I better get this post finished before the World Series is finished. I'm expecting that to happen today (not that I want it to).
I mentioned in an earlier post that this year's Series matchup between the Phillies and Astros is just an NLCS from 42 years ago. That 1980 National League championship will always be the foremost thing in my mind when these two teams meet.
Much like 42 years ago, I am rooting for the Phillies to win and it's not looking too good. Just like the 1980 NLCS, the Phillies are one win away from elimination (although the '80 series was just five games). The Phillies came back and won the last two games against the Astros back then. I want history to repeat. But I'm not confident.
Hoping to put out a little good mojo I have a Joy of a Team set post in which I'll review each of the teams from the 1980 NLCS, using the 1981 Topps set.
The design for '81 Topps is so prominent as far as colors that I tend to like a team's '81 cards (or not) by the color combination. The Phillies and Astros have two of the best. The Phillies' red-and-green combo is super-pleasing, it's underlined every time I see someone in the stands wearing Phillies garb and some sort of green Phillie Phanatic hat. The Astros' blue-and-orange combo might be my favorite. It makes you wonder why Topps couldn't have done that with all the teams.
Anyway, I did this once before when the World Series involved the Cubs and the Indians. So put on your copy of Queen's "Another One Bites The Dust" -- the No. 1 song during that 1980 matchup -- and come with me back in time.
Astros first:
Favorite card runners-up: 5. Joe Morgan, 4. Art Howe, 3. Cesar Cedeno, 2. Joe Sambito
Favorite element on the back:
Both of Ashby's cartoons are cool -- he played against Maddox in the 1980 NLCS, and I think you know why the other cartoon is cool.
Famous error cards: None.
Rookie cards: Aside from the prospects card, Dave Smith's rookie card is in this set and so is Gordy Pladson's -- but it's also Gordy Pladson's only card in a major release.
Players I've talked to: Joe Niekro and Art Howe. My main takeaway from interviewing Howe was how tall he was. He's really only 6-2 but maybe it was the cleats he was wearing (or the fact I'm so short). That's why when Moneyball cast Philip Seymour Hoffman as Art Howe, it didn't look right to me as Hoffman was 5-10.
Most interesting card:
That is one smooth helmet. The Astros acquired Gary Woods in December of 1978. He didn't play for Houston until 1980 and then appeared in just 19 games. I guess that wasn't enough time for Topps to get a shot of him as an Astro.
Former or future Dodgers: Enos Cabell, Cesar Cedeno, Rafael Landestoy, Jeff Leonard. Landestoy and Leonard were both Dodgers prospects.
Favorite card in the set:
An obvious one.
OK, now for the Phillies:
The Phillies team set is much larger than the Astros one -- I mean three Record Breaker cards, come on!
Also I came across this run of Phillies cards that I had never noticed before:
That is cards
Favorite card runners-up: 5. Bob Walk, 4. Manny Trillo, 3. Mike Schmidt, 2. Bob Boone.
Favorite element on the back:
Not a lot to choose from. Topps calling Nellie Fox "Nelson" is rather mom-like.
Famous error cards: None.
Rookie cards: Aside from the prospects card, Keith Moreland and Bob Walk.
Team's claim to fame: They had just won the World Series.
Players I've talked to: None. I'd like to talk to a bunch of them, this team was a powerhouse of legendary names.
Most interesting card:
This card is bizarre to me. Such an unusual close-up of a player at the very top of his game. My copy of this card is off-center and scuffed but I've had no desire to upgrade it because the defects seem to fit in with the theme of the card.
Former or future Dodgers: Larry Bowa became a Dodgers coach. Other than that, zip.
Favorite card:
I know others would pick the Schmidt card or Bob Boone. But I've liked this card since the moment I pulled it out of a pack. Also, the Boone card bugs me because they cropped out the guy sliding into home.
There were lots of notable moments in that 1980 NLCS, exciting games, fascinating new matchups, young star players (yes, MLB, there are young stars EVERY YEAR, this year isn't super special). I had forgotten how two major members of the Big Red Machine, Pete Rose and Joe Morgan, were playing against each other in this series. That had to be a topic.
Anyway, there you go, my tribute to the 2022 World Series using cards from 1981 picturing players long retired, some whom are not even on this earth anymore.
Hopefully, the Phillies win tonight and we get one more game. Yeah, I know that means one more game of nonstop shots of the fans from the first inning forward and nonstop dissection of every pitcher and pitch from John Smoltz, but it's a lot better than baseball silence. I guess.
Comments
Ashby and Woods played on the Jays. The son of Jose Cruz played on the Jays..
For the Expos side. Rose, Unser, Trillo, and Lerch..
Interesting that the Jays had Astros connections and the Expos had Phillies connections.
Bonus is Terry Puhl being Canadian.
Go Phillies!
I think I saw the Lonnie Smith card in Jon Bois' "Pretty Good" video - which I think I saw thanks to your blog.
B. The 1981 Topps design has really grown on me over the years. Just wish there were more action shots used in this set.
C. The Schmidt is my favorite card from either of these teams. I think it'd pair well with Joaquin Andujar. They could have a staring contest.
Ashby is hands-down the best '81 Topps Astro, but I'm partial to the '81 Mike Schmidt on the Phillies side. I also really like the Bob Walk card too for some reason.
That Larry Bowa always reminded me of my grade school PE teacher.
The Phillies had a lot of nice cards in 1981; some of them are particularly memorable to me because I had both the base and Coca-Cola versions. Obviously today having two different versions of a card is pretty routine, but in those days it was unusual unless you had access to the OPC stuff or there was a Burger King set for your area.