Let's Make Two Big Mistakes

I've got more from my Ernie Banks collection. Today, let's see two big mistakes. Again, I would like to offer my services to any and all card companies to serve as your official Cubs proofreader. I know the card companies are regular and faithful readers of Wrigley Wax and all of the baseball card blogs because they want to keep their fingers on the pulse of the hobby . So please contact me and I can save you the future embarrassment of posts like what follows.



Up first is this card from Uppers Deck's 2004 Legends Timeline Team set. So....spot the mistake!

The card tells the story of the Cubs disastrous 1969 season. You see in big numbers at the bottom "1969." And then you see a picture of Ernie Banks. A really young Ernie Bank. A pre-1957 Ernie Banks. Look at his hat....it's got a wishbone C, which was last worn by the Cubs in 1956! So let's commemorate the 1969 season on a card by using a picture from 1953-1956....what idiots!

But that's isn't as bad as the screw up on this Upper Deck 2001 National Pastime set. Look carefully and find the mistake....



....did you find it? We've got a nice picture of Mr. Cub, good 'ol number 19......wait a minute....
.....wasn't Ernie good old #14?



Yup! So here is an Ernie Banks card that doesn't even have a picture of Ernie Banks!!

So who is on the card? Detective Wrigley Wax went to work for you. First, let's figure out the ballpark. There is a chain link fence along the box seats and chains dividing the boxes up. That means the ballpark is....



....the Polo Grounds in New York. By looking at the uniform, I know that the picture was taken after 1958. So this has to be a picture from the Mets years in the Polo Grounds in 1962 and 1963.

What players wore #19 during those years? There were three:



Daryl Robertson



Elder White



and Jim Stewart

Boy, these guys sure are dead ringers for Ernie Banks. I sure can see how Upper Deck made this mistake! Three white guys and Ernie Banks; wow!

Next, its off to Baseball-reference.com to see if any of these guys played against the Mets in New York. Only one did, Daryl Robertson. That also matched with the picture on Roberson's card, which was taken at the Polo Grounds.

So, the good people at Upper Deck put a picture of a white guy who played in a total of nine major league games in place of the face of the franchise.

Really, guys, send me an email or give me a call. I want to help!