'52 Topps Rookies: A Solution

Okay, the trading has been slow of late, and I've been distracted by holiday revelry anyway. But when I started this blog, I promised to share my thoughts and remembrances on the hobby during periods of downtime. So consider this the first in an indeterminate series!

Although I don't buy them very often, I'd have to say that I'm a sucker for "vintage" card designs. If I had been serious about collecting over the past five or six years, I'm sure I would have pumped some hard-earned money into Topps Heritage, and maybe even Bowman Heritage. This year's Allen and Ginter and Goudey series have caught my eye, though they're too rich for my blood. But I'd have to agree with my esteemed colleague that this year's '52 Topps Rookies cards are an exercise in laziness. While Dayf (among others) has suggested simply bumping up this year's design to mirror 1953 Topps and following the sequencing of Topps Heritage, I've got another idea.

Let's be fair. I love some of the 1950's Topps designs as much as the next guy (especially the aforementioned 1953). But haven't we seen enough of them for a while? For that matter, hasn't an entire vintage set based on one year's style been done to death? Well, maybe it has, you say. But what the hell are they supposed to do, Kevin? I'll tell you what...

Produce each rookie's card in the design from his year of birth.

Think about it. While card designs from the 80's may not seem "vintage", they still strike a nostalgic chord with many of today's collectors (yours truly certainly included). They haven't been seen for 20-25 years, and even if you assume that Topps is keeping up its Heritage line in sequential order on into infinity, they wouldn't be seen for another 20-25 years. It would be the best of both worlds - something old, but in a mostly new format. And as a neat twist, you'd always know how old a certain player was with a single glance at his card.

Take this year's checklist for example. You'd have a 1982 Michael Bourn, a 1983 Jacoby Ellsbury, a 1984 Troy Tulowitzki, a 1985 Joba Chamberlain, a 1986 Homer Bailey, a 1987 Justin Upton, and a 1988 Phillip Hughes. With Japanese imports, there's even a few oddball older designs, like a 1975 Hideki Okajima, 1979 Akinori Iwamura and a prized 1980 Daisuke Matsuzaka. Then there are journeyman rookies like Jon Knott (1978) and Josh Hamilton (1981). Now THAT'S variety. Sure, this also means we're right on the cusp of the hideous 1990 Topps design, but you might as well admit that you've missed those bright and fuzzy squares and dots.

If, after all of this, Topps still felt the need to throw in those Debut Flashbacks, you've got even more styles to look at. Try on a 1976 Vlad Guerrero or a 1971 Pedro Martinez.

So that's my best stab at telling Topps what to do. If they're looking to hire, I wouldn't say no. ;-)

By the way, if anyone is more graphically talented than I am (chances are pretty good that you are; refer to my banner design if you doubt it) and wants to email me some designs based on this idea, I will of course post it and give you full credit. A 1983 Nick Markakis or 1984 Adam Loewen would be sweet.

Available for Trade: Bowman, Burger King, Post Cereal, Studio, Leaf, Pinnacle, Stadium Club

Whew! With this post, I've finally got all of my dupes posted, save for 1989 Topps. If you need any of those, just email me and ask...there's a good chance I've got what you need. We've got a few oddball sets here, and a bunch of 1995 Stadium Club. Those have beautiful photography and you owe it to yourself to pick up a few, if you've got something to offer in return.

1989 Bowman (1)
313 Paul O'Neill

1987 Burger King All-Pro (2)
13 Don Mattingly
14 Ozzie Smith

1990 Post Cereal (3)
4 George Brett (2)
5 Tony Gwynn

1991 Post Cereal (2)
25 Todd Zeile Rookie Star
29 Don Mattingly

1993 Post Cereal (1)
13 Ryne Sandberg

1994 Post Cereal (1)
1 Mike Piazza Rookie Star

1993 Studio (16)
26 Rob Deer
35 Kent Hrbek
46 Mike Lansing
60 Devon White
66 Matt Williams
76 Lou Whitaker
87 Joe Carter
142 Damion Easley
149 Ramon Martinez
157 Fred McGriff
164 Wally Joyner
179 Willie McGee
186 Billy Hatcher
197 Greg Vaughn
208 Mickey Morandini
217 Ozzie Smith

