A Celebration of Topps: HOF Pitchers

[paul]

Sounds great. I guess you will have to shell out some real money for the 1953 Topps Satchel Paige. I'm not sure I understand what you mean when you say that Lee Smith breaks the streak. Doesn't he extend the streak to 1982?

[cjedmonton]

Originally Posted by paul

Sounds great. I guess you will have to shell out some real money for the 1953 Topps Satchel Paige. I'm not sure I understand what you mean when you say that Lee Smith breaks the streak. Doesn't he extend the streak to 1982?

Paige will be a cost outlier since he’s exclusive to 1953. But if I’m committed to this, he must be included. Will be thrilled with a PSA 1 one day, but I don’t see his prices softening anytime soon.

As for the rest, I have a relatively modest budget for each.

Since there will be no rookies, the earliest Smith could be included is 1983. At least two more pitchers would need to be elected to extend the run beyond 1980 (assuming no 1981 or 1982 RC).

Beyond that, the next eligible year/player right now is 1988 Maddux (2nd year).

Honestly though, I hope the run stays 1952*-1980 since that’s the widely accepted vintage Topps era and there’s something fascinating about how it all aligned so perfectly.

*I do have an emergency plan if Allie Reynolds is somehow inducted this year through the Early Baseball Committee…he has a 1951 Topps issue!

Otherwise, not interested in any post-1980 unless it extends chronologically.

On the other hand, if Kaat is inducted, it will make a nice round total of 30.

Either way, just think it’s really cool that so many consecutive years can be represented by a different HOF pitcher with no gaps, overlaps, or rookies.

Sorry, can you tell I’m ready to get started?

[cjedmonton]

The journey starts today! My first vintage mail day and I can instantly relate to what all the fuss is about.

Card 1 of my 29 card celebration of vintage Topps
Progress: 3.4% complete

1971 Jim Palmer #570
PSA 7
Palmer’s 6th of 19 base Topps cards

Why his ‘71? Vivid color, beautiful contrast. Classic pose of the eventual winningest pitcher of the decade and the emerging ace for that early 70’s juggernaut. Palmer just came off his 1st All-Star nod here, along with his first 20 win season and of course a World Championship. Also, this card features him in the middle of a historic season as one of only two 20 game winning quartets in major league history. For me, a helluva card to kick this project off.

Runner-up year for Palmer: 1977 - Classic Palmer delivery. Distinctly remember having his ‘77 card in my shoebox as a kid.

Runner-up player for 1971: Tom Seaver - Tom Terrific sizing up yet another victim. Go ahead, make his day.

*While not all years/players will have this much narrative, not all make me grin as much as this one. However, they will all be integral to my celebration of the entire vintage Topps era and the Hall of Fame pitchers who represent them.

Thanks for stopping by!

[ASF123]

Great looking card! I’m also working on a HOF project - trying to get all Topps and Bowman HOF base cards from 1953-85. Maybe I should have gone with a smaller project like yours so I could afford to do it with cards in such good condition.

[nat]

Originally Posted by paul

Sounds great. I guess you will have to shell out some real money for the 1953 Topps Satchel Paige.

Not necessarily, .

[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?

[egri]

Originally Posted by nat

Not necessarily, .

Nat,

Porter can be his batterymate!

[IMG] [/IMG]