The Darwin Awards

While you might have been aware that today is Abraham Lincoln's birthday (this public school employee got the day off to celebrate), did you know that February 12th is also the day of birth for another prominent figure of the 19th century?  Today marks the 209th birthday of English naturalist, biologist, geologist, and author, Charles Darwin - you might know him for his 1859 book, On the Origin of Species, and his theory of evolution.  In honor of this momentous occasion, since about 2001, the day of Darwin's nascency has been declared International Darwin Day, in honor of his momentous contributions to the fields of science.

Additionally, based upon his concept of natural selection (a characteristic of evolution), the Darwin Awards were launched in 1993 to "recognize individuals who have supposedly contributed to human evolution by selecting themselves out of the gene pool via death or sterilization by their own actions."  These award winners showcase the peak of black humor.

Here are some knuckleheads that just barely "failed" to make the cut for the real Darwin Awards

Furthermore, during the first half of the current decade, the Chicago Cubs employed a scrappy second baseman who bore the name of today's hero, Darwin Barney.  In 2012, the caretaker of the keystone put together a career year, stealing the Gold Glove Award from perennial favorite, Brandon Phillips, and looked to be part of the ongoing youth movement in the Windy City.  Alas, it was not to be, but, nevertheless, Darwin remained a popular player (especially with our friend, Wrigley Wax) until his trade to LA in 2014.  As of today, after stints with the Dodgers and the Blue Jays, Mr. Barney remains in the league, as a spring training invitee of the Texas Rangers.

Anyway, what does any of this mean?  Well, it means that, in honor of International Darwin Day, I'll be conducting my own version of the Darwin Awards.  However, instead of paying tribute to those who offed themselves in unique and dimwitted ways, I'll be showcasing my top five favorite Darwin Barney baseball cards.  Honestly, it's quite surprising how many quality pasteboards exist of a guy who is essentially a "one season wonder."  Anyway, this is the type of high quality and relevant content you should have come to expect from Wrigley Roster Jenga by now.

Without any further ado, let's jump right into the countdown with my fifth favorite Darwin card:

#5 - 2013 Topps Archives Cubs SGA 

In 2013, the Cubs partnered with Topps to create their own special set of Archives cards, centered around their franchise history and given away in four chunks at Wrigley Field.  Darwin made the first series, coming off of his 2012 GG-winning campaign and looking to be a star of the future, on this 1965 template.  While I wasn't able to make it to any of those games, I did come across a cello pack at a local Goodwill a couple of years ago.  Thankfully I did because I love the pennant-based design of '65 Topps and oddballs rock, making this Barney impossible to leave off of my list.

#4 - 2014 Topps Factory Team Set 

In the course of drafting this post, I was surprised to discover that I did not have the regular base card of this particular single in my collection.  That's okay though, seeing as the Factory Team Set version (which, ironically, I had to chase down in Philadelphia, of all places) changes nothing about this card that I enjoy.  Cocked and ready to fire to first for a double play, Barney shows off his fielding prowess with old school flipdowns, eye black, high socks, and a phenomenal 1908 throwback uniform.  It's an appropriate photo choice, seeing as the scrappy second baseman was something of a throwback himself.

#3 - 2012 Topps Flagship

Ordinarily, I have something of an aversion towards horizontal cards (they screw with my orientational OCD), there's no denying just how majestic Darwin's 2012 Topps base card is.  Racing full bore into second base, Barney has left his feat in a desperate dive to beat the tag, caught completely parallel to the ground by an astutely aware photographer with quick reflexes.  You don't see a shot like this on baseball cards all that often!  The stirrups and the ivy-walled background only serve to punctuate just how phenomenal this card is.

#2 - 2013 Topps Flagship

Our penultimate Darwin Barney pasteboard is another single where the photograph is the star of the show.  An absolutely jubilant Barney rounds first base, with his fist in the air, presumably after drilling a home run high into the bleachers - a rare occurrence for the slap-hitting, glove-first middle infielder.  A quick consultation with Getty Images reveals that this roundtripper was of the walk-off variety, finishing off a three-game sweep of the San Diego Padres, coming off of the heels of a 12-game losing streak for Chicago... no wonder everybody is so elated!

With that, we've now reached the moment we've all been waiting for - what Darwin Barney card will win the Wrigley Roster Jenga Darwin Awards??!!

Drum roll please:

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Right - sorry, God.  Believe me, the irony of that guy showing up in a post tied into Darwinism is not lost on me.  Anyway, behold my favorite Darwin Barney card of all-time:

#1 - 2013 Aunt Millie's Bread Great Moments in Cubs History

Like I said, oddballs rock and there are few better such sets than Aunt Millie's 2013 regional release based around the Cubs.  The Indiana-based bakery issued a set of eleven rounded-corner cards that year, paying tribute to "Great Moments in Cubs History."  Riding high off the wave of Darwin's improbable Gold Glove win and likely looking for a recent event, Barney made the cut.  After all, in the throes of their controversial rebuild, the Cubs didn't have many great moments to chose from, at that time.  I failed to find out about these cards util after they'd left the market; but, luckily I came across this single at my LCS a few years later.

It's tough to beat a rare, regional, oddball such as this one, though those other Darwins gave it their best shot.  It was all in vain though, as I knew that Aunt Millie's gave me my absolutely favorite from the starting gun.

So there you have it, the Wrigley Roster Jenga Darwin Awards - an impromptu idea that "evolved" out of International Darwin Day.  I hope you enjoyed the countdown and it's firmly tongue-in-cheek nature.  Are there are fellow Cubs collectors out there who feel that I slighted a certain Darwin card?  Do you take issue with my rankings?  Please feel free to share your opinions in the comments section below!

In the meantime, happy Darwin Day!  Please do try to celebrate accordingly and keep your name out of the actual Darwin Awards.