Two-for-2

A few months ago I wrote a post about the best collection of Topps sets when you grouped them by year. For instance, all the sets from a year that ends in "7."

My favorites out of that particular grouping are probably the "3s" and "5s". But no matter what my favorites are, it's a fact that there is only one group number for which I have not completed one set.

That group is the "2s".

If I explore why that is, this is what I come up with:

1. 1952 - iconic set that's way too expensive to complete, not that I've tried.
2. 1962 - older set that's also way too expensive to complete, not that I've tried
3. 1972 - currently attempting to complete, it's a toughie.
4. 1982 - currently attempting to complete after ignoring it for too long.
5. 1992 - it's OK, but early '90s cards take me to a bad place.
6. 2002 - pretty ugly set, not much interest.
7. 2012 - disgusted that I have the cards from this set that I have

OK, then. The "2s" are not very popular with night owl.

But I'm doing something about it. The two sets that I am chasing most vigorously right now each happen to end in "2s" -- 1972 and 1982. And I'm getting some help.

Recently, Mark H. discovered that there are people who blog about baseball cards. And to celebrate this discovery, he's been sending bloggers cards! This is very proper behavior, by the way.

Not too long ago he sent me cards from both 1972 and 1982 to help me with my sets. He also sent one other card and one other non-card item that I'm saving for later. Trust me, they will be well-timed.

But let's see the twos, shall we?

Starting with 1982, of course.

Mark sent a whole bunch so I had to display them nine at a time. They were all minty fresh, too and I got a faint whiff of gum from them, which is great. Not as great as Doug DeCinces signing an autograph, but still great.

The Bruce Sutter card is literally the star of this panel. The Verhoeven card I know I had once before. I don't know why I got rid of it. I'm guessing someone collected phone cards.

The Buddy Bell card is finally mine. The mournful Terry Harper card is finally mine. I'm so happy!

I distinctly remember collecting '82 Topps back in '82 and noting how few Yankees came out of packs. Particularly the all-star cards, of which the Yankees had four. By this point, my Yankee friends had stopped pestering me for cards, so I figured it was a Topps plot to filter Yankees cards away from Yankee haters.

I think that's the last "in action" card I need. Or maybe not. But I'm absolutely certain that it's a great card.

1982 Topps still evokes memories of the excitement I had as a youngster collecting cards, even if I was well into my high school years.

Now moving on to some cards that I didn't collect at all when they came out -- because I didn't know what baseball was at the time.

This is the best set of the "2s" and what better card to illustrate that than Maury Wills' last card?

A former Dodger. And a former Cardinal, Met, Twin, Indian, White Sox, Cub, Padre, Pirate and Tiger.

Not everyone can be a one-team man.

Finally, two of the best catchers of the 1970s in action.

That's another reason why I should treat the "2s" sets with a little more respect. They were the only sets to dedicate an entire subset to "IN ACTION."

But that's probably not enough for me to ever try to complete 2012 Topps.