1992 Topps scans

For the third Topps set in a row, I’ll start off with how the set starts – Nolan Ryan.  This set follows up the effort in 1991 with some more very good photography (though I’d give 1991 the edge between the two).

Again Ryan’s card is followed with the Record Breakers subset.  I only got the first 3 out of this 4-card subset, but at least I got the Rickey and the Nolan.  The Rickey Henderson is the biggest – it honors him passing Lou Brock for the most career stolen bases.  Strangely, the Nolan Ryan card isn’t for his 7th no-hitter – it’s for passing Don Sutton for his 22nd season with 100+ strikeouts.  The Reardon card is for the most 20-save seasons – that’s 2 dumb ones in a row.  The card I didn’t get was Dave Winfield’s card for the oldest player to hit for the cycle – now that’s more interesting.

Next up is my obligatory Rickey showcase…

After Rickey – I know everyone hates him, but this is a really cool card of Mr. Bonds.

OK, away from the Steroid King!  Then the second best card in the set – which also happens to be my favorite all-time players…

Followed by the hands-down best card in the set.

Next, here’s 4 cards I found interesting for completely different reasons:

• Reggie Sanders RC – he was a big bopper for the Reds in the mid-90’s, and even though it feels like he didn’t live up to his promise, he actually stayed around for quite a while.  He is one of 7 players with 300 homers and 300 SB, he played in 6 postseasons for 5 teams, won the World Series with the ’01 Diamond Backs, and went to 2 others (’02 Giants and ’04 Cardinals).  Out of those 6 postseason appearances – his team never lost in the first round.
• I like the Todd Zeile card – it highlights something they do throughout this set.  His head overlaps the border, and it makes it look kind of like he’s outlined by the card.
• I had no idea Curt Schilling was ever an Astro, and I have no memory of ever seeing this card.
• I love the Leyland card, usually Topps just does a pose shot for the managers, so I like that here he’s hitting fielding practice.

Speaking of Leyland, 1991 was his last year with both of these guys in his outfield – so these were the last cards with both of these guys in a Pirates uniform.

These two guys became teammates in 1991, it’s kind of cool to see their first White Sox cards.

There are some good poses in this set – another juggler, a shot of Harold Baines employing the Bash Brother hand shake, Dave Righetti towelling off, and two All-Stars in a horizontal pose.

Speaking of horizontal shots, there were some really good action ones, too.  It seems that Topps really went for a lot of base paths shots of these.  There’s also a vertical photo of Steve Sax on the base paths that’s as good as any of the horizontal shots.

After some of the better photos, Here’s some of the stars that had just about had their best years behind them by 1992.

On the other side of that, here’s some players who were up-and-coming at the time.  This is Lofton and Thome’s first base Topps card, though he’d had a Bowman and Upper Deck Final Edition card in 1991.  Bernie Williams was back after having a 1990 Topps card but not one in 1991.