Thursday, July 12, 2012

Is That Jim Abbott?

I'm working on a post about the first Angel player to appear on a baseball card wrapper - this years Topps with Albert Pujols.  But during the course of researching the post I came across this 1993 Topps wrapper I had and did a double take.



I'm sure that this is Jim Abbott.  But Jim is a lefty and this dude is throwing righty.  I know they could have reversed the image to try to get away with using his image without paying him for it.

This same image was also used on the 1992 Topps wrappers.

Abbott was still with the Angels in 1992, but in 1993 he was with the Yankees.  So the date (at least for the 1992 wrapper) fits.  Then they just used it again in 1993.  We've all seen Topps follow that pattern before.




The uniform appears to have a stripe or stripes on the shoulder, which the Angels had on their dark blue practice and Spring Training uniforms since the 80's like this:


But the uniform on the Topps wrapper appears to be a white or gray one, and the Angels only had stripes around the hem of the sleeves on those versions.

My second guess is that it's an Indians uniform, and Jim never played for the Indians.
Is it John Farrell on those 1992, 1993 wrappers by chance?

So that would blow my Jim Abbott theory out of the water when you consider the uniform.

What do you guys think?

Anyone have any proof that this is Jim Abbott?
Anyone have proof that it isn't Jim Abbott?
Anyone know who it even is?

1 comment:

  1. I think the arm angle gives it away - has to be John Farrell - look at his baseball cards where he is pitching and it is almost identical to the image used on the Topps wrappers.

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