A Celebration of Topps: HOF Pitchers

[mrmopar]

Like the contests you run, this will be fun to watch unfold.

I'm sure I'd be frustrated with the restrictions in my own collecting, as I am a visual collector. For example, Ryan has some really great cards, but if he was representing only one spot in his entire career, I'd want that to be 1980. 1971 and 1974 are nice runner-ups. Juan Marichal HAS to have the 74 Topps spot for me, although that horizontal 74 Seaver card is awesome (but Seaver's 77 is iconic to me too). Too many choices, not enough years!

[gustomania]

Maybe once through he can add a second card for fun

Then a third…..

Fourth……

Too many great cards, awesome project, will be fun to watch

Chad

Originally Posted by mrmopar

Like the contests you run, this will be fun to watch unfold.

I'm sure I'd be frustrated with the restrictions in my own collecting, as I am a visual collector. For example, Ryan has some really great cards, but if he was representing only one spot in his entire career, I'd want that to be 1980. 1971 and 1974 are nice runner-ups. Juan Marichal HAS to have the 74 Topps spot for me, although that horizontal 74 Seaver card is awesome (but Seaver's 77 is iconic to me too). Too many choices, not enough years!

[cjedmonton]

Originally Posted by mrmopar

Like the contests you run, this will be fun to watch unfold.

I'm sure I'd be frustrated with the restrictions in my own collecting, as I am a visual collector. For example, Ryan has some really great cards, but if he was representing only one spot in his entire career, I'd want that to be 1980. 1971 and 1974 are nice runner-ups. Juan Marichal HAS to have the 74 Topps spot for me, although that horizontal 74 Seaver card is awesome (but Seaver's 77 is iconic to me too). Too many choices, not enough years!

Originally Posted by gustomania

Maybe once through he can add a second card for fun

Then a third…..

Fourth……

Too many great cards, awesome project, will be fun to watch

Chad

I hear you both, loud and clear! There will be some tough decisions, for sure. Love the ‘74 Marichal…but why did Topps have wait till his very last card to showcase that legendary kick?

The ‘80 Ryan ticks all the right boxes, but given my self-imposed constraints, it just wouldn’t be possible. Hard to believe that he isn’t even halfway through his Topps cards at that point, though!

Who knows, I may very well go back and add multiple years at some point, but my collector DNA may have an issue with that. haha As mentioned, I marvel at the synchronicity of it all, and that was the catalyst for even going down this road.

Hope to have a couple more to share by year’s end!

[cjedmonton]

Card 2 of 29
Progress: 6.9% complete
Average grade: 7

1969 Fergie Jenkins #640
PSA 7
Jenkins’ 4th of 19 base Topps cards

Why his ‘69? Tough 7th series from an understated design…perfect for a tough and understated Hall of Famer.

This classic early card of Fergie shows the focus and determination of a young pitcher who had already established himself as the ace of the franchise by this point. Not only that, but he was already regarded as one of the best pitchers in all of baseball as well. His best was yet to come.

Fergie had just come off his second straight 20 win season en route to an amazing 6 straight 20 win campaigns. The NL strikeout leader in ‘69 with 273, Fergie also set the modern Cubs record that year, only to best his own record by 1 the following season…a post-1900 mark that still stands. Naturally, Fergie remains the all time Cubs strikeout leader by a comfortable margin

Runner-up year for Jenkins: 1975 - Outstanding action shot of Jenkins in full stride. Would later learn he had just recorded the greatest pitching season in Texas Rangers history the year before (look it up!). Another memorable card I had as a kid.

Runner-up player for 1969: Tom Seaver - I know, I know…I already had him as the ‘71 runner-up. But could there be any choice other than Seaver in ‘69? I promise it won’t always be him.

[gustomania]

So with Kaat being elected how does this shake things up?

[Peter_Spaeth]

I may not be understanding this, why does Lee Smith break the streak?

[cjedmonton]

Originally Posted by gustomania

So with Kaat being elected how does this shake things up?

Surprisingly little impact.

Only 5 adjustments

Slotted Kaat for mid 60s
Moved Hunter to mid 70s
Moved Sutter back a few years
Moved Carlton and Gossage up a few years

I have decided on the actual years for everyone, but will reveal them as a surprise for those following my progress.

Nice to have an even 30 subjects now representing the first 30 years of regular Topps (1952-81)…at least until 2024. My own 30 for 30 if you will.

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

I may not be understanding this, why does Lee Smith break the streak?

Lee Smith “breaks the streak” because his RC is in ‘82.

The main goal here is to represent the entire vintage era of Topps with a different Hall of Fame pitcher with no omissions, no repeats, and no rookies.

With Kaat’s induction, every year from 1952-81 can be represented by a different HoF pitcher with no one left out. Just a cool coincidence.

If I expand this to all Topps era HOF pitchers, I can add any of Smith’s non-RC cards along with the other 9 modern guys (Maddux, Glavine, Johnson, Smoltz, Mussina, Hoffman, Martinez, Rivera, Halladay).

But the magic is to be able to assemble a run of 30 consecutive years during Topps’s heyday with every HOF pitcher during that time.