Best of 1978 Topps

[deweyinthehall]

1978 was also my first year of collecting - like others, I knew that set backward and forwards, could guess any card's # and come within 10 either way, etc. Because it was my first set, I had never heard of most of the players or several teams...the Mariners? Where do they play?? I was 10 and baseball cards made me a fan of baseball, and not the other way around as it might have been for most. As for my favorites, I have to start with the very first cards I ever owned - got them as a panel in Dynamite Magazine that April - here they are (the Dynamite panels were 6 cards...just my luck I got two DPs).

[deweyinthehall]

Then there were the quartet of Twins at the plate during a night game...always thought these were cool...

[deweyinthehall]

I've always loved these images of Rice, Simmons and Lopez - just having fun and loving being a big league ball player...

[deweyinthehall]

Now with pics...

[deweyinthehall]

Some other favorites - the wild action of Halicki, the gritty determination of Pocoroba, the unusual shot and lighting of Collins' image, the all-American, perfect composition of Garvey's card, with the All Star shield (we all thought he was Hall-bound for sure) and just because I have to, the "somebody find me a bucket, I'm about to puke" look that we all thought Twitchell was sporting...

[deweyinthehall]

I started out that season a Yankee fan because most of my friends were (lived in central CT) and they HAD just won the Series. Over the summer, when the Sox were dominating, my parents (life-long Sox fans) gave me no end of grief. Finally, in August, I cast several months of devoted fan-hood to the winds and declared myself a loyal Sox fan for life. But, then...

Anyway - though I have been a Sox fan ever since, the cards of Guidry and Jackson, both then and now, have always seemed to perfectly capture those two giants at the peak of their greatness...

[deweyinthehall]

Lastly, I have to add Gary Ross. Ross was the last card I needed to complete the set. In fact, I had all other 725 cards before I even knew what his card looked like - none of my friends had him either. Didn't know who he was, what he looked like...all I knew is he was standing between and a finished set. He was a complete mystery. I finally convinced mom to let me order a complete set from Renata Galasso (only $14.50!). When it came, I dug into it and headed straight for #291. Honestly, it was like an explorer setting eyes on a magnificent and previously never before seen wonder - Gary Ross was here! Of course, he was cut in spring training, and never threw an official pitch again, but I didn't know that.