1979 Topps

[deweyinthehall]

So, I either have too much time on my hands or am a bit insane (a little of both is not out of the question).

I am considering developing a web site (adjacent to my other sites) where I can create sort of an illustrated encyclopedia of Topps regular issue sets - yes, there are others with sites similar to this description, but for various reasons none seem to offer what I as a collector would want to see.

We will see where this goes, but I want to work on a prototype and have decided to start with 1979 Topps.

I have collected a lot of imagery from the 1979 set, but have the following requests and questions for anyone to respond to if you are able:

1. On the Bump Wills error - a relatively recent guide places the value of the error at $3 and the correct version at $2 - so we are all comfortable saying that there are fewer Toronto versions produced as Topps likely caught the error well before the halfway mark in their printing? If anything, when I was collecting the set in '79 the Rangers version seemed rarer.
2. Is anyone aware of any other packaging options in 1979 aside from wax, cello, rack, grocery and vending? Images of any would be appreciated.
3. I show 3 wax wrapper variations - bubble gum ad, uncut checklists and sportscard locker - any others known?
4. I have an image of a 3-box rack case - were 6 box cases produced in '79 as in many other years?
5. If anyone has images of the D, E and/or F sheets it would be great if you could post.

In addition any advertising or images of displays in stores would be great.

Thanks for humoring me!

[Cliff Bowman]

Here are sheets D, E, and F.

[deweyinthehall]

Thanks!

I noticed Bump Wills is next to Don Kirkwood, a proper Blue Jay (if by way of a paint job) on the D sheet.

Since, at least in this era, I think two teams next to each other on the same sheet is something of a unicorn, speculating that perhaps whomever was in charge of placing the name plate banners said to himself "Blue Jays", was interrupted, and then looked at his list again and said "ah...Blue Jays" thus mislabeling the Wills card. Since I have no idea how these layouts took place (lo, though I've asked over the years), it's purely a guess.

The Kirkwood itself is an oddity - he was purchased by the Jays on April 11 of 1978, and spent all season (minus two DL stints) with the big club - Topps wasn't able to capture him in an actual Jays uniform for the '79 set? Odd.

[Harliduck]

1979 Topps was my first year in cards as a 9 year old...I opened MANY packs and as a kid I was able to put 2 sets together, so did my brother. We couldn't get enough. Not scientific at all, or have knowledge what so ever, just my kid memories...but we didn't even know a Bump Wills "Rangers" version was a real thing until we bought our first Becket price book and saw the listing. I picked up my first one at a card shop when I was 12ish, 1982ish. So however many boxes throughout an entire year of buying, we had at least 5 or 6 Blue Jay versions, no Rangers. To me the Rangers version was super rare, as in "no way, that exists??". We knew something was off as the team name didn't match the jersey...


I still love the 79s. I did have to buy a new set a few years back as my childhood set was...well...loved. I have both. I can still name the player by memory from just their picture, all 726 of them...I must have sorted and stared at those for HOURS and HOURS.

[deweyinthehall]

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[deweyinthehall]

Originally Posted by Harliduck

1979 Topps was my first year in cards as a 9 year old...I opened MANY packs and as a kid I was able to put 2 sets together, so did my brother. We couldn't get enough. Not scientific at all, or have knowledge what so ever, just my kid memories...but we didn't even know a Bump Wills "Rangers" version was a real thing until we bought our first Becket price book and saw the listing. I picked up my first one at a card shop when I was 12ish, 1982ish. So however many boxes throughout an entire year of buying, we had at least 5 or 6 Blue Jay versions, no Rangers. To me the Rangers version was super rare, as in "no way, that exists??". We knew something was off as the team name didn't match the jersey...


I still love the 79s. I did have to buy a new set a few years back as my childhood set was...well...loved. I have both. I can still name the player by memory from just their picture, all 726 of them...I must have sorted and stared at those for HOURS and HOURS.

1978 was to me what 1979 was to you. When I first saw a bin of '79 cellos in a store in early 1979 I said to myself something like "you mean they come out with a new set EVERY year?"

