One store that I didn't have in my area was a Circle K. That's one of the reasons it took over three decades for me to discover this:
Your eyes are feasting on the 1985 Topps Circle K All-Time Home Run Kings set. Two weeks ago Anthony over at SABR's Baseball Cards Committee featured the Orlando Cepeda and it immediately reminded me of the Topps Glossy Send-Ins from the 80's.
1985 Topps Circle K All-Time Home Run Kings #24
1989 Topps Glossy Send-Ins #38
You'll notice that there's a brownish tint on the Cepeda. That's because Topps used the same glossy finish used on their Tiffany sets back in the day. Seeing the Cepeda, led me on a journey to see who else was in the set. I discovered that I've actually picked up a few singles here and there over the years. After that, I looked into complete sets and found four sets on eBay for $9 (+ $4.50 shipping).
Do I need four sets? No. One of them will be broken up and put into my player binders. Another will go into my collection of 80's boxed sets. Yes. I collect these. The other two? Not 100% sure. Maybe I'll give them away in a contest or something.
Until I figure out what to do with the extras, let's take a closer look at the thirty-three card set...
The checklist is composed of the top career home run leaders from back in 1985.
Hank Aaron kicks things off, because he was the All-time Home Run King back in 1985. Babe Ruth was second on the list, so he earned the #2 card. The rest of the set is numbered in the same manner.
I had no idea that Frank Robinson (#4) and Harmon Killebrew (#5) were so high up on the career home run list. They've since dropped to #10 and #12 thanks to Barry Bonds (#1), Alex Rodriguez (#4), Albert Pujols (#6), Ken Griffey Jr. (#7), Jim Thome (#8), and Sammy Sosa (#9). Mark McGwire also slid in between them at #11.
The first two 9-pocket pages feature only hall of famers... twelve of which were elected on their first ballot.
Billy Williams who once held the #18 spot has since dropped out of the Top 50 All-time. He's currently ranked #51. In fact, if Topps were to produce a 2019 version of this set, Willie Stargell and Stan Musial (then tied for #16, now #31) would be the final players from this set to make the current Top 33.
Not So Random Fact of the Day: Carlos Delgado would be card #33 in the 2019 set.
Frank Howard, Norm Cash, Dave Kingman, and Rocky Colavito are the first four guys in the set who aren't enshrined at Cooperstown.
Not So Random Fact of the Day #2: Harold Baines, who was recently elected, finished his career with 2 more home runs than Cash and is currently #65 on the list.
While comparing this list with the updated list of all-time home run leaders, I noticed that Tony Perez actually jumped over Colavito and Cash after hitting eight more home runs during his final two seasons. He wasn't the only one.
Reggie Jackson, Mike Schmidt, and Dave Kingman also leapfrogged people by the time they wrapped up their careers.
If you take a look at the checklist featured on the back of the box, you'll see that Lee May is card #34 in a 33 card set. That's because Topps didn't include Joe DiMaggio (who would have had card #31) in this set. I'll go out on a limb and guess this had to do with contract issues or a lack thereof.
Okay... this post is starting to drag on forever. Let's wrap things up with three more "random" facts related to this post.
Not So Random Fact of the Day #3: Miguel Cabrera currently has 465 career home runs. If Topps were to produce a 2020 version of this set and he hits 10 more in 2019, he'd tie Stargell and Musial for #31 all-time. Those three guys would make up the last three players on the checklist.
Not So Random Fact of the Day #4: Albert Pujols is the only other active player who would make the 2019 checklist. He's currently #6 on the all-time home run list.
Not So Random Fact of the Day #5: When this set was produced there were only thirteen members of the 500 Home Run Club. Since 1985 the club has more than doubled. Fourteen more people have joined the club.
Well that's it for today. If you like what you see, you can typically find sets on eBay in the $5 to $7 range and singles on COMC in the 75¢ to $1.50 range.
Here is today's question of the day...
Do you dig the long ball? Who will be the 28th 500 Home Run Club Member?