1994 Leaf (2)
395 Paul Molitor
424 Mickey Morandini

1994 Pinnacle (3)
363 Gene Harris
515 Dan Wilson
539 Paul Spoljaric Rookie Prospect

1994 Topps Stadium Club (7)
273 Teddy Higuera
280 Larry Walker
314 Salomon Torres MLB Debut 8/29/93
334 Chris Donnels
336 Dean Palmer
437 Rheal Cormier
499 Turk Wendell MLB Debut 6/17/93

1995 Topps Stadium Club (142)
4 Curt Schilling
5 Bruce Ruffin (2)
9 Gary Gaetti
10 Roger Clemens
11 Carlos Garcia (2)
14 Charles Nagy
19 Ryan Klesko
22 Ken Hill League Leader
29 Shawon Dunston (2)
31 Dean Palmer (2)
34 Mickey Tettleton
36 Carlos Baerga
37 Orel Hershiser (2)
40 Jim Edmonds
49 Billy Spiers (2)
52 Denny Hocking
53 Todd Worrell
55 Hipolito Pichardo (2)
60 Tim Davis MLB Debut 4-4-94
61 Jeff Kent (2)
65 Ozzie Smith
68 Vince Coleman (2)
69 Tom Pagnozzi (2)
70 Roberto Alomar
78 Danny Bautista
79 Bob Hamelin '94 Award Winner: AL Rookie of the Year
82 Chris Turner
86 John Vander Wal
93 Kevin Tapani (2)
95 Erik Hanson
96 Ruben Sierra (2)
99 Jacob Shumate Draft Pick
105 Cade Gaspar Draft Pick (2)
114 C. J. Nitkowski Draft Pick (2)
115 Ramon Castro Draft Pick
116 Rafael Bournigal
132 Wilson Alvarez
136 Jeff Blauser (2)
139 Kirk Rueter
141 Pat Borders
147 Jim Thome
148 Larry Walker League Leader
151 Steve Avery (3)
158 William VanLandingham MLB Debut 5-21-94
161 Ismael Valdes MLB Debut 6-15-94
162 Juan Guzman League Leader (2)
164 Cliff Floyd
165 Allen Watson (2)
168 Jeff Tackett
169 Chad Curtis (2)
170 Rico Brogna
177 Rick Aguilera
178 Dave West
181 Steve Buechele (2)
183 Tom Glavine
184 Joe Girardi
187 Kevin Gross
188 Sid Fernandez
190 Bernard Gilkey (3)
193 Jeff Conine
195 Eduardo Perez
198 Orlando Merced (2)
203 Mike Lieberthal MLB Debut 6-30-94
204 David Cone '94 Award Winner: AL Cy Young (2)
207 Alex Cole
209 Jim Eisenreich
212 Don Mattingly Best Seat in the House
214 Jose Canseco Best Seat in the House
227 Tino Martinez
228 Andy Ashby
231 Hal Morris
234 Rafael Belliard
239 Cal Ripken, Jr. Cause & Effect
240 Jeff Bagwell Cause & Effect (2)
241 Ken Griffey, Jr. League Leader
245 Mike Bordick (2)
247 Randy Velarde
256 Al Leiter (2)
257 Luis Gonzalez (2)
258 Charlie O'Brien
262 Otis Nixon (2)
264 Manny Ramirez (2)
265 Bret Barberie (2)
267 John Burkett (3)
269 John Roper
270 Shane Reynolds
286 Jeff Montgomery (2)
329 Mike Henneman
504 Bobby Bonilla Extreme Corps
523 Joe Carter Extreme Corps
533 Dave Winfield
540 Mickey Tettleton (2)
541 Andy Van Slyke
547 Chad Curtis
560 Brad Radke
572 Dustin Hermanson (2)
585 Felipe Lira
590 Todd Hollandsworth
606 Ray Holbert
616 Ken Hill TransAction

1995 Topps Stadium Club Virtual Reality Parallel (2)
28 Paul Molitor
112 Mike Stanley

Available for Trade: 1992, 1994-1997, 2003-2005, 2007 Topps

It's December and we're moving right along. I'm checking off the rest of my Topps base cards that are up for trade. See if there's anything you like.

