What's the coolest looking card from each Topps set?

SidePocket

Just for fun I'm thinking of collecting the most interesting looking card from each Topps set from 1952 through 1980. The card that kind of typifies the game in the year the card was produced, or just kind of makes you laugh a little when you look at it.

What would you nominate for each year?

As an example I would probably pick this Dick Bertell card from the 1961 set, with the old style chest protector and the batting cage(?) behind him. It just looks like 1961 to me.

MrNearMint

1953 Bowman Color Pee Wee Reese. Love that card.

vintagefun

I think the coolest card from my birth year of 1971 is the Thurman Munson card.

For 1957 I love the Kluszewski

Nice thread. Looking forward to responses.

Downtown1974

1952 Topps Gus Zernial

KurtisJoseph

1977 ted simmons

bunt

1991 Topps Wade Boggs

orioles93

Heres a few that have been mentioned.




I always liked the Clemente from the 56 set cause of the background picture.

bunt

Nice !

bziddy

1989 UD Nolan Ryan (know its not Topps, but I love this card).

Dboneesq

Ya gotta LOVE the '72, where 'ole Billy is flipping off the world!

fiveniner

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Can you believe the grade?

Right up there just ahead of the 59 mantle.

zep33

bunt

Carlton has a heck of a lot of very cool cards - great action shots in many years.

3BoyzTrading

1991 Stadium Club Nolan Ryan. It was different seeing a baseball player in a tuxedo.

tennesseebanker

1976 Johnny Bench, The Clint Eastwood of Baseball cards.

CW

Some years would be tough to pick just one card.

I'd agree with the choices mentioned for '52 (Gus Zernial) and '71 (Thurman Munson).

1967 I'd go with the Willie Mays - Willie McCovey Fence Busters combo card.

1977 I'd have to pick Mark "The Bird" Fidrych.






And for the classic 1954 set, you can't go wrong with the #250 Ted Williams. The front just oozes 1954, and the back is all cartoons...






1953... nothing cooler than a young Mantle looking over his shoulder.

mattinglymint23

Great idea - been thinking something similar to touch each if the sets.
Some of my favorites:

56 Clemente
61 Maris
48 rizzuto bowman
71 Munson
73 tied between Bench and Clemente
75 Powell

SOM

My favorite/coolest from each year, strictly on aesthetics:

52 Zernial
53 Paige
54 O'Brien twins
55 (they all look the same!)
56 Cubs Team
57 Kluzsewski
58 Andy Pafko
59 Dale Long
60 Duke Snider
61 #447 and 448: first look at the new expansion uniforms
62 Eddie Mathews
63 Wayne Causey: first card of the A's green and gold uniforms
64 Don Nottebart: love those Colt .45 unis!
65 Ron Santo
66 Willie Mays
67 Braves Team
68 (not an aesthetically pleasing card in the bunch)
69 #603 Joe Keough, good look at the Royals new unis
70 Bob Gibson
71 Chris Short
72 Pirates Team
73 #376 Frank Duffy
74 Fisk
75 Brooks Robinson
76 Johnny Bench - one of the best ever!
77 Ted Simmons (catchers photograph well!)
78 #267 Doug Ault
79 Ferguson Jenkins
80 #437 Joe Niekro

SidePocket

Wow, some great choices so far! And a particularly nice job by SOM to go through every year!

Here's a few more of the cards I think are "cool"-

Kluszewski has to be the best for 1957 but I really like this one too:


Here's the 1964 Causey SOM mentioned:


Although I think this one of Frank Howard hitting a bomb may be my 64 favorite. Look at the bat extension - awesome:


Always liked this 59 card of Maris, great color and an almost Ted Williams follow through:


And this 67 Ron Fairly always struck me for some reason, maybe the monster wind jacket under the uniform:

maddux69

For 53 I would have to go with the Campanella, it is just so vibrant and fun.

Lefthander

1952 Jackie Robinson
1954 Willie Mays
1957 Frank Robinson
1958 Mickey Mantle
1960 Roger Maris
1964 Carl Yastrzemski
1965 Hank Aaron
1966 Pete Rose
1969 Don Drysdale

tkd7

I always thought the view of the Ebbets field scoreboard made this the coolest card of the set

mlbfan2

Reggie! Reggie!

CW

^^^ Nailed it!

jmmiller777

I can't remember the year, maybe a 55-56 where it shows Musial kneeling down what might be on the pitcher's mound with his bat out front in the foreground. The whole stadium is in the background-very cool. Anyone know what card I am referring to?

markmac

1980 was the year I loved collecting as a kid the most. Being a pitcher, I loved the 1980 Mike Norris and J.R. Richard cards. They looked very intimidating to a 9 year old.
199 Roger Clemens

totallyradd

A few off the top of my head:

1954 Jackie Robinson
1976 Kurt Bevacqua
1989 Don Mattingly

tennesseebanker

<< <i>I can't remember the year, maybe a 55-56 where it shows Musial kneeling down what might be on the pitcher's mound with his bat out front in the foreground. The whole stadium is in the background-very cool. Anyone know what card I am referring to? >>




53 Red Man Tobacco ??