The Continuing Saga: 1971 Topps

Reader Don S. sent me a lovely stack of '71 Topps last week and I've been looking at them again and again. There aren't any stars [one Hall of Fame coach] in this group but nearly each card has its own unique story to tell. And away we go:


Somewhere in the 1970 season someone decided it would be cool to wear a jacket/wind breaker and then put their jersey over the top of it...Everyone was doing it:

Topps 71 Sam McDowellTopps 71 Gil Garrido

Topps 71 Phil HenniganTopps 71 Cal Koonce

Without a doubt this is the coolest non-Thurman Munson card in the set.

Topps 71 Willie Crawford

One of the great horizontal shots...unfortunately we get what looks to be a swing-and-a-miss as you can just barely make out the baseball in the catcher's right hand.

Topps 71 Curt Blefary

Some fresh faced rookies:

Topps 71 Cubs RookieTopps 71 Redsox Rookies

A Giant Glove Sighting:

Topps 71 Mike Cuellar

Airing-Out the Pits:

Topps 71 Floyd WeaverTopps 71 Jerry Reuss

Topps 71 Mike Mc QueenTopps 71 Jackie Brown

Bob Johnson wants you to "put the lotion in the basket!"

Topps 71 Bob Johnson

Buffalo Bill

Photo Shopping Before There Was Photo Shopping:

Topps 71 Ray JarvisTopps 71 Tony Gonzalez

Topps 71 Steve Hamilton Topps 71 Ken Suarez

There's a lot of talk about the best/worst photo shopping job in this set and without a doubt this Tom Bradley is the best/worst that I've seen.

Topps 71 Tom Bradley

"I've Got A Bat"

Topps 71 Paul CasanovaTopps 71 Johnny Callison

Topps 71 Tommy DavisTopps 71 Duke Sims

Topps 71 Billy CowanTopps 71 Larry Hisle

Topps 71 Marty MartinezTopps 71 Cesar Cedeno

Topps 71 Carlos MayTopps 71 Bob Tilman

Topps 71 Larry BrownTopps 71 Buddy Bradford

Topps 71 Jim Wynn

"Oh Yeah, I've got 2 bats!"

Topps 71 Mike Ryan

"What's Going On In The Background?"

Are those nuns behind Jim Ray? Is Bob Spence fielding grounders in front of soccer net?

And by the way, the name "Chico Salmon" is a top 10 all-time name.

Topps 71 Marcelino LopezTopps 71 Jim Ray

Topps 71 Chico SalmonTopps 71 Dennis Higgins

Topps 71 Bob Spence

Hi, I'm Dave Campbell. I, unfortunately, have one of those really close face shots from this set. I don't get to hold a bat or glove or pretend like I'm swinging or throwing. Just me, my hat, my giant face, and my very loopy signature.

Topps 71 Dave Campbell

"Hey guys, the Topps photographer is here, grab your gloves and strike a pose."

Topps 71 Bob PriddyTopps 71 Tony Taylor
Topps 71 Gary Peters Topps 71 Eddie Leon
Topps 71 Darold Knowles

Walt "Smokey" Alston...managed four Dodgers World Series Championship teams...in the Hall of Fame...as a player he played in only one major league game. That was with the St. Louis Cardinals and in his one at bat he struck out.

Topps 71 Walt Alston

Lowell Palmer is Bee Man:

Topps 71 Lowell Palmer

Bee Man

A card that might make Stats on the Back jealous...nope, after taking a look at his want list he's already got this one...:

Topps 71 Tito Fuentes

In a series known for its photography, the team shots seem to be pretty disappointing. Thurman Munson is in there somewhere.

Topps 71 Yankees Team

With this group of cards I've crossed the 20% complete hurdle. Thanks again Don.

Complete Set: 752 cards

159/752 = 21.14%

Comments

Goose Joak said…
I was just looking at these cards the other day on checkoutmycards.com

What a really neat looking set.

The Mike McQueen is my favorite from the lot you have.

I love the chalky blue spring training sky in the background.
night owl said…
Lots of good stuff there (some I have and some I don't). That Bradley airbrushing job is classic. I'm going to have to look at my '71s and see if anything tops it.
gcrl said…
Thurman Thomas = Thurman munson?

71s are great.
Matt Flaten said…
You're right...I must have had the Bills on my mind...
Anonymous said…
I have that Jim Dunegan card. He was working in construction in the late 70s in the Glendale, AZ area. My little league coach worked with him and he got Jim to come to our practices once in a while. I should have had him autograph it!