[ALR-bishop]

Since this was the first Topps set I finished it is one of my favorites. Over the years I have added the following items to my set ;

The traded/option variations

The 3 Spahn DOB variations

The Ramos upper border irregularity ( there has been a high priced 8 on ebay for some time...mine is ungraded)...recurring defect

181 Porterfield with an errant green line on the back along the listed years...recurring defect

313 House... with botched T on back in Complete...recurring defect

407 Drabowski...with white front border at top extending into pink... (similar to 58 Douglas )...written up in SCD

The 3 Haywood Sullivans

Elect Your Favorite Rookie paper pack insert...this "ballot" along with others distributed to Boy's Clubs, Boy Scouts and YMCAs...and published in The Sporting News... resulted in the 1960 Topps Sporting News Rookie cards ( not sure how the 1959 players were selected, but in 1960 packs there was another paper insert that led to the 1961 cards. For 1961 the cards changed from the separate designs in 59 and 60 to the regular card with the trophies on them)

Free Felt Pennant paper pack insert ( I don't have but would like to get one of the 15 " felt pennants)

An unopened 5 cent and 1 cent wax pack, and a cello pack

The First Annual Topps Rookie Banquet paper program from 10-29-59 in which the upcoming 1960 Topps Rookie selections were highlighted. Winners got $ 125 and free trip to NY for the banquet, and a trophy...and also a free trip to appear on Mel Allen's NBC World Series Special on 9-29.

On the last page of the program is a picture of a kid with a sideways baseball cap with a caption that reads " I just traded Stan Musial for Mickey Mantle" and the following legend :

"Remember when you managed a team of baseball cards held together by a repaired rubber-band ? Remember those big trades you pulled off ? Boys haven't changed very much-and it still happens every spring. Major League ballplayers still move from one rubber-band held stack to another. A wad of bazooka gum and a stack of baseball cards are part of the heritage of American boyhood--envy of the world. Want to make a boy happy ? Give him a nickel and send him to the store today"