"Coolest Topps Cards From Each Year" article

[Chris Counts]

An article was posted today on the MLB site on the "coolest" Topps cards from each year. Here's the link: https://www.mlb.com/cut4/the-coolest...ds/c-289592068

What do you all think about the choices? I thought some were inspired, like the 1957 Kluszewski and 1975 Oscar Gamble, while others were either obvious (1954 Aaron), overrated (1952 Mantle) or just plain dumb (1972 Fred Gladding). I didn't bother reading about anything past 1976, but I'm sure others will.

As for the "coolest" cards not on the list, I would add the 1952 Topps Gus Zernial (which edges out Larry Jansen and Johnny Mize), the 1954 Topps O'Brien brothers and the 1957 Dodgers Sluggers. I also would have replaced the 1951 game card with one of the Connie Mack or current All Stars (I like the Doby best).

I enjoyed the article, and I'd like to see this done for every non-Topps set.

[sixpointone]

Very cool article. Thanks for sharing. I will say I am biased, but for 1973 the Johnny Bench card will always be a favorite to me.

[rats60]

Originally Posted by Chris Counts

An article was posted today on the MLB site on the "coolest" Topps cards from each year. Here's the link: https://www.mlb.com/cut4/the-coolest...ds/c-289592068

What do you all think about the choices? I thought some were inspired, like the 1957 Kluszewski and 1975 Oscar Gamble, while others were either obvious (1954 Aaron), overrated (1952 Mantle) or just plain dumb (1972 Fred Gladding). I didn't bother reading about anything past 1976, but I'm sure others will.

As for the "coolest" cards not on the list, I would add the 1952 Topps Gus Zernial (which edges out Larry Jansen and Johnny Mize), the 1954 Topps O'Brien brothers and the 1957 Dodgers Sluggers. I also would have replaced the 1951 game card with one of the Connie Mack or current All Stars (I like the Doby best).

I enjoyed the article, and I'd like to see this done for every non-Topps set.

His list was terrible. Others he missed, 1953 Topps Willie Mays 1956 Topps Roberto Clemente, 1957 Topps Ted Williams if not Dodgers Slivers, 1958 Topps Musial AS or Mantle/Aaron, 1964 Topps Pete Rose, 1965 Topps Mantle, Aaron or Koufax, 1967 Topps Brooks Robinson, 1968 Topps Willie Mays, 1969 Topps Mantle, 1970 Topps Bench, 1972 Topps Clemente, 1973 Topps Nolan Ryan, 1974 Topps Tom Seaver, 1976 Topps Kurt Bevacqua BGBC, 1978 Topps Reggie Jackson, 1979 Topps Ozzie Smith, 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson 1981 Topps Traded Tim Raines, 1982 Topps Traded Cal Ripken, 1983 Topps Traded Darryl Strawberry.

[KCRfan1]

I agree RATS.

Personally I find the Gamble card just goofy. Many of the cards are of the stars and the cool cards are overlooked.

I love the 1973 topps Fred Patek card and think it's a beauty.

The 1978 card of Reggie is a classic and how that card gets missed is beyond me.

[kailes2872]

Originally Posted by KCRfan1

I agree RATS.

Personally I find the Gamble card just goofy. Many of the cards are of the stars and the cool cards are overlooked.

I love the 1973 topps Fred Patek card and think it's a beauty.

The 1978 card of Reggie is a classic and how that card gets missed is beyond me.

It seems that the 80 Reggie Jackson is just a lesser version of the ‘78 (without the all-star shield). Two different people rated them - 70’s vs 80’s but ‘78 Reggie will always be an all-timer for me

[Peter_Spaeth]

Gregg Jeffries and Jose Canseco twice each? Oy.

Chipper Jones 1991 boring. For me, this is by far the coolest card of 91 and one of the very few coolest cards of all time.

[JollyElm]

If this guy says the coolest card of 1972 is Fred Gladding, then what's the point of even reading his piece?? Pure stupidity. A big pass for me.

[JollyElm]

Here are a few of my finalists for the coolest card of 1972 (with an obvious love of the 'in action' shots, and any card from the 'traded' subset would have sufficed)...

Screen Shot 2018-08-10 at 3.27.55 PM.jpgScreen Shot 2018-08-10 at 3.28.20 PM.jpgScreen Shot 2018-08-10 at 3.28.42 PM.jpgScreen Shot 2018-08-10 at 3.29.23 PM.jpgScreen Shot 2018-08-10 at 3.29.44 PM.jpgScreen Shot 2018-08-10 at 3.30.02 PM.jpgScreen Shot 2018-08-10 at 3.31.34 PM.jpgScreen Shot 2018-08-10 at 3.31.56 PM.jpgScreen Shot 2018-08-10 at 3.32.24 PM.jpg

[EddiesDryGoods]

Interesting article.
I think the title should've been "Interesting Cards" rather than "Coolest Cards". While I love cards getting attention I wasn't fond of a lot of these picks. Perhaps I'm blinded by the love but I always want to see the Ryan rookie on these lists.

[mrmopar]

Gladding was bad, but Joe Pettini for 81 Topps may have been the worst choice of them all. As I posted elsewhere, I think you either pick the funniest cards (Gladding may have been appropriate) or you pick the best cards, and those don't always have to be the stars. Don't mix the two.

The article nailed the 71 Topps pick in my opinion, as I believe that is the coolest Topps baseball card ever made.

[JustinD]

Discussions like this are why the Topps complete picture collection books are likely my favorites in my library and most used. I have the 85' and 90 versions as well as the football.

Can never understand why these are so affordable so many years after issue and they are so massive you get a workout just thumbing thru, lol.

[JustinD]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Gregg Jeffries and Jose Canseco twice each? Oy.

Chipper Jones 1991 boring. For me, this is by far the coolest card of 91 and one of the very few coolest cards of all time.

Oh, and an addition.

I definitely like that one Peter, but the 91 Clemens still is my favorite that year.

[jason.1969]

Anyone know what he meant when he referred to the sideways John Castino card in 1979? Not only was Casino's RC 1980 but there were no sideways cards in 1979 beyond team cards and the three-player rookie cards.

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[JustinD]

Originally Posted by jason.1969

Anyone know what he meant when he referred to the sideways John Castino card in 1979? Not only was Casino's RC 1980 but there were no sideways cards in 1979 beyond team cards and the three-player rookie cards.

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The writer honestly was not a collector nor really looked at the full sets. The article was based on google image search, so it was hackneyed as hell. Thus the reason the choices are so questionable and simply stolen from blogs.

Here is the fantasy Castino he found and thought was real as there was poor research done

http://cardsthatneverwere.blogspot.c...n-castino.html

[jason.1969]

That sucks. Aside from that article he is an outstanding sportswriter. His "The Soul of Baseball" is one of my faves. But yeah, pretty amateur look at 70s Topps!

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[CW]

Originally Posted by JustinD

The writer honestly was not a collector nor really looked at the full sets. The article was based on google image search, so it was hackneyed as hell. Thus the reason the choices are so questionable and simply stolen from blogs.

Here is the fantasy Castino he found and thought was real as there was poor research done

http://cardsthatneverwere.blogspot.c...n-castino.html

Good observation there, Justin.

Well, at least (through his research) he got the '77 Topps card right with the Fidrych RC, possibly one of the best cards ever.