Top Whatever Countdown - 1981 Fleer
I keep the majority of my collection (excluding complete sets) in 9-pocket pages, housed in 3 ring binders. These are broken down by year and then brand. I like to keep a good representation of each set in these albums. A combination of stars, rookies, favorite players and pictures that I particularly like.
My albums well represented the junk wax era, that dawned in 1987, through the current day. However years previous were lacking in coverage. Filling these gaps would be my main collecting focus of 2011.
Early that Spring, I was already bored by Topps and missing the offerings of a competing second (or more) brand. Upper Deck had it's license go unrenewed in 2009, and the other brands ceased to exist year earlier. So I threw down a few bucks at an unopened box of 1981 Fleer and 1981 Donruss (Both companies debut efforts), with the intent on breaking them for the 1981 album I wanted to put together.
Over the next week, I will be relocating almost my entire card collection, nearly 1000 miles away from my current address. In addition to this being a massive undertaking, I wont have my collection sitting in the next room, available when I needed to plan out a story.
As I moved the albums, I had to mentally plan out baseball card related stories I may want to write over the next year or so. But I have no idea what those stories are right now....
While doing this, I came up with the idea of looking at some of the sets in my album collection, then ranking them in a countdown of what I liked in from each set. Because everybody loves countdowns!
For my own sorting purposes, Expos, Twins and Rockies are kept separately. For purposes of these Top Whatever lists, they will be included. But I couldn't just narrow it down to a Top 10 or Top 50 or even a Top 100 for each set I may write up. They will all have different quantities.
Monday was responsible for knocking the Montreal Expos out of the playoffs in 1981. So he deserves to be dead last on my countdown. It's not a bad picture of a player I don't like...
With all the different available backdrops to use for photos during Spring Training, I find it funny when photographers use non-baseball looking stuff over bleachers or dugouts. But Fleer likes garages, so that's cool...
Odd cropping Fleer... I was only 6 in 1981, and wasn't following baseball yet. So I don't have memories of these players from thier active days. I know of them from what I've read, and the video clips I've seen over the years. And before having the MLB Network, it wasn't often you'd see much archival footage. I know of Sparky Lyle from hearing about his days with the New York Yankees. A better photo would show off that sweet mustache...
I guess Ryan has the highest "book value" in Beckett for the set. I don't know what it is, but that was the case the last time I looked. Either way, I'd hoped to get one from my box. While I did get one, it happened to be in the pack next to the gum.... Which stuck to Nolan's face and ripped the surface from the card...
I'm a mark for Exhibition Stadium in Toronto. I don't think I ever watched a game on TV that was televised from there, so I know it only by photographs. And they aren't the easiest to come by. Thanks to the internet, I've found a few, but it's not a very photographed place among past baseball stadiums. The Blue Jays moved out in 1989, but Exhibition Stadium lived on for 10 more years before it was demolished in 1999.
This view of the converted football stadium looks down to right field, with the corner of the movable standing scoreboard visible, behind the temporary outfield fence.
1981 Fleer used a great deal of photos taken at Exhibition Stadium, which really surprised me. While not as many as Toronto, there was also a great deal of photos used from Olympic Stadium in Montreal.
Number 100 needs to be notable. So we're going with Fidrych. I look forward to seeing his MLB Network biography again soon.
After a tremendous Rookie of the Year award winning season in 1980, Charbonaeu was the hot rookie of 1981. Unfortunately for Joe, he flamed out just as quickly and was out of baseball by 1983.
I get that Pete Rose is banned from baseball for gambling on games. But it still bothers me more than a little when I see gambling websites like Draft Kings being endorsed by Major League Baseball.
Never been a huge fan of the powder blue road uniform trend, but Seattle's early take on it looked a bit classy...
Yogi's kid posing Three Rivers Stadium? Maybe? When I was first collecting in the junk wax era, I liked recognizing the stadiums that pictures were shot in for each card. Back then, there was a great deal of the round multi-purpose cookie-cutter stadiums, that all had a similar look. but each had characteristics that separated them.
While, I think this was Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, it could easily be Riverfront in Cincinnati or Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia...
I've never associated Bob Walk as a Phillie... Only a Pirate... I feel kind of bad that no one showed up to watch him pitch today...
Kaat's career spanned 25 years, from 1959 to 1983. 15 of those season's spent pitching for the Minnesota Twins. During that time, he pitched to a 283-237 record. There has been debate over why he hasn't been elected to the hall of fame with those numbers. Especially when you consider his career as an announcer which continues to this day, I feel he should be in Cooperstown...
