1984 Topps

Of course there's no way I can objective about these cards now, so I'll keep it brief. I wasn't wild about these. Mediocre is the best adjective I can use. Fortunately the nostalgia factor gives these a big boost. 

But what a summer it was. I've got a few tales of my own about Tigers baseball that summer and what better place to spin them. 

My uncle went to high school with Glenn Abbott in Arkansas. That summer my aunt and uncle's family came to visit us in New Baltimore. My dad got tickets for me, him, and my uncle to go catch a twi-night doubleheader against the California Angels. We were at the gates when they opened as my uncle was going to flag down Glenn and say hello to him.

Well my 15 year old mind extrapolated that into getting to go into the clubhouse and get autographs from all the players, hang out in Sparky's office and chat baseball with, you know, the works. Well we looked high and low for Glenn to no avail. We couldn't find him anywhere.

Dejected, we then proceded to see the Tigers lose both games to the Angels. What a lousy night. I was bummed out all the way home.

When I got up the next morning, my dad and uncle were sitting at the breakfast table. I still remember my dad telling me, "Well I know why we didn't see Abbott last night." 

He'd been released from the Tigers that day.

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1984/08141984.htm

A few years ago I came across an Abbott rookie card. My uncle still talks to him to this day and got Glenn to autograph it for me. My uncle has told him the story of our visit to Tiger Stadium that day, and Glenn told him that I have a standing offer the next time I am in Arkansas to meet and get a picture with him and his replica World Series Trophy. You can bet that one day I will.

And now, the 1984 Topps Detroit Tigers:

14 Tom Brookens

24 John Martin

42 Johnny Grubb

65 Kirk Gibson

95 Aurelio Lopez

119 Johnny Wockenfuss

136 1983 Strikeout Leaders Jack Morris

147 Dan Petry

174 Juan Berenguer

195 Jack Morris

223 Wayne Krenchicki

259 Sparky Anderson

284 Howard Bailey

303 Marty Castillo

333 Larry Herndon

356 Glenn Abbott

371 Dave Gumpert

398 Lou Whiatker All-Star

427 Rick Leach

457 Dave Rozema

482 Enos Cabell

510 Alan Trammell

536 Glenn Wilson

588 Milt Wilcox

611 Chet Lemon

640 Lance Parrish

666 Detroit Tigers Team Card

695 Lou Whiatker

731 Lynn Jones

The Traded set from that year is obviously chock full of players that would contribute to the World Series championship, the biggest being Willie Hernandez. So it's somewhat of a shock that this is the only card I am missing from the set. For the life of me I can't recall why I would have all of the others, but not his. Oh well. 

11T Dave Bergman

36T Darrell Evans

41T Barbaro Garbey

51T Willie Hernandez

59T Ruppert Jones

66T Rusty Kuntz

80T Sid Monge