Desert Shield

[Zach Wheat]

Following is a list of the Desert Shield variations which I have compiled from my own cards and several other sources. It is interesting to note some DS cards have correct stats while other DS cards have incorrect stats. For the most part, it seems as if most of the corrections were made prior to starting the DS print run. However, to date I have not found the error & corresponding corrected version of the card - just 1 or the other. In fact, the only variation which I have been able to confirm is the Drabek gray/black border variation previously noted.

It is also interesting to note that based on a small sample size the checklists are consistent as well. Perhaps if other printer sheets turn up, this information is a means to determine whether Desert Shield checklists are actually from the set or from the 1991 Topps regular issue set - since they are identical, other than the corrections.

Again many thanks to KeyMan Collectibles, JunkWaxGems, Beckett, PSA, CU and numerous other sources from which this information was compiled. Here are the variations I have checked against the 1991 Topps regular issue set but not found both versions of the same card:

• Card #21 Joe Morgan MGR – “87” hits; DS set has the corrected version which is “187 hits”.

• Card #22 Storm Davis – (Front) Copyright logo in Upper left corner above Topps in white border area; 1991 Topps regular issue has both. DS cards do not have the copyright logo.

• Card #42 Chris Hoiles – (Front) Black Border white or Gray border (DS cards have gray border).

• Card #48 – Dennis Boyd – 3 Variations –left wrist covers 40th Anniv logo; airbrushed pink to blend in with logo, no black box on banner underneath “40”; DS cards have 40th Anniversary logo which covers wrist fully with black border and it appears as if the wrist is behind the border.

• Card 49A Pat Borders (DS cards have 1986 – “40 steals in Kinston”) 49B (0 Steal in Kinston)

• Card 80A Fernando Valenzuela (DS cards have In 1990 104 ER in '90 Tied League Lead “◊” Present in line)) 80B (Led League)

• Card #83 Daryl Boston (Front) Line through his position, left side of card in the top portion of “OF”;

• Card #97A Brady Anderson Box at bottom, (DS cards “In Sept 2 RBI and 3 Hits”) 97B (Set, 3 RBI and 14 Hits)

• Card #100A Don Mattingly (DS cards 10 hits in 1990) 100B (101 hits in 1990)

• Card #124 Randy Bush – No print code on back of card, bottom, to the left of 1991 Topps copyright. DS cards are corrected and have a D* Print Code.

• Card #130 (Checklist) – no Foil Shield – consistent with both DS and 1991 issue

• Card 131A Checklist 1 (DS cards have #727 Phil Bradley) 131B (#727 Mookie Wilson); Card #727 is Mookie Wilson in actual set

• Card #153 Bryan Harvey – has A*B* print code on reverse to the left of Topps Copyright; Original DS card has A* Print Code.

• Card 155A Dwight Evans (DS cards have “In 1982, Led league w/162 games in 1982”) 155B (tied for lead.....)

• Card 167A Randy Tomlin (DS cards have 1989 & 1990 Club is “Harriburg”) 167B (Harrisburg)

• Card #189 Daryl Irvine (Back) 1988 GS has a “*” or blob; DS cards are corrected and have 14 for GS in 1988.

• Card #213 has A*B* Print Code on back of card to left of Topps copyright; Original DS card has A* )

• Card 236A Frank Tanana (DS cards have “In 1975, Tied for lead w/269 K’s” with the symbol “◊” Present in text) 236B (Lead League w/269....)

• Card #247 – Jody Reed (Bio is dark red; DS version have lighter red or pinkish box for bio.

• Card 270A Mark McGwire (DS cards have 1987 Slug % 618) 270B (1987 Slug % .618)

• Card 277 Scott Coolbaugh – (Front) DS cards have Streak on left side of hat; streak is airbrushed out.

• Card 279A Jose Gonzalez (Photo Billy Bean) 279B (DS cards have the correct photo)

• Card 306A Lonnie Smith (DS cards have incorrect stats stating In 1990, played in 136 Games) 396B (corrected not found in DS set and was
actually 135 Games in 1990)

• Card 324A Ron Kittle (DS cards have the last line of text @ bottom of card “…set another standard) 324B (“….tied another standard)

• Card 337A Keith Comstock (DS cards have incorrect Cubs logo on front) 337B (Mariners logo on front – Mariners is correct)

• Card 366A Checklist 3 (DS checklist has #19 as Carl Nichols) 366B (#119 Carl Nichols); #19 in Actual set is Jeff Robinson P Yankees

• Card 374 Larry Casian – Pimples on left side of neck can be seen; DS cards are corrected and have pimples airbrushed out.

• Card 378A Wilson Alvarez (89 & 90 minor league stats deleted) 378B (DS cards have minor league stats included)

• Card 454A Kevin Appier (DS cards have in the line for 1990 Omaha Stats deleted) 454B (stats included)

• Card #519 – Sparky Anderson – Back) – Bullseye covesr O in “…Anderson…” at the top of card in name. (1X is corrected); DS cards do not have this printers mark.

• Card 526A Moises Alou (DS cards show incorrect stats in the 1990 Pirates line, 37 runs in 2 games) 526B (0 Runs in 2 games)

• Card 527A Checklist 4 ((Back) DS cards on sheet incorrectly state #105 Keith Miller #719 Kevin McReyolds 527B (#105 Kevin McReyolds #719 Keith Miller). Actual DS set has #105 as McReynolds

• Card #530 Roger Clemens (Back) – Card # is pink. DS cards have not found variation.

• Card #588 Mark Whitten (Front) left hand is over or under border. DS cards have corrected – hand does not extend into white border.

• Card 593A Mike Walker (DS cards have in 1990 Canton Stats deleted 593B (Stats included) Note: Both cards have Colo. Springs Stats

• Card 599A Greg Myers (DS cards have in 1990 Syracuse stats deleted 599B (Stats included)

• Card 603A Wes Chamberlain (DS cards have incorrect photo with Louie Meadows with bat on right shoulder) 603B (correct photo –smiling no bat on shoulder),

• Card #648 Lee Stevens – Back of card; bio is dark red; DS cards have light red bio box.

• Card 656A Checklist 5 (DS checklists have corrected card numbers of #348 Palacios, #381 Lind, #537 Lavalliere) 656B (438 Palacios 537 Lind 665 Lavalliere) 656C (433 Palacios) actual 348 is stottlemeyer, Actual set has #348 is Palacios, #381 is Leyland, #537 is Lind.

• CardA 674 Kevin Gross (DS cards have in 1988 Tied for lead in BB) 674B (1988 Lead league) – looks like he led league

• Card #685 – Doug Drabek – (Front) Corrected – Gray-ish border on left & right side of card. Black broder on left & right side of card. DS cards appear to have both black & gray border, with different color team banners.

• Card 687A John Cerutti (DS cards have 4.46 ERA in 1990) 687B (4.76 ERA in 1990); 4.76 ERA is correct

• Card 692A Efrain Valdez (Born 6/11/66) 692B (DS cards have correct birthdate text stating Born 7/11/66).

• Card 706A Brad Arnsberg (DS cards have incorrect data stating 68.2 IP in 1990) 706B (62.2 IP in 1990)

• Card 780A Randy Myers (DS cards have incorrect stat line for losses - 15 Career losses) 780B (19 Career losses).


Let me know if anyone is able to find the other variation on these cards. Thanks.

ZWheat