Imagine a world where baseball cards could talk. Well that's exactly what the people at Topps and LJN envisioned back in 1989 when the created the Sports Talk Player:
Each Sports Card Player retailed for $24.99 and included four cards: #41 Hank Aaron, #82 Orel Hershiser, #123 Don Mattingly, & #164 Checklist.
Each card has a small vinyl record glued to the back:
The player has a needle mechanism that spins around as it reads each individual card's record.
Assuming you had a few AA batteries laying around, collectors now had everything they needed to start listening to their favorite stars in just four simple steps:
#1 Lift the Sports Card Player's plastic covering.
#2 Insert the card of choice.
#3 Close the cover.
#4 Turn it on.
Here's a commercial for the player from back in the day:
Collectors could purchase additional four card packs for around $4. Each pack was clearly labeled with its contents, so collectors knew exactly what they were getting:
There were a total of 40 different packs to choose from and 164 cards in the set. The first 8 cards in the set contained highlights from some of the greatest World Series games. Cards #9 to #41 were retired stars and legends like: #17 Ernie Banks, #20 Babe Ruth, #27 Stan Musial, and #34 Pete Rose.
The remaining 123 cards (with the exception of card #164) consisted of rising stars, key veterans, and of course all of your favorite super stars.
Each card measured 3.25" x 5.25", which means they were larger compared to the standard 2.5" x 3.5" trading card. You can see for yourself the size difference below:
The odd size makes these cards difficult to store, but I discovered that four pocket pages seem to do the job. They slide around a little, but as long as you don't turn your binder upside down you'll be okay.
How much can you expect to pay for a complete set and player? I purchased a lot of three new players and four unopened packs for $35 (delivered) off of eBay a few months ago. I ended up selling one of the players for $20 at the flea market and kept the other two.
I also found someone selling a complete case of 40 unopened packs (a complete set) for $39.95 (+ $12.70 shipping) on eBay, so for $67.65 I have two players, a complete set, and four unopened packs.
Today's technology definitely makes the concept behind this product a little obsolete. But if you're into 80's nostalgia or cool cardboard oddballs, then you should check these cards out.
So...
What do you think? Cool? Weird? Not my cup of tea?
Happy Tuesday and sayonara!
I vote for cool. I remember these as a kid. Sadly, I never owned one but, I may pick one up as an adult.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely suggest it... it's one of my favorite sets in the collection. I've only played a few, but all of them have been pretty entertaining.
DeleteInteresting timing on this post as I just bought a player and something like 123 of the cards on eBay this past week. My plan is to post the recordings to YouTube so everyone can hear them. I may post a video per pack as I think the cards I'm getting are still in their packs. I'll post something about it on my blog when I get the first video up. I'm really surprised no one else has done that already.
ReplyDeleteI also want to post the Dave Winfield birthday greeting cassette tape someone sent me awhile back.
I think when these first came out, the player was just too expensive for many people to want to bother with, but there were a few of these interactive baseball card type things out around 1989, trying to bring an extra dimension to baseball cards. The Starting Lineup Talking Baseball game is the other that comes to mind. And I guess the Classic trivia games could also fit that field, though I don't know of anyone who ever actually played the game with the cards.
I've been trying to find a reasonably priced Starting Lineup game for awhile now. That's awesome that you're planning to post the recordings. Collectors are going to love that.
DeleteThe first 8 recordings are up on YouTube. They are the four cards that came with the player, and the cards from pack 38, which was already opened and came with my player I got on eBay.
DeleteThanks... I'll head over there and hunt them down. Can't wait to listen to them.
DeleteThey are pretty cool. I picked one up at a card shop a couple years ago for $20.
ReplyDeleteThat seems to be the going rate these days too. I've seen them go a little cheaper, but I've seen them go higher too.
DeleteSuper Cool - a forgotten blast from the past
ReplyDeleteI'm interested in hearing what tommy lasorda has to say...
ReplyDeleteThese were/are cool. I still have a few but not the player. I remember playing the Darryl Strawberry card on an endless loop.
ReplyDeletereminds me of an earlier product by Mattel "Instant Replay" player and records from the early '70s.
ReplyDeletehttp://captkirk42.blogspot.com/2010/12/in-day-early-1970s-around-7172-mattel.html
Wow... these are pretty cool. I'll have to look for these on eBay. Thanks for sharing.
DeleteI used to have one of those, and a few cards. All that's survived is the Tim Wallach. I've thought about picking one on ebay a few times, but never pull the trigger.
ReplyDeletehttp://timwallach.blogspot.com/search/label/1989%20Topps%20Baseball%20Talk%20%23117
Not a spokesperson, but I'd recommend it. Then again, maybe Jason has the Wallach. If he does, maybe he'll post the recording on YouTube, so you won't need the player.
DeleteI've still got a few around for trade, if you're interested. I'm sure I have a Reggie, LaRussa, and Eckersley A's "cards"...
ReplyDeleteI've got a complete set in my binder. But I might want to build a separate team set for my A's shelf in my office. LMK what you'd want in return for these.
DeleteThat's a great write up thanks Fuji. I've only got one sealed pack featuring Mr. Robin Yount on the front for my Yount collection, but I've never seen a loose card offered, not that I've looked too hard, and I can't bring myself to open the package, just yet.
ReplyDeleteThanks... I have a few unopened packages too... my favorite being the Tony Gwynn pack.
DeleteThank you for this post, it inspired to bid on a set on Ebay. Just got it and its just as fun as it seems. The first one I played was one of the Hank Aaron's where I was a little shocked to hear him say he sick and tired (his choice of words)of not getting enough acclaim which inspired him to take Ruth's HR record.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your purchase. It's one of my favorite items in my collection, although I haven't taken the time to really play any of them. Actually, I don't need to because Jason (see his comment above) posted quite a few of them on YouTube.
DeleteAs for Aaron... I don't think he meant it in a disrespectful way. Or at least I should say, I didn't take it that way. I personally think he used the media and certain fans' words/actions as motivation to make himself better. But that might just be wishful thinking, since I don't know and have never met Mr. Aaron himself.