I also think they should get him a real Cardinals jersey. The stitching around the Cardinals patch on that t-shirt looks kinda shoddy...
By 1980, the Houston Astros were taming down the wild red orange yellow uniform combinations of the 1970's. I would still have a tough time wearing that stuff as a fan...
More odd Fleer photo cropping... Who is that waiting outside the cage, and why did you make an effort to include him on Wohlford's card? I've always been a big fan of batting cage photos, and they have a special home in my collection. The Olympic Stadium backdrop helps as well...
In any baseball facility today, outfield walls are plastered with advertising. But in the early 1980, you didn't see ads on every flat surface. That meant you could picture like this, that look like they could have been taken at your neighborhood Little League park.
Stieb is one of the greatest pitchers in Blue Jays history. And he needs to put on his hat, because Stieb's supa-80's hair helmet single-handedly took this card down a few notches in my countdown. This shot of Exhibition Stadium is from roughly where home plate was, looking towards center, with the covered left field stands. The only section of the park that was shielded from harsh cold Toronto weather...
The maintains (known as the Twin Buttes) behind left field at the Angels Spring Training park, in Tempe, Arizona, always makes a great backdrop for card photos. As awesome as this card is, it should have never happened. Carew should have played the rest of his Spring Trainings in Orlando, for the Twins. But Calvin Griffith had to trade him for a big sack of nothing, because he was too cheap to pay for a winning ballclub...
After 33 years in baseball, Picciolo died of a heart attack last last week. Condolences to his family and all he worked with over the course of his career.
When I started collecting, Baines was considered the top Designated Hitter in baseball, and this is his rookie card. Guess I can retire! My favorite part of this card is that intimidating Comiskey Park pipe sticking out of the dugout wall. Comiskey is another former park that I'm a huge fan of. Luckily there are a ton of pictures of Comiskey both online and on cards.
This card has a lot going on in it's minialist's sort of way... First off, the cropping is strange, but not by too much... The scanner lint and fuzz is on me, but the red and green hickeys are on Fleer's printer's quality control department. The afro/mustache combo are on Grimsley...
I don't like Texas at all. To me, this version of Rangers uniforms look almost comical to me. The font, the red white and blue, it screams caricature of Texas to me. Not that it's all that hard to do... How is their newer new stadium coming along anyways?
Something that sucked about the box of 1981 Fleer was all of the cards that were really mis-cut. Murray would have been a lot higher on my countdown had it not moved as the cutting blade was trimming the sheet. The sideburns mustache combo bumps it back up significantly.
Batting cage! Exhibition Stadium! Ainge played outfield, third and second base for parts of three seasons in Toronto, before leaving baseball for the NBA. Where he played for the Celtics, Kings, Trail Blazers and Suns from 1981 to 1995.
Making a Toronto cameo on this card is the road powder blues of Texas.... Looks like Iorg is legging out a triple. And the Blue Jay patch on the center of his jersey is a little misshapen...
Not really a batting cage picture, and I'm not entirely certain the crowd behind the green curtain is real. Bu I really like this picture. The non insane color combination of this Pirates uniform contrasts that green curtain really well.
A guy you don't expect in this uniform, extreme manager edition... Wills was probably the greatest base stealer of the 1960's next to Lou Brock. Between Alston and Lasorda, manger for the Dodgers was out of the question. But a much lower profile gig in Seattle was open... Regarding the Mariners hat on this card, Seattle introduced one with this style M, updated with the teams current blue, green and silver color scheme that looks really cool.
Former Expos pitcher Renko during his start in the middle of a rare Boston tornado, ripping through Fenway Park. Renko is either running away for the funnel cloud behind him, or is desperately trying to keep his balance.
Fractures of a second before the photo was snapped, LaRoche slipped and is about to fall out of the picture completely.
Another cool card with some semi-questionable cropping. They could have brought Schmidt in a little, unless there is a fourth player to his right that really sucks or something...
Los Angeles Dodgers edition... Longtime Montreal Expo seen here mingling with the Padres mustard around a batting cage, in a photo that has a lot going for it... That 36 is HUGE!
Down the right field line of Exhibition Stadium, oddly shaped scoreboard behind the open gate. The old school Minnessota Twins logo makes and appearance by the former Phillies manager's elbow.
Earl is looking less cranky, so it must have been before a game, or after a decisive Orioles win that no umpires irritated him. And why are the seats of Memorial Stadium shockingly teal?
