1982 Topps

In my opinion, this is probably one of my least favorite Topps sets of the 80's, but it just happens to have one of my favorite Tiger cards of all-time. More on that later.

I never was a fan of the design, although it's really not that bad. It certainly wasn't as bad as 1986 or 1987. Being that this was the first Topps issue of the 792 card set era, it's hard to complain about a team set that features 31 Tigers cards. After many years Topps finally got rid of the team photos on the team checklist card and replaced it with a cool combo of the Tigers batting and pitching leaders. I really liked that, and I wish Topps would combine their present day Classic Combos with the team checklist so that would free up a card that could be used for a prospect. (I can see why Kemp was traded though. Dude looks like he rolled straight out of the titty joint to take that picture.....)

The 1982 Topps Detroit Tigers:

39 Lou Whitaker

64 Lynn Jones

105 Kirk Gibson

133 Pat Underwood

137 George Cappuzello

165 Victory Leaders Jack Morris

184 Mick Kelleher

211 Dan Petry

238 Kevin Saucier

261 Tigers Future Stars Howard Bailey/Marty Castillo/Dave Rucker

266 Rick Leach

286 Bill Fahey

319 Dave Rozema

369 Champ Summers

391 Dave Tobik

423 Stan Papi

450 Jack Morris

475 Alan Trammell

488 Ron Jackson

504 Rick Peters

535 Lance Parrish

556 Jack Morris All-Star

575 Al Cowens

603 Rich Hebner

629 Johnny Wockenfuss

666 Detroit Tigers Team Card

670 Steve Kemp

691 Dan Schatzeder

728 Aurelio Lopez

753 Tom Brookens

784 Milt Wilcox

Topps had a subset of In Action cards which didn't include a single Tiger, which is made funnier by the fact that all of the base cards seem to picture Tigers standing around the batting cage. 

But they did give us the rookie card of my favorite Tigers scrubeenie of all-time, Marty Castillo. Marty hit a HR in Game 3 of the 1984 World Series, which to date is the only World Series game I have ever attended, and for that he will always be remembered by me. Plus, who can forget Sparky's famous quote, "If you don't like Dave Rucker, you don't like ice cream." 

Year two of the Traded sets offered us two of our key guys in 1984 (and the only action shot of the year):

15T Enos Cabell

43T Larry Herndon

45T Mike Ivie

62T Chet Lemon

112T Elias Sosa

121T Jerry Turner