#120T - Mickey Tettleton

What a card: This is the 29th rookie card in the 1985 Topps Traded set. Tettleton played in 78 games for the A's in 1985, but the future power-hitter hit just three home runs in 211 at-bats.

My observation on the front: That appears to be the back of a scoreboard in the background of the photo. You don't see that a lot on cards.

More opinion from me: It's just now occurring to me that if this design was made today, the "A's" would be spelled out as "ATHLETICS" and how terrible that would look.

Something you might know: Tettleton was fond of Fruit Loops cereal and his food choice became so popular that fans would send him boxes of the cereal to sign.

Something you might not know: Tettleton once held the record for most strikeouts in a season by a switch hitter with 160 in 1990. That record is now 217, set just last year by the White Sox's Yoan Moncada.

My observation on the back: Tettleton was named after Mickey Mantle. Both are Oklahoma natives. Maybe pick a Mantle trivia question?

The blog wants to speak now: The Music category is updated.

#118T - Tom Tellmann

What a card: Tom Tellmann was signed as a free agent by the Oakland A's on April 11, 1985, two weeks after being released by the Brewers.

How'd that go: Tellmann's MLB career ended in 1985 with just 11 games pitched for Oakland and a 5.06 ERA. In fact, I'm a bit surprised Topps made a Traded card of Tellmann as he didn't have an appearance for the A's in '85 beyond June 2.

Backatya: Fernando Valenzuela tied the rookie shutout record set by Ewell Russell of the 1913 Chicago White Sox. Valenzuela's feat is all the more amazing considering he accomplished it during a strike-shortened season.

Back-to-back: You be the judge: Tellmann's Traded card is better because that hairstyle is best viewed at a distance or Tellmann's flagship card is better because of the mustache significance.

The flagship card is No. 112 in the set and was originally blogged on Nov. 8, 2012.

The blog wants to speak now: How about that? The last post I didn't know when I'd get back to this blog and now I post on the regular pattern! I don't know if I'll keep this up though. We'll see.

Also on the good side, I caught my spelling mistakes on Tellmann's name on the original post.

#116T - Don Sutton

What a card: Don Sutton was dealt to the A's in a trade on Dec. 7, 1984. The Brewers sent Sutton to Oakland for pitcher Ray Burris and a player to be named, minor-leaguer Ed Myers.

How'd that go: In Sutton's only season for Oakland in 1985, he won in double figures (again) at 13-8 and pitched closed to 200 innings (again). He was traded to the Angels in September of that year.

Backatya: You can tell by Sutton's birthdate that he pitched for Oakland when he was 40. He did pretty well for himself in his early 40s.

Back-to-back: Two candid shots in what may or may not be the same ballpark.

The flagship card is No. 729 in the set and was originally blogged on Nov. 28, 2017.

The blog wants to speak now: The TV category is updated.

#90T - Rob Picciolo

What a card: Rob Picciolo was released by the Angels in January 1985 and signed with the A's the following month, returning to the team for which he spent the first six years of his career.

How'd that go: 1985 was Picciolo's final big league season but he put together one of his more efficient seasons, batting .275 with a .612 OPS, both far above his career averages.

Backatya: That 1977 season, man. 419 at-bats, 84 hits, 17 extra base hits and 9 walks. Yeesh.

Back-to-back: Picciolo decided to scrap the mustache for his Traded card. Also, he moved from shortstop to third base. Also, flip sunglasses!

The flagship card is No. 756 and was blogged originally on Feb. 19, 2018.

The blog wants to speak now: It's been a late night. Tune in next time.

#57T - Jay Howell

What a card: Jay Howell arrived with the A's after being traded from the Yankees on Dec. 5, 1984 in the deal that brought Rickey Henderson to New York.

How'd that go: Howell achieved his first All-Star Game selection in 1985 when he saved a career-high 29 games for the A's that season.

Backatya: A physical education degree to me says you don't want to have anything to do with any job that doesn't involve sports.

Back-to-back: The Traded card can't compare with the flagship card, but I like how the background on the Traded card is color-coded with Howell's uniform. Just wish I could read some of the billboards.

