Random Awesome Photo: 1991 Score #109 Greg Harris

It does not look like much, I know.  But there is something pretty unique about this card.  Greg Harris was officially a right-handed pitcher.  He is pitching left-handed on this card.  Harris was ambidextrous and had his own glove made that would have allowed him to pitch from both sides of the mound in the same inning.  That glove is pictured in this photo.  Harris was able to pitch left-handed in one game after leaving the Red Sox and joining the Expos.  This was in his final major league game.

Random Awesome Photos: World Series Celebrations

I had to put these two together.  As a Red Sox fan the 2004 World Championship was one of the happiest days of my life.  Then, just three years later, they did it again.  I chose these two cards to show off because they depict the immediate aftermath of the final out of the two World Series wins.

The Jason Varitek card is from 2004 Donruss World Series.  More particularly it is from the special extended box set after the Red Sox won.  Donruss produced cards of all the players from the World Series roster except Kevin Millar who was ineligible for membership in the Players' Union due to being a former replacement player.  The checklist included players like Curtis Leskanic, Pokey Reese, and Mike Myers.  The Varitek is notable because it shows Tek leaping into Keith Foulke's arms immediately after the last out had been recorded at first base.  There are also celebration shots shown on the cards of Foulke and Doug Mientkiewicz.

The Jonathan Papelbon is from 2008 Upper Deck Masterpieces.  Yes, Papelbon is kind of a douchebag and it is particularly evident on this card.  This comes from immediately after Papelbon striking out Seth Smith swinging to end the World Series.  The excitement in Papelbon's face is palpable.

Random Awesome Photo: 1990 Upper Deck #461 Rob Murphy

This has always been a favorite photo of mine.  I got this card somewhat early in my collecting days.  I think I found it at Hobbytown, a local store with all manner of hobby products.  They had some boxes of common cards that one could sort through freely.  It was a big place for me to get cards early on because it was in the mall and my parents would let me spend about 15 minutes there looking through the boxes.  And since they were all commons, they were cheap.  

Anyway, this Rob Murphy card shows the lefty reliever doing something on a really primitive laptop.  My memory of computers from this time is fairly limited.  I was nine.  I remember the computers in the school lab but I do not think I ever saw a portable computer at the time.  So I have no idea what that thing is.

This is one of those cards that shows a player doing something outside of the baselines.  It is definitely an interesting shot.

Randon Awesome Photo: 1991 Score #617 Mike Marshall

Really there is not that much going on in that photo.  It's just former slugger Mike Marshall standing somewhere in the outfield getting ready for a play.  But what makes it interesting is the position.  Marshall is listed as the designated hitter.  The company has one job when they make a designated hitter card.  That is to show him with a bat in his hand.  They went the complete opposite direction here showing Marshall in the field.  It is just the kind of weird anomaly that captures attention.

Random Awesome Photo: 1996 Score #108 Mike Macfarlane

I love photos of catchers in action and this is one of the best ones I have seen in my Red Sox collection.  This is clearly the aftermath of a collision at the plate with Mike Macfarlane on the ground on his back, holding the ball up to show the umpire that he held on.  I can not identify who that is next to him that tried to score though.  I can not even really tell what team that is.  I am pretty sure it is the Orioles though.

Mike Macfarlane spent only one season with the Red Sox.  He played with them in 1995 when they won the AL East.  He did not hit particularly well, but he did contribute 15 home runs.

Score became known early on for their action photos.  This definitely shows why.  This is one of my all-time favorite catcher photos.