Friday, November 24, 2023

Equipment: 1981 Topps

Can't really call this series "Vintage Equipment" anymore, but I want to continue at least into the 1980s. Will start with Topps but eventually look at other cardmakers as well.

See this post for why the defensively-challenged Morrison wrote "E-4" in his hat.

The clearest part of what is written on Jackson's bill is CK. It's probably his nickname "Buck".
Not the most exciting, but I like DAC42 on D'Acquisto's glove.
A nice shot of the batting helmet rack on Rick Dempsey's card. The helmet of #25 Rich Dauer is clearly visible on top.
Sal Butera wore #11. His bat appears to be #10, belonging to Hosken Powell.
The first full traded set was issued in 1981, in this case as an appendix to the base set. Unsurprisingly, there are a few players with number issues. Bob Bailor would wear #4 for the Mets. #17 was Ellis Valentine.
Roy Howell is clearly wearing #13, but for his picture he grabbed the bat of #4, Paul Molitor.
Cliff Johnson also grabbed bat #4, in his case perhaps more understandably as he wore #44. No Oakland player wore #4 during the 1981 season; perhaps it was a leftover from Orlando Gonzalez in 1980.
Finally, here is Terry Kennedy, #16. Perhaps it was a leftover Bob Shirley bat. The Padres traded Shirley to get Kennedy, so perhaps they originally gave him bats with Shirley's old number. No Padre wore #32 in a game in 1981, indeed not until Ed Whitson in 1986.


3 comments:

  1. Morrison's one of my favorite same name players.

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  2. Now that's the Cliff Johnson I remember from my childhood. That guy looked like he was ready to fight someone.

    P.S. Great detective skills. I totally suck at this. Even when you point things out... I struggle to see the numbers.

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  3. Best case scenario is that Grant's hat did indeed say "Buck".

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