Carlos May, Dave May, Milt May and Rudy May. Considering that baseball-reference.com says only 12 people with the last name of May have ever played major league baseball, that's a pretty good concentration right here in the '75 set.What I thought about this card then: Didn't see it. I grew up thinking May was always an Oriole.
What I think about this card now: I really like the Astros' early 1970s uniforms. I think it's because the first Astros uniforms I knew were those warm-colored rainbow monstrosities that debuted in 1976. After seeing those for over a decade, anything else looks good in comparison. And these look a lot better than some of the recent Astros uniforms which are duller than HGTV.
Other stuff: This is the first card featuring the light blue-green combo. We still have several other color combos that we haven't come across yet.
(EDIT: Lee May died at age 74 on July 29, 2017)
Back facts: May had some awesome slugging numbers during the late '60s/early '70s. Another one of those guys who peaked right before I started paying attention to baseball.Other blog stuff: The pink-and-yellow color combo reminds me of Easter colors. That's the early front-runner for the design name. But I'm not married to it.
Lee's hat is sitting so high it looks like he is trying to conceal some serious 'fro.
ReplyDeleteLooking at Lee's full name...if he had played for the Dodgers, people would have had to have called him "L.A. May", right?
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the 180 or so cards I have from this set, and I love it. The color scheme on the borders, the old Astros uni (I particularly like the block letters in "Houston" for some reason), and the swing/badass glare from Lee.
Have you selected Lee May as one of your certified badass players? If not, I hereby nominate him for your consideration.
Interesting that Topps hit the far-out color thing before the Astros did. Those late 70's uniforms were crazy. Almost as bad as the Padres' softball unis.
ReplyDeleteIs the explanation of the balk rule on the back correct?
ReplyDeleteA couple of years before you would have had one additional May: Jerry May, a catcher with the Royals and, I think, earlier with the Pirates. At one time the Pirates had two catchers named May: Milt and Jerry. And then, of course, there was Willie Mays. At some time in the early 70's, all six Mays and one Mays (Willie) must all have been active in the majors at the same time, though I don’t know if they ever all had cards in the same set. Maybe 1972?
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