Looks as if Topps went the cheap route in putting an image of Mariners lefthander Cliff Lee on a baseball card in its 2010 Opening Day set.Instead of waiting to get a photo of Lee pitching for his new team, the company reportedly took a shot of him while he was with the Phillies and doctored it to make it look like he was wearing a Mariners uniform.
Several blogs and Web sites are reporting on the digitally altered card.
Apparently, whoever "transformed" Lee's duds from a Phillies to a Mariners uniform forgot to remove the HK patch that the Fightins wore last season in honor of Harry Kalas, their late, beloved broadcaster.
The ironic thing is that Kalas never called a play while Lee was with the Phils. Harry died on April 13 of last year, Lee was traded to the Phillies on July 29. Not surprisingly, Lee's "HK" card is already on eBay.(*)
--- Tom Mahon, Philadelphia Daily News Sports
(*) 2010 Topps Opening Day Cliff Lee ERROR HK Patch #59
Bid history: 9 bids
Winning bid: US $48.22
This card is very unique and rare as Topps has indeed stopped production on it. The card features Cliff Lee superimposed in a Seattle Mariners uniform, however they forgot to remove the Phillies "HK" Patch that was worn last year. Errors like this are extremely rare these days and are corrected immediately.
Product: 2010 Topps Opening Day
Type: Rare Error Card (59)
Player: Cliff Lee
Serially Numbered: No longer in Production
Condition: Mint
Item specifics
Original/Reprint: Original
Product: Single
Era: Modern (1981-Now)
Year: 2010
Team: Seattle Mariners
Player: Cliff Lee
Card Manufacturer: Topps
More Is Less:
You might recall him from last week’s outrage of the week — he is the outgoing Senator from Kentucky who fiercely filibustered a bill to extend unemployment benefits to the jobless because it would add to the deficit. This from the man who voted fund two wars on the back of the Bush tax cuts for the super-rich. His message to the hundreds of thousands that would lose benefits? Too fuckin’ bad, freeloaders!
Jim Bunning will be signing autographs at the Philadelphia Sports Card & Memorabilia Show. We urge anyone currently collecting to go to the show and get him to sign your unemployment check.
note: Bunning text/image from Phawker.com