During my collection organization, I've come across cards where the often under appreciated backside outshines the front. With this running series, I hope to right some of these injustices.
Today's card comes out of 1992 Upper Deck in the form of #617 Chico Walker.
While there's nothing particularly wrong with the front, there's nothing exceptional about it either. It's a standard follow through on a swing. If I was breaking it down and grading it it probably wouldn't get higher than a C+ or B-. My Cubs bias would more than likely keep it out of C territory. We get a cameo from, I think, Shawon Dunston in the on deck circle but the cropping is too tight on three of the four sides. There's a few bonus points for wearing a hat under the helmet like I did back in the day. We get a glimpse of stirrups but the pant legs aren't up enough to get any old school cred.
Since this is backside appreciation, this card doesn't have to try very hard to beat out that fairly average front side.
And I think it delivers. Sure, it's your standard Upper Deck back with a swinging batter, but look at that bat! It seems that nobody told Chico Walker that he was in the pros now and didn't need to keep using a stickball bat.
Yes, I understand that Walker isn't using an actual stickball bat and that it is an optical illusion from the angle of the photographer and speed of the swing yada yada, but it still made me do a double take when sorting through the cards. I haven't really thought about stickball in close to twenty years, but apparently it is still a thing and the bats are available for sale. And for me, that quick trip down memory lane is good enough to earn the card some backside appreciation.
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