In between pitch action at an Expos Padres game in Montreal. Day game, since the roof had not yet been placed on top of Olympic Stadium, in 1980. Cameo by the third base coach and blurry security guy in red pants show up in this cool picture.
Enough about that, check out all of this awesome Exhibition Stadium going on here! You've got the end of the left field stands that extend far beyond the temporary center field fence, You've got the Royals logo over Twitty's right shoulder and an old variation of the Oakland A's logo (who used to play in Kansas City)...
Future -and my favorite- Colorado Rockies manager during his playing days. Hurdle was a top prospect for Kansas City in the late 1970's, even getting a Sports Illustrated cover in his rookie season. His major league career wasn't as successful as predicted, but few are...
Braun used his former Twin status to launch far higher on this countdown than he deserved... Guess where this picture was taken...
The guy who served up that fateful home run to Rick Monday that booted Montreal out of the playoffs in 1981. At least he kicked Monday's ass in the Top Whatever Countdown!
Look at all those Toronto Blue Jays in the home dugout on the third base side of their home stadium that I forgot the name of... Somebody should wake that one guy up...
Looking up the left field line, in front of Toronto's dugout, Mulliniks would soon end up as a member of the Blue Jays, so I'm thinking he was just checking out that side of the place.
Sweet batting cage at Dodger stadium photo going on here. Hubbard overcomes a massive Braves handicap to rank this high in my countdown...
Posing in front of the first base dugout at Olympic Stadium. Taken before the late 1980's renovation of the playing field, so the runners lanes are still visible on the track in front of the dugout, that were used in the 1976 Olympic Games. The 7up ad above Parrish fits in well with the color scheme going on here...
Despite it being a bit out of focus, this is a good shot of Olympic Stadium up the first base line. Even through the final season of Expos baseball in 2004, Olympic Stadium kept the infield lower seating bowl as yellow seats, and the outfield and upper deck had blue seats. With the bright green turf and blue walls, it gave Olympic Stadium the appearance of only having primary colors. I would more card photos had been taken here during the years. They had a different look than ones taken at Shea or Wrigley...
Also a big fan of Billy Martin, shown here with Oakland, sporting the rare A's white cap. I think he may have been managing the Little League team with Seaver, Bench and Palmer. How many children's parents would he have drunkenly beat up?
Quirk was one of my first favorite players when I started following baseball. Back in the late 1980's the Minnesota Twins operated several retail stores around Minneapolis, (as most teams do now). One of the things they stocked was a supply of game used cracked bats. These days, teams sell memorabilia such as this from booths inside the stadiums at outrageous prices. 30 years ago, that wasn't the case.
Great picture that shows a lot of old Tiger Stadium in Detroit. I was glad I got to see a game in Tiger Stadium before it closed in 1999, the sightlines from the upper deck were really close. The place just felt old and work out. It definitely looked like it was built in the early 1900's. Fortunately, Tiger Stadium is also well photographed, both online and in card form.
I've especially been looking for a field level shot of Exhibition Stadium, taken from the playing field level, that shows the pressbox behind homeplate. Along with the primitive scoreboard mounted to the pressbox roof. Bob Bailor's Fleer card has given me probably the best angle I've found.
Toronto's first baseball stadium had the strange feature of the left field stands being covered, while the rest of the stadium was open air. It was intended to only be used for a short time, while a domed stadium could be built closer to downtown Toronto. Eventually that happened when SkyDome opened in 1989, but the first plans were to have the Jays in their new dome by 1984.
They would replace my previously purchased version of this card. That took place in early 1988, at the recently opened Dugout card store at Downtown Center in Andover, Minnesota. He was in business from 1988 through the Summer of 1994. A decent share of my lawn mowing money would get spent at Downtown Center. I'd play video games for a bit at SuperFun, then walk down to The Dugout for a couple of packs and singles. Next to the register, he had a small box with a few penny sleeved stars and rookies, with a price written on then in Sharpie.
Everything in the box was under $1, and most were in the 20 to 40 cent range. This Henderson was only 40 cents in 1988 when I bought it. His rookie card from 1980 Topps was very expensive in those days, how could I turn down his second year card from Fleer for less than the price of two games of Xenophobe?
1989 was a huge year for Henderson, and Becket soon declared his 1981 Fleer was now worth $5! This would be my first $5 card!
We all know how late 1980's card values turned out in the long run...
