In this series we highlight the cards that have seen better days but the rough times have made them infinitely more interesting. You can find previous Heartbreaking Damage entries HERE.
I recently picked up this Minnie Minoso rookie card from eBay for about $6 shipped and I knew it was a rough looking example with a nice big dinged corner in the upper right. There also seems to be a general dirtiness about the card and after getting the hard in my hot hands yesterday, it almost has a lacquer finish to it. My guess is that the card sat out in the open somewhere like in a garage and collected dust for years and years. The filth just sort of grew and combined and strengthened over time until it left a protective barrier around the card.
All that being said however, the back isn't too bad as I'm guessing the card sat face up for quite a while. Minoso split the 1951 season between the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox, becoming the first black Cuban player in the entirety of major league baseball and the first black player in White Sox team history.
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