The Philadelphia Phillies and Dick Perez go together like David and Michelangelo.

OK, maybe that’s a bit exaggerated, but there is no denying that some of the greatest names in Phillies history have received the Perez treatment and graced classic works turned out by the Perez-Steele Galleries over the past four decades or so.

Consider, for example, that Phils legends like Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, and Pete Rose all scored Donruss Diamond Kings cards while wearing Philadelphia uniforms. That goes for not-quite-as-legendary dudes like Shane Rawley, Juan Samuel, and Von Hayes.

Schmitty and Lefty also joined fellow Cooperstown denizens like Richie Ashburn, Jim Bunning, and Robin Roberts in the expansive set of Perez-Steele Hall of Fame postcards issued from 1980 through 2001.

But if all that powder blue and burgundy artwork doesn’t quite quench your thirst for the Phillies-Perez-Steele marriage … well, I have some good news for you.

Find 1983 Phillies postcards on eBay (affiliate link)

Find 1983 Phillies postcards on Amazon (affiliate link)

See, back in 1983, the Phillies were celebrating their 100th anniversary as a big league franchise. They did it in style, too, pulling together a “Wheeze Kids” team that pushed all the way to the World Series before whimpering into the winter by losing to the Baltimore Orioles, four games to one.

But before that, the Phils treated fans all season long, distributing two postcards at each home game on Friday nights throughout the summer.

One card was part of a “Great Players & Managers” set, and the other belonged to the “Great Moments” issue.

Each set consisted of 13 player cards (some showing multiple Phillies) plus either a header or checklist set. Since these were postcards, they were big — like 3-1/2” x 5-9/16” big.

(See checklists at the links above.)

And the best part?

Well, for this discussion, at least, it’s that Dick Perez painted them all.

Oh, and that you can still find these cards today, in places like eBay, for around $5 (or less) per card, and it’s not unheard of to find a complete 28-card set for $50 or less.

Good luck snagging a marble David at those prices.

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Wow! Wax of the Day

Even if you weren’t in Philly that summer of 1983, you could find some pretty nifty Dick Perez work in your local wax packs … beyond the base Donruss, even! That’s courtesy of the 1983 Donruss Hall of Fame Heroes set, as featured in this nifty wax box on eBay.

It’s a pretty cool opportunity to pick through a set full of nothing but the greats, painted by one of the great sports artists of all time. Check out the full listing here (affiliate link).