I still have that Henderson I bought from The Dugout in 1988. It's a little beat up now, but lives on the same album page with the two mint condition Henderson's I pulled from the box.
How about that, number one in this countdown wasn't a Twin, Expo or a picture taken at Exhibition Stadium!
Like I said, this ended up being a much bigger task than I'd expected when I started it.
But I will do more of these countdowns in the future. It was fun looking through a set I'd ignored since opening these 36 (plus 2 free) packs and putting them in the album, back in 2011.
I like 1981 Fleer a lot. The design is simple and clean, and reminds me of what someone would come up with if you asked a non-collector to draw up what they think a card should look like.
My albums well represented the junk wax era, that dawned in 1987, through the current day. However years previous were lacking in coverage. Filling these gaps would be my main collecting focus of 2011.
Early that Spring, I was already bored by Topps and missing the offerings of a competing second (or more) brand. Upper Deck had it's license go unrenewed in 2009, and the other brands ceased to exist year earlier. So I threw down a few bucks at an unopened box of 1981 Fleer and 1981 Donruss (Both companies debut efforts), with the intent on breaking them for the 1981 album I wanted to put together.
Over the next week, I will be relocating almost my entire card collection, nearly 1000 miles away from my current address. In addition to this being a massive undertaking, I wont have my collection sitting in the next room, available when I needed to plan out a story.
As I moved the albums, I had to mentally plan out baseball card related stories I may want to write over the next year or so. But I have no idea what those stories are right now....
So I scanned in over 10,000 cards... Just in case I need them...
For my own sorting purposes, Expos, Twins and Rockies are kept separately. For purposes of these Top Whatever lists, they will be included. But I couldn't just narrow it down to a Top 10 or Top 50 or even a Top 100 for each set I may write up. They will all have different quantities.
So I have to call it a Top Whatever List.
With that in mind, I now present you the...
Top 115 Cards That I Pulled From A 1981 Fleer Wax Box in 2011!
(Catchy title, I know...)
115 - Rick Monday - Dodgers
Monday was responsible for knocking the Montreal Expos out of the playoffs in 1981. So he deserves to be dead last on my countdown. It's not a bad picture of a player I don't like...
114 - Montreal Expos Team Checklist
See that Monday? A simple list of Expos players is one better than a picture of you!
Take that Monday!
113 - Butch Wynegar - Twins
With all the different available backdrops to use for photos during Spring Training, I find it funny when photographers use non-baseball looking stuff over bleachers or dugouts. But Fleer likes garages, so that's cool...
112 - Alan Trammell - Tigers
Trammell makes the countdown for making the Hall of Fame.
111 - Butch Hobson - Red Sox
Occasionally I like cards of Red Sox. Just not that often.
110 - Steve Garvey - Dodgers
Same goes for the Dodgers...
109 - Sparky Lyle - Phillies
108 - Nolan Ryan - Astros
I guess Ryan has the highest "book value" in Beckett for the set. I don't know what it is, but that was the case the last time I looked. Either way, I'd hoped to get one from my box. While I did get one, it happened to be in the pack next to the gum.... Which stuck to Nolan's face and ripped the surface from the card...
Wonder if it's too late to write Fleer about a replacement?
107 - Minnesota Twins Team Checklist
Yup... A List of Twins players is better than that Nolan Ryan card...
106 - Tom Lasorda - Dodgers
Back before he was Tommy...
105 - Wally Backman - Mets
Future Minnesota Twins second baseman's rookie card.
104 - Sparky Anderson - Tigers
Sparky number two in my countdown!
103 - Mike Cubbage - Twins
This view of the converted football stadium looks down to right field, with the corner of the movable standing scoreboard visible, behind the temporary outfield fence.
1981 Fleer used a great deal of photos taken at Exhibition Stadium, which really surprised me. While not as many as Toronto, there was also a great deal of photos used from Olympic Stadium in Montreal.
Who know 1981 Fleer would be so Canada friendly?
102 - Mike Schmidt - Phillies - Home Run King
I miss the Phillies 1970's P logo...
101 - Roy Smalley - Twins
There's that garage again!
100 - Mark Fidrych - Tigers
99 - Joe Charboneau - Indians
After a tremendous Rookie of the Year award winning season in 1980, Charbonaeu was the hot rookie of 1981. Unfortunately for Joe, he flamed out just as quickly and was out of baseball by 1983.
98 - Kent Tekulve - Pirates
Submariner was always collected by me... It was the giant glasses as well as the underhand delivery...
