2011 Topps Gypsy Queen ‘Wall Climbers’ Subset – Mike Stanton

2011 Topps Gypsy Queen ‘Wall Climbers’ Subset – Mike Stanton

The 2011 Topps Gypsy Queen ‘Wall Climbers’ set is a piece of art. The cards feature stunning graphics with images that capture some of baseball’s greatest action – the art of leaping into the air and bringing back would be home run balls.

The set offers just 10 cards, but each one is an amazing look at one of baseball’s great highlights.

This is the card of Mike Stanton from the set:

I really like the action could on this card.  And it looks like Stanton made one heck of an effort on this ball.  He may not be blessed with the best defensive skills among active right-fielders, but with his immense athletic talent and size, Stanton does make some pretty spectacular plays in the outfield.

Reggie Jackson 1983 Drake’s Big Hitters

Reggie Jackson 1983 Drake’s Big Hitters

Oh yeah, you’ve got to love it!  1980’s baseball card odd-ball magic with this Drake’s Big Hitters card.

This card features a great, action image of Reggie in his California Angels uniform.  The card is number 12 of 33 that made up the set.  Cards could be obtained in various Drakes products in 1983 and they featured the best hitters from the ’82 regular season.

The set was made by Topps, but did not include the Topps logo anywhere on the front of the card – strictly the Drake’s logo in the lower-left corner.

 

YUM!!!

1986 HEADLINE: Gooden Sets Record Of 200+ Strikeouts In First Three Seasons Of His Career

1986 HEADLINE:  Gooden Sets Record Of 200+ Strikeouts In First Three Seasons Of His Career

On this day in 1986, Dwight Gooden recorded the 200th strikeout of his 1986 season.  And while there was a lengthy list of pitchers that had accomplished that feat prior to ‘Doc’, he was the first pitcher in major league history to collect more than 200 K’s in his first three big league seasons.

Amazingly, with all of the fireballers before his era, Gooden was the first.  Not Nolan Ryan or Tom Seaver or Bob Gibson or Jim Palmer.

Here is a closer look at those three historic years:

Season	K’s
1984	276
1985	268
1985	200

Congratulations and Happy Anniversary to Dwight Gooden!!!

1968 HEADLINE: Gibson Strikes Out 17 In Game 1 Of The World Series

1968 HEADLINE:  Gibson Strikes Out 17 In Game 1 Of The World Series

On this day in 1968, Bob Gibson struck out 17 batters in Game 1 of the World Series against the Detroit Tigers.  This is a World Series record that still stands today.

To be on the biggest stage in baseball and dominate the way he did shows how superior he was as a pitcher and competitor.

The full stat line from Gibson’s game looks like this – 9 innings pitched, 5 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk, 17 strikeout, WIN.

Happy Anniversary Mr. Gibson!!!

Happy Birthday Maury Wills!!!

Happy Birthday Maury Wills!!!

Maury Wills turns 81 years old today.

Wills was a player that arrived in the game one generation too early.  A speedy player with a knack for stealing bases and scoring runs, he was in a league of his own when it came to generating offense for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He should certainly be credited for paving the way for the great runners that came after him.  He made the role of the base runner more important to a team’s roster, and he was rewarded for his efforts in 1962 by winning the MVP Award.

In ’62, he stole 104 bases, a major league record at the time.  Add to that his .299 batting average, 208 hits, and 130 runs scored and you have yourself a dynamic player.  He also was an All-Star in 1962; and he won a Gold Glove for his defensive work at shortstop.

For his career, Maury Wills stole 586 bases.  He completed his 14 years in the big leagues with a .281 average alongside 2,134 hits, 1,067 runs scored, 5 All-Star selections, 2 Gold Glove awards, and most important – 3 World Series championships!!!

Happy Birthday Mr. Wills!!!

 

Million Dollar Question – ‘When I Say 1988 Topps, You Think What Card’???

Million Dollar Question – ‘When I Say 1988 Topps, You Think What Card’???

Last week’s 1984 Topps discussion was pretty good.  So, I am going to keep this week’s ‘Million Dollar Question’ within the Topps brand and fast forward a few years to 1988.

The 1988 Topps flagship set is a ’30-YOC’ classic!  I love the colors of the set, and I really like the large images that the used.  The set features a lot of action images throughout, though many of them are just a tad too zoomed in and cut out some of the smaller things that I like to see (bats, shoes, etc.).

The set features some great, great cards.  I love the Andre Dawson card, and the Eric Davis, Kirby Puckett, Mike Greenwell, Wade Boggs, and others are also very sweet.

But for me, there is one true ‘Standout’ card in this set.

And if you were to start searching numerically for your favorite, it would not take me long to find mine.

The card that I instantly think of when I hear the name ‘1988 Topps’ is card number 4 – The Eddie Murray Record Breaker!!!

 

Seriously, how can you not like this card.   Not only does the card celebrate that Murray is the only player in MLB history to connect for switch-hit home runs in back-to-back games, but Topps went above and beyond by featuring great images of Eddie’s swing from both the left and right side.

I LOVE IT!!!

Now it is your turn, when you hear ‘1988 Topps’, what is the first card that you think of???  

This is going to be a good one!!!