Recently TTG posted an article with 19 of his favorite Tony Gwynn cards. While it sounded like he had a lot more TG cards than me (I have right around 50) I still felt like I would enjoy posting my personal list. After each pick I will have a description as to why I like the card, although most descriptions will probably be very brief.
19. Although I am not too high on the card design I like the picture, and since there is no border taking the eye off the picture this card made its way to the top 19.
18. This card is pretty boring, but it is a classic type of boring. I also have always really liked the pinstripes.
17. This card has always entertained me because it looks like Tony is dancing and laughing at the guy on the ground. I realize he is probably coming up from a slide, or trying to keep himself from rounding the base, but it still is a funny looking card.
16. While I really like the picture on this card, I have always hated the red borders that can be found on several '90 decks.
15. Not crazy about the picture they used (why not get that wonderful Gwynn smile?), but I really like this card design.
14. There is nothing really special about this card, but I think it is a solid picture and solid design.
13. (This one is shiny and did not scan very well.) Same description as last one, but a little more interesting of an action picture.
12. I like the picture, the design works really well in a minimalist sort of way, and it has a cool 3-D affect when viewed in person.
11. This was one of my first cards, and is just the right amount of busy to make me happy.
10. Nothing really to say, just a sharp looking card.
9. Classic picture and classic design.
8. While Fleer '91 is my favorite set of cards, and this is an unique picture of Gwynn, there would have to be a cool action picture for this card to be rated higher.
7. While I don't usually like face cards, this one is really tastefully done. I also really liked this series.
6. 2002 Topps is another one of my favorite sets, and I think this picture is awesome!
5. Love this picture, but there is something about the design that I absolutely love! The angles, the colors...I love looking at this card.
4. I think this is a really sharp looking card, but it is ranked so highly because of the story behind it. All throughout grade school I had one best friend that I hung out with all the time. For a long time I thought the only baseball player he knew about was Randy Johnson because we were growing up in AZ during the late 90s and early 2000s, Johnson was so easy to recognize, and my friend shared his last name. One day he proved me wrong though because I went to his house and he said "I got this baseball card in my cereal, isn't he your favorite player?" Gwynn was a part of my identity long before baseball as a whole was.
3. I really like the picture on this card, but it is one of my favorites because I like playing cards so much. I collect different types of themed playing cards and I collect baseball cards; particularly Gwynn cards. This card fills several of my collecting needs, and thus brings me much pleasure.
2. Although this card is ranked second it is the card I would keep if I could only keep one of my cards. The autographed rookie card is the card collectors dream, and this one has been in my family for a while as it was my older brother's card first. Although it is not in great condition, I actually like the look of beat up cards better. While this is my most prized card is not my favorite card of all time.
1. I wrote a comment on an article TTG posted about this card a while back, but this is my favorite card of all time because of my relationship with my dad, and how much it is based on baseball. My favorite player has always been Tony and his has been Ozzie since before I was born. There is nothing special about my copy, which is why I would keep #2 over it in a heartbeat, but this is my favorite card of all time.