Four Topps, #72

It's time once again to dive back into everyone's favorite era of Topps baseball -- the overproduction or "junk wax" era.  It's my favorite era because it's the one that coincided with my entry into collecting.  So, I'll always have a soft spot for these cards.  No matter how ugly or boring you think '89 or '90 Topps are, I'll always stick up for 'em!

Okay, so in today's edition of Four Topps, we'll examine card No. 72 in the Topps sets ranging from 1987 to 1990.  As always, a hat tip to Random.org for the subject of today's study.

Here we go...!

1987

Originally a Met, Walt Terrell was involved in a couple of pretty important trades for the New Yorkers.  He was acquired along with Ron Darling in exchange for Lee Mazzilli prior to the 1982 season and was later flipped to the Tigers in December of '84 for Howard Johnson.  Darling and HoJo, of course, were both important pieces to the Mets' championship in '86.  This is Terrell's third card as a Tiger; he first appeared in Detroit garb in the '85 Traded series.  Hey, Stat Man:  Hurled nine complete games, including a pair of shutouts, for the Tigers during the 1986 season.

1988

One of the great pitchers the game has ever known, Eckersley would discover true stardom as the closer the Athletics during the 1988 campaign.  With 390 saves, a Cy Young Award and an MVP on his career ledger, Eck rightfully belongs among the immortals in Cooperstown.  This is his first Oakland A's card from a regular Topps set, though he also was included in the '87 Traded series in Athletics attire.  Hey, Stat Man:  Appeared in a career-high 54 games and logged 16 saves for Oakland in 1987.

1989

John Moses signed a free agent contract with the Twins right at the start of the 1988 season and, thus, was still shown as a Mariner (his former club) on all of his '88 cards.  The exception being Fleer, which granted him a card as a Minnesotan in its '88 Update set.  So, this is Moses' first Twins card, if that excites you any.  Hey, Stat Man:  Crafted a .316 BA over 206 at-bats for Minnesota in 1987.

1990

This is Jeff Huson's rookie card, though his bigger splash came the following year when Topps bestowed upon him the illustrious Rookie Cup on his '91 card.  Huson, a native of Scottsdale, AZ, was traded from Montreal to Texas at the dawn of the '90 season, thus landing him a card in the Topps' 1990 Traded set, as well.  Hey, Stat Man:  Appeared in only 32 games for the Expos in 1989, collecting a total of 12 hits and two RBIs.

And the Winner Is:  Not the most enthralling lot of cards, but the Hall of Famer Eckersley spices things up a bit.  I'll give Eck the nod over Terrell and his mustache.

MK