#55T - Al Holland

What a card: Al Holland came to the Pirates in a deal with the Phillies on April 20, 1985 that sent popular reliever Kent Tekulve to the Phillies.

How'd that go: About as well as the Pirates' trade for George Hendrick mentioned a few posts ago. Holland, who had saved more than 20 games for the Phillies the previous two years, saved but five in 1985, posted a 1-5 mark and was shipped along with Hendrick to the Angels in August of that year.

 Backatya: I wasn't aware that Holland began with the Pirates, so this was a return to where it all started.

Back-to-back: The flagship card is No. 185 and was originally blogged on June 13, 2013.

I prefer the flagship card. The Pirates' pillbox caps weren't as much fun when the Pirates stopped wearing the wild gold-and-black unis.

The blog wants to speak now: The Ballgames 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.

#53T - Teddy Higuera

What a card: This is the 14th rookie card in the 1985 Topps Traded set. Higuera won 15 games in his rookie year, finishing runner-up to Ozzie Guillen for the American League Rookie of the Year award.

My observation on the front: Higuera is obviously in Tiger Stadium. I can spot the monstrous English D on the fan's jacket. I don't know what the green hats are though. Possibly Michigan State, although it seems too bright for that.

More opinion from me: Higuera was often compared to Fernando Valenzuela because they were both talented pitchers from Mexico. I used to scoff at this comparison, because, come on, there's only one Fernando.

Something you might know: Higuera won 20 games during his second major league season in 1986, finishing only behind Roger Clemens for the Cy Young Award that year.

Something you might not know: Higuera was not allowed to play baseball until he was 18 years old and in his last year of high school. In his third game ever, he struck out 21 batters. (The write-up on the back of his card says 25 strikeouts, but I suppose it could have been two different games).

My observation on the back: All those Mexican League stats are fascinating.

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

#52T - Joe Hesketh

What a card: This is the 13th rookie card in the '85 Traded set. Joe Hesketh appeared in 25 games in 1985 -- all as a starter, which really stands out for a pitcher who would last 11 years by coming in from the bullpen.

My observation on the front: Exactly how skinny did they make pitchers in the '70s and '80s?

More opinion from me: I see that wingspan and I go right to Orel Hershiser. (Both pitchers lived in the Buffalo, N.Y., suburbs as youngsters).

Something you might know: Hesketh was a prime candidate for National League Rookie of the Year honors in 1985 when he broke his leg in a home plate collision with Dodgers catcher Mike Scioscia in August of that year.

Something you might not know: Hesketh was called for a balk before he threw his first major league pitch. It happened against the Phillies on Aug. 7, 1984. It's interesting to note that two of the umpires working that game were Bob Davidson, known as "Balkin' Bob" for the number of balks he called, and Cowboy Joe West.

My observation on the back: I tried to find out why Hesketh did not play in 1981 but came up empty. Also, I am thrilled to see "Blasdell, N.Y." listed on the back of this card. Nobody but anyone who grew up in Western New York knows where Blasdell is and it's actually not very big, but, dammit, Hesketh lived there.

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

#51T - George Hendrick

What a card: George Hendrick came to Pittsburgh in a deal that sent pitcher John Tudor and catcher Brian Harper to the Cardinals on Dec. 12, 1984.

How'd that go: Miserable. Hendrick lasted just 69 games with the Pirates, batted .230, grumbled and was accused of dogging it. The Pirates sent him to the Angels on Aug. 2, 1985, along with other ne'er-do-wells John Candelaria and Al Holland (the Pirates were full of troublemakers at the time) in exchange for Mike Brown, Pat Clements and player-to-be-named-later, Bob Kipper.

Backatya: Hendrick's All-Star Game selection in 1983 was the last of four in his career. He didn't appear in the '83 game.

Back-to-back: Hendrick's Traded card is a bit of a landmark in that it's not only an early backward-cap appearance (Jeff Leonard displays the backward cap twice in the '85 set, so no biggie), but it's a backward pillbox cap. How many times has that appeared on cardboard?

The flagship Hendrick card is No. 60 and was blogged about on June 7, 2012. I also alluded to his Traded card.

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.

