Mystery To Me

On this page I will post stuff that I have some difficulty tracking down their origins or when/where they came into existence. I suppose once I identify them to my satisfaction I can post the answer and history and be happy and content with them once again.

If you know something about one or more of these items, please let me know. It would probably be best to email me at my yahoo email handle klandersen or you can make a comment here. Please note old comments about an item that is no longer a mystery or on this page are subject to removal.

First Mystery:
For starters I have mentioned this Hondo Picture I got back in the day: I am showing it here more to find out "how can I get another of these" not so much as where it came from. That said I'm not 100% sure of its nature so finding out more about it might help. I think it was a team issued thing and possibly part of the 69? team photo set(s). But why would only the Hondo photo survived in my childhood collection and other photos from the set not? I'm fairly certain I got it from one of my older brothers. I might have just outright "claimed" it from when our basement laundry room was a no-man's storage/hoarding nightmare. That could explain why it was solo. It also could have been a handout at some fan event, again a team issued sort of thing.

Notice that the picture is the exact same headshot that was used for Frank's Milton Bradley Cards (with the cap logo airbrushed out on the Milton Bradley cards). The Milton Bradley game cards zoom in to a more proper headshot and crop tighter.

This image of Frank Howard 1969 Milton Bradley card from zistle.com

This image Frank Howard 1970 Milton Bradley card from tradingcarddb.com

The last date it has on the back is 1968 so it is most likely from '69.

It could be from 1970, but from blurry childhood memories I think it is closer to 69. I really want to get an upgraded copy of it but not replace it. I love this "gently loved" copy and its story: The hole punches, the tape residue, the "red" coloring of the cap logo, hand written team name and Snoopy cartoons attached to the back when it was in scrapbooks. All of which I probably did at around age 4 or 5.

Update 31 Dec 2019: By doing a Google photo search using "Dexter Press" as a code word with Frank Howard, having seen a title for a team photo set (of another team?) using Dexter Press as the maker of the team set, I came across this site with the stock photo used for this item. The following caption is above the photo POMPANO BEACH, FL - MARCH, 1967: Frank Howard #9 of the Washington Senators poses for a portrait during MLB Spring Training circa March, 1967 at Pompano Beach Municipal Park in Pompano Beach, Florida. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images).

So the photo used is from 1967.

Next Mystery:
I have blogged about these headshot portraits but not quite sure of their origins.

I narrowed them down to being released in 1970. They are on thin newsprint type magazine paper so they were probably not a direct from the team press kit. As you can see blank backed.

Maybe they were the Washington Post or Washington Star "fan guide" inserts on a Sunday? The Trading Card Database has a picture pack set of 12 that look exactly like them. Except mine are on newspaper print type paper that has yellowed with age and the set shown I think was on pure white photograph type paper. Oh So close.