I have been collecting cards as long as I can remember.
Some of my fondest childhood memories include the day the first baseball card packs of the season were available. At the time, I survived on allowance, so getting a few packs at a time was a treat; I couldn’t just go out and buy an entire box of packs like I can now.
Anyway, those brightly colored packs of mid-1980s Topps were everything to me. In fact, I stumbled upon a card shop a few years back that still sold packs of the cards from my childhood, so I bought some. I already own all the complete sets, but I bought them anyway just to have the unopened packs. Just looking at them makes me happy.
To celebrate Topps releasing its 2018 Series 1 product on Wednesday, I present six of my favorite Cubs cards:
1977 Topps No. 634 — Paul and Rick Reuschel
The powder blues! The mustaches! Those glasses! The fact that they had the names flip-flopped!
MLB
This card is a masterpiece. Paul Reuschel pitched in 198 career games. Only once did his team win in shutout fashion, against the Dodgers on Aug. 21, 1975, with Paul pitching 2.2 innings in relief. The starter? His brother Rick.
1987 Classic Update Yellow No. 124 — Andre Dawson
One of the most impressive action shots I’ve ever seen on a baseball card.
You can pin it down: July 7, 1987. Eric Show was pitching to Dawson in the third inning after Dawson homered in the first. The same image was also on the cover of the July 20, 1987, issue of Sports Illustrated.
1987 Donruss No. 36 — Greg Maddux
Maddux was drafted 31st overall by Cubs in 1984, and his No. 31 was retired by both the Cubs and the Braves. (Bonus: Tom Glavine was drafted 47th overall in that same round, and his No. 47 was retired by the Braves.)
In the days before the internet, the Donruss designation of “Rated Rookie” was how we knew who to look out for. Though for every Maddux, there was a Johnny Abrego. Either way, here’s Maddux with a sweet mustache.
1992 Upper Deck No. 780 — Turk Wendell
The man who brushed his teeth between innings. His 1994 Collector’s Choice and Pinnacle cards showed him jumping over the third-base line. The back of his 1992 Gold Leaf Rookies card pictured him eating black licorice. His 1999 Fleer Tradition card gave us a glimpse of his necklace, which featured teeth and claws of various animals. The man of many superstitions. We will never forget him.
2005 Topps Retired Signatures — Ron Santo
Even though he retired some years before I was born, Ron Santo was always my favorite Cub. Two reasons: one, we share the same birthday, and two, he had his own pizza restaurant. There is no better combination in life than baseball and pizza.