I ‘ve always wondered if ballplayers get excited when they see their baseball cards for the first time … or the 18th time for that matter.

When I was a kid playing little League – the biggest reason I wanted to be a Big Leaguer so I could be on a baseball card.  But with my luck, they would screw it up and put another guy’s picture on my card. 

Because it happens.  A lot.  Well, at least 10 times that I could find. 

Let’s take a look back at  some mistaken identities immortalized on cardboard …

1987-donruss-163a-barry-bonds-johnny-rayBarry Bonds
1987 Donruss Opening Day #163A

I know that the Barry Bonds of the 1980’s didn’t look like the muscle-bound and big-headed Barry Bonds of the 21st Century …. but that ain’t Barry Bonds.  That’s Johnny Ray.

The error was corrected quickly and made this card a collectors’ item. 

It goes for about $300.

1963-topps-113-don-landrum-ron-santo-errorDon Landrum
1963 Topps #113

That’s not Don Landrum … that’s Chicago Cubs Legend Ron Santo!

I’d recognize Santo’s teeth, which he recently had capped, anywhere. 

1983-fleer-408-ed-glynnn-bud-andersonEd Glynn
1983 Fleer #408

Although that player has a great moustache like Ed Glynn, that’s not Ed Glynn.  I do believe that’s Bud Anderson, who also had a similar moustache.  Want proof? 

Well, in 1983, Glynn wore #48 for the Indians … which just happens to be the number of the player in the background.

1969-topps-653-aurelio-rodriguez-or-the-batboy

Aurelio Rodriguez
1969 Topps #653

 The Topps photographer was trying to find Angels’ rookie third baseman Rodriguez and instead found Leonard Garcia.

But you won’t find Garcia’s stats over at Baseball Musings or Baseball Reference, though.  He’s not there. 

Because in 1969, Leonard Garcia was the Angels’ bat boy.

1985-topps-gary-pettis-little-brotherGary Pettis
1985 Topps #497

One fine day in early 1985, Gary Pettis simply couldn’t be bothered by those pesky Topps people to sit for a photo session … so he sent his younger brother to do it. 

And immediately Pettis became the coolest big brother in all of baseball.

1985-donruss-424a-tom-seaver-floyd-bannister

Tom Seaver
1985 Donruss #424A

Wait a minute … Seaver wore #41 his whole career, right?  Yup.  So who the heck is that?

Let’s see … #24 … White Sox …. Floyd Bannister.

Floyd Bannister?  How in the Hell do you confuse Floyd bannister for Tom Seaver?   Seriously. 

By the way … uniform numbers DO NOT belong right next to a guy’s crotch.  Just sayin’

topps-18a-al-leiterAl Leiter
1988 Topps #18A

Once again … a “Future Star” gets mistaken for someone else.  

Al Leiter doesn’t look a thing like the pictured Steve George.

1990-donruss-smoltz-actually-tom-glavine

John Smoltz
1990 Donruss #BC12A

I suppose if you’re going to get mistaken for another pitcher, getting mistaken for Tom Glavine (pictured) isn’t so bad. 

Even if you’re already as accomplished as John Smoltz.

1990-topps-414a-frank-thomas

Frank Thomas
1990 Topps #414A

And this card asks the quintessential question … is it better to be confused for someone else, or to have your name left off your baseball card entirely?

That goes for about $600.

It reminds of when Topps had a Kansas City Royals team card a few years back … which didn’t have the Royals on it.

upper-deck-tony-gwynn-plays-scott-sanders1

Tony Gwynn
1993 Upper Deck Spring Training

This might be my favorite of all time … because at first glance, it looks like an obvious error … but it’s not.

During Spring Training, Gwynn decided to wear pitcher Scott Sanders’ uniform for an at-bat. Sanders is white.

Although I gotta tell you, I thought Gwynn was heavier back then.

1966-topps-447-dick-ellsworth-or-a-dead-manDick Ellsworth
1966 Topps #447

Now I can understand a baseball card company screwing up guys with similar moustaches like Glynn and Anderson … but how do you confuse a guy like Dick Ellsworth for a guy who’s been dead for more than two years?

