#277 - The 1979 No. 1 Draft Pick - Al Chambers

What a card: This card recognizes the Mariners selecting Al Chambers with the first pick of the 1979 MLB draft. The Mets picked Tim Leary second.

My observation on the front: It's very cloudy wherever Chambers is.

More opinion from me: This is Chambers' only Topps card. He very nearly didn't make this subset because Topps focused only on No. 1 picks who were still playing in the majors. Chambers would have only four more at-bats in his major league career after the 1984 season.

Something you might know: Chambers is considered one of the biggest busts among No. 1 draft picks in MLB history. He'd play in only 57 MLB games and was done by age 24.

Something you might not know: After his baseball career ended, Chambers got a job mixing the ingredients for chocolate syrup at Hershey Foods.

 

My observation on the back: Reading that is like reading my social studies textbook in 9th grade.

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

#276 - The 1978 No. 1 Draft Pick - Bob Horner

What a card: This card recognizes the Braves selecting Bob Horner as the No. 1 pick in the 1978 amateur draft. He was chosen ahead of Lloyd Moseby, Hubie Brooks, Mike Morgan and Andy Hawkins, who went in picks 2 through 5.

My observation the front: I'm quite sure that this photo came from the same session that produced Horner's rookie card.

More opinion from me: I don't have a lot of fond memories about the Braves -- unless you're talking about their losing ways from the '70s -- but that Indian feather on the sleeve kicks up some nostalgia.

Something you might know: Horner bypassed the minor leagues to join Atlanta in 1978 and played 89 games, winning Rookie of the Year honors.

Something you might not know: Horner was drafted by the Oakland A's out of high school in the 15th round, but obviously he didn't sign.

My observation the back: Brewers pitching coach Rick Kranitz was a high school teammate of Bob Horner's at Apollo High School.

The blog wants to speak now: The News and Pop Culture categories are updated.

#275 - The 1977 No. 1 Draft Pick - Harold Baines

What a card: This card recognizes Harold Baines as the first pick of the 1977 MLB draft by the White Sox. Chicago selected him just ahead of Bill Gullickson and Paul Molitor.

My observation on the front: I'd love to know when this photo was taken. All of Baines's early White Sox cards show him with a full beard, including his rookie card in 1981. This card appears to be taken during the same time as the photo on this card. But that still doesn't tell me when. Just curious whether this is a photo from before his '81 Topps picture.

More opinion from me: Baines is another victim of the "snow" that has appeared on some of the cards in this set. It unfairly portrays him as having a dandruff problem.

Something you might know: The White Sox picked Baines even though Gullickson was from nearby Orland Park, Ill.

Something you might not know: Baines was a participant in one of the more horrific "pitcher-hit-by-batted-ball" incidents in MLB history. In 1981, Baines' line drive up the middle caught A's reliever Bo McLaughlin in the face, fracturing McLaughlin's jaw, nose, cheekbone and shattering his eye socket in five places. McLaughlin was in such poor condition that doctors weren't sure he'd last the night. He'd never win another game.

My observation on the back: Well, we finally have an interesting little tidbit about Bill Veeck observing Baines on a Little League field, but it was already mentioned on Baines' base card.

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

#274 - The 1976 No. 1 Draft Pick - Floyd Bannister

What a card: This card recognizes the Astros' selection of Floyd Bannister with the No. 1 pick in the 1976 amateur draft. Topps skipped the '75 draft in which Danny Goodwin was selected first for a second time (how cool would it have been to have two Goodwin cards in this subset? OK, not so cool).

My observation on the front: This is a terrific look at the Astros' late '70s uniforms. It was quite the thrill in 1985 to get a splash of nostalgia in the set as the Astros had toned down their rainbow uniforms by the mid-1980s.

More opinion from me: Bannister's first solo card in the 1978 Topps set features a photo taken at Shea. I'm guessing this picture is from the same photo session.

Something you might know: Bannister finished fourth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting in 1978. Andre Dawson, Steve Henderson and Gene Richards finished ahead of him.

Something you might not know: Bannister was cut from his high school freshman baseball team. He would later lead Kennedy High, south of Seattle, to a state title.

My observation on the back: I have nothing to say about these backs. They're so dull.

The blog wants to speak now: The Ballgames and News categories are updated.

#273 - The 1974 No. 1 Draft Pick - Bill Almon

What a card: This card commemorates the Padres picking Bill Almon with the No. 1 selection in the 1974 amateur draft. The '74 draft was noted more for the Braves' selection of Dale Murphy at No. 5, as well as the draft that featured Lonnie Smith, Lance Parrish, Garry Templeton, Rick Sutcliffe and Willie Wilson. (In case you're interested, Topps skipped over the 1970, 71, 72 and 73 drafts, where the picks were, respectively, Mike Ivie, Danny Goodwin, Dave Roberts and David Clyde).

My observation on the front: This photo featured Almon without a mustache, which was odd because his other Padres cards feature him with a mustache. Only on a four-player rookie stars card in the 1977 set is Almon without a mustache.

More opinion from me: This card looks a lot like Almon's first solo card  ...

... except for the mustache, of course.

Something you might know: Almon was called up to the majors by the Padres the same year he was drafted. He played in 16 games and hit .316. But he wouldn't play regularly until 1977.

Something you might not know: Almon was called "Billy" by Topps through the 1980 set. It then changed to "Bill" starting in 1981.

