Four Topps, #700

The gremlins inside Random.org must have been in a good mood today because they decided to produce the first power number in the young history of our Four Topps study.  As long time collectors know, only the cream of the crop are tabbed (normally) for the century number cards, i.e. 100, 200, and so on.  Perennial all-stars, future HOFers, record setters, etc.

Well, three of the four cards you're about to see fit into that illustrious mold.  One of them does not.  I think you'll be able to figure out which of the following is the ugly duckling, so to speak.

So, without further delay, TWTTC presents four years of card No. 700...

1987

Hmm.  Through the completion of the 1986 campaign, Dave Bergman never hit more than 7 homers or produced over 44 RBIs in a single season, spanning 12 years.  Ladies and gentleman, card #700 from 1987 Topps.  Hey, Stat Man:  Batted .231 in 65 games for Detroit during the '86 season.

1988

Now THAT'S more like it!  One of the greatest third basemen of all-time, a batting champ, a World Series winner...you name it.  This is the type of guy who deserves a card number like 700.  Factor in the sweet baby blue Royals uniform, and you've got one of the best cards from the '88 set.  Hey, Stat Man:  Batted .290 with 22 homers and 78 RBIs for Kansas City in 1987.

1989

If you grew up during the '80s in the NY-metro area, you were either a Mets fan or you worshipped Don Mattingly. I fell into the former category, of course, but I still vividly remember getting this card as a nine year old and being awed by it.  Hey, Stat Man:  Whacked five homers and drove in 20 runs during a sizzling July '88.

1990

Hall-of-Famer Kirby Puckett was a hittin' machine for the Twins during the late '80s and into the '90s. Absolutely a no-brainer pick for one of the glamorous few century card numbers.  I especially love the color combo Topps cooked up for Twins cards in this set.  Hey, Stat Man:  Eclipsed the 200-hit mark for the fourth consecutive year with 215 in 1989.

And the Winner Is:  A case could easily be made for any of the non-Bergman cards above, but the dugout shot of the bat-brandishing Mattingly makes the '89 card of the Yankee first baseman one of the iconic pieces of the junk wax era.  An admittedly easy pick for a '89 Topps junkie like myself.

MK