Card #61: 1989

2014 continued a trend by Topps to insert minis of vintage designs in their flagship set.  

Oddly enough the set they chose to represent was the 25th anniversary of the 1989 design.  They didn't label them as 25th anniversary designs, but used the same look of those cards, but made them into a die cut mini.

The white borders that would have been on the card were removed entirely to,create a die cut curved upper left and lower right corner on the cards.

The backs were numbered TM (Topps Mini) and featured some of the best active players in the game along with several legends that had long since retired.

The back has limited stats, but does feature a pretty unique fact.  Could you imagine an outfield with Willie Mays in center and Roberto Clemente in right?

That would have been amazing to witness.

Card #36: The Toys Made Us

I have been watching a lot of Netflix in my down time recently.

One show/documentary that I particularly like is a series called The Toys That Made Us.  It is a four episode web series discussing the origins of hit toy lines and the impact they had on pop culture.  So far Star Wars, Barbie, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, and G.I. Joe have been featured.

Kenner of course not only made Star Wars figures, but in the late 80s went on to produce one of the most collectible lines of sports figures ever produced.

I doubt it would ever happen, but I would love to see one about Starting Lineups.  As a kid I had two small waste basket bins full of Starting Lineups.  I had so many of the stars and nonstars.  I would go to my friend's house and we would pretend to play a game using the figures.

My 1988 Cal Ripken Jr. figures lost both arms trying to hit a nerf ball, keep in mind he was a fielding figure.

I didn't have many of the legends figures as I didn't know much about them.  I remember having a twin pack of Willie Mays and a Willie McCovey.  I also had a Hank Aaron, which I used for my shoebox diorama I had to construct for my book project about a historical figure.  Yup, I chose Hank Aaron as a historical figure to write and present about.  Take that George Washington.

One figure I never had and still don't have is the twin pack of Roberto Clemente with Willie Stargell.

I did however manage to grab the card that came with the figures.

The Starting Lineup cards featured images of the players not usually seen in major releases and your standard offensive statistics on the back.