Name the Game

There are lots of bloggers, including me, that like to play the "Name the Game" game. You look at the action on a baseball card and try to figure out the actual game situation on the card. If there is a scoreboard in the the background, that makes it very easy. If you just have players pictured, it makes things a bit tougher.

But I never noticed that in 1997 Upper Deck made the game a snap to play. On the bottom of the cards, they had a description that went with the picture. And many mentioned the game the from which the picture was taken.



Here is Brian McRae stirring up trouble against the Reds on April 17, 1996. It looks like he is diving back to first on a pickoff play. That would make this the first or fourth inning, when he walked in each.



In the same game, Bret Boone tried to score from second on a single to left, but was thrown out at the plate by Luis Gonzalez. It looks like it wasn't even close, as Scott Servais had the ball and is just waiting for Boone to collide with him.



Rey Sanchez is all smiles after the Cubs beat the Mets on May 12. Sanchez had a bunt single and a walk in four at bats, though each time he was stranded on base as the next batter, pitcher Jim Bullinger, struck out.

Upper Deck did a really nice job with this, and I wish that Topps would do the same thing today.