What a card: Outside of Clemens and McGwire, this is the most desired card in the set. The only thing that diminished the craze slightly was the fact that Dwight Gooden appeared in the 1984 Topps Traded set.
My observation the front: Gooden's been through a lot, but he basically looks the same as he does here.
More opinion from me: I didn't have to go through any chase to get this card since I purchased the whole set at the start of the season. So part of me feels unqualified to explain the hype around Doc's first flagship card. But I don't feel as unqualified as if I was blogging the 1989 Upper Deck set (something I'd never do, by the way).
Something you might know: Gooden won the Cy Young Award the very season that this card came out, a mere year after winning Rookie of the Year honors. He led league in strikeouts both years.
Something you might not know: During Gooden's Cy Young year in 1985, he faced the Cubs five times. He beat them all five times, pitching a complete game each time.
My observation on the back: Well, thank goodness they added "before turning pro."
The blog wants to speak now: The Pop Culture tab is updated.
I'd say this and the Eric Davis were the two most coveted cards for the first couple of years, even more than McGwire, Clemens, and Puckett.
ReplyDeleteReally amazing how much has changed since 1985. Not the game itself but strategy and such. In 1985 Bert Blyleven had 24 complete games. 24!!! Nowadays there are TEAMS that finish a season without a single one.
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