Ronald Reagan was in the White House and Topps gave kids something new to collect: Garbage Pail Kids.
Back to the Future was the highest grossing film.
The Nintendo Entertainment System made its way to North America.
Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie wrote the hit single We Are The World to raise money for humanitarian aid in Africa and the United States.
And I was a middle school student rocking out to that song on my Sony Walkman while sorting stacks of baseball cards that most certainly included 1985 Topps:
Fast forward to June 20th, 2015. That's when I picked up five packs of 1985 Topps baseball at the Branham Flea Market for $4.
And this afternoon... I ripped open those packs and scanned the highlights.
Check them out...
Nicest Aase!
Grabbed this Aase out of the first pack I opened. Definitely off to a strong start.
Best Giants Broadcasting Duo
Not a fan of the San Francisco Giants, but I've got to admit... I enjoy listening to Kruk and Kuip on the radio.
Easiest Quiz Question
Let's hope that Trebek never used this question on Jeopardy. C'mon Topps. Even a monkey could answer that question.
Coolest First Name
His stiffest competition was Barbaro. Bottom line. If I had a son... I'd name him Mookie before I'd call him Barbaro.
Most Interesting Card Back Fact
If any of you run into Mr. Oliver, can you please ask him about his cologne collection?
Greatest Leadoff Hitter
Rickey doesn't seem amused by this post. Oh well... that's just Rickey being Rickey.
Largest Wax Stain
Winfield was the only non-subset hall of famer I pulled... and he happened to have the nastiest wax stain. Talk about bad luck.
Most Valuable Rookie Card
This card was pretty hot back in 1985. Langston was coming off a rookie year in which he led the American League in strikeouts. He was also runner-up to his teammate Alvin Davis in the AL ROY voting.
Highest Graded Piece of Gum
Three of the packs contained cracked gum. The fourth piece of gum was discolored. But this piece was pristine. Four sharp corners. Nice edges. Great color. My guess is it would fetch a PSA 10 grade.
Sweetest Pair of Willies
If we were using these two cards to predict the outcome of tonight's ALCS game... I'd have to give the edge to Kansas City. Comparing the two guys, Wilson beats out Upshaw in almost every statistical category. And as I write this... the Royals happen to be leading 2-1 in the fifth inning.
I'm off to watch the rest of the game in hopes that Toronto will bounce back and possibly take it to a Game 7.
Happy Friday and sayonara!
12 comments:
1985, man I wasn't even alive back then.
From what I've heard it sounded like a great time (unless you were a Yankees fan in which case you were apparently better off skipping the entire 80's), but that We Are The World song is wretched (sorry Fuji). It might've been a charity single, but at the same time to me it's just a mess with successful people in the first world stroking their own egos, right down to them proclaiming that they (oh I'm sorry, "we") are the world. Although it's better than the one a bunch of b-listers made for Haiti a few years ago.
This post makes me feel old.
As someone who was most definitely alive in 1985 (I was 20), I have always disliked "We Are The World"... as a matter of fact, I'm not too happy with Fuji right now for getting the damn song stuck in my head.
I don't agree with the "stroking their own egos" comment, not for everybody involved, anyway. Idealistic? Probably. Misguided. Quite possibly. Ego-stroking? I can't go with that... again, not across the board.
As further proof that Michael Jackson could sell ANYTHING in the mid-1980's, check out "Somebody's Watching Me" by Rockwell.
Wasn't the recording of MJ's hair burning the number 1 single that one year?
Zippy, if you want ego stroking, this video is it:
https://youtu.be/Glny4jSciVI
The original, while a little lame, and certainly not as good as "Do They Know It's Christmas", was truly caring. But when they remade it 5 years ago, it was all marketing and nothing that really gave a crap about what was really needed.
Hey Zippy, I was eoither just born or in utero
zippy - lol... different strokes for different folks. rocking out to that song isn't my proudest moment, but i can't change my childhood. you gotta remember that while all of my boys were hooking up with girls, i was the kid sorting baseball cards. ;)
shlabotnik - sorry buddy. if it makes you feel better, it's stuck in my head too. i'll probably start singing it for my students on monday. as for rockwell... i had that single too.
jon - tell me about it.
jeff - another song i listened to hundreds of times back in the day. hadn't seen the video in years, so thanks for bringing this song up. it was cool seeing sting singing next to bono. as for the we are the world remake... it was different. definitely not great, but i'm sure i'll listen to it again at some point in the future.
I read an article in which Bob Geldof said that the biggest blight on his career was organizing the Band-Aid "Do They Know It's Christmas" and the USA for Africa group of "We Are the World."
I mentioned that video in my first comment. That remake for Haiti is awful and even worse, but the original wasn't that great either and I've never felt that the individuals involved in either version ever cared. At the gist of it these charity songs have the same message, give us your money. Which is far different from "give us your money so that we can donate it."
he was great and awesome. i salute him
Heard about Top Towing in Austin TX company
yeah i agree that was truly fascinating and fantastic
You won't believe this Westport Fishing Halibut
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