Monday, November 19, 2007

1988 Topps BIG Baseball Series 3


I can't believe I've never opened one of these, but I guess that on my trips to the two card shops that were within walking distance of my house, there was always something else better to be had. Truth be told, I was never really one to give in to gimmicky cards. Sure, I longingly fingered packs of Topps Coins (which, if I recall correctly, were similarly packaged to Sixlets candy), but never broke a dollar on the stuff.

Let's tear in.

Top to Bottom:
242 Dave Parker

185 Matt Nokes
241 Mike Moore
180 Bert Blyleven (Never knew his full name was Rik Aalbert Blyleven. Guess I don't pay much attention to Donruss backs, either.)
264 Gene Larkin
248 Mark Bailey
232 John Franco (With no moustache, or maybe just the beginning of one.)

Grade: C
This is series 3, after all, so I'm presuming all of the big stars were already scooped up in series 1 and 2. On the plus side, "The Cobra Swirl" is wearing a sweet jacket, Mike Moore is praised for his virility...

...and cartoon John Franco insults himself.

Where it says, "John is a 2-time Reds' pitcher of the year," Franco refers to himself with the derogatory term "two-timer." Does this mean that if Mrs. Franco was named Cincinnati Mother-of-the-Year twice, she would be a "two-timer"? Guess so.

3 comments:

  1. I love this set. It's the perfect combination of 50's sensibilities and 80's schlock.

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  2. Topps paid someone a lot of money (or maybe no money at all, in retrospect) to come up with little one-liners like the ones here... Today, they'd be found in hit 3-D animated movies, referred to as "something for the parents."

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  3. I love this set...named it best set of the 80's on my own blog.
    Any chance of scanning the Mike Moore?

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