I have to ask - with me and the 1978s, when I page through them today the ones I looked for all summer and eventually had to get from other friends' extras piles have always had a different 'look' to me - I can't articulate it better than that except maybe to say they look different to me in the same way that a 1972 Topps series one card looks different from a 1972 Topps series 6 card (if you're familiar with that difference). Does this sound at all familiar to you? It's always struck me as odd.

[JollyElm]

My brothers and I were grabbing (the basically nameless) Mets left and right, but when it came to the Yanks, it was really depressing seeing what Topps did to Thurman Munson and Reggie Jackson. They both had great action shots in the 1978 set (with Reg's being one of the best cards ever), but when we started opening packs in '79, they had both been reduced to frickin' Dreadshots (an uninteresting Topps card that features nothing but the noggin of the ballplayer)!!!!! What the heck, Topps!!!!!!!!!!

[deweyinthehall]

This life-long Sox fan will attest to the fact that Reggie's '78 card is one of the best ever.

It may be because I was biased but the 1979 set was a let down to me from 1978 - the colors in 78 seemed more vibrant, the photography selection better, the design bolder.

[Harliduck]

It's funny...my mom found a convenient store that still had 78's in them, like 4 boxes, and gave her a deal as they were "last years, no one wants them...". To me at 9 years old, they may have been 50 years old! So the 78s are special as I still consider them in my kid mind as OLD. Reggie was my favorite player, and he was in the first pack of 79s I opened (still have that Reggie). But when I saw the 78 Reggie I about fell on the floor...the action shot was so COOL. I remember it like it was yesterday....


BTW...I TOTALLY know what you mean. The cards that were hard to get seem still so mysterious to me today and I always notice that when I thumb through. For me in 1979, Bobby Valentine and Rick Honeycutt were 2 cards I could not find. They are still special to me! I really remember in 81 not being able to find Johnny Wockenfuss and Gene Richards, and none of my friends had them either. I finally had a friend have both and it cost me a kings ransom at school! The good old days...

[deweyinthehall]

When I looked in that bin of new 79 Cellos it was a like a box of wonders - Mike Jorgensen? I thought he was with the A's - He's with the Rangers now?? Preston Hanna - who's he? What the heck are these odd All Time Leader cards with these guys I don't know in little black and white pictures? I'm not getting one of those packs, they probably aren't the real 1979 cards.

If memory serves, I did get the pack showing Preston Hanna and I think I got Dave Bergman, Ed Figueroa and Reggie Cleveland in that first pack of 79s as well.

[Cliff Bowman]

In 1979 I remember in New Jersey the Bump Wills error was known immediately and I remember the correction eventually coming out, but in 1978 I never heard of anyone having a Bump Wills with the large black magic marker circle and I do remember the Jose Morales was well known to have black stitching on the baseball but I don't remember anyone having the early print error with the messed up red stitching.

[deweyinthehall]

Originally Posted by Cliff Bowman

In 1979 I remember in New Jersey the Bump Wills error was known immediately and I remember the correction eventually coming out, but in 1978 I never heard of anyone having a Bump Wills with the large black magic marker circle and I do remember the Jose Morales was well known to have black stitching on the baseball but I don't remember anyone having the early print error with the messed up red stitching.

I never knew about Bump Wills circle or the stitching issues on Morales or Roric Harrison until I set out to see what a master 1978 set would consist of about 10 years ago - I know I never saw the Wills circle back in the day, but in all the ripping I did in '78 I may have had different versions of the other 2 but just didn't notice it.

[Grigsby]

Great looking set

Topps had their act together somehow this time. Lots of good photos for a change

The Nolan Ryan card was always a favorite

[jmoran19]

79 gum sell sheet

[ALR-bishop]

Another Bump Willis variation

[Rich Klein]

In the olden days, I always had more Blue Jays cards than Rangers cards.

I do remember Dan Dischely wrote in The Trader Speaks that he was told 70 percent of the print run was Rangers and 30 percent of the print run was Blue Jays. My opinion is he got them reversed in terms of percent.

And I'm more than comfortable saying there are more Blue Jays than Rangers, why? And when I post this I'm not violating any confidential informaiton at COMC since I'm doing a search of what's for wale

There are currently

34 Blue Jays for sale
2 Rangers for sale

If we believe the Rangers were a tougher pull and I do, then this ratio makes sense

https://www.comc.com/Cards,=1979+topps+bump+wills

[Hxcmilkshake]

I collected so much of that I used to be able to tell who everyone was only by the picture.

