Topps Traded Leaderboard – SABR’s Baseball Cards Research Committee

As no definitive reply was offered, I believed it might be price tallying up the leaders in Topps Traded playing cards. What’s extra, I believed it might be enjoyable to go together with a progressive leaderboard. [SPOILER ALERT: Yes, it was super fun!]

Naturally, it was essential to start with some floor guidelines, similar to what certified as a Topps Traded card. Whereas the pedants on the market may argue the primary Topps Traded card was in 1951, I took a extra conventional strategy, focusing solely on subsets that included gigantic TRADED banners (1972, 1974, 1976) and the Traded/Replace field units that started with Fernando, Raines, et. al., in 1981.

Moreover, and maybe leaving the door open for a Half 2, I selected to finish my work with the 1989 Topps Traded set. So with out additional ado, right here is the progressive leaderboard from 1972-1989. Get pleasure from, and keep tuned for a little bit of Topps Traded trivia on the finish.

1972-1973

The primary Topps Traded subset (1972) included solely seven gamers, most notably Corridor of Famers Frank Robinson, Steve Carlton, and Joe Morgan. As no participant appeared within the set a number of occasions, this created a seven-way tie for many Topps Traded appearances, at the least till Traded playing cards resumed in 1974.

• 1 – Steve Carlton
• 1 – Joe Morgan
• 1 – Denny McLain
• 1 – Frank Robinson
• 1 – Jim Fregosi
• 1 – Rick Sensible
• 1 – Jose Cardenal

1974-1975

In 1974 Topps augmented its base providing with a 44-card Traded subset consisting of 43 gamers and a guidelines. No gamers in 1974 have been repeats from the 1972 Traded guidelines, leading to a 50-way tie for many Topps Traded appearances: the seven gamers already listed and the 43 here.

1976-1980

Topps added 44 extra Traded playing cards, together with a guidelines, in 1976, and as soon as once more there have been no repeats from prior years. The consequence was a 93-way tie for many appearances. Moderately than listing all of them, be happy to go here for the 43 new additions to the listing.

1981

Now right here’s the place the actual enjoyable begins! Due to annual releases and expanded checklists (132 playing cards) that includes each new-teamers and newcomers, we now have our first non-trivial leaderboard.

• 2 – Bobby Bonds (1976, 1981)
• 2 – Jim Spencer (1976, 1981)
• 2 – Joe Morgan (1972, 1981)
• 2 – Ken Reitz (1976, 1981)
• 2 – Leon Roberts (1976, 1981)
• 2 – Mike Lum (1976, 1981)
• 2 – Rusty Staub (1976, 1981)

1982

Whereas the air was ripe for one of many seven two-timers above to three-peat, none did. As a substitute, they have been joined by a exceptional 22 extra gamers, making a logjam of 29 gamers with two appearances apiece. Right here is the up to date listing, with O.G. members listed first.

• 2 – Bobby Bonds (1976, 1981)
• 2 – Jim Spencer (1976, 1981)
• 2 – Joe Morgan (1972, 1981)
• 2 – Ken Reitz (1976, 1981)
• 2 – Leon Roberts (1976, 1981)
• 2 – Mike Lum (1976, 1981)
• 2 – Rusty Staub (1976, 1981)
• 2 – Bob Shirley (1981, 1982)
• 2 – Dave Revering (1981, 1982)
• 2 – Dick Davis (1981, 1982)
• 2 – Doyle Alexander (1981, 1982)
• 2 – Enos Cabell (1981, 1982)
• 2 – Fergie Jenkins (1976, 1982)
• 2 – Frank Tanana (1981, 1982)
• 2 – Gaylord Perry (1981, 1982)
• 2 – Gene Nelson (1981, 1982)
• 2 – Jeff Burroughs (1981, 1982)
• 2 – Jerry Martin (1981, 1982)
• 2 – Jim Essian (1981, 1982)
• 2 – Joe Rudi (1981, 1982)
• 2 – John Montefusco (1981, 1982)
• 2 – Jose Morales (1981, 1982)
• 2 – Kurt Bevacqua (1974, 1982)
• 2 – Larry Milbourne (1981, 1982)
• 2 – Lary Sorenson (1981, 1982)
• 2 – Mick Kelleher (1981, 1982)
• 2 – Mike Ivie (1981, 1982)
• 2 – Mike Proly (1981, 1982)
• 2 – Sixto Lezcano (1981, 1982)

1983

The leaderboard was down to 6 names in 1983 because the Topps Traded universe welcomed its first three-time entries.

