1981 Topps
Total Cards: 726
Rating: 7.5 (221 ratings)
Rate this set...
Top Sets: #100
Notes: Distributed in one series (#1-726)
Cards
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1 | 1980 Batting Leaders (George Brett / Bill Buckner) LL | Kansas City Royals / Chicago Cubs |
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2 | 1980 Home Run Leaders (Reggie Jackson / Ben Oglivie / Mike Schmidt) LL | New York Yankees / Milwaukee Brewers / Philadelphia Phillies |
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3 | 1980 Runs Batted In Leaders (Cecil Cooper / Mike Schmidt) LL | Milwaukee Brewers / Philadelphia Phillies |
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4 | 1980 Stolen Base Leaders (Rickey Henderson / Ron LeFlore) LL | Oakland Athletics / Montreal Expos |
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5 | 1980 Victory Leaders (Steve Stone / Steve Carlton) LL | Baltimore Orioles / Philadelphia Phillies |
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6 | 1980 Strikeout Leaders (Len Barker / Steve Carlton) LL | Cleveland Indians / Philadelphia Phillies |
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7 | 1980 Earned Run Average Leaders (Rudy May / Don Sutton) LL | New York Yankees / Los Angeles Dodgers |
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8 | 1980 Leading Firemen (Dan Quisenberry / Rollie Fingers / Tom Hume) LL | Kansas City Royals / San Diego Padres / Cincinnati Reds |
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9 | Pete LaCock DP | Kansas City Royals |
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10 | Mike Flanagan | Baltimore Orioles |
Trivia |
- According to Night Owl Cards blog, 45.6% (331 of 726) of the cards in this set feature someone with a mustache.
- "Topps All-Star Rookie" trophies were not included on the cards of the 1980 winners: Dan Graham (C), Rich Murray (1B), Damaso Garcia (2B), Glenn Hoffman (3B), Ron Oester (SS), Joe Charboneau (OF), Lonnie Smith (OF), Rick Peters (OF), Doug Corbett (RHP), Britt Burns (LHP).
- Team cards would be seen for the final time in a regular-issue Topps set until 2001.
- In 1981, Topps only listed 2 AL outfielders with All-Star designations on their cards (Reggie Jackson and Fred Lynn). Like Jackson and Lynn, Ben Oglivie also started the All-Star game that year, but received no designation.
- Cards were released to the general public in the following formats:
* 15-Card Wax Packs
* 28-Card Cello Packs
* 36 (12x3) Card Grocery Rack
* 48 (16x3) Card Rack Pack
* 12 (4x3) Card Holiday Rack Repack
* 28-Card "Super" Cello Packs - Of the three 1981 card manufacturers (along with Fleer and Donruss), Topps was the only set to issue a card of Future Hall Of Famer Tim Raines, both in the regular issue set (on the Expos "Future Stars" card with two other players) and a single card in the year end "Traded" set.
- The big rookies in this set are Harold Baines and Tim Raines. Other notable rookies include: Fernando Valenzuela, Kirk Gibson, Mookie Wilson, Mike Scoscia, Jeff Reardon, Tony Pena and Lloyd Moseby.
- #174 Doug Rau - #174 Doug Rau is the only Dodger's card with the team name in yellow lettering.
- #247 Glenn Hubbard - UER: Born at "Hann Air Force Base", should be "Hahn Air Force Base"
- #350 J.R. Richard - 1980 All-Star Game starting pitcher J.R. Richard is missing the N.L. All-Star designation on his #350 card.
- #355 Bob Horner - UER: The National Collegiate Athletic Association is incorrectly abbreviated “NCCA” in the back cartoon
- #378 Dave Rader - UER: Pinch hit on 6-8-79 was a double
User Comments |
First pack ever purchased at a convenience store in south Houston, TX. Didn’t know what they looked like, and had never gotten any cards, but I had a quarter and saw them in the candy and the packs looked cool. Hundred of thousands of cards later here we are. 😜 Rating: 6 | ||
Love this set. The hat in the corner is so cool, and I love the fact that the Pirates hat is the "Pillbox" kind and is different than the rest of the hats in the set. I also love that the bill of the hat and the squatchee (the "button" at the very top of the hat) are all the appropriate color according to the team. One random memory is watching the NBC Game of the Week with my dad (probably in 1980) and it was the Mets playing at Shea. John Pacella was the starting pitcher for the Mets and remember his hat kept falling off after his follow through. That was funny to both my Dad and I. I remember getting his 1981 Topps card, complete with his photo of the hat falling to the ground, and immediately showed it to my Dad and said "That must be from that game we watched!" Even funnier, the way Pacella is pictured on his 81 Topps card during his follow through, it looks like he is fighting an imaginary person! Again, love this set...can't wait for Topps Heritage 2030 to relive the magic all over again, and to see the hat treatment that they give the Marlins, D-Backs, Rays, Rockies and Nationals....and see a "normal" Pirates hat!
Rating: 9 | ||
First set I remember ripping packs, bought most of 'em at Ben Franklin 5 & 10. I can still smell that cardboard gum smell. Loved the team cap, first and foremost always a Cardinals fan, but my love for baseball extended beyond STL. Favorite PC guys were all in that set: Brett, Carew, Rose, Ryan, Schmidt | ||
Forum |
| Subject | Replies | Last Post |
| DANNY AINGE #727 | 4 | Nov 9, 2018 11:19 PM by Steve Missinne |
| Looking Back 35 Years to the 1981 Topps Baseball Card Set | 8 | Aug 7, 2018 12:00 AM by Lugnut80 |
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