He's arguably one of the best to ever play third base in the majors, dazzling fans with his great glove work but also providing historically significant run production at the plate. Mike Schmidt also has another distinction: the last of the important vintage high number rookie cards. Schmidt's 1973 Topps rookie card (#615) is one he humbly shares with … [Read more...]
Remembering 10 Terrific Tom Seaver Cards
Baseball lost an icon when the Hall of Fame announced that Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver had passed away due to complications of Lewy body dementia and COVID-19. Seaver's career began in the 1960s and was still going strong in the 80s. "Tom Terrific" had been the Rookie of the Year in 1967 but his entire career seemed like a never-ending highlight. He struck … [Read more...]
1975 Hostess Panels: Errors, Variations and Populations of the Debut Set
Hostess CupCakes (yes, that’s how they spell it) have been around since 1919 and have been reported to be the first commercially produced cupcake in the U.S. Through the years many product varieties were developed around this theme altering flavors and shapes. In the latter half of the 1970s, the company’s entire line of products became the home to an enormously popular … [Read more...]
Bochy Looks Back at Career Through His Old Cards
His first card was actually a minor league issue. Bruce Bochy looks a LOT different on that card, issued in the 1970s when he was a young catcher hoping to reach the big leagues. He spent parts of eight seasons in the majors before becoming a coach and eventually a manager with the Padres and Giants. Winning three World Series in San Francisco has put him on a … [Read more...]
1974 Topps Puzzles Were a One and Done
Long before video games, Topps was often the go-to choice for kids entertainment and it usually wasn't sophisticated. They went interactive with the 1974 Topps Puzzles issue, one designed to while away at least a half hour or so of a youngster's summer. Today, it's among the most unusual sports products ever produced by the company and fairly rare. Topps often … [Read more...]
1973 Topps Baseball Set Bid Farewell to Clemente, Hello to Schmidt
In the waning hours of 1972, a cargo plane bound for Nicaragua crashed into the ocean off the coast of Puerto Rico, taking with it a true baseball hero and casting a dark pall over the 1973 season before the New Year could even introduce itself to the world. Roberto Clemente had collected his 3000th hit just months before, on the last day of the regular season, and … [Read more...]
1971 Topps Super Baseball Set Ended Brief Era
It was one of many ideas drummed up by Topps decades ago to create more sales. There had been pins, stand-ups, posters, stamps and glossies. For two years, the company gave its standard cards the super size treatment, creating sets that filled up a good chunk of the shoebox. The 1971 Topps Super baseball set would be the end of the brief experiment. … [Read more...]
1974 Topps Baseball Stamps Set is Hall of Famer Heaven
Looking to lick a vintage set that includes a roster full of Hall of Famers but doesn't stick you with a hefty bill? You might consider the 1974 Topps Stamps issue. Lightly regarded for, well, being stamps, the 240-player set otherwise has everything collectors generally like. Packaging and Distribution The '74 set wasn't Topps' first stamp rodeo. They had … [Read more...]
Vintage Fleer Issues Focused On Former Stars, Teams
In 1963, Fleer produced a set of cards hoping to challenge Topps, which was the only mainstream producer of baseball issues. However, a lawsuit by Topps ended Fleer's hopes of creating sets featuring current players. Finally by the early 1980s, Fleer won the court fight to be allowed in the baseball card game with current players. However, the company didn't keep … [Read more...]
Dimes for Decor: 1972 Topps Posters
Searching for baseball card-related products beyond the annual Topps set was often a tough task prior to the mid-1970s. The 1972 Topps Posters set wasn’t traditional but it did serve the purpose of getting youngsters to fork over more dimes and quenched what seemed to be a never-ending desire of American youth to put posters in their room. Topps was all about the … [Read more...]