The 1975 Topps countdown, worst to best (No. 280-261)

 

If Topps Heritage is coming out at the same time it did last year, we're about three months away from this year's edition, which I've been looking forward to since I first knew what Heritage was.

As we get closer, I've started to think about how I'm going to react to the product. I think overall I will love it, if my appreciation for the 2023 Heritage set is any indication. But my enthusiasm for the 1975 set is even greater than for '74 and any differences in 2024 Heritage's version are going to bug me more than any previous Heritage set.

I'm not talking about Heritage having inserts when '75 Topps didn't. In fact I'm looking forward to the '75 color scheme being used with those inserts. I'm not talking about the color swapping, which I'm sure will set an all-time high with this set, or other variations either.

Specifically I want to see how closely the base cards look, front and back. I would like to have unique cartoons instead using the same 12 over-and-over (a big ask, I'm sure), I would like all the fonts to be accurate, which generally Heritage is good about. If any of it looks like this year's 1989 Topps inserts, though, I will freak out.

I especially want to see all the same color schemes -- every one -- and All-Star treatment for all-stars. I'm not as particular about the subsets, but they'd be nice to see -- hopefully the postseason ones, if they exist, will be less sloppy than the ones in 2023 Heritage.

You can bet I will have a very detailed review when that time comes, but it's not that time yet. Heck I haven't even shown 2024 flagship here yet.

Nope, we're traveling back in time for another countdown episode. Join me.

 

280. Mario Mendoza (card 457)

As a kid, I didn't want this card in my collection. My brother and I were horrified by it. I have an improved opinion of it. I like Mendoza's quizzical expression and his glasses and his signature. Plus a batting cage. Heck, this card has it all.

279. Doug Rau (card 269)

Have always liked this card of Rau throwing casually in front of the bleachers. colored to represent Dodger Stadium seating. This card and his '76 Topps card made him one of my favorite Dodger starters, above more noted ones like Burt Hooton and Tommy John.

278. Pedro Borbon (card 157)

A bit hazy, but the expression on Pedro Borbon's face is everything. Reds cards with the yellow-red combo are sweet.

277. Angel Mangual (card 452)

An alternate view of the traditional hands-on-knees baseball pose. One of the rare A's cards in this set without a border color that matches the team's colors (at least the team name is yellow), although there is another one coming up in this episode.

 

 

276. Tom Hutton (card 477)

A pretty pleasing color match with the border and the Candlestick Park ballpark. Nice signature, too.

 

275. Bill North (card 121)

Here is the other A's card without green or yellow in the border combo, but the team name is yellow once again. I kind of like the "all-of-the-colors-of-the-rainbow" look. There are a couple other A's cards that have the same color explosion, which will arrive later in the countdown. 

274. Tony Perez (card 560)

Not very much going on in Tony Perez's '75 card, though that signature kills. Perez would make up for it with his excellent '76 and '77 Topps cards. That's what happens when you're a two-time World Series champion.

273. Eddie Leon (card 528)

Have long appreciated this card ever since I saw it at my friend Jennifer's house back in '75. The green photo background and Leon's bright red helmet goes nicely with the border combo/lettering used. In my mind, Leon is batting and moving at the same time, because that's what I thought as a kid.

272. Frank White (card 569)

Another border combination that goes well with the featured player's uniform. It looks like one of those bright-but-cold days in spring training and Frank White doesn't seem to be fielding anywhere near where you field.

271. John D'Acquisto (card 372)

This card is a vibe. Not a lot happening but the smile and another orange-brown border around Candlestick Park makes this card work. It's also one of the first cards I pulled out of a pack, and, yes, I still have it.

270. Glenn Beckert (card 484)

There are a handful of cards in the '75 set where the player is posed but shot from so far away that their entire frame (or almost, in this case) is in the photo. This is the first one I saw back in '75 and I thought Beckert looked extraordinarily tiny. Today I'm curious about the person dressed all in brown in the background.

269. Ed Brinkman (card 439)

Delightful card. Another glasses-wearer and Brinkman is holding HIS bat because it says "Brink" on it. He's also stepped aside so you can see the Oakland A's going through their workouts.

268. Terry Forster (card 137)

More spring-training doings. Seems very bright and shiny and so is Forster's uniform.

267. 1953 MVPs (card 191)

There will be a streak of MVP cards in the countdown later, but right now this is just the third to show up. All three I think aren't as cool as the others. The first two had fake cards on it, this one doesn't have that issue, it just showed up at a time when I was kid and I thought these were the worst photographs I had ever seen. I haven't recovered from that misconception, although as a kid I probably would have ranked this card in the bottom 50.

266. Rick Dempsey (card 451)

Rick Dempsey is randomly squatting somewhere near the on-deck circle? As catcher shots go, it's OK.

265. Jim Sundberg (card 567)

Sundberg looks a bit more convincing, and he was a better hitter. Still isn't catching anywhere near home plate.

264. Chris Chambliss (card 585)

Pretty cool batting cage set-up here with a couple guys working in the background. 

 

263. Charlie Sands (card 548)

I prefer my catchers equipped and that is why Charlie is where he is (but there are other catcher shots we haven't gotten to where they aren't equipped because the heart likes what it likes).

 

262. Don Sutton (card 220)

The last of Don Sutton's pre-afro days cards, although this photo is quite old as Sutton is displaying the stripe-along-the-shoulder uniforms that the Dodgers wore only in 1971.

 

261. Reggie Cleveland (card 32)

Another early favorite card of mine, there is a LOT going on behind him. 

Thus ends another edition of the 1975 Topps worst-to-best countdown. Hope you enjoyed. Who knows, maybe by the time the next episode appears we'll have more information on 2024 Heritage.