Wednesday, September 3, 2008

1972 Topps


I have this vivid image in my head of Sy Berger thinking that it was time for Topps to produce a set with a contemporary look and feel. After scouring the plant for someone under thirty to talk to, he finally caught up with the second shift press helper, who was out back of the press room smoking a bowl in his van and listening to Jimmy Cliff's The Harder They Come. I like to think this kid's name is Ian, and Ian says to Sy, "dude, check this shit out!"

Has there ever been a set that completely captured its era like this this one? All I have to do is look at these cards, and the melody of Brand New Key floats ever so gently in the back of my mind.  If Richard Roundtree collected cards, you can bet your honky ass that these would be the ones he would own. Can you dig it?

So, dude, check this shit out....

Series 1
6 Fred Scherman
33 Billy Martin
83 Dalton Jones
90 AL Home Run Leaders - Cash
94 AL Pitching Leaders - Lolich
96 AL Strikeout Leaders - Lolich
120 Bill Freehan

Series 2
150 Norm Cash
175 Tom Haller
176 Tom Haller In Action
187 Gates Brown
216 Joe Niekro
239 Tom Timmermann
257 Tigers Rookies Jim Foor/Tim Hosley/Paul Jata

Series 3
284 Ike Brown
319 Aurelio Rodriguez
337 Mike Kilkenny
367 Ron Perranoski
385 Mickey Stanley

Series 4
408 Jim Northrup
450 Mickey Lolich
487 Detroit Tigers Team Card
494 Willie Horton Boyhood Photos Of The Stars
511 Tony Taylor

Series 5
535 Eddie Brinkman
600 Al Kaline
640 Joe Coleman

Series 6
725 Dick McAuliffe
750 Willie Horton
753 Denny McLain Traded
783 Les Cain


At 787 cards, this was the biggest set that Topps had ever produced. At 31 Tigers cards, this is surely one of the biggest Tigers team sets ever. 

There were cool new innovative subsets like the Boyhood Photos of The Stars, Traded, and In Action cards. So kudos to Ian for such a fine offering. But I just have one question for you Ian. Tom Haller? Of all the great Tigers in this set, you picked Tom Haller for the only Tigers In Action card?

Dude, that must have been some good shit....

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