 |
 |
Beginning in 1961, Topps started including league leader cards in its sets and there are 12 league leaders cards kicking off the 1969 Topps set. League leader cards can be found at the beginning of each Topps set issued in 1963, 1964, 1965, 1968 and 1969.
September 21, 2025 from The Philly Show (America's Pastime)
On Sunday morning, September 21st, I made the hour-long drive to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania for the latest installment of the Philadelphia Sports Card & Memorabilia Show, known to its friends as The Philly Show. The show has a legitimate official sponsor (eBay) and the advertisement for the event notes the show is in its 50th year.
I hadn't attended a baseball card show since the last Philly Show in December, and I was flying solo to this one as our oldest son is in his first month of college at Villanova. I posted a full summary of the show over at The Phillies Room.
I made stops at six tables at the show, all yielding needed cards for our 1969 Topps set, and I left the show with just 16 more cards to go for my version of a complete set. The first place I stopped was a table with well-organized and well-marked binders of commons and semi-stars with 20% Off notes across the front of each binder.
I took my time and found 32 commons and semi-stars needed before asking to see the dealer's star cards from the set. It turned out this first purchase was also my biggest, as I spent over half my allotted budget here, America's Pastime from Fair Lawn, New Jersey, before moving on to my second stop. This was the first of 36 total cards bought from America's Pastime, and the first of 91 cards for set added overall on the day, and it cost a little over $3 after the dealer discount.
 |
 |
 |
 |
This is the only League Leaders card in the set featuring four players. Given the rarity of 20-game winners in today's game, it's still incredibly impressive to turn this card over and see 31 wins next to Denny McLain's (#150) name. No one else was even close to him. Dave McNally (#340) won his 22nd game on the penultimate day of the 1968 season, giving him sole possession of the card's middle panel.
Luis Tiant (#560) and Mel Stottlemyre tied for third place with 21 wins each. Tiant won his 21st in Indians' Game 160 on September 25th, and Stottlemeyre (#470) reached his 21st win in Yankees' Game 159 on September 24th. There was enough room on the back of the card to highlight each American League pitcher with at least seven wins in 1968. The eight tied with six wins, and omitted from the back of the card due to space constraints, were Steve Barber (#233), Gene Brabender (#393), Jim Lonborg (#109), Sparky Lyle (#311), Juan Pizarro (#498), Pete Richert (#86), Diego Segui (#511) and Joe Verbanic (#541).
Nearing the end! (Your pie chart should have 666 cards.)
ReplyDelete