• 3 – Bob Shirley (1981, 1982, 1983)
• 3 – Jim Essian (1981, 1982, 1983)
• 3 – Joe Morgan (1972, 1981, 1983)
• 3 – Jose Morales (1981, 1982, 1983)
• 3 – Larry Milbourne (1981, 1982, 1983)
• 3 – Leon Roberts (1976, 1981, 1983)

1984

The “Triple Traded” barrier was not simply damaged in 1984 however blown to smithereens as three gamers made their manner into an unprecedented fourth Traded set. Remarkably, two of the three achieved the feat in a span of solely 4 years.

• 4 – Jim Essian (1981, 1982, 1983, 1984)
• 4 – Joe Morgan (1972, 1981, 1983, 1984)
• 4 – Larry Milbourne (1981, 1982, 1983, 1984)

1985-1989

No participant would crack a fifth Traded guidelines by decade’s finish, however Messrs. Essian, Morgan, and Milbourne would steadily share high billing with a number of new gamers over the subsequent handful of years, together with Rick Cerone who made the Traded set for 4 consecutive years.

• 4 – Jim Essian (1981, 1982, 1983, 1984)
• 4 – Joe Morgan (1972, 1981, 1983, 1984)
• 4 – Larry Milbourne (1981, 1982, 1983, 1984)
• 4 – Alex Trevino (1982, 1984, 1985, 1986)
• 4 – Invoice Campbell (1982, 1984, 1985, 1986)
• 4 – Dave Collins (1982, 1983, 1985, 1986)
• 4 – Billy Almon (1981, 1983, 1985, 1987)
• 4 – Gene Nelson (1981, 1982, 1985, 1987)
• 4 – Rick Cerone (1985, 1986, 1987, 1988)
• 4 – Luis Salazar (1985, 1987, 1988, 1989)

Nipping at their heels and at the least doubtlessly poised to overhaul this octet within the Nineties and past have been 56 topics with three appearances apiece. Fittingly, one of many three-timers was Manny Trillo (1983, 1984, 1986)! In fact, who says the above ten gamers have been even executed? Tune in subsequent time, I suppose.

Traded Set Trivia

• By 1989, Traded units had featured two father-son pairs. Cal Ripken Jr (1982) was joined by Cal Ripken Sr in 1987. In the meantime, Ken Griffey Sr (1982, 1989) was joined by his son within the 1989 set.
• Traded units additionally featured a number of different “similar identify” gamers with no relation: Jeff Robinson (1984/1986 and 1987), Dave Roberts (1976, 1981), Randy Johnson (1982, 1989) and honorable mentions Jim Wynn (1974) and Jim Winn (1987).
• Doug Rader was the primary topic to seem in Traded units as a participant (1976) and supervisor (1983).
• The primary topics to seem in Traded units a number of occasions as managers have been John McNamara (1983, 1985) and naturally Billy Martin (1983, 1985), who was a Yankee each occasions!
• The crew with probably the most Traded playing cards by way of 1989 was the New York Yankees (77) and the crew with the least was Staff USA (21).

As all the time, use the Feedback to share your individual Traded set trivia!

Creator: jasoncards

I primarily get pleasure from writing about baseball and baseball playing cards, however I’ve additionally dabbled within the sparsely populated Isaac Newton buying and selling card humor style. As of January 2019 I am excited to be a part of the SABR Baseball Playing cards running a blog crew, and as of Could 2019 Co-Chair of the SABR Baseball Playing cards Analysis Committee.
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