With ten Gold Gloves to show for it, Bench was a monster on defense with a rifle for an arm and an ability to throw out would-be base stealers with extreme precision. After Wilson dodged a wild pitch from Boston's Bob Stanley, Kevin Mitchell scored from third to tie the game. There are only 7 examples of this card in circulation at the time of this writing that have achieved that gradeso they're very scarce. Contact him at [emailprotected]. But, hey, that's the kind of excitement that he brought to the game: you never knew if he were going to bury one over the fence or get sent right back to the dugout. Ungraded. 207 Ozzie Smith Record Breaker - Padres. Mookie came up big for the Mets again in Game 7, going 1 for 3 with a run scored to help the Mets beat the Red Sox 8-5 to win the title. You love collecting baseball cards, right? The 1981 Topps baseball card set consist of 726 standard size cards that measure 2" by 3". 1981 Topps Traded Expos Tim Raines Card, 4. And while his offensive numbers dropped in 1981, Brett's star was still quite bright. This is a rare Topps card from 1981 containing his signature. 1989 Donruss The Rookies Ken Griffey Jr. #3. And they didn't know it at the time, but they also missed out on producing big-name rookie cards for Fernando Valenzuela, Harold Baines, and Kirk Gibson. Easily the most valuable gem mint in the set, this card from the Man of Steal garners between $600-900 on the secondary markets. The reverse of this card is just one of the many quirks found inside Donruss's debut set. He was named Player of the Decade by The Sporting News at the end of his career. Are you selling sports cards that were produced from 1868 - 1975? The continued adoption of Sabermetrics no doubt helped push him across the finish line and into Cooperstown. He is the younger brother of Vicente Romo, who also pitched in the majors. The 1990 American League Most Valuable Player, Henderson also was the lead-off hitter for two World Series championship teams, the 1989 Oakland Athletics and the 1993 Toronto Blue Jays. *TIM RAINES* 1981 Topps Traded #816 *CGS 9* RC Rookie Card. 1981 Topps Traded 816 Tim Raines Montreal Expos Rookie Card. #7. Most Watched Baseball Cards. The NL Rookie of the Year Award was close, with Raines receiving 85 vote points to Valenzuela's 107, but the Expos and all of baseball knew that Raines was something special. But, for the 1982 season, Smith would never actually suit up for the Padres as he was traded to St. Louis for another highly-regarded shortstop in Garry Templeton. 1981 Topps Gary Carter Autograph Card, 25 Most Valuable 1981 Fleer Baseball Cards In The World, 19 Most Valuable 1976 Topps Baseball Cards In The World, 25 Most Valuable 1987 Topps Baseball Cards In The World, 29 Most Valuable 1991 Topps Baseball Cards In the World, 25 Most Valuable 1988 Topps Baseball Cards In The World, 29 Most Valuable 1989 Topps Baseball Cards In the World, 25 Rarest and Most Valuable Quarters Worth Money, 24 Rarest and Most Valuable State Quarters Worth Money, 25 Rare 50 Dollar Bills: Value And Price Chart, 26 Rarest And Most Valuable Pennies Worth Money, 15 Rarest and Most Valuable Sacagawea Coins Worth Money, Rarest and Most Valuable Charizard Pokemon Cards, 29 Most Valuable Shaq Rookie Cards Ever Sold, 29 Most Valuable Frank Thomas Cards Youd Find On eBay, 29 Most Valuable 1992 Topps Baseball Cards, 29 Most Valuable 1992 Leaf Baseball Cards in the World, 29 Most Valuable 1991 Upper Deck Baseball Cards Worth Money, 29 Most Valuable 1991 Skybox Basketball Cards For Collectors. 1982 Donruss. Along with those of Wade Boggs and Ryne Sandberg, the 1983 Topps Tony Gwynn rookie card is one of the most important and iconic baseball cards of the 1980's.. Sure, Gwynn was one of the greatest hitters who ever played with 8 batting titles to his name, but why are collectors willing to pay so much for this card . Mattingly's Donruss rookie was produced in smaller quantities than his Topps rookie, so it's worth more. On September 26, 1981, Houston Astros ace Nolan Ryan passed Sandy Koufax with a record fifth no-hitter on national television against Koufax's old team, the Los Angeles Dodgers. Incredibly consistent and productive during his 21 years in the Big Leagues, Murray ended his Hall of Fame career with 3,255 hits, 504 home runs, 1,917 RBI and set the all-time record for sacrifice flies with 128. These are the result of decades of collecting and dealing for many companies, dealers, and collectors across America. Each 1-13/16" by 3-1/4" card featured a small full-color portrait of the player with his name printed below his image on the left side of the card. Despite the ups and downs, there isplentyto enjoy about this set. Unfortunately, they failed to make the playoffs during his first year in Philadelphia, but things changed for the better as the Phillies outlasted George Brett and the Kansas City Royals in six games to win the 1980 World Series. I love both of these cards not so much because it's Reggie Jackson we're talking about, but because of all the 1980's awesomeness on display. Inc. The Reds finished a half-game behind the Dodgers in the NL West in the first half. Its nice design and classic pose have helped make it one of the most recognizable cards in the hobby, not just from the 1980s. 1981 Topps Expos Future Card Tim Haines Auto. He played in Major League Baseball between 1977 and 1982 for the Seattle Mariners and the Pittsburgh Pirates. He spent eleven seasons with four teams in Major League Baseball the majority of it spent with the Detroit Tigers. Valenzuela won both the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Awards, and the Dodgers made it all the way to the World Series. In 379 plate appearances (347 at-bats), Brett slashed .314/.364/.484 with 24 home runs and 118 RBI to make his sixth-straight All-Star Game and finish 27th in the AL MVP race. At that point, Murphy looked like he was on a surefire trajectory to Cooperstown. His .758 OPS marked the first time he'd dropped under .817 since 1968. 1985 Fleer Kirby Puckett RC #286. After sixteen seasons and two World Series titles with the Cincinnati Reds, Pete Rose left the "Big Red Machine" behind and signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1979. 723 Bruce Bochte. Tim Haines finished second in Rookie of the Year voting, 19th in MVP, and earned his first All-Star selection. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 by Old Sports Cards, LLC. He played most of his career with the St Louis Cardinals and New York Mets. He was a two-sport star in baseball and basketball for the Minnesota Golden Gophers, so it wasn't too shocking that the Atlanta Hawks (NBA), Utah Stars (ABA) and San Diego Padres (MLB) each drafted him. Despite missing the call to the Hall, Murphy was a hero to many kids who collected during his brilliant run in the 1980s, and today those kids are adult collectors with money to spare, keeping his cards in decent demand. 1 1980 Batting Leaders - George Brett / Bill Buckner 2 1980 Home Run Leaders - Reggie Jackson / Ben Oglivie / Mike Schmidt . Like Roger Clemens, Kirby