The first comment left on this blog was from my friend Ghent, who suggested I continue with the Stadium Club theme and focus my next post on a few favorite Stadium Club cards. Specifically, he suggested 2-3 cards – which I couldn’t do. However, I really liked the idea of going back through the years and finding some of my favorites, so this’ll be an image-heavy appreciation post – despite the fact that I’m feeling slightly less appreciative since I’m still 95 base cards short of a 2021 set after three hobby boxes and three blasters… but that’s on me for going after a set in the most inefficient way possible.
Anyway, roll that beautiful glossy footage…
Although most of us point to Stadium Club for elevating card photography, I don’t think there are any real standouts from 1991 or 92. There’s the famous tux portraits of Dave Stewart and Nolan Ryan from ’91, and a great shot of Wade Boggs at home plate with the rest of his team in ’92, but most of the other cards are tight action shots and spring training portraits. Nice for the early 90s, and they had that glossy feel, but the photography was really only on par with Upper Deck and the perennially underrated Score. Things got a little more artistic as the 90s moved on. I think everyone knows the 1993 Oscar Azocar amorous batsman card, but it had to be here. I also had to include a couple good shots of young pitchers from 1994, which is perhaps the most 90s set that was made. I think Matt Pinfield is supposed to introduce these.
1996 brought us cutting edge technology and a pitcher with a rooftop view, while 1997 gave us a would-be two sport star in Canada’s own Larry Walker.
The 1999 Andruw Jones card is an all-timer for me. First, we all know he caught this ball. Second, the shadow of the outstretched glove and free hand project perfectly on the Turner Field wall, along with that of the targeted ball. It might be best photo of its kind that I’ve seen on a card, and the attempt at a robbed homer is a recurring subject for Stadium Club. Next we turn the clock ahead to 2000 as we see Johnny Damon following through during one of baseball’s all-time weirdest promotions, Turn Ahead the Clock Day. (Fun fact – the year to which baseball’s clock was turned ahead was 2021!) Next, Adrian Beltre gives Hall of Fame effort chasing a foul ball.
My Stadium Club purchases tailed off significantly from 2002 until the line’s re-launch in 2014, so we’ll skip those years here. I’m sure there’s lots of super glossy, too overpriced for mid-20s me photography during those years, but I missed them. I didn’t miss Big Papi’s presidential selfie though, nor an outstanding California sunset in 2015. And while I know the 2015 Dwight Gooden is actually a re-purposed shot from a 1985 Donruss Wax Box Bottom card, I’ll give it a pass since most folks don’t have that card and its a great shot of a young pitcher at the top of his game.
I truly believe we are in Stadium Club’s golden age right now. Sets are far smaller now than they were in the past, but with that decreased size has come an emphasis on quality – designs have been simple and clean, the checklist has been quality (although there is a lot of repletion among the retired players) and the photos have been unparalleled. I had a really hard time picking favorites from 2016, as evidenced above.
I had no such trouble for 2017 however, as Tim Raines with the unmistakable backdrop of Stade Olympique is far and away my favorite.
However, 2018 brought me back to the land of indecision, where I stayed… these horizonal shots show off how well Stadium Club captures moments.
2019 followed the latter-day pattern of success – foil stamped names, high gloss, and superb photos. I think the Juan Soto would feel perfectly at home in the 1953 Bowman Color set, while the shot of Mookie headed to the clubhouse, a celebratory Max Muncy, and Teddy Ballgame, showing that a Marine is always a Marine.
2020 might be my all-time favorite Stadium Club design. The team color bars were a perfect accent to an otherwise minimalist design. This set contains some of my all-time favorite photos as well – from family portraits to Clayton Kershaw’s mound presence mimicking the palms beyond Dodger Stadium, to Dustin May’s orange locks and Ernie Banks making a throw in front of a vintage Lucky Strike ad, and my personal favorite – Sean Doolittle exiting the much-maligned bullpen cart. I’ll have more on this Doolittle card in the future.
2021 was sufficiently covered here over the last couple of weeks, so check that out if you’re new here. I’ll be back later this week with a feature on something new I got over the weekend. Until then, thanks for dropping by!