80s week: Topps glossy All Star cards

Back in the 80s Topps sold their cards in the traditional waxed paper packets with 15 cards in and also in larger cellophane-wrapped packets which had three stacks of cards sealed in blocks of 15 or 16 (depending on the year). The large cello-wrapped ones were called rack packs. They had a bonus glossy All Star card featuring players from the previous year's All-Star Game. That's where the cards in today's post came from.

The All Star cards were visible on the top of the pack, so it would be relatively easy to collect the set of them, if the store had the rack packs out on display.

Card Number 489: Topps Glossy All-Star, 1985; #6

Tony is depicted in his 1984 uniform on the front of this card. His card in the regular Topps set also depicted him in the same uniform. This picture will actually appear again on this blog on another card in the near future.

The card has discoloured. It should have a bright white border. I suspect it was left in the cellophane too long and discoloured along with the packaging. 

Tony was the lead-off batter in the 1984 All Star Game in Candlestick Park, San Francisco. Tony got 1 hit in 3 at bats. He also struck out once and stole a base. He was one of 7 players left on base during the game, which the National League won 3-1.

Card Number 490: Topps Glossy All-Star, 1987; #6

Tony had the same number All-Star card as two year's previously. Unlike Tony's Topps base card from 1987, on this card you can see his face and the full team logo on his uniform. 

The back of this card is as dull as the previous one shown.

The 1986 All-Star Game was played in the Astrodome in Houston. Tony was first in the batting line up again, but didn't get a hit in three at bats. His only statistic of note being a strike out. The American League team won 3-2.

As an aside, it was only when reading one of the exhibits at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, that I discovered the reason artificial grass is known as 'astroturf'. It's because it was first used in the Astrodome as real grass wouldn't grow on the field indoors.

I have another one of these cards - the 1989 series that was packaged with Topps cards in 1990. I've blogged about it here.

Total: 390 cards