Who is your definition of a common man?

[HRBAKER]

ED,

Are you a UGA alum?

[Cliff Bowman]

These two in '78.

[Sean]

Gary Bell in the 1965 Topps set.

[glynparson]

Early 80's Doug Drabek? He is in the 1986 traded sets but i believe 1987 is the first time he was in packs, also a cy young winner is not really my definition of common. I also saw Greg Jeffries mentioned, while his career was not up to the expectations he was a multiple All star and put up some impressive numbers for a few years. When i think dead dirt common I think of guys like Mario Mendoza, Warren Brustar, Marvell Wynne, Bill Almon, Buddy Bianancalana and these types of guys.

[Vintagevault13]

Originally Posted by glynparson

Early 80's Doug Drabek? He is in the 1986 traded sets but i believe 1987 is the first time he was in packs, also a cy young winner is not really my definition of common.

Mea culpa for my Doug Drabek post. I stand corrected on the years. 1981 and 1982 were the last years I collected as a kid as I was 16/17 yrs old and becoming interested in other pursuits. I responded to this post purely from memory (obviously flawed). FWIW, Doug Rau is the player I had in mind.

[swarmee]

Originally Posted by Cliff Bowman

These two in '78.

That Warren Brusstar card could be used in some "Don't use drugs" Public Service Announcements. Scary eyes, and a mouth of chew.

[mrmopar]

That Brusstar is a solid second dud card for me. Because 78 Topps was the first year I busted packs, most of those card images are burned into my memory. I could probably block the names out and get a majority of the cards named correctly just from poses.

I'd also add that my intention with this thread, and I may not have explained it well enough, it that not only are these cards commons, but they are TERRIBLE commons for one personal reason or another. It's that card you own or buy only because you absolutely must have to complete a set or something like that, otherwise a card like this would never have a home in your collection.

For me, those large close up portrait cards will often fit that bill more so than any other cards. The kind of photos that made you glad that football and hockey players wore helmets! However, if the Apodaca card looked like the 77 Tanana, then it would be a different story for me.

Originally Posted by Cliff Bowman

These two in '78.

[familytoad]

It took me 0.3 nanoseconds to think of George Alusik in 1963 Topps.
While that predates my pack opening (I was only 1 yr old), he's my poster man for common. Perhaps someone might do us a favor and post a pic?

For my pack opening years in the 70's, I must have gathered several dozen 1972 Cleo James cards. At least some of them turned out to have the color variation in the Cubs banner across the top and now I am rich beyond all imagination.

Great topic!

I also enjoyed the discussion about the pricing of near stars or memorable players from our youth. When I was a kid, I wanted Bernie Carbo and Bob Tolan and Garry Maddox cards. I wanted to get all the Bake McBrides and you can have Jim Ray Hart or Roy White all day. Lucky for us , (if we are still interested) common baseball cards are cheap and easy to acquire. For numerous reasons of course.

When I go thumbing through my set binders (I am close to a set run from 1953 to 1980, all in binders ) I enjoy reading the backs of the common cards or just remembering a player from back in the day as much as I want to see what page the Mantle, Mays, Bench or Ryan cards are on.

[mrmopar]

Originally Posted by familytoad

It took me 0.3 nanoseconds to think of George Alusik in 1963 Topps.
While that predates my pack opening (I was only 1 yr old), he's my poster man for common. Perhaps someone might do us a favor and post a pic?

For my pack opening years in the 70's, I must have gathered several dozen 1972 Cleo James cards. At least some of them turned out to have the color variation in the Cubs banner across the top and now I am rich beyond all imagination.

Great topic!

I also enjoyed the discussion about the pricing of near stars or memorable players from our youth. When I was a kid, I wanted Bernie Carbo and Bob Tolan and Garry Maddox cards. I wanted to get all the Bake McBrides and you can have Jim Ray Hart or Roy White all day. Lucky for us , (if we are still interested) common baseball cards are cheap and easy to acquire. For numerous reasons of course.

When I go thumbing through my set binders (I am close to a set run from 1953 to 1980, all in binders ) I enjoy reading the backs of the common cards or just remembering a player from back in the day as much as I want to see what page the Mantle, Mays, Bench or Ryan cards are on.

[Rich Klein]

There was one other thing I wanted to add about Phil's comments. For various reasons, you will never find a wholesale quantity of any Derek Jeter rookies but if you want wholesale quantities of beloved Yankee Bernie Wililams they are available

And Phil is correct, the logic in why there is not a bigger demand in true rookie cards of stars is valid. BUT look at the names he mentioned:

Danny Tartabull, Chili Davis, Tom Brunansky, Lloyd Moseby, Terry Pendleton, Cecil Fielder, Wally Joyner, Will Clark, Ray Lankford, Dickie Thon, Dan Quisenberry

Not ONE of these people (Unless Pendleton becomes a manager later in life) is going to be inducted into Cooeprstown and thus there is no long term play.

These people, many of whom were card HOT at one time, are barely above commons and their RC's are easy to find

I think you can probably list fairly easily the RC's of the 1980's of which there is interest short and long term: There may be someone I missed as I went through memory

1980: Rickey Henderson
1981 Tim Raines; Mike Scioscia/Fernando Valenzuela
1982; Cal Ripken Jr
1983: Wade Boggs, Tony Gwynn, Ryne Sandberg, Willie McGee as a regional hero in St Louis
1984 Don Mattingly and Darryl Strawberry: Exceptions to the rule but they are NY players
1985: Dwight Gooden (See NY exception); Roger Clemens and Mark McGwire (eventually their numbers will force HOF entry); Eric Davis (beloved)
1986 NO Topps Cards in regular series Jose Canseco and Fred McGriff in 1986 Donruss; 1986 Traded Barry Bonds Bo Jackson and Jose Canseco
1987: Barry Bonds (esp 1987 Fleer); Greg Maddux
1988: Roberto Alomar; Tom Glavine; Craig Biggio and John Smoltz in Uodate Sets
1989: George Kenneth Griffey Jr.; Randy Johnson.

Notice: Rafael Palmeiro, David Cone, Gary Shefflield. Dave Righetti, Kirk Gibson, Matt Williams (he is borderline); Harold Baines; etc are not even mentioned.

And yes Phil. I understand your logic about the other rookies but you are also dealing with a more limited collecting audience at shows. I'd seriously for those cards you mentioned look into COMC or even EBay as outlets

Rich

[7nohitter]

ALWAYS got this rube in a pack...

[Vintagevault13]

Originally Posted by HRBAKER

ED,

Are you a UGA alum?

Yes, I received both my bachelor and master degrees from UGA.

[Tomman1961]

1973 Fred Kendall