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[deweyinthehall]

Do we have any ideas as to why Topps decided in 1979 to stop their tradition of placing gold trophies/cups on cards to signify members of the previous seasons' All Star Rookie Team?

They didn't return to this practice until 1987, but they never stopped selecting the members of the Teams.

[deweyinthehall]

Well, I've created a 1979 prototype of some pages I hope to make of other Topps sets - interested in any constructive feedback.

https://mrpekrul.wixsite.com/narcissism/1979

[Bigdaddy]

I like your site for the 1979 Topps. For me, my childhood collection peaked in 1978 after starting out with the 1977 issue. I always have a fondness for those three years. Interesting info on your site about the double printed cards as I can remember always seeing Morgan, Garvey, Bench and Jackson cards in seemingly endless numbers.

A couple of things I noticed:

• The font is kind of small, even on my desktop monitor. At least for these old eyes.
• The All-Star cards listings should include Bench and Fisk.

BTW, I still have a grocery 3-pack of those '79 wax packs, along with a single '78 wax pack. Been in my possession since they left the store.

[deweyinthehall]

Ack! How could I forget those 2! I know I need to go back and make some other editorial changes as well.

I understand about the text/font - will try to do something.

Thanks for the feedback!

[deweyinthehall]

Made some updates including a slightly larger font.

https://mrpekrul.wixsite.com/narcissism/1979

[Bigdaddy]

Maybe I missed it, but do you know who are the players (batter and catcher) featured on the front of the wax packs? Looks like the photo on the top of the wax box was used for the artwork. A Giants batter and a Cardinals? catcher.

Would be interesting to confirm.

[deweyinthehall]

Unsure - I suspect it is probably based upon an actual image, but it has been made so generic for the illustration.

Other years (particularly 1973) are easier to pinpoint by far.

Interesting know if anyone has any thoughts on this.

[judsonhamlin]

I’ll guess Steve Ontiveros as the Giants batter

[deweyinthehall]

Can't be Ontiveros - the Giants debuted their pull-overs in '77, and he spent the year with the Cubs.

Assuming the image isn't reversed and it really does show a right handed hitter I would guess Tim Foli, taken in 1977 before he went to the Mets, and they airbrushed out his specs.

Other than him, I thought about Marc Hill, but it doesn't seem he wore a moustache in 77 or 78, or Rob Andrews but I really don't think there's a good resemblance.

The catcher is nearly impossible - either a Red, Card or Phillie - but based on how the hair looks I will guess Ted Simmons.

[Hxcmilkshake]

Johnnie LeMaster?

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[deweyinthehall]

Think LeMaster was taller and skinnier.

[judsonhamlin]

Damn. So much for that theory. Mike Sadek?

Originally Posted by deweyinthehall

Can't be Ontiveros - the Giants debuted their pull-overs in '77, and he spent the year with the Cubs.

Assuming the image isn't reversed and it really does show a right handed hitter I would guess Tim Foli, taken in 1977 before he went to the Mets, and they airbrushed out his specs.

Other than him, I thought about Marc Hill, but it doesn't seem he wore a moustache in 77 or 78, or Rob Andrews but I really don't think there's a good resemblance.

The catcher is nearly impossible - either a Red, Card or Phillie - but based on how the hair looks I will guess Ted Simmons.

[deweyinthehall]

Could be Sadek - I think what we can see of the face from that angle bears a stronger resemblance to Foli, though

[JollyElm]

732. Shtick Figures (also Packsimiles)
The colorful illustrations of baseball players found adorning vintage wrappers, boxes and other packaging which were obviously intended to resemble real major leaguers, but whose facial features were altered slightly to make them ‘different’ people.

[deweyinthehall]

When working on my 1978 Topps project I located this sell sheet, which contains the image used on the 1979 wax box - I am convinced this is Tim Foli batting with Tim McCarver behind the plate and, likely, Steve Carlton on the mound.

[Bigdaddy]

Interesting. Using a '77 photo that was in a '78 advertisement on a '79 wax box and wrapper.

Nice find.