The flagship card is No. 559 and was originally blogged on July 29, 2016.

The blog wants to speak now: The Other Cards category is updated.

#54T - Donnie Hill

What a card: This is the third card in the Traded set of an established player who didn't receive a card in the 1985 flagship set. Donnie Hill, who appeared in 1984 sets, hit just .230 in 174 at-bats in 1984, but he took over the starting second base job for the A's in 1985 and batted .285 in 393 at-bats.

My observation on the front: Hill is rocking the haircut worn by every boy in the 1970s/early '80s who was cool or wanted to be cool.

More opinion from me: Just did a search of Hill's cards. He seems to have inordinate number of cards with his bat resting on his shoulder.

Something you might know: Hill was known for his versatility. Not only could he play second, short or third, but he was ambidextrous.

Something you might not know: Hill suffered from an eye infection in 1987 caused by contact lenses. He ended up wearing disposable lenses that he could replace before any infection recurred. It's also probably why he's shown wearing glasses on his 1988 Topps card.

My observation on the back: It's too bad Hill didn't play during the online era. People practically make a living imitating baseball players these days.

The blog wants to speak now: The News category is updated.

#50T - Steve Henderson

What a card: Steve Henderson signed as a free agent with the A's in March of 1985 after two years with the Mariners.

How'd that go: He produced a decent-if-not-exactly-productive first season for Oakland, batting .301 in part-time duty. But by June of 1986, he had been released by the A's.

Backatya: I might be too tired to decipher this trivia question. I've been up nearly 24 hours. The Mets' first home game was not versus St. Louis but against Pittsburgh and they lost 4-3 in 1962. I looked at the Mets' entire schedule in 1962 and there is not a single 12-0 score. Is the trivia question asking who the opponent was the first time the Mets ever lost 12-0 at home in their history? If that's the question, that's an odd one.

Back-to-back: I like both of these cards and each feature's Henderson's familiar open-mouthed expression. I'm wondering if Henderson is out-of-breath on the bench or just talking to someone.

The flagship card is No. 640 and was originally blogged on March 17, 2017.

The blog wants to speak now: Like I mentioned earlier, I've been up far too long. I'm going to skip this part.

#42T - Alfredo Griffin

What a card: Alfredo Griffin arrived in Oakland thanks to deal on Dec. 8, 1984 in which the Blue Jays acquired pitcher Bill Caudill for Griffin and outfielder Dave Collins.

How'd that go: Pretty good. Griffin returned to his 162-games-a-season routine in 1985 and won his only Gold Glove Award that year.

Backatya: Johnny Bench is now in third place in this category behind Mike Piazza and Carlton Fisk.

Back-to-back: I like the flagship card a lot more but look how happy Griffin is on the Traded card. It's probably because he knows this is his route to a World Series ring. He'd be traded from the A's to the Dodgers just in time for L.A. to win the 1988 World Series.

The flagship card was originally blogged on Dec. 19, 2014.

The blog wants to speak now: The Ballgames category is updated.

#25T - Dave Collins

What a card: The Oakland A's obtained Dave Collins, along with shortstop Alfredo Griffin, from the Blue Jays for relief pitcher Bill Caudill on Dec. 8, 1984. The A's were Collins' sixth major league team (he'd play for eight).

How'd that go: A little bit of a disappointment. Collins was on-fire with the Blue Jays in 1984. He fell back to average numbers with the A's in 1985 and moved on to the Tigers in 1986.

Backatya: Regarding Collins' interests at the bottom and how they match up with my interests: Strike 1, Strike 2, Strike 3, Strike 4.

Back-to-back: The original flagship card of Collins wins out over the traded card, despite the appearance of a batting cage in the A's card.

Collins' flagship card is No. 463 and was blogged on Oct. 15, 2015.

The blog wants to speak now:  The Pop Culture tab is updated.

#4T - Dusty Baker

What a card: Dusty Baker traveled across the bay from San Francisco for his first season in Oakland (and in the American League) after being traded for a couple of minor leaguers in March 1985. Neither minor leaguer made the majors.

How'd that go: Baker rediscovered the power that left him during his one season with the Giants. He played two seasons with the A's before calling it quits.

