Fours Field

The last time I took a peek at the "1960" Topps Venezuelan Tattoo set, I was marveling at a page from the 1989 Topps Auction at Guernsey's, where a number of potential subjects were included in a lot of original tattoo art, finally noticed by yours truly only 35 years later. Well since then four additional subjects have turned up and expanded the checklist to 25 players.  One of the new subjects hails from the Guernsey's sheet and three appear in the U.S. Baseball Tattoo set, including a real barnburner.

Tony Taylor is our new Venezuelan-only subject, once inferred and now confirmed:

Taylor, a Cuban National, brings the number of possible subjects from the Guernsey's artwork that were likely produced down to nine.

Here is a wrecked Glen Hobbie:

Vernon Law, a key member of the 1960 Pirates squad that shocked the mighty Yankees has survived in far better shape than ol' Glen:

Those three were offered on eBay, along with a couple other previously known subjects.  Heritage Auctions ended up with the big fish though, as the Mick has finally been found:

Mantle was another subject that was previously theorized to be included due to his widespread fame. It's not in great shape but I'll bet it goes for some crazy money when the auction concludes three weeks hence.

Here's the current checklist.  Since the set was produced in such a way that the final count should be divisible by 4/8/24, and factoring in the nine Venezuelan only subjects still lurking to presently land us at 33, it's clear more subjects are out there, and, as I suspect the divisor is likely to be 24, we could get all the way to 48 players.

Bob Allison
Ruben Amaro (Venezuelan only)
Luis Arroyo (Venezuelan only)
Orlando Cepeda (US subject but redrawn for Venezuala)
Bob Clemente (Venezuelan only)
Rocky Colavito
Don Drysdale
Nellie Fox
Tony Gonzales (Venezuelan only)
Dick Groat
Glen Hobbie
Harmon Killebrew
Juan Marichal  (Venezuelan only)
Frank Lary
Vernon Law
Mickey Mantle
Ed Mathews
Stan Musial
Juan Pizzaro (Venezuelan only)
Vic Power (Venezuelan only)
Pedro Ramos (Venezuelan only)
Tony Taylor (Venezuelan only)
Zoilo Versalles (Venezuelan only) inferred from a sliver on a miscut, not yet confirmed but it's somebody
Gene Woodling
Early Wynn

Here's the likely Venezuelan players not yet found:

Matty Alou
Luis Aparicio (previously surmised as a possible subject)
Chico Fernandez
Felipe Alou
"Clio" (Elio) Chacon
Felix Mantilla
O. "Cepida"
Jose Pagan
Chico Cardenas

If we could confirm the US version print group includes all the non-exclusive players found so far in the Venezuelan set, it might help finding the resting point. In fact, the redrawn Cepeda could indicate he was not in the same print group as other known US subjects. Right now we know of eleven Venezuelan only subjects with another nine possible from the Guernsey's sheet. Four more gets us to 24.

The "US" subjects presently total fourteen, so another ten of those could be out there. If I'm correct in my guesstimating, of course.