The 1975 Topps countdown, worst to best (No. 320-301)

 

Before I get into a very 1975 Topps-centric post, I need to acknowledge the vote over on TCDB, which shows no favoritism toward any card set.

In the annual awards show results announced yesterday, this blog showed up as the favorite once again.

 

 

Thank you for voting NOC favorite blog for the fourth year running. Glad to see collectors still enjoying the content after all these years. Even if I do go on about the '75 set a little much ...

So let's get to it!

We will get down to the final 300 cards in the set at the end of this episode. I think we're still in the thick of standard fare for mid-1970s cards right now and I am a big fan of '70s standard fare!

 

320. Steve Brye (card 151)

There are still several "bat as light sabre" card photo poses left in the countdown. I have liked these from the very first year I started collecting. As I've written many times, Steve Brye was the favorite player of my brother's stuffed lion. Yes, I know that's a lot to unpack.

319. Tony Muser (card 348)

Have always enjoyed the trees in the background of this card and of course the White Sox's massive "TV numbers" on their sleeves at the time. This card was always around when I was collecting in '75, like one of those "in every pack" cards.

318. Jim York (card 383)

I am not done with "the Astros look so good with this border combination" cards. This is some feat for Jim York, whose 1976 Topps card horrified me as a youngster.

 

 

317. Don Carrithers (card 438)

A big favorite of mine as a kid, the card I had was the mini version. I enjoyed the chaw Carrithers is harboring in his month, and I was disappointed that his 1976 card wasn't as good. In general, '76 disappointed me after '75. But I got over it.

 

 

316. Pat Kelly (card 82)

 

Overall a pretty cool shot, I like everything about it, especially those old-school red pinstriped White Sox uniforms, do they ever trot those out on retro days? This is another card that arrived out of my shoplifted pack. One day I should see if I can remember all of the cards that were in that pack (I doubt it).

 

 

315. Aurelio Rodriguez (card 221)

 

Topps spelled Aurelo Rodriguez's name with a "Q" on this card. Maybe it's not as big of an error as a bat boy posing as you on a card, but I was pretty proud when I spotted that goof. I am going to make a guess at the player in the background. He seems to be wearing a single-digit uniform number and he seems to be Black. In 1974, that Tiger would be Ike Brown, who did not have a card in the '75 set.

 

 

314. Mike Cosgrove (card 96)

Another blue-orange Astros card. I have liked this card for a long time. But, again, it was the mini card. Cosgrove appears to be wearing the only colors that aren't brown or green for miles.

313. Pete Broberg (card 542)

Fantastic mustache (it is epic on his '76 card), great batting cage in the background and the lettering the Rangers used on their uniforms at this time practically makes me swoon. I would wear a jersey like that and I'm not a Rangers fan (although I liked them a lot at the time).

312. Dick Tidrow (card 241)

More mustache greatness. Tidrow came to the Yankees along with Chris Chambliss in a deal with the Cleveland Indians. New York sent four players to Cleveland. The trade worked great for the Yankees and lousy for Cleveland. Not only that but Tidrow and Chambliss appeared in Yankees uniforms in '75 Topps while all four the players that went to Cleveland were airbrushed in awkward card shots. That's Cleveland baseball in the '70s.

 

311. Larry Hisle (card 526)

Larry Hisle is one of those early free agent stars that no one talks about anymore mostly because injuries kept him from excelling with his new team, Milwaukee. This is a nice clear shot, but the background is not photoshopped as you see these days.

 

310. Bruce Kison (card 598)

Bruce Kison's 6-foot-4 stature gives his pitching follow-through imitation a unique look on this card, which is why I probably liked it. Kison is featuring the black arm patch the Pirates wore in spring training to remember Roberto Clemente.

309. Pete LaCock (card 494)

A glorious rookie card of the first player I ever saw hit a home run in an MLB game I attended.

308. Vada Pinson (card 295)

Given the background, Vada Pinson almost look like he's swinging a bat in a zoo exhibit. The 17 lines of stats on the back of the card are almost more impressive than the front.

307. Doug Rader (card 165)

Another stone-cold favorite when we were kids. Just like the Cosgrove card, Doug Rader's uniform probably could be spotted for miles, given the desolate background.

 

306. Joe Niekro (card 595)

Another great blue-green Braves card from this set. The stands appear to be packed.

305. Pepe Frias (card 496)

Pepe Frias is ready to go in the batting cage that dominates this card. I love old Expos batting helmets. 

304. Gates Brown (card 371)

A favorite card of mine as a youngster and I didn't even notice the "Des. Hitter" position ball or the possible tractor/vehicle in the background. Gates (what a name) just seemed like someone I'd like to meet.

303. Gorman Thomas (card 532)

Gorman Thomas not looking anything like Gorman Thomas here. Notice Thomas' No. 44 jersey number. He would eventually give "44" to Hank Aaron and take the No. 3.

302. Ed Herrmann (card 219)

I'll bet Ed Herrmann was proud of that glorious hair shot until the day he died. The close-up action shots in this set are sometimes difficult to evaluate. Sometimes I like them, sometimes I need to know more. It does look quite cool though.

301. 1974 Victory Leaders (card 310)

The only four-player card in the set that's not a rookie prospects card. This was necessitated by Hunter and Jenkins each winning 25 games in the AL and Messersmith and Niekro each winning 20 in the NL. Good thing 19-game winners Jack Billingham or Don Sutton didn't win one more game in 1974 or Topps would have a mess on their hands.

 

I'm sure many would rate this card higher because there are three Hall of Famers on it, but the small shots cancel that out for me.

 

So, there you are, 360 cards down.

Thanks again for reading. I'll have a non-1975 post coming up next. No guarantees after that though.