Backatya: Baker wore No. 12 throughout his entire major league career.

Back-to-back:

 
The original card is No. 165, blogged on April 12, 2013.

Baker seems a little happier to be an Oakland Athletic than a San Francisco Giant. Can't say I blame him.

The blog wants to speak now: The TV category is updated.

#778 - Mike Davis

What a card: Mike Davis fell off quite a bit from his breakout 1983 season. He batted just .230 with nine homers in 134 games. He'd rebound big-time in 1985, slugging 24 HRs.

My observation on the front: A bat-selection photo will never fail.

More opinion from me: Davis will always be a favorite of mine for one little plate appearance.

Something you might know: Davis is probably most-known for the walk he took with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning with the Dodgers trailing the A's 4-3 in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. The next batter, Kirk Gibson, launched a two-run home run that won the game and became legend.

Something you might not know: The Dodgers beat out the Yankees in a race to sign free-agent Davis in December of 1987. The Dodgers offered slightly more money, but nearly didn't get the offer to Davis in Florida. They needed to fax it but the fax machine was locked in the library at Dodger Stadium. GM Fred Claire couldn't find the key so they had to call a locksmith. Davis and his agent were convinced by the effort to sign with L.A.

My observation on the back: Joe Blanton is now the most recent pitcher to hit a home run in the World Series (Joe Blanton!). He hit it for the Phillies against the Rays in 2008.

The blog wants to speak now: I've mentioned this before, but people keep asking it, so I'll write it again: Yes, I am blogging the Traded set after I finish the main set. My plan is to continue the same format for any players who were not featured in the main set. I'm not sure what I'll do with repeated players, but it won't be as involved as when I blogged about them in the first time.

#758 - Ray Burris

What a card: In 1984, Ray Burris enjoyed one of his more productive pitching seasons since his days with the Cubs in the late 1970s. The A's took advantage of that by trading him to the Brewers after the season for Don Sutton.

My observation on the front: Burris' beard was a late development in his career. It didn't show up until his 1984 cards. (And then, oddly, it disappears from his 1986 Topps Brewers card, even though his '86 Fleer and Donruss cards show him with a beard).

More opinion from me: I like everything about this card, except for all the blasted printing air bubbles on it.

Something you might know: The high point of Burris' career is likely the 1981 NLCS when he pitched for the Expos. He won Game 2, throwing a shutout and outpitching Fernando Valenzuela, and then allowed only one run in eight innings in the decisive Game 5, exiting with the game tied 1-1. Rick Monday would break the tie with a home run off of the Expos' Steve Rogers an inning later.

Something you might not know: Burris grew up in a family of sharecroppers in Oklahoma. Among his duties as a youngster was milking cows, pulling cotton, churning butter, slaughtering pigs and wringing chicken necks.

My observation on the back: Majoring in Recreational Leadership sounds kind of fun.

The blog wants to speak now: The Pop Culture tab is updated.

#730 - Dave Kingman

What a card: Dave Kingman enjoyed his first season as a designated hitter in 1984. He hit 35 home runs in 147 games, 139 as a DH, and was named the American League's Comeback Player of the Year.

My observation on the front: The background is somewhat similar to Kingman's memorable 1974 Topps card.

More opinion from me: I have no memory of Kingman's Oakland A's days.

Something you might know: Kingman played for four teams -- the Mets, Padres, Angels and Yankees -- in one season in 1977. He is the only player to play for one team in each of the four divisions that MLB featured at the time in a single year.

Something you might not know: When a newspaper in Chicago printed a Cubs "best and worst" list in which teammates named Kingman the worst dressed player on the team, Kingman was so furious -- he said the clothes he wore to the park were from salmon fishing -- that he refused to talk to any reporter who didn't have a video or tape recorder.

My observation on the back: Kingman worked for United Airlines in the offseason as his dad worked for the company. Kingman said he did "mostly publicity."

The blog wants to speak now: The News category is updated.

#706 - Rickey Henderson All-Star

What a card: Rickey Henderson led the American League in stolen bases in 1984 with a mere 66, after going over 100 the previous two years.

