To recap, here are the rankings we came up with, after a proprietary and highly quantitatively-oriented, multi-variate analysis:
#10 - 1986
#9 - 1988
#8 - 1982
#7 - 1980
#6 - 1985
#5 - 1987
#4 - 1981
#3 - 1984
#2 - 1989
Those of you who were Algebra majors may deduce that one year in this decade was excluded. That year is 1983, our winner.
Readers of our series will remember the many factors put into play to measure each set. Who were the biggest rookies? Was it a good year for baseball? What were the card's aesthetic features? And on and on it goes. At least for
The 1983 set had two big attributes going for it. First, it had a trio of rookie cards from players who had legendary careers, two of whom essentially* played their whole careers with one team (Boggs, Gwynn, Sandberg). Second, it had a great look to it, with one action photo and one portrait-like photo on the front of each card. And given it was 1983, there was some strong MLB stache action, as seen by both Boggs and Gwynn.
*Sandberg had a cup of coffee with the Phillies in 1981 (6 plate appearances), but was added as a throw-in to the infamous Ivan DeJesus - Larry Bowa trade after that season. Oopsy for the Phillies.
While we're here, let's pay homage to the great Tony Gwynn, who put up some gaudy stats worth repeating here: 3,141 hits, .338 career average, 8 batting titles, 5 seasons with 200 hits, zero seasons with more than 40 Ks. The card below shows us the Oscar Gamble-esque look he sported in the early 80's, and reminds us what he looked like before he got fat.
And last but not least, let's salute Wade Boggs. Not for his opposite-field hitting, but for his prodigious beer drinking. It is the stuff of legend, up there with stories of Andre the Giant's beer drinking. There are lots of stories about it on the internet, which means it's surely true. Read this if you don't believe me.
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25 comments:
And so concludes one of the greatest stories in the history of the internet. I can't wait for you 1990's countdown to conclude sometime during your older son's stint in grad school.
Bravo!!
One of my very best high school friends lives in Westchester County (suburb north of NYC). His golf club did a charity event one day and Wade Boggs came. He said everybody was excited and Boggs delivered, drinking a beer per hole on the course.
Forgot to say this before - Happy Nakba Day!
I've known TR long enough to know not to google "nakba day" on my work computer, but don't worry, my instincts were wrong this time.
Pour some out for Tom Wolfe. Quite a legacy - Bonfire of the Vanities, Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, Man in Full, The Right Stuff and a whole lot more.
Met Tom Wolfe in Manhattan several years ago. He was friends with an extended family member. Summer day, hot as blazes, he was in a 3 piece suit and spats. He was committed to that look.
Z... https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1978-peugeot-504/
I'd be all over that if it was convertible. Instead I'm focusing my lust for French cars on this SM:
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1972-citroen-sm-15/
i'm convinced that wolfe had deadline issues on 'a man in full'. the last 30-40 pages of that book are a hot mess, trying to tie up a bunch of threads and not doing so in any cogent way.
Don't be such a stoic.
I really liked Man in Full. The horse insemination scene was...something. Charlotte Simmons was awful. I put it down < 100 pgs in.
there were some great scenes in man in full. the flop sweat negotiation was amazing. it's just that the ending was so slapdash.
Lucas Glover’s wife does not seem like a nice person.
lebron is going nuclear and the cavs still only lead by 5
If LeBron feels like going for 60 (and it seems he does), I’ve got nothing going on tonight.
I did not anticipate seeing Jami Gertz at the NBA lottery.
LeBron came out ultra aggressive and has become oddly passive since. He’s got to re-engage and stop settling for jumpers.
He also needs to stop being Russ. There is zero off-the-ball movement by the Cavs when he has the ball. Love just hit his first trey. LBJ should feed him instead of letting JR chuck bad threes in traffic. Everybody’s watching Bron Solo.
Cavs actually called a play after a TV timeout!
He’s so oddly detached. Tons of standing and passing with very little attempt to force the action off the dribble. At least Russ gives you that. LeBron is either concussed or checked out.
This is about as good as it gets from Marcus Smart.
Welcome back, LeBron.
What a dirty play by JR. That has to be a flagrant two.
It’s almost like LBJ’s early outside shooting kept him happy out on the perimeter.
It’s over for Cleveland. Maybe they win one at home, but the series won’t go last five games.
Smart and Morris play with the passion of the 90’s Knicks teams.
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