i've got their backs

i was pleasantly surprised to learn that there was another card release featuring steve garvey in 2018.  i didn't know what to expect when i first saw the checklist for leaf's in the game used sports set, but i think they did pretty well for an unlicensed issue.

using the backs of jerseys works for me, and the first card i picked up was this 'classic rivals' card that focuses on the 1977 world series

i've said many times that the 1977 fall classic is my first real memory of actually sitting down and watching baseball as a dodger fan, so this card is a nice homage to the beginning of my fandom.  it's not perfect - the garvey jersey shown is an away gray, but the patch used comes from a home white, and that's a fake reggie jackson jersey shown (no names on the back of yankee jerseys!) with a swatch from an angels jersey instead of yankee pinstripes.  still, i love that ron cey's red number 10 patch is represented, and i really do like this card.

garvey (and the penguin) also show up on a different 'classic rivals' card - this one focused on the 1978 pennant chase card with division rival members of the big red machine in pete rose and johnny bench.

i do not know why leaf went with photos of rose and bench, but it does detract a bit from the card's aesthetic.  1978 was the first full year of my dodger fandom, and the first year that i fully collected cards, so again, it's a great connection for me to see that season referenced on cardboard.

this set is a multi-sport release (similar to the 2002-03 upper deck superstars) and so there is some cross referencing based on cities.  this is the los angeles city of champions card (the purple parallel, anyway)

that features garvey and fernando valenzuela, along with laker legends kareem, kobe, and shaq, plus jonathan quick of the kings.  it is strange to think that the kings are the most recent champions in the city of angels.  also, to me, 32 for the kings is kelly hrudey but his tenure in los angeles didn't include a stanley cup championship so he doesn't get any play on these cards.

last but not least, garvey gets a spot on one of the multi-mvp 'mvp 8s' cards

man, these are the players of the teams of my youth. i was really pleased to see a focus on teams and players from the late 1970's and early 80's. if only don baylor and dale murphy could have found their way on to the card, too.

these are a great addition to my steve garvey collection and i think a good example of unlicensed relic cards done pretty well.