#132T - Checklist, Cards 1T-132T

What a card: Welcome to the final card in the 1985 Topps Traded set, the final card of this blog.

My observation on the front: For the Traded sets of this time, Topps dispensed with its tradition of awarding stars and semi-stars card numbers ending in "0" or "5" because the Traded sets were alphabetized by card number. You see that illustrated here. No way in the world Tim Hulett should be getting a card number ending in zero.

More opinion from me: Confession time: I am glad I've reached the last card in the set.

Something you might know: Don Aase is listed fourth alphabetically among all major leaguers behind only pitcher David Aardsma and Hank and Tommie Aaron.

Something you might not know: The player listed on the front with a birthday closest to this date is Rick Cerone, whose birthday was yesterday. Ed Whitson, shown on the back, was also born on May 19.

My observation on the back: The last card listed says "Checklist: 1-132" but it's actually "1T-132T" as it says on the front.

The blog wants to speak now: The blog would like to say, this blog has concluded! Thanks for reading!

#784 - Checklist, Cards 661-792

What a card: This is the last of the six checklists in the set.

My observation on the front: I like the little star next to each of the all-star cards. It's like a little emoji 25 years before anybody knew what that was.

More opinion from me: Nobody's convinced me that numbered checklists no longer belong in baseball card sets.

Something you might know: In Topps sets between 1973-1977, this checklist wouldn't exist because there were only 660 cards in the set.

Something you might not know: This is Tom Seaver's final time with a Topps card ending in a zero.

My observation on the back: Avert your eyes from the bottom right corner if you don't want to know the final eight players to receive posts on this set blog (prior to the traded set anyway).

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

#659 - Checklist, Cards 529-660

What a card: This is the fifth of six checklist cards in the set.

My observation on the front: There is a streak of three players who wore Dodger blue listed on this card, 570 Darryl Strawberry, 571, Charlie Hough and 572, Tom Paciorek. I also mentioned that on Paciorek's post, which shows you how little I have to say about these checklists.

More opinion from me: I prefer that these checklist posts come after work nights. I could use the break. But I'm posting this after a day off. Seems like a waste of an easy post.

Something you might know: "C. Washington" at card No. 540 is Claudell Washington.

Something you might not know: There was a major error in the title to the previous checklist post that went uncorrected for more than a year until I just noticed it. I'm stunned no one pointed it out.

My observation on the back: Only one card on this entire checklist has not been featured yet on the blog. But you'll see it in a couple days. It's a very familiar one.

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

#527 - Checklist, Cards 397-528

What a card: We've arrived at the 4th checklist in the set. Not much to see here though.

My observation on the front: After some colorful borders on the first two checklists, the second two have featured solid black. I have a feeling all of the borders were supposed to be black.

More opinion from me: Can you imagine someone pulling this checklist before realizing there was a U.S. Olympic team subset? "Who the hell is John Hoover?"

Something you might know: Two players on the front of this checklist went on to be major league managers (Bud Black, Mike Hargrove).

Something you might not know: Oddibe McDowell was the most insignificant player to appear at card number 400 in a Topps flagship set up to this point. And he wouldn't be challenged for that honor until Henry Rodriguez, struggling to get into the Dodger lineup, was placed at 400 in the 1995 set.

My observation on the back: The previous checklists have given you a decent glimpse of the cards to come in the set. But this checklist appears so late that you get a peek at only the next card to come.

The blog wants to speak now: Not tonight. Gotta get up way too early.

#377 - Checklist, Cards 265-396

What a card: We've reached the halfway point on the checklists. This is the third of the six checklist cards in the set.

My observation on the front: In the previous checklist post, I noted that the the outline of the yellow background was either green or blue. But on this checklist the outline is black.

More opinion from me: This checklist has a stain on it, next to card #272. I dislike stains on cards more than almost any other kind of card defect.

Something you might know: There are at least four deceased people on the front of this checklist (Quisenberry, Welch, Niekro and Sparky Anderson).

Something you might not know: Topps gave Rod Carew the "double zero" card number treatment 10 times (1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986).

My observation on the back: Look closely and you'll notice the next subset on the horizon. It's a pretty famous one.

The blog wants to speak now: The News category is updated. Billy Martin got in another fight.

#261 - Checklist, Cards 133-264

What a card: This is the second of six checklists in the set, and I already feel myself running out of things to say about this card.

My observation on the front: There is a streak of three Yankees in a row at cards 179, 180 and 181. I wonder what the longest such streak is with any team? I'm sure with the way Yankees acquired players in the '80s, three isn't even close to their best.

More opinion from me: Tilted rectangles are big part of 1985 Topps, I still don't know if I like it all that much.

Something you might know: Four names on the checklist front are now in the Hall of Fame.

Something you might not know: I'm just noticing that the colored outline is green on the top and on the right and bluish on the left and the bottom. I am now going to check if all the checklists in the set are like that.

My observation on the front: That's a lot of capital letters. It's like the checklist is shouting at you.

The blog wants to speak now: The Ballgames and News categories are updated. Baseball stuff, good and bad.

#121 - Checklist, Cards 1-132

What a card: The first checklist card of the set. What else in there to say?

My observation on the front: WOW! THAT'S A LOT OF YELLOW!!!

More opinion from me: To my disappointment, Topps often used a yellow background with checklist cards. Just in the 1980s, Topps used it in 1981, 1983, 1985 and 1986.

Something you might know: This is the first of six numbered checklist cards in the set.

Something you might not know: Topps stopped distributing its numbered checklists throughout the base set in 1993, throwing them at the end of the set instead. And it stopped numbered checklists altogether with the 2000 set.

My observation on the back: Always fun to get a look at which players are coming up next. And, look! The second subset begins soon!

The blog wants to speak now: The Movies and News categories are updated. Ominous talk of a strike in baseball.