97 - Pete Rose - Phillies
I get that Pete Rose is banned from baseball for gambling on games. But it still bothers me more than a little when I see gambling websites like Draft Kings being endorsed by Major League Baseball.
All sorts of kinda reeks of hypocrisy...
96 - Randy Martz - Cubs
Stan Martz's dad...
95 - Bob Cox - Braves
Sup Bob Cox?
94 - Gary Carter - Expos
Should rank higher, but this card is a tad too boring...
93 - Bill Stein - Mariners
Never been a huge fan of the powder blue road uniform trend, but Seattle's early take on it looked a bit classy...
92 - Mike Squires - White Sox
Just as I never understood Chicago's navy blue road uniform concept... This is not classy...
91 - Dan Quisenberry - Royals
See Kent Tekulve, without the giant glasses...
90 - Mickey Hatcher - Dodgers
Future Minnesota Twin laughs it up at Dodger Stadium...
89 - Bert Blyleven - Pirates
Former and future Minnesota Twin looks constipated at Dodger Stadium...
88 - Mike Schmidt - Phillies - MVP
I see three tripods in the background...
87 - Mike Tyson - Cubs
Iron Mike sure looked different before becoming Heavyweight Champion...
86 - Lou Piniella - Yankees
Good Spring Training shot of a guy who had a really good career when all was said and done...
85 - Bill Gullickson - Expos
The bright yellow seats of Olympic Stadium... Like kernels of corn lined up in rows...
I miss the Expos....
84 - Bill Caudill - Cubs
Powder blue with white pinstripes... What exactly were the Cubs thinking in the early 1980's?
83 - Dale Berra - Pirates
Yogi's kid posing Three Rivers Stadium? Maybe? When I was first collecting in the junk wax era, I liked recognizing the stadiums that pictures were shot in for each card. Back then, there was a great deal of the round multi-purpose cookie-cutter stadiums, that all had a similar look. but each had characteristics that separated them.
While, I think this was Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, it could easily be Riverfront in Cincinnati or Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia...
82 - Bob Walk - Phillies
I've never associated Bob Walk as a Phillie... Only a Pirate... I feel kind of bad that no one showed up to watch him pitch today...
81 - Doc Medich - Rangers
Great baseball name...
80 - Jim Kaat - Cardinals
I also think they should get him a real Cardinals jersey. The stitching around the Cardinals patch on that t-shirt looks kinda shoddy...
79 - Bill Russell - Dodgers
I like this picture.
78 - Julio Gonzalez - Astros
By 1980, the Houston Astros were taming down the wild red orange yellow uniform combinations of the 1970's. I would still have a tough time wearing that stuff as a fan...
77 - Jim Wohlford - Giants
More odd Fleer photo cropping... Who is that waiting outside the cage, and why did you make an effort to include him on Wohlford's card? I've always been a big fan of batting cage photos, and they have a special home in my collection. The Olympic Stadium backdrop helps as well...
Let's take a break in the countdown now and look at a 1981 Fleer wrapper...
Yup... That was a 1981 Fleer wrapper...
Back to the countdown!
76 - Johnny Bench - Reds
In any baseball facility today, outfield walls are plastered with advertising. But in the early 1980, you didn't see ads on every flat surface. That meant you could picture like this, that look like they could have been taken at your neighborhood Little League park.
75 - Willie McCovey - Giants
I don't like orange. McCovey is cool... That magenta smear on the right side isn't cool...
74 - Rich Gale - Royals
Great shot of the right field scoreboard at Exhibition Stadium.
73 - Dave Winfield - Padres
Those brown and mustard Padres uniforms are so ugly they're almost attractive...
Almost...
72 - Dave Stieb - Blue Jays
71 - Tom Seaver - Reds
Now appearing at your local Little League field (in the fog...).
70 - Rick Sofield - Twins
Minnesota's powder blue road blues weren't so bad...
69 - Reggie Jackson - Yankees
"I must kill... The Queen..."
68 - Dave Concepcion - Reds
Never been a Reds fan, but damn, this is an attractive Reds card!
67 - Rod Carew - Angles
The maintains (known as the Twin Buttes) behind left field at the Angels Spring Training park, in Tempe, Arizona, always makes a great backdrop for card photos. As awesome as this card is, it should have never happened. Carew should have played the rest of his Spring Trainings in Orlando, for the Twins. But Calvin Griffith had to trade him for a big sack of nothing, because he was too cheap to pay for a winning ballclub...