#49T - Rickey Henderson

What a card: Rickey Henderson's first appearance as a Yankee on a baseball card came about after a Dec. 5, 1984 trade in which Oakland sent him to New York for Stan Javier and pitchers Tim Birtsas, Jay Howell, Eric Plunk and Jose Rijo (something tells me the A's needed pitching).

How'd that go: Rickey found his power game in New York, reaching 20-plus home runs for the first time in 1985 (24) and then topping that in 1986 (28).

Backatya: You would think it would be easy to find all the major leaguers who played in 162 games as a rookie but it isn't. After looking at a long list of leaders in games played, I gave up. I do know that Dick Allen played in 162 games as a rookie. 

Back-to-back: I believe Henderson is looking to sign an autograph in the Traded photo. I wish we could see more.

This is also the third straight time that players arriving with the same teams are featured back-to-back in the set. First it was the Braves (Haas and Harper), then the Rangers (Harrah and Harris) and now the Yankees (Hassey and Henderson).

The flagship card was originally blogged on Nov. 16, 2012.

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

#48T - Ron Hassey

What a card: Ron Hassey came to the Yankees after a mere 19 games with the Cubs in a trade on Dec. 4, 1984. He was shipped to New York along with pitchers Porfi Altamarino and Rich Bordi and outfielder Henry Cotto and the Cubs got pitcher Ray Fontenot and outfielder Brian Dayett in return.

How'd that go: Hassey spent two years as a backup catcher for the Yankees and did pretty well, hitting in the high .290s each year.

Backatya: There is remarkable consistency on the back of Hassey's card -- seven consecutive years with the Indians -- that would be thrown into disarray later in his career. The most he spent with any other team was three years with Oakland.

Back-to-back: The Hassey Traded card is a classic chilling-by-the-backstop card. And he looks much happier with the Yankees than with the Cubs.

The flagship card is No. 742 and was blogged originally on Jan. 10, 2018.

The blog wants to speak now: Not much new. Just a small addition to the Movies category onto the item that I added the other day.

#47T - Greg Harris

What a card: Greg Harris arrived with Texas when the Rangers purchased him from the Padres in February 1985.

How'd that go: Quite nicely. Harris appeared in 58 games for the Rangers in 1985 and saved a career-high 11 games. The following year he saved 20 games. Those were the only two seasons in his 15-year career in which he saved in double figures.

Backatya: This is interesting. The trivia question on this card is different from the one that was shown on Greg Harris' flagship card (in most cases, the trivia question is duplicated on the Traded card).

 
Back-to-back: The Traded card turned out a bit better than the flagship card, which I'm still thinking is airbrushed, although the erased Marlboro ad certainly makes the flagship card interesting.

The flagship card was original blogged on Dec. 12, 2013.

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

#46T - Toby Harrah

What a card: Toby Harrah returned to the Rangers -- the franchise with which he began his career (actually the Senators) -- on Feb. 27, 1985 when the Yankees traded him and Billy Sample to Texas for a player to be named.

How'd that go: Much better than his one year with the Yankees, in which he hit .217. Harrah returned to more Harrah-like numbers with a .270 average in 126 games in 1985.

Backatya: How much property do you think Harrah had at one point to store antiques, riding horses and motorcycles?

Back-to-back: There is Harrah again during that very strange Yankee period. I miss the long-hair period from 1976 to 1983.

The flagship card was first blogged on Sept. 17, 2012.

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

#45T - Terry Harper

What a card: Here is the second player in the set who was an MLB veteran that Topps didn't deem worth of including in its 1985 flagship set. Terry Harper hit just .157 in 40 games in 1984 for the Braves, but enjoyed his best major league season in 1985, appearing in 138 games and hitting 17 home runs.

My observation on the front: Harper looks a bit more fearsome on this card than he did on his first Topps card.

More opinion from me: I have no memory of Harper and he lasted a good portion of the '80s.

Something you might know: Harper finished third on the Braves in home runs and RBIs in 1985 behind Dale Murphy and Bob Hoerner.

Something you might not know: Harper once separated his shoulder while standing in the on-deck circle, while signaling his teammate home from third base.

My observation on the back: Matt Stairs broke Cliff Johnson's record (which was 20 by the end of his career) with 23 pinch-hit homers.

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