In order to keep this series in my head and not forget about it for a year, I'm running another version of "Joy of a Subset" three months later, which is a little sooner than I'd like as I usually space them out more.
Tonight I'm going way back, to what you could argue was the first "out-of-the-box" topic for a subset in Topps history.
Subsets were a new idea for Topps in the '50s. If you define subsets by how I knew them in the 1970s, they are at least three consecutively numbered cards, all sharing the same theme. Topps' first experience with that approach is in 1958 with the 21-card Sport Magazine All-Stars that come at the end of the set.
The All-Stars return in 1959, but using The Sporting News as the sponsor. The Sporting News appears again in the set with a string of 31 "Rookie Stars of 1959" all featuring the same red, white and blue background.
But as evidence that Topps embraced the subset idea completely, there was yet a third subset in '59 Topps, called "Baseball Thrills".
This is a 10-card subset, from numbers 461-470. In some ways it resembles what would come to be known as the "Record Breaker" or "Highlights" subsets that showed up in the '70s and '80s. In a couple examples, it seems like just an excuse to get a star player in the set.
The only one of these cards I own is the Duke Snider. Let's go through them one-by-one.
461 - Mickey Mantle
This card recognizes Mantle's third home runs title, which occurred in 1958. His 42nd home run edged Cleveland's Rocky Colavito for the title. Colavito had 41.
462 - Rocky Colavito
Here's Colavito now. The back reads more like story time as it tells a tale of Colavito robbing an unnamed Yankee of a home run and then tumbling into the stands with the fans. This is a great image, but it doesn't look like a catch that would cause him to lose his balance over the wall. I have no idea if the write-up cites an actual famous play.
463 - Al Kaline
This card goes back a few years and recalls Al Kaline's American League batting title in 1955 in which he was the youngest batting champion ever (one day younger than Ty Cobb as the back mentions).
464 - Willie Mays
Another card that mentions a feat from a few years prior. Willie Mays' catch on Vic Wertz in the 1954 World Series is the most famous moment included in this subset. The three-panel picture of Mays' catch is fantastic and I can see why this is the priciest card in the subset.
465 - Roy Sievers
Whoa, a vertical photo, that's jarring. This card highlights Roy Sievers' 42 home runs in 1957, which won the American League title and was also a Washington franchise record.
466 - Billy Pierce
Another vertical shot, and a nice one. The backs of these cards tout "Action Photos" and I believe that's the reason this subset was made. It's not the first time that action pictures appeared in Topps, but it is the first time (I think, I'm sure someone will point it out if it's not) that the whole card was dedicated toward an action shot.
467 - Hank Aaron
This card reference's Aaron's three-run home run in Game 4 of the 1957 World Series, which helped the Braves tie the series against the Yankees at two games apiece. Milwaukee would go on to win the championship.
468 - Duke Snider
Another three-panel card. The back is more story time, though it doesn't focus on a specific play, It's more a general comment on Snider's fielding ability and how he now plays the field at the LA. Coliseum, which was very different than Ebbets Field.
That's a look at the back and you can see the "Action Photos" advertised in the right corner.
469 - Ernie Banks
The uniform Banks is wearing in this picture was worn by the Cubs for road games in 1957. Seeing both city name and nickname at once is odd, but it's a cool action shot. This card recognizes Banks' 1958 MVP season.
470 - Stan Musial
A true "Baseball Highlights" card that would fit right in with something from 1980. This recognizes Stan Musial's 3,000 hit and goes in good detail, mentioning the date (May 13, 1958) and the type of hit (a pinch-hit double).
That does it for what is a trailblazing set. The Baseball Thrills set would return in 1961, using moments farther back in baseball's past.
But after that and a similar subset in 1962 (but without a title) this kind of "highlights" subset wouldn't really return until the mid-1970s, as Topps focused mostly on league leaders and postseason subsets.
So there's your subset history lesson. I admit, since this is the first time I'm looking into a subset from before I was born, I'm not quite as confident as I was writing about them from 1975 and 1976. I'll probably return to something more in my wheelhouse the next time.
Yup, I can definitely say there will be a next time.
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