1964-topps-550But somehow, that’s what Topps did when they put Ken Hubbs on Dick Ellsworth’s 1966 card.  Hubbs was a Cubs’ fielding prospect who died in February, 1964.  He was memorialized by Topps in 1964 on card #550 – so there’s really no excuse here.

John-Ford Griffin
2006 Topps 52 #302

2006-topps-52-302-griffin-or-lerew

john-ford-griffinanthony-lerewTopps apparently couldn’t find Griffin to pose for a picture, so they did the 21st Century thing and photoshopped a Blue Jays uniform onto a portrait of the Braves’ Anthony LeRew, who has the same pic on #264.

The quality is outstanding, if not annoying.  There’s what Griffin looks like next to Lerew.

There you have it … who’d I miss?

BallHype: hype it up!

18 Responses to “Baseball Card Errors: Mistaken Identities”
  1. mattbucher says:

    This card says Jerry Browne, BUT Jerry Browne was a black guy:

    88 Fleer error

  2. Harvey Salem says:

    Ken Hubbs was more than a “fielding” prospect. He was the National League’s Rookie Of The Year in 1962.

  3. Perry says:

    I have that “Ellsworth” card — part of my childhood collection. Always knew it wasn’t Ellsworth, who was lefthanded, but didn’t know it was Hubbs. Thanks!

  4. Mark says:

    This card still hasn’t been recognized as a mistake. It is a rookie football card for Adrian Peterson, but the image is of defensive back Antonio Perkins that played during Peterson’s Freshman year and wore 28 as well.

  5. Steve says:

    Beltran’s rookie with Juan Lebron

  6. Mr. Beepo says:

    I have several of the Pettis cards. I saved them because I knew they were wrong from the minute I saw it.

  7. Jay says:

    Um, wasn’t Seaver a righty?

  8. Alan says:

    1960 Topps Gary Peters card had J.C. Martin’s photo on it.

  9. Andrew says:

    Edgar Martinez’s 1988 Donruss Rookies card had, I believe, Edwin Nunez on it.

    http://i20.ebayimg.com/05/i/001/2c/e1/5094_1.JPG

  10. Craig says:

    My son has a 2004 Topps Minnesota Twins card for Michael Cuddyer that shows a picture of Doug Mientkiewicz.

  11. M says:

    Why look at uniform numbers? Tom Seaver was a righty, Floyd Bannister a lefty. End of discussion.

  12. Justin says:

    Haha the John Smoltz (Tom G) card i have haha coolbeans

  13. Sid Finch says:

    Jay says:

    May 13th, 2009 at 10:52 am
    Um, wasn’t Seaver a righty?

    Ding!!! Ding!!! Ding!!!

    We have a winner!!!

  14. Scott says:

    1974 Washington National League Team. The San Diego Padres were moving to D.C. at the beginning of 1974 and several players and the team card have the Padres in uniform with “Washington National League” on the card face. I have 8 of them.

  15. rob nelson says:

    These photos and the comments are so terrific. It is amazing how these images stay in our head, especially when one comes up and your brain immediately says ” something’s not right here.”

    Great reading. Thanks to all of you detail guys. Makes a 60-year-old feel like 12.

  16. Venerable Bede says:

    Topps recently has been really bad. . .the 2008 Topps (i think) had the same picture for Jose Guillen and Yuniesky Betancourt. 1982 Donruss had a picture of Dave Littlefield on Juan Eichelberger’s card (Littlefield also was the subject of a different type of error card in the 1982 Fleer set where his image was reversed- 1992 Donruss was filled with reverse images).

  17. Thursday says:

    1988 Donruss card of Steve Jeltz is really Juan Samuel. Easily understood. 2 middle infielders who had the same awful hair and mustache.

  18. Matthew says:

    The 1991 Topps set includes a case of mistaken identity for Wes Chamberlain that was corrected. The original card showed Louie Meadows before Topps corrected it:

    http://capewood.blogspot.com/2009/03/phorgotten-phillie-phile-wes.html

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