 

My observation on the back: Always enjoyable to have a Rhode Island native on a baseball card. But I expect this subset to be flooded with California boys. Right now it's California 2, rest of the U.S. 1.

The blog wants to speak now: Sorry, the NCAA Selection Sunday wiped me out big time. No tab updates today.

#272 - The 1969 No. 1 Draft Pick - Jeff Burroughs

What a card: This card commemorates the Senators' selection of Jeff Burroughs with the No. 1 pick in the 1969 MLB amateur draft. The Astros selected J.R. Richard with the No. 2 pick.

My observation on the front: This is a great old-time look on a card from 1985. It might be the first color photograph of a Senators uniform in a Topps set since the 1971 set (or the 1972 set if you count all those airbrushed Rangers).

More opinion from me: This was the coolest of the draft pick subset cards for me because I simply wasn't around for the Senators and to pull a Senators card was pretty fantastic.

Something you might know: Burroughs was a 19-year-old phenom when he made his major league debut in 1970.

Something you might not know: Burroughs hit a home run in his very first exhibition game, which thrilled his manager Ted Williams, who had been talking up Burroughs as the player who would follow him as the next .400 hitter.

My observation on the back: Zzzzzzzzzz ... he hit a home run in the '68 Legion regional final? Do go on.

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

#271 - The 1968 No. 1 Draft Pick - Tim Foli

What a card: This is the beginning of the third subset in the 1985 Topps set. After the Record Breaker and Father-Son subsets, cards 271-282 featured past Major League Baseball No. 1 draft picks. It's a 12-card subset, so not every No. 1 pick is featured.

My observation on the front: The best part of this subset, for me, was seeing players that I knew in uniforms that I never knew or barely knew they wore. Tim Foli was an Expo, Pirate or Angel to me. But a Met? He looked so weird as a Met. And so weird without glasses.

More opinion from me: I just went through and tried to determine why Topps skipped certain years of No. 1 picks in this set. The best I can determine is it wanted to stick to players who were still in the majors as of the 1984 season. Some of the No. 1 picks that they skipped -- for example Mike Ivie and David Clyde -- were done playing by 1985.

Something you might know: The Mets sent Foli, Ken Singleton and Mike Jorgensen to the Expos in 1972 for Rusty Staub.

Something you might not know: Foli got into a few scraps during his career. While with the Mets, first baseman Ed Kranepool thought Foli was purposely bouncing balls to first base during infield practice. Because of that, he refused to participate in a pregame toss with Foli in front of the dugout. Foli got in Kranepool's face and teammates broke it up.

My observation on the back: Goodness, I hated these backs. High school and college highlights? So boring.

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

#270 - Dan Quisenberry

What a card: Dan Quisenberry was still on top of the world in 1985, having just completed his second straight 40-save season in 1984. He was the first to surpass 40 saves in a season, but the Cardinals' Bruce Sutter joined him with 45 saves in 1984.

My observation on the front: Possibly the most blue on a card that we've seen so far.

More opinion from me: Quisenberry has to be one of the most likable players of all-time. He was as pleasant and funny as they come and, gosh, wouldn't it be great to be like that all the time?

Something you might know: One of the most noted submarine-style pitchers in history, Quisenberry set single-season save records five times between 1980-85. He died from brain cancer at age 45.

Something you might not know: Quisenberry was whimsical, clever and a notorious quipster. That probably explains why his wife, Janie, once had an apron that said, "Where's my relief?"

My observation the back: There is an error in the trivia answer. Ray Knight couldn't have hit two home runs in the same inning in 1980 against Cincinnati, because he played for Cincinnati. No, that should say he performed the feat against the New York Mets.

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

#269 - Doug Baker

What a card: This is Doug Baker's first Topps card. It's also his last Topps card. He wouldn't appear on another major release until the 1990 Fleer set.

My observation on the front: It looks like Baker is taking his swings in the on-deck circle.

More opinion from me: The position designation on the front is an error. Baker never played third base in 1984. In fact, he played only two games at third during his seven years in the majors, once each in 1987 and 1988.

Something you might know: Baker was a member of the 1984 World Champion Tigers. He played in one game of the ALCS, coming in the ninth inning of the decisive Game 3 against the Royals as a defensive replacement for Alan Trammell at shortstop.

Something you might not know: Baker was in the same Granada Hills High School 1978 graduating class as John Elway.

My observation on the back: Joe Pignatano hit into a triple play in the eighth inning of the final game of the 1962 season for the expansion Mets.

The blog wants to speak now: The News category is updated. Yet another plane crash.

#268 - Chuck Tanner

What a card: For the first time since Chuck Tanner took over the Pirates in 1977, the Pirates finished dead last in the NL East in 1984. They would finish last in 1985, too, and that would be it for Tanner.

My observation on the front: Tanner is striking the traditional "skipper surveying the field of play" pose. I like it.

More opinion from me: The guy on the bench with what appears to be glasses is distracting me. Is it Kent Tekulve?

Something you might know: Tanner was the manager for the 1979 "We Are Family" World Series-winning Pirates. It would be Tanner's only Series victory and his only pennant as a manager.

Something you might not know: Tanner is one of only two people born on the 4th of July to manage in the major leagues since 1900. The other is former Astros manager Hal Lanier.

My observation on the back: As a youngster, it always made me sad when I looked at the back of manager cards and saw "batted" and "threw".

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