But, I'm a big fan of this set regardless. 1989 Donruss The Rookies Ken Griffey Jr. #3. $29. He won the World Series with the Yankees in 1996. The current value of this baseball card is $199.99, it has the signature of Tim Raines. Each 1-13/16" by 3-1/4" card featured a small full-color portrait of the player with his name printed below his image on the left side of the card. I know the game is played differently these days but even if it weren't, I'd be stunned if anyone in the future ever meets or bests his 130 stolen bases in a season. The previous record which he broke was 601 assists by a shortstop was done by Glenn Wright of the pirates. As you can see, some of the game's biggest legends of all time can be found within the 726-card checklist. 1981 Topps Baseball 2nd Year Card Rickey Henderson. On his 1982 Topps card, Ripken is sandwiched between Bob Bonner and Jeff Schneider as part of the "Future Stars" subset with the Baltimore Orioles. And he didn't lose any steam in the postseason, either, as he would end up leading the Phillies to the World Series title while batting .381, belting two home runs, driving in seven RBI, and scoring six runs. This Nolan Ryan card is another fantastic example of Topps capturing the style and vibe of the 1980s. He played parts of four seasons in the MLB between 1979 and 1986, with the Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, and Montreal Expos. Players include Hank Aaron, Nolan Ryan & Mike Trout. Dale Murphy enjoyed a bit of a breakout year in 1980 as he hit 33 home runs, scored 98 runs, had 89 RBI and made his first of seven career All-Star teams. Unfortunately, they failed to make the playoffs during his first year in Philadelphia, but things changed for the better as the Phillies outlasted George Brett and the Kansas City Royals in six games to win the 1980 World Series. Over eighteen seasons in MLB, all with the Philadelphia Phillies, Schmidt won three MVPs, made twelve All-Star teams, won six Silver Sluggers, snagged ten Gold Gloves, and led the league in home runs eight times. No. Tune in as Mrs. Wax Pack Gods reads about 1981 Topps Baseball Cards.When 1981 Topps baseball cards hit store shelves that spring, they were playing in a brav. Most Watched 2022 Baseball Rookie Cards on eBay; Bowman Chrome Cards; Wander Franco Cards; . A rare 1980/81 baseball card. Brett was one of the finest hitters in baseball history, but I think what is most impressive was his longevity as a top hitter, having won a batting title in three different decades (1976, 1980, and 1990). Later, his stretch from 1982 to 1987 was one of the most dominant in Major League Baseball as he was twice voted MVP, made six-straight All-Star teams while winning five Gold Gloves and four Silver Sluggers. 6. 1952 Topps Willie Mays RC #261. 1981 Topps Coke Team Sets Aurelio Lopez Autographed, 9. This is the rookie card for Bronco's QB great John Elway. And the difference lies on the reverse of the card, as one version will point collectors to see card #251 for more Rose highlights while the other will direct them to see card #371 for more. He also holds the schools record for most strikeouts in both a single season and total career strikeouts with 309 in 305 innings pitched. Contact him at [emailprotected]. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993. Boston missed the playoffs by 1.5 games in the second-half AL East race. $15.00. Donruss wasted no time breaking into the hobby as they spent huge marketing dollars, targeted key dealers across the nation, and filled their checklist with some of the game's biggest names to grab collector attention. A right-hander, he threw and batted right-handed. 1981 Topps Project 70 Card Wade Boggs by Efdot FOIL, 8. You are looking at a 1981 Topps Rookie Card hand-signed by George Riley. If you look closely, though, you'll notice the images are just slightly different as you can see two of his teammates in the background on his MVP card versus one (plus the arm of another) on his base card. List; Gallery; Gallery - 6 Cards per Page; Gallery - 8 Cards per Page; Gallery - 9 Cards per Page; 2022 Topps Heritage Baseball Most Valuable Cards and Checklist; These 10 GOATS . But what Bench lacks in cardboard variations, he more than makes up for in NL MVP awards, Big Red Machine savvy, and greatest-catcher-ever swagger. 202 Steve Carlton Record Breaker - Phillies. Oakland swept three straight from the Kansas City Royals in the ALDS but, the tables turned in the ALCS when the Yankees eliminated them in three. 1981 Topps Traded Fernando Valenzuela, 16. Its nice design and classic pose have helped make it one of the most recognizable cards in the hobby, not just from the 1980s. 1981 Reggie Jackson Topps Project 70 Card, 10. Let's be honest, it didn't matter what jersey Ryan wore or what style it was, he was going throw major heat regardless. Perhaps Wilson's finest point of his career came during one of the most memorable at-bats in baseball history that lasted ten pitches, sent Mets fans soaring, and broke Red Sox fans' hearts. Shortcuts: Most Expensive, Cheapest, List by Card # Bench was a complete catcher as he was dangerous with both the bat and glove and was a significant reason "The Big Red Machine" was so dominant throughout the 1970s. The 1961 Topps All-Star Mays falls in line with the others in the semi-high-number subset. Murray was one of the greatest first basemen to ever play the game but his cards seem to be a bit overlooked at times. When graded gem mint 10 by PSA, the value has gone as high as $180,000. During his career, Rose was known for his all-around ability and enthusiasm. He was the clear choice for National League MVP and also picked up a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger. Read our methodology. It has full gloss and is slightly askew. Instead, he was more of a craftsman on the mound and outsmarted hitters to allow a career-low 6.5 hits per nine innings. Although the 1980 season would mark the first of a nine-year stint for Nolan Ryan with the Houston Astros, Topps still had to show him as a member of the California Angels because of the timing of their print run for their 1980 Topps set. 1981 Topps Traded MLB Baseball Trading Cards Pick From List #727-#858. He also led all of baseball with 89 runs scored and led the American League in stolen bases (56) and hits (135). On September 26, 1981, Houston Astros ace Nolan Ryan passed Sandy Koufax with a record fifth no-hitter on national television against Koufax's old team, the Los Angeles Dodgers. That effort would place him sixth in MVP voting and solidify his reputation for similar, consistent production over the rest of his Hall of Fame career. Bench is somewhat of an anomaly on this list, showing up with only one 1981 Fleer card, and all. With the 22-year-old star setting the table, the As earned a playoff spot with a 37-23 first-half record and finished with the American Leagues best overall record at 64-45. