Old Topps New Topps: Ernie Banks

Actually, a better name for today's post would be Older Topps, Not Quite As Old Topps: Ernie Banks. Today, I morphed Mr. Cub.

We start with Ernie's rookie card. The one I own is from Topp's reprint set. His actual 1954 rookie card would be my Holy Grail. While there are plenty available, I just haven't been able to pull the trigger and spend what it would take to get one (we're talking hundreds of dollars). Right now I'm content with the reprint.



Ernie broke in with the Cubs at the tail end of 1953, getting in to 10 games and hitting 2 home runs. Topps considered him good enough to include in the 1954 set, one of only 11 Cubs. In this case, Topps knew what they were doing.



This would be Ernie's last card, from 1971. Based on the look on his face, it doesn't seem that Mr. Cub has lost any of his enthusiasm for the game. By this time, he had lost his knees and hit bat, but he was and still is Mr. Cub. Let's play two!!