HeroDecks Orioles

The Billy Pierce Hero Deck card that I received from Mark Hoyle got me interested in the Orioles Deck (Set?) that I knew was available. Found it on eBay and it's a fun little bunch of cards. They were produced four or five years ago so current players are not here. No Chris Davis, Adam Jones, Manny Machado or Zack Britton.

It's a cool oddball set. Something you don't see every day. I'm really pleased with the product, more than I thought I'd be. As you'd expect they are the size of standard playing cards. But I won't be dealing these during Friday night home games. They are staying in the box.

Here is Frank Robinson. The company name on these is Parody Productions so that may explain showing Frank smiling while at bat. A smile is the last thing you'd get from FRobby while opposing him on the mound.

The players are very loosely grouped into eras. Players from the same era share a 'suit'.

Players from the 'glory days of the 60s/70s are generally found as 'diamonds' in the deck. I like the artwork. It's very cartoon-ish and fun. I'm surprised that nowhere on the cards, box or website is the artist credited.

Players are more or less assigned a card 'number' that cooresponds to their baseball position. Brooks is 5 as in 3rd base (not his uni number). Palmer is an 'ace', get it? He's an ace. The hitting stars from each era, Frank, Cal, Eddie Murray and Jim Gentile are the 'kings'.

Ellie Hendricks gats a '2' as a catcher, Boog Powell has '3'.

Late 90s, early aughts are 'spades'. Brian Roberts is the closest to a current player as you'll find.

 Cal Jr. is in this grouping but like several others he could have fit into others.

Earl Weaver and Cal Ripken Sr. are the 'jokers'. Since they used managers I might have gone with Paul Richards in place of Cal Sr. but that's my only quibble with the checklist and it's a minor one. 

Players from the 1983 title era are 'hearts'.

Love the fact that they included Dennis Martinez' 'El Presidente' nickname. Denny is my main man!!

Guys who are from the 'old days' i.e. 50s and early 60s, are 'clubs'.

Andy Etchebarren and Curt Blefary are a couple of guys who got shuffled (pun intended) out of their era and into the clubs. I'm glad they did that rather than hold strictly to the era constraints. Although Clint Courtney and Gene Woodling would have been perfectly fine representatives in these spots.

My uncle and I always referred to Blefary as 'Clank'. It was a 'Baltimore thing'. It shows that they did some research to use that nickname.

To me the little things like portraying players in appropriate Orioles unis show a desire to produce a quality product. Love seeing Luis Aparicio drawn in the '63-'65 uniform.

The website sells these decks for $10 plus shipping. You can pick them up for less on eBay. I got this one for $6.

Here is the player checklist:

Al Bumbry
Andy Etchebarren
BJ Surhoff
Bob Nieman
Bobby Grich
Boog Powell
Brady Anderson
Brian Roberts
Brooks Robinson
Cal Ripken
Chris Hoiles
Chuck Estrada
Curt Blefary
Dave McNally
Davey Johnson
Dennis Martinez
Don Baylor
Don Buford
Doug Decinces
Eddie Murray
Elrod Hendricks
Frank Robinson
Gregg Olson
Gus Triandos
Harold Baines
Hoyt Wilhelm
Jackie Brandt
Jerry Adair
Jim Gentile
Jim Palmer
John Lowenstein
Ken Singleton
Lee May
Luis Aparicio
Mark Belanger
Melvin Mora
Miguel Tejada
Mike Boddicker
Mike Cuellar
Mike Flanagan
Mike Mussina
Milt Pappas
Paul Blair
Rafael Palmeiro
Rich Dauer
Rick Dempsey
Ron Hansen
Scott McGregor
Steve Barber
Steve Stone
Tippy Martinez
Wally Bunker