'69 Cubs are SWELL Part 1

For 3 years SWELL put out sets of Baseball Greats cards. These are all of my 1969 Cubs.

1989 Swell #112 Don Kessinger

The patch on Don's right sleeve commemorates the State of Illinois Sesquicentennial, as presented below. Lovely girl, very 1968. I can't help noticing that her dress seems to be made from the same exact material as the flag. Hmm.

1989 Swell #116 Glenn Beckert

1989 Swell #120 Billy Williams

Billy's special. Billy's in the Hall of Fame. Billy deserves a red shield. Yea, Billy!

1989 Swell #129 Ken Holtzman

This is a really nice shot of Kenny taken at Wrigley Field.

1989 Swell #36 Ron Santo

The scan didn't pick this up very well but inside the "C" on Ron's helmet is the number 18. This was common for the Cubs, something Yosh Kawano the longtime clubhouse manager did. I think it's been discussed elsewhere,(Wrigley Wax?). The thing is, Santo's number was and will always be 10. He's wearing his friend and road roommate Glenn Beckert's helmet.

For the 1990 set Swell added BASEBALL GREATS to the front of the card.

1990 Swell #69 Don Kessinger

Don's helmet has the number 11. That's his number. OK. Glad we got that straightened out!

1990 Swell #13 Billy Williams


1990 Swell #64 Ron Santo

Here's Ron sometime in the '70's. I'm sure someone out there can identify the ballpark. Not me.

1990 Swell #95 Ernie Banks