1992 Topps (99)
14 Wes Chamberlain (2)
15 Denny Martinez (2)
25 Ron Gant
41 Craig Lefferts
46 Steve Farr (2)
57 Donn Pall
73 Brian Barnes
83 Tommy Greene
86 Steve Finley
111 Mark Carreon (2)
130 Alvin Davis (3)
160 Bobby Bonilla
180 Kevin Mitchell (3)
190 Glenn Davis (2)
200 Len Dykstra (2)
203 Greg Myers
209 Lloyd McClendon
218 Mike Flanagan
223 Mel Hall
228 Eddie Whitson
238 Greg Litton
247 Chuck Finley (3)
261 Tom Lasorda MGR
264 Checklist 2
285 Bob Welch (4)
286 Gilberto Reyes (10...yeah, really. I got hosed on a grab bag)
294 Dave Valle
302 Joey Cora (3)
307 Bruce Ruffin
319 Tony Phillips
334 Kevin Gross
344 Jack Daugherty (2)
357 Mike Witt
365 Duane Ward
393 Craig Biggio NL All Star
422 Sam Horn
448 Tom Pagnozzi
451 Tom Henke
453 Gary Redus
463 Mike Simms (2)
464 Mike Jeffcoat
479 Chito Martinez (2)
497 Andy Ashby
517 Jim Gott (2)
527 Checklist 4
528 Steve Foster
556 Storm Davis
558 Scott Garrelts
561 Jose Vizcaino
572 Greg Vaughn
579 Johnny Oates MGR (2)
584 Wayne Rosenthal
596 Kent Mercker (2)
602 Mike Fetters
608 Scott Bradley
615 Matt Merullo
622 Steve Buechele
636 Greg W. Harris (Padres)
662 Juan Guzman
667 Roberto Hernandez
688 Tim Belcher
696 Joe Boever
709 Chris James
724 Kevin Morton
736 Lance Johnson
771 Arthur Rhodes
776 Doug Henry

1994 Topps (9)
81 Greg McMichael Topps All-Star Rookie
119 Kevin Roberson (Rookie Card)
139 Tripp Cromer Future Star (Rookie Card)
168 Steve Dixon (Rookie Card)
183 Rob Dibble
325 Jody Reed
336 Luis Lopez (Rookie Card)
366 Al Martin
439 Willie Blair

1995 Topps (2)
(#8 Opening Day Insert) Manny Ramirez
217 Pat Mahomes

1996 Topps (1)
221 Kirby Puckett Star Power

1997 Topps (2)
285 Delino DeShields
406 Tony Clark Topps All-Star Rookie

2003 Topps (13)
162 Greg Vaughn
259 Adrian Beltre
396 Barry Bonds
397 Esteban Loaiza
437 Morgan Ensberg
475 Einar Diaz
485 Tomas Perez
552 Oliver Perez
589 Fernando Tatis
591 Cory Lidle (2)
623 Ben Davis
644 Dodgers Team Card

2004 Topps (17)
51 Danny Graves
236 Brad Penny
368 Sammy Sosa
395 Adam LaRoche
397 Johnny Estrada
436 Alex Escobar
452 Chone Figgins
458 Ryan Ludwick
470 Yorvit Torrealba
495 Armando Benitez
535 Antonio Alfonseca
554 Benito Santiago
617 Ted Lilly
684 Chris Lubanski 2003 Draft Pick
692 Delmon Young, B. J. Upton Prospects
717 Angel Berroa 2003 AL Rookie of the Year
719 Todd Helton Sporting News All-Star

2005 Topps (1)
585 Jacque Jones

2005 Topps Updates and Highlights (1)
UH247 Lorenzo Scott FY

2007 Topps (3)
54 Daniel Cabrera
231 Orioles Team Card (2)