66 - Rob Picciolo - Athletics
This card makes the countdown for cool photo alone.
After 33 years in baseball, Picciolo died of a heart attack last last week. Condolences to his family and all he worked with over the course of his career.
65 - Bill Almon - Mets
Nice pre-game warm-up photo...
64 - George Brett - Royals - MVP
Brett looks like he wasn't ready for this picture.
Just as Yankees Stadium hadn't stopped spinning yet...
63 - Jesse Jefferson - Blue Jays
First base dugout! Exhibition Stadium!
62 - Harold Baines - White Sox
When I started collecting, Baines was considered the top Designated Hitter in baseball, and this is his rookie card. Guess I can retire! My favorite part of this card is that intimidating Comiskey Park pipe sticking out of the dugout wall. Comiskey is another former park that I'm a huge fan of. Luckily there are a ton of pictures of Comiskey both online and on cards.
As the box of 1981 Donruss would show me...
61 - Ozzie Smith - Padres
Wizard of Mustard...
60 - Rick Cerone - Yankees
I forgot to write anything about this card...
59 - Jeff Reardon - Mets
Rookie card of the future Expos and Twins closer (and 1987 World Champion), Jeff Reardon.
58 - Frank Tanana - Angels
Am I alone in thinking they used a left eye from a different photo here?
57 - Scott Sanderson - Expos
Montreal's powder blue road uniforms are very iconic...
56 - Ross Grimsley - Indians
This card has a lot going on in it's minialist's sort of way... First off, the cropping is strange, but not by too much... The scanner lint and fuzz is on me, but the red and green hickeys are on Fleer's printer's quality control department. The afro/mustache combo are on Grimsley...
55 - Rob Wilfong - Twins
Behind 3rd base! Exhibition Stadium!
54 - Mike Vail - Cubs
Oh Chicago...
At least their road uniforms changed in time for their 1984 playoff push...
53 - Bucky Dent - Yankees
Getty Gas! Brut Cologne!
Regarding what I said about advertising, sometimes it really works with a card...
52 - Lamar Johnson - White Sox
I can't decide whether I like or hate this uniform...
51 - Gary Matthews - Braves
These road powder blues and the lowercase a hat logo don't work together...
Otherwise, I like this picture a lot...
50 - Ron Davis - Yankees
Future Twins closer looks as confused by a bat as he did by the strike zone...
49 - Richie Zisk - Rangers
I hate Texas...
48 - Jim Palmer - Orioles
He's at the same Little League park as Johnny Bench and Tom Seaver.
They must have one hell of a team...
47 - Eddie Murray - Orioles
Something that sucked about the box of 1981 Fleer was all of the cards that were really mis-cut. Murray would have been a lot higher on my countdown had it not moved as the cutting blade was trimming the sheet. The sideburns mustache combo bumps it back up significantly.
46 - Geoff Zahn - Twins
Dugout! Exhibition Stadium!
Zahn was an underrated workhorse pitcher for some very bad Twins teams in the 1970's.
45 - Dan Ainge - Blue Jays
Batting cage! Exhibition Stadium! Ainge played outfield, third and second base for parts of three seasons in Toronto, before leaving baseball for the NBA. Where he played for the Celtics, Kings, Trail Blazers and Suns from 1981 to 1995.
44 - John Mayberry - Blue Jays
Left Field! Exhibition Stadium!
Are those "luxury suites" or press boxes above the left field stands?
Sweet P.A. between the lights as well...
43 - Bert Campaneris - Angels
Batting cage at Fenway Park in Boston!
Campaneris is another player that I associate with a team that is not the Angels.
42 - Joe Torre - Mets
Speaking of people in strange uniforms...
41 - Tom Herr - Cardinals
Yeah... Still don't like him...
40 - Garth Iorg - Blue Jays
Making a Toronto cameo on this card is the road powder blues of Texas.... Looks like Iorg is legging out a triple. And the Blue Jay patch on the center of his jersey is a little misshapen...
39 - Bill Madlock - Pirates
Not really a batting cage picture, and I'm not entirely certain the crowd behind the green curtain is real. Bu I really like this picture. The non insane color combination of this Pirates uniform contrasts that green curtain really well.
And this card has a batting donut, which you don't see those that often anymore...
Let's take another break from my countdown to highlight the back of the wax box....
That's right Mr. Retailer! 60 whole cents of extra profit, all for you!
Hear that Mr. Retailer? No one else gets that profit...
