Today we'll really begin a fun thread that will take us into 2026,
fixing up All-Star cards that Topps either messed up or just disregarded
outright during the 1980s, beginning with the "Missing" 1981 A.L.
outfielder, Jim Rice:
If you were a kid like me
collecting then, you were immediately frustrated with the All-Star
cards that were pulled out of the packs, especially when the National
League starter for 1980, J.R. Richard, wasn't given the All-Star banner
in lieu of Steve Carlton and Jim Bibby. Huh???
Breaking with
tradition, Topps started giving All-Star cards/banners to players not
necessarily voted by the fans like they always did.
In the
case of Jim Rice, he was indeed voted as a starter for the 1980 game,
and though he wouldn't play due to injury and was replaced by Ben
Oglivie, neither of them were given the All-Star banner, with the A.L.
missing a third outfielder to go with Reggie Jackson and Fred Lynn!
That killed me, especially coming off 1978 with Richie Zisk and 1979 with Freddie Patek also being denied card immortality.
Moving
forward I also hope to give All-Star cards to players that were
actually voted to start through the decade, as opposed to some really
odd Topps picks for All-Star cards.
Keep an eye out for that!