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 by Old Sports Cards, LLC. He was a two-sport star in baseball and basketball for the Minnesota Golden Gophers, so it wasn't too shocking that the Atlanta Hawks (NBA), Utah Stars (ABA) and San Diego Padres (MLB) each drafted him. (Updated for 2022) SUBSCRIBE NOW! It has been authenticated and graded a 10 by Beckett Authentication Services. However, on December 9, 2018 he and Harold Baines were voted in by the Today's Game Era Committe. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. Jackson found a groove in the team's ALDS victory over the Milwaukee Brewers, hitting .300 with a .933 OPS, two home runs, and four RBI. Despite missing the call to the Hall, Murphy was a hero to many kids who collected during his brilliant run in the 1980s, and today those kids are adult collectors with money to spare, keeping his cards in decent demand. #10. With the first card in the checklist, Topps paid tribute to both Lou Brock and Carl Yastrzemski crossing the 3,000 career hits mark that would put them in exclusive baseball company forever. 726 cards. 1956 Topps Mickey Mantle #135. In a similar theme, Larry Bird is featured in a card from the 1981 Topps set. Reggie Jackson was one of the game's greatest power hitters and was known for taking huge rips at the ball on his way to racking up 563 career home runs. Wade Boggs is an American former baseball player who retired as a third baseman after 18 seasons of Major League Baseball. He also had a flair for the big hit and helped Philadelphia to a 34-21 record in the first half to secure a playoff spot for the Phillies halfway through the season. Reggie Jackson played five seasons as a member of the New York Yankees from 1977 to 1981, and the 1980 season turned out to be his best in pinstripes. And, like Clemens, that might cut into the value and prestige of his 1985 Fleer Rookie Card to a . In the teams first game back following the players strike, the 40-year-old recorded hit number 3,631, passing Stan Musial as the National Leagues all-time hits leader. Roberto Ramos in the middle who was an amazing catcher during his prime and the beloved Bobby Pate who commanded respect in the outfield. The most expensive baseball card in history just sold for $12.6 million By Zoe Sottile, . During the first part of his career, Tom Seaver was absolutely dominant on the mound as he racked up 20-win seasons, Cy Young Awards, ERA Titles and Strikeout Titles like it was nothing. Ken Griffey Jr. 29 Surprisingly Cheap: 1985 Mark McGwire Topps. Despite this seemingly unjustified absence from more "Midsummer Classics," Yount is considered to be the greatest Milwaukee Brewer in the franchise's history. 724 Lou Piniella. Price. 2017-18 Panini National Treasures Donovan Mitchell RC Auto Patch /99. In Game 4 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, he'd return with New York holding a 2-1 advantage to try and help the team across the finish line. His .758 OPS marked the first time he'd dropped under .817 since 1968. In 2004 he was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame; in 2005 he was enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? Average . But, this will always be the set that got their foot into the red-hot market of the 1980s. Previous Article. Beginning with the 1977-78 NCAA Basketball season, Ainge starred for Brigham Young University and capped things off in 1981 by being named a first-team All-American and winning the John Wooden Award as the nation's best player. But rather than hanging them up after the season, Yastrzemski got to work. An Enrique Romo Signed Baseball card that has been authenticated by a grading service is pretty hard to find. Local card shops, department stores and gas stations-- to say boxes of these cards were everywhere might be the understatement of the decade. The Reds finished a half-game behind the Dodgers in the NL West in the first half. On the right side were four rows of six . While some of the game's big names struggled with the split-season, Schmidt held things together all year to lead the Majors in home runs (31), RBI (91), OBP (.435), slugging percentage (.644), OPS (1.080), OPS + (198), and total bases (228). During the 1977 season, Andre Dawson batted .282 with 19 home runs and 65 RBI, which earned him NL Rookie of the Year honors. While Brett would undoubtedly be on this list anyway, this is an example of where a special season for a player can make his card stand out even more than it may have otherwise. 1952 Topps #1 Andy Pafko. Rose hit .300 (6-for-20) with two RBI and a run scored in the losing effort. In other years, Seaver used his overpowering stuff to outduel hitters but in 1981, he wasn't quite the fireballer as he struck out only 4.7 batters per nine innings, the second-lowest rate of his career. Only Tony Gwynn had come closer to batting .400 or better since Ted Williams last did it in 1941 when Gwynn batted .394 in 110 games during the strike-shortened 1994 season. Jackson slumped out of the gates in 1981, prompting Steinbrenner to invoke a clause in his contract that forced him to undergo a full physical examination. We are user supported. That just shows you what kind of effect being a Hall of Famer can have on baseball card prices. Ryan dazzled on that fall afternoon in Houston, striking out eleven and walking just three. That means the card needs to be flawless.