Only you do, Mr. Retailer!
And that's a really weak Star Wars font rip-off in regards to those Star Stickers...
Back to the countdown... I think I was at... Number 38...
38 - Roger Erickson - Twins
For the Twins... Now pitching, number 19, Tig Notaro!
37 - Maury Wills - Mariners
A guy you don't expect in this uniform, extreme manager edition... Wills was probably the greatest base stealer of the 1960's next to Lou Brock. Between Alston and Lasorda, manger for the Dodgers was out of the question. But a much lower profile gig in Seattle was open... Regarding the Mariners hat on this card, Seattle introduced one with this style M, updated with the teams current blue, green and silver color scheme that looks really cool.
36 - Steve Renko - Red Sox
Former Expos pitcher Renko during his start in the middle of a rare Boston tornado, ripping through Fenway Park. Renko is either running away for the funnel cloud behind him, or is desperately trying to keep his balance.
He should seek cover immediately...
35 - Matt Keough - Athletics
Another cool Spring Training photo...
34 - Jerry Koosman - Twins
Looking blurry and swanky in Yankee Stadium!
33 - Dave LaRoche - Angels
32 - Mike Schmidt, Pete Rose & Larry Bowa - Phillies
Another cool card with some semi-questionable cropping. They could have brought Schmidt in a little, unless there is a fourth player to his right that really sucks or something...
31 - Pepe Frias - Dodgers
Pee Pee Fries!
Los Angeles Dodgers edition... Longtime Montreal Expo seen here mingling with the Padres mustard around a batting cage, in a photo that has a lot going for it... That 36 is HUGE!
30 - Pete Mackanin - Twins
Down the right field line of Exhibition Stadium, oddly shaped scoreboard behind the open gate. The old school Minnessota Twins logo makes and appearance by the former Phillies manager's elbow.
29 - Andre Dawson - Expos
This card is ranked way too low on my list. I should be ashamed of myself....
Here you have an Expos Hall of Famer... In Olympic Stadium... Next to a batting cage...
What more do I need?
28 - Earl Weaver - Orioles
Earl is looking less cranky, so it must have been before a game, or after a decisive Orioles win that no umpires irritated him. And why are the seats of Memorial Stadium shockingly teal?
27 - Paul Molitor - Brewers
Future Hall of Famer, Night game posed shot, Yankee Stadium, Marlboro ad...
26 - Robin Yount - Brewers
Future Hall of Famer, Night game posed shot, Yankee Stadium, Marlboro ad...
25 - Rodney Scott - Expos
24 - Jack Morris - Tigers
Again with the miscutting... Congrats on the Hall of Fame induction Morris...
23 - Jeff Twitty - Royals
"If Kitty Kelly married Conway Twitty, her name would be Kitty Twitty..." - Johnny Polo
I guess Jeff Twitty could have been their kid...
Enough about that, check out all of this awesome Exhibition Stadium going on here! You've got the end of the left field stands that extend far beyond the temporary center field fence, You've got the Royals logo over Twitty's right shoulder and an old variation of the Oakland A's logo (who used to play in Kansas City)...
This should have been ranked higher...
22 - Clint Hurdle - Royals
Look! An aisle at Exhibition Stadium! And a Toronto woman showing a little leg!
Future -and my favorite- Colorado Rockies manager during his playing days. Hurdle was a top prospect for Kansas City in the late 1970's, even getting a Sports Illustrated cover in his rookie season. His major league career wasn't as successful as predicted, but few are...
21 - Steve Braun - Blue Jays
Braun used his former Twin status to launch far higher on this countdown than he deserved... Guess where this picture was taken...
20 - Steve Rogers - Expos
The guy who served up that fateful home run to Rick Monday that booted Montreal out of the playoffs in 1981. At least he kicked Monday's ass in the Top Whatever Countdown!
19 - Ron Jackson - Twins
Look at all those Toronto Blue Jays in the home dugout on the third base side of their home stadium that I forgot the name of... Somebody should wake that one guy up...
18 - Joey McLaughlin - Blue Jays
Warming up in the bullpen at Exhibition Stadium!
17 - Steve Henderson - Mets
For some reason, I've always liked Steve Henderson cards... It's weird...
16 - Bill Lee - Expos
What bothers the Spaceman? Marijuana on pancakes?
15 - Willie Aikens - Royals
Yeah, ranked way to high... Exhibition Stadium bias...
