What a clean looking card. What a nice looking picture. Sometimes, less really is more.
Now, what you think of this card really depends on what you’re looking for in a card. If you’re flipping through a stack of these cards looking for a player or team, the foil information is pretty hard to read. Likewise if you’re wondering what company produced the card, it’s a little hard to figure out with the silver. But, if you’re looking for a great photo, this card is for you. There’s no border to detract from the picture. There’s no splashy graphic to detract from the picture. All the required information is hidden at the bottom out of the way. What a great idea. It’s all about the picture. And, it’s quite the picture. Johnny Damon is in his crisp white uniform. The shining sun makes the white really stand out. The green wall in the background does nothing to distract from Damon. He has his shades on, looking for the ball as he reaches out his glove.
I wonder if he made the catch.
2003 card so the pic has to be from 2002, and it can't be from before that since '02 was Damon's first year in Boston. I always assume early season with card photos (unless it's a mid-season trade player), so I looked up "Johnny Damon catch" in April 2002.
ReplyDeleteI found stories of a Soriano double that Damon almost caught but he lost it in the sun, and it actually plunked him on the shoulder and he had to chase down the ball. If this had been a lazy fly, he probably would've been credited with an error. But this shot would prove that it was almost a great catch--and it was clearly a bright sun--so it being scored a double is plausible. The game was Sunday, April 14th. Top of the 7th.
Another shot from that day shows it's bright and sunny, and everyone's in short sleeves:
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/51987704/AFP
The Almanac does say the high was 74 that day, too.
So that's my guess. I could be wrong, but I think it's a good theory. If correct, no, he did not make the catch.
(One more thing--Sox had armbands starting in early July that year, and Damon doesn't have one in the pic, adding even more credence to my theory.)
Wow, I never expected an actual answer. Should have known though.
ReplyDelete