Miguel Cabrera? Giancarlo Stanton? Mike Trout?
I'd love to see Cabrera reach this milestone (needs 35 more), but if I were a betting man, I'd go with Stanton who happens to be 65 home runs closer to 500 than Trout.
Well... that's it for today. Happy Tuesday and sayonara!
15 comments:
Yes, and Miggy.
Its really interesting to look back on these career home run records in the post-steroids era and see how the past 25 years have upended everything.
It gets weirder if you take it back further than the 80s. When Gil Hodges retired he was in the top 10 in MLB history in career home runs, and was #2 among right handers (just behind Jimmie Foxx). He only hit 370 home runs in his career, also less than Harold Baines!
I wouldn't bet against Miggy. He just lost big in Alimony court and he will be fired up to play this year. Unless, another of his muscles explodes somewhere.
I have come to appreciate "All-Time" type short checklists - because they can't be ruined by the inclusion of a current "It" Rookie, half of whom inevitably become never-were players, mixed in with Hall-of-Famers, and you look at the cards all together, later, and think, WTF?
I sure miss our local K-Mart.
My $ would be on Stanton, but what do I know?
These sets are a good way to covet cards of baseball stars and legends on the cheap!A single,mainstream brand card of some of of those guys would cost the same if not more than that entire set.I'm looking at some Hills,Kmart and Rite Aids sets as we speak.
What a great set! I love those kind of cards. It's weird seeing players active at the time, like Schmidt, so low. If Miggy can stay healthy for the next two seasons, he should get to 500 easily.
These are cool. I found all the singles in a shop, but never saw the box before.
These are the kinds of lists they should make insert sets out of. Updating the list would keep them semi-fresh. Better than the same 50 hype machine stars and prospects like basesetcalling said.
A solid oddball set! I’m not big on the homers, but love the tactical hitting.
Who digs the long ball? Chicks dig the long ball...just saying. Great set and love all the facts and info. Great stuff. I have to think Stanton will be next but I'm rooting for Mike Trout. Great stuff.
Strange things are afoot at the Circle K...
I'm used to seeing * by Bonds, Ortiz, and a host of other players. NOT by Joe Dimaggio's name. Nice pick up. This was a new set to me. Do you keep the boxed sets in their boxes or do you page them? If you play them, what do you do with the box?
I dig the long ball, for what it's worth. Not sure who'll next reach 500. Cabrera is really close if he can last another 3 years, I think he has a shot.
I dig the long ball. Miggy is only 35 home runs away. Hopefully he is the next to make it, otherwise the last five or six years of that contract are going to be brutal for Tigers fans.
john miller - i sure hope he does. love me some miggy
sean - wow. didn't know that about hodges. it's important to remember players for the era they played in.
basesetcalling - i'm pulling for miggy for sure. i'd love to see him join the club. breaking down this set was a lot of fun... and it opened my eyes to a few things
commishbob - i miss it too. even though as a kid, i refused to go there with my mom.
big tone - yeah, i had a lot of fun writing this post. definitely learned some things from this set.
matt - crossing my fingers on miggy. as for schmidt... the guy went on to hit over 100 more home runs.
gca - yeah... insert sets. or even bring back 33 or 44 card boxed sets. then again... not sure if anyone would buy them except for guys like me ;)
sumomenkoman - maybe there's a set out there that focused on the all-time hits leaders
bulldog - hell yeah the do. considering stanton is a yankee... i've gotta say, i'd love to see trout beat him to 500. but i'd love to see miggy do it even more
nick - almost used that as my title
peter k steinberg - i keep them in boxes, but i do like the idea of putting them in binders for easy viewing.
snorting bull - let's go miggy, let's go! really hoping he pulls it off.
I have the Circkle K Tigers and a few others. This chick is not overly impressed with the long ball. There are so many aspects of this glorious game to enjoy. For me, homers are a very minute part to the whole. Guess that makes me a small ball gal!
It's all good. I'm a small hall guy ;)
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