14 - Rance Mulliniks - Royals
13 - Glenn Hubbard - Braves
Sweet batting cage at Dodger stadium photo going on here. Hubbard overcomes a massive Braves handicap to rank this high in my countdown...
12 - Larry Parrish - Expos
Posing in front of the first base dugout at Olympic Stadium. Taken before the late 1980's renovation of the playing field, so the runners lanes are still visible on the track in front of the dugout, that were used in the 1976 Olympic Games. The 7up ad above Parrish fits in well with the color scheme going on here...
11 - George Brett - .390 Average
I'm a big George Brett fan...
10 - Warren Cromartie - Expos
Despite it being a bit out of focus, this is a good shot of Olympic Stadium up the first base line. Even through the final season of Expos baseball in 2004, Olympic Stadium kept the infield lower seating bowl as yellow seats, and the outfield and upper deck had blue seats. With the bright green turf and blue walls, it gave Olympic Stadium the appearance of only having primary colors. I would more card photos had been taken here during the years. They had a different look than ones taken at Shea or Wrigley...
9 - Lary Sorensen - Brewers
I've always loved photos of pitchers from this vantage point.
Bonus for including the ball in mid air in the photo.
8 - Ellis Valentine- Expos
Not taken in Montreal, but this is a great action shot. I think this was in Pittsburgh...
7 - Billy Martin - Athletics
Also a big fan of Billy Martin, shown here with Oakland, sporting the rare A's white cap. I think he may have been managing the Little League team with Seaver, Bench and Palmer. How many children's parents would he have drunkenly beat up?
6 - Jamie Quirk
Sweet batting cage shot from Anaheim Stadium, where the Angels play.
Quirk was one of my first favorite players when I started following baseball. Back in the late 1980's the Minnesota Twins operated several retail stores around Minneapolis, (as most teams do now). One of the things they stocked was a supply of game used cracked bats. These days, teams sell memorabilia such as this from booths inside the stadiums at outrageous prices. 30 years ago, that wasn't the case.
In 1989, I bought a game used Jamie Quirk bat from the Minnesota Twins for $15.00!
And that's still awesome...
5 - Woodie Fryman - Expos
Haven't figured out which stadium this picture was taken at. I do like the giant letters on the seats...
4 - Tom Brookens - Tigers
Great picture that shows a lot of old Tiger Stadium in Detroit. I was glad I got to see a game in Tiger Stadium before it closed in 1999, the sightlines from the upper deck were really close. The place just felt old and work out. It definitely looked like it was built in the early 1900's. Fortunately, Tiger Stadium is also well photographed, both online and in card form.
3 - Roberto Ramos - Expos
That shot of the original right field stands of Montreal's Olympic Stadium is beautiful...
2 - Bob Bailor - Blue Jays
Toronto's first baseball stadium had the strange feature of the left field stands being covered, while the rest of the stadium was open air. It was intended to only be used for a short time, while a domed stadium could be built closer to downtown Toronto. Eventually that happened when SkyDome opened in 1989, but the first plans were to have the Jays in their new dome by 1984.
Damn this countdown has taken way longer to write than I'd hoped, but we are finally here...
The number 1 card in my top 115 of the 1981 Fleer set is...
1 - Rickey Henderson - Athletics
My box had two of these Rickey Henderson second year cards inside.
Everything in the box was under $1, and most were in the 20 to 40 cent range. This Henderson was only 40 cents in 1988 when I bought it. His rookie card from 1980 Topps was very expensive in those days, how could I turn down his second year card from Fleer for less than the price of two games of Xenophobe?
1989 was a huge year for Henderson, and Becket soon declared his 1981 Fleer was now worth $5! This would be my first $5 card!
We all know how late 1980's card values turned out in the long run...
I still have that Henderson I bought from The Dugout in 1988. It's a little beat up now, but lives on the same album page with the two mint condition Henderson's I pulled from the box.
How about that, number one in this countdown wasn't a Twin, Expo or a picture taken at Exhibition Stadium!
*****
Like I said, this ended up being a much bigger task than I'd expected when I started it.
But I will do more of these countdowns in the future. It was fun looking through a set I'd ignored since opening these 36 (plus 2 free) packs and putting them in the album, back in 2011.
I like 1981 Fleer a lot. The design is simple and clean, and reminds me of what someone would come up with if you asked a non-collector to draw up what they think a card should look like.
And with that, I prepare to move my collection halfway across the country...
My album shelves look very empty and lonely today.
Love the cat getting into the picture..lol
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