BY MARK A. LARSON
Editor & Publisher
Favorite baseball cards …
We all have ‘em. But what if someone asked you for a brief list covering a specific period of your collection?
When you’ve collected Topps baseball cards for as many years as I have, it can be a difficult task to narrow down your favorites. I decided to pick one card from each of Topps’ main baseball sets from 1957-69 … 13 cards total. This period was chosen because many of these sets include some of my favorite card designs. Nostalgia also played a big role in that I began collecting in 1967 and made a lot of trades when I was young for older cards that I liked from that era.
Both Yogi Berra’s 1957 card and Ted Williams’ 1958 All-Star card came to me via trades as a kid and have great sentimental value. Berra’s 1957 card is a classic close-up of the Yankee catcher. Even though some might say his face could stop a clock, he was a heckuva ballplayer (and quipster). … I received the Splendid Splinter’s card in exchange for a ‘67 Orlando Cepeda when I was about 10. It was by far the best trade I ever made as a young collector.
My appreciation for the 1959 “Destruction Crew” multi-player star card came about much more recently. First of all, I love the title and card design. And secondly, I like the players. In addition to Rocky Colavito’s great name and long-ball prowess, Hall-of-Famers Larry Doby and Minnie Minoso had excellent careers. Plus, they were Black and Latin pioneers in the early days of baseball integration. … Stan Musial’s ‘60 card was another early acquisition of via the trading route. I love his crooked smile and the old navy blue Cardinals cap.
I’m a sucker for cards like the 1961 Tito Francona that show players with bats on their shoulders. Plus, as a kid I always felt a roundabout connection with Tito. He went to high school and lived in New Brighton, PA for years, while I spent my childhood in New Brighton, MN. … The 1962 Warren Spahn was another card that I obtained through wheeling and dealing in my early years of collecting. Later, I came to appreciate it even more as it showed a great view of the old Milwaukee Braves uniform. … “Marvelous” Marv Throneberry of the ‘62 Mets was a fan favorite — more for his ineptness than for his baseball skills. However, the following season he appeared in just 14 games for New York and his major league career was over. Fortunately, Topps included him in the 1963 set. It’s the only Topps card to show him in a Mets uniform.
Hank Aaron has been my favorite player since I was young. To me, his 1964 card shows Topps’ best close-up photo of the slugger supreme. Another cool personal connection to “Hammerin’ Hank” is that I now live in the city where he began his minor league career nearly 75 years ago. (There’s a statue of him outside the stadium, which is still used for baseball.) … The 1965 Casey Stengel card captures “The Ol’ Perfessor” perfectly. You can look at the card and imagine Case extolling his philosophy on baseball, life and who knows what else — whether it made sense or not. … Roger Maris made his last appearance in a Yankees’ uniform on this 1966 card. It’s a perfectly-framed photo that shows the older Maris with just a touch of gray on his sideburns.
When you see Ernie Banks’ 1967 card, you can’t help but hear him whispering his trademark phrase: “It’s a great day for baseball, let’s play two.” Bat on shoulder, big smile, blue sky and classic Cubs uniform — what’s not to like about this card? … Topps previously used Willie Mays’ 1968 card photo three years earlier in its ‘65 set. Yet, I like this version better with the tan, speckled border. He, too, is resting lumber on his shoulder. Not a pretty sight for hurlers. … Finally, there’s the 1969 card of Bronx Bomber Mickey Mantle. This isn’t just the ‘69 card I like best, it’s my favorite Topps card of The Mick. Period. I love the serious look of the switch-hitting power man seemingly staring down a pitcher. The bonus here is that his full career stats appear on the back of the card.
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