My observation on the front: Henderson is trying to do his dardnest to look bad-ass, but I know it's a spring training shot and there is going to be a smile on that face soon.

More opinion from me: Topps was the only one of the three major card companies at the time to go without a photo of Henderson on the bases in 1985. Granted, Topps satisfied its quota in 1982, 1983 and 1984, but that just ain't right.

All-Star performance: Henderson entered the '84 All-Star game as a defensive replacement in the fourth inning for Reggie Jackson. Henderson played in left and Dave Winfield moved from left to right field, taking Jackson's place. Henderson went 0-for-2 at the plate, striking out against Goose Gossage to end the game.

Legitimate All-Star card or fake All-Star card: Fake! The AL outfield starters were Winfield, Chet Lemon and Reggie Jackson. Chet Lemon did not get an all-star card! This would have really irked me a few years earlier as I paid careful attention to this stuff around 1980 or so and Lemon was a personal favorite.

 My observation on the back: Kudos to Topps for not going straight to stolen base leaders.

The blog wants to speak now: The TV category is updated.

#685 - Bill Caudill

What a card: Bill Caudill was coming off his only All-Star season when this card was issued. He saved a career-high 36 games, which was second in the AL only to Dan Quisenberry's 44 in 1984.

My observation on the front: Caudill appears much too cheerful to be delivering a pitch here. It could be a grimace, I suppose.

More opinion from me: You can't beat Caudill's 1981 Topps card.

Something you might know: Caudill was famed sports agent Scott Boras' first client. Boras oversaw Caudill's five-year deal with the Blue Jays in 1985.

Something you might not know: Caudill's Boras-negotiated contract also said that Caudill could appear in a Blue Jays uniform for promotional or commercial purposes as long as the Blue Jays approved. It was the first time this common contract provision was added.

My observation on the back: This story from 1982 said that Caudill also featured a Sherlock Holmes-style pipe. The deerstalker cap mentioned in that article is a Sherlock Holmes-style hat.

The blog wants to speak now: The Pop Culture tab is updated.

#662 - Mike Heath

What a card: Mike Heath played in a career-high 140 games in 1984. After spending the first six years of his big-league career in a platoon role, he was a regular starter in 1984 and 1985.

My observation on the front: That catcher-third base-outfield position designation isn't one you see often.

More opinion from me: Heath started out with the Yankees but played with the team just one year before being traded (in the big deal that sent Sparky Lyle to the Rangers for Dave Righetti). I always liked it when players "broke free" from The Bronx.

Something you might know: Heath is probably most remembered for his time with the Tigers in the late 1980s. He hit a home run against the Twins in the 1987 ALCS and was known as possessing one of the best catching arms in baseball.

Something you might not know: Heath's financial advisor was former Tigers teammate Dave Bergman, who died in 2015.

My observation on the back: The newest major league stadium at the time of this card doesn't exist anymore. Neither does the Kingdome. And the Astrodome, pardon the expression, is a shell of its former self.

The blog wants to speak now: The Pop Culture tab is updated.

#632 - Bruce Bochte

What a card: This card marks Bruce Bochte's return to major league baseball. He took the entire 1983 season off. Depending on what you read, it was because he was disturbed by escalating players salaries or by baseball's management system.

My observation on the front: A rather pleasing card. For the most part only three colors in play, yellow, green and brown. (And white, for those of you who believe it's a color).

More opinion from me: Bochte is a pretty fascinating character. A deep-thinker, well-read person who cared about environmental causes during his career and even more fiercely after his career. These are the players that I'd love to write stories about, probably in an attempt to understand them.

Something you might know: Bochte's most successful years were with the Mariners. He was an All-Star in 1979 when he knocked in 100 runs and batted .316 in 150 games.

Something you might not know: Bochte is on the short list of people who may have coined the phrase "the Mendoza Line." Others on that list are teammate Tom Paciorek and the Royals' George Brett.

My observation on the back: Thanks to a handy updated article, I know that Bochte's daughters names are Sara and Dana and they are from his first marriage. His current wife is Pamela.

The blog wants to speak now: The Pop Culture tab is updated.