Fleer Division: (6) 1987 Clippers vs. (11) 1973 Rangers

Scoring: The two cards go head-to-head in the following categories. Each card can score up to 3 points in each category.

• Teamwork Extra points for symmetry (even if entirely coincidental)
• Coach Attire Extra points for eccentricity and/or coordination
• Uniforms
• Background
• Personnel
• Floating Heads Extra points if heads constitute borderline religious experience
• Card Design
• Photo Quality
• Number of Players
• Special Notation of Futility
• World Champions


1987 Clippers (6) vs. 1973 Rangers (11)

Teamwork See, the Columbus Clippers understand: your tall guys go in the middle. Of course, it makes sense that they would get it. They are the NY Yankees AAA club (or at least they were at the time). They also have the arms-crossing thing down pat. The Rangers look like a buncha kids at summer camp. 1987 Clippers: 3 points | 1973 Rangers: 1 point

Coach Attire Speaking of summer camp, the Clippers have their counselor front and center, don’t they? All that’s missing is a whistle on a string around his neck. Also, and I know that batboys don’t really count as coaches, I like the hat on the batboy to the left and how it seems to float just above his head. The Rangers’ manager is the one with the batting glove on, in the middle of the team, and I spotted their two coaches: one’s fat in a white polo shirt, the other’s off to the right in a blue ringer tee. What’s up with that? 1987 Clippers: 2 points | 1973 Rangers: 2 points

Uniforms Those Clippers jerseys are ugly. The Rangers unis look weak, but the Rangers unis always looked weak until the mid-1990s. 1987 Clippers: 1 point | 1973 Rangers: 1 point

Background Let’s see: boring minor league stadium versus boring major league stadium…hmmm… 1987 Clippers: 1 point | 1973 Rangers: 1 point

Personnel 1987 Clippers: bunch of fresh-faced minor leaguers and over-the-hill Crash Davises… 1973 Rangers: Nobody Good… 1987 Clippers: 1 point | 1973 Rangers: 1 point

Card Design The Clippers card, like the other International League team cards mentioned here, doesn’t really have a design. The 1973 Rangers card does—it’s the 1973 design and it works its magic once again. 1987 Clippers: 1 point | 1973 Rangers: 3 points

Photo Quality I like the sun over the my-left-their-right shoulders in the Clippers’ photo, and the shot itself is of good quality. The Rangers’ photo ain’t so hot, but then again, neither are the Rangers, so there you go. 1987 Clippers: 3 points | 1973 Rangers: 1 point

Number of Players Clippers: 31. That’s low for a team photo, especially of a team that won the championship the year before. Rangers: 32. That’s also low, but the guys are so close to the camera that it seems like there’s more of them. 1987 Clippers: 2 points | 1973 Rangers: 2 points

World Champions The Clippers card denotes them as Governor’s Cup Winner, and in the International League that means they won the championship (right?). But, seeing as how they’re a minor league team, I’m only going to award half a point. 1987 Clippers: 0.5 points | 1973 Rangers: 0 points

Total Score: 1987 Clippers 14.5 points
1973 Rangers 12 points