#7 The Pete Rose Years: 1983-1985

Card fact: This is the last card in this subset. I won't have to talk about Pete Rose for awhile!

Card thoughts: Pete Rose dreaming of Ty Cobb? Pretty cheesy, Topps. I wish I would have started collecting cards in earnest in 1985. I was always excited to be able to trade for these cards as a kid, even if they were a common.

The player: Rose was playing for the record at this point. He was demoted to pinch-hitter by the Phillies in 1983 when his age started to show and his batting average dipped. He was released by the Phillies and signed by the Expos where in a part of a season he hit poorly again. He was traded back to Cincinnati to break the hits record for Tom Lawless, a career backup utility player with 110 career hits (although we was a good leadoff hitter in the minors). The record hit came off Eric Show, whose own tragic story will be alluded to when his card comes up. Interesting note: With further research, apparently Ty Cobb had two less hits. So Rose really broke the record "unofficially" against Reggie Patterson of the Cubs.

Rear guard: Finally, a world series mention! Maybe because 1983 was such a terrible offensive year for Rose.

#6 The Pete Rose Years: 1979-1982

Card fact: This is the 2nd to last Pete Rose Years card (I'm sure getting sick of writing about Pete Rose!)

Card thoughts: The blue and purple Philly combo? Ugly! The 1981 Topps design is one my favorites. I loved the hats and the color combos on those cards. The 1982 card should be for NASCAR, not baseball, what with the rally stripe on the side.

The player: Although Rose was entering his twilight years, he was signed to fat free-agent contract in 1979: 4 years for $3.2 million. Since Mike Schmidt was at 3rd, Rose switched to 1st where he would play the rest of his career. He still led in doubles in 1980 and hits in 1981, and was a big part of the Phillies winning the world series in 1980.

Rear guard: Once again: No World Series mention by Topps. What gives?

#5 The Pete Rose Years: 1975-1978

Card fact: Card 4 of 6 of the Pete Rose Years.

Card thoughts: There's some nice candid shots on these cards. I'm guessing the 1976 card is Rose hanging around the batting cage. It almost looks like Rose is already a Philly in the 1978 card, where you can see the crappy haircut he would sport the rest of his career. My favorite card design of the bunch is the 1976 card.

The player: Rose was moving around the field a lot in these years. He moved to third when the Reds decided to give Ken Griffey Sr. his outfield job. At the plate, Rose was playing nearly every game in these years, hitting lots of doubles and scoring lots of runs as his fellow Reds like Johnny Bench, Tony Perez, Joe Morgan, and George Foster were driving in 90-100 runs every year.

Rear guard: The records start to fall: Most hits by a switch hitter (1977) and tied for the longest NL hitting streak (1978). 

#4 The Pete Rose Years: 1971-1974

Card fact: The beginning of the wacky seventies. This is card 3 of 6 of the Pete Rose subset.

Card thoughts: Boy, when I aquired the 1971 Rose card I thought I was in heaven. I think the 1972 card is the worst of all Topps designs. They must have let the "company freak" design the card. Some really cool in action shots on the '73 and '74 cards. I think the 1971 card is the best of this bunch. Note: Rose is starting to get that "jellybean look" that he had his later career, with a bowl cut and the perpetual batting helmet.

The player: Rose was in his prime in these years, winning the MVP in 1973. So were the Reds.

Rear guard: Topps seems to value all-star appearances rather than post-season stats. Or perhaps Rose didn't too well in those games?

#3 The Pete Rose Years: 1967-1970

Card fact: This is the 2nd card of the 6 card Pete Rose subset.

Card thoughts: Pete Rose sure looks a lot tougher in these pictures. In every picture, his mouth is just a grim line. He also apparently swung a really light bat. This is kind of where the Topps design team is hitting an aesthetic brick wall. I mean, the 1969 card is just an an amalgam of '67 and '68. And I think the 1970 style is one of my least favorite designs of all times. If I had to pick a winning design out of the four, I guess I'd pick the 1967 card. I like the simplicity. They'd break out of the design cul-de-sac in the next decade--with some horrific results.

The player: Pete Rose was just a really consistent hitter at this time. He didn't have the big run producing numbers that would come later, partly because the Reds hitting around him were not the offensive juggernaut they became later in his career.

Rear guard: Rose has moved to outfield at this time. His average in 1968 was the highest in his career. Incidentally, the 1970 all-star came was where Pete Rose bowled over Ray Fosse at home plate to score the winning run, injuring his shoulder. Funny, Topps neglects to mention this play in their write-up, seeing how it cemented Rose's reputation as a hard-nosed player.

#2 The Pete Rose Years: 1963-1966

Card fact: Pete Rose played so long, that this is the first of 6 cards like this.

Card thoughts: Pete Rose sure looks boyish in these pictures and he doesn't have a crappy haircut yet. The 1964 card design was recycled by Topps for the design of the 1986 Topps set and the 1966 card is similar to the 1988 set. I really like these old Reds uniforms, with the vest/undershirt combo. My favorite card shown would have to be the 1965 one. It looks like Rose is being blown over by a strong wind!

The player: Rose started with a bang, winning Rookie of the Year in 1963. He had a bit of sophomore slump in '64 but rebounded with a fine campaign in 1965 leading the league in at bats with 670 and in hits with 209, all while scoring 117 runs and batting .312. 1966 was a similar season to 1965.

Rear guard: Rose already had 500 hits by his 3rd year in baseball. Pretty impressive! The other feats at this time are interesting, especially the switch hitting of home runs--Rose only hit 16 homers that year. One interesting thing about these statistics: The Topps "years" represent the season previous represented i.e. the 1964 card shows Pete Rose in the 1963 season. So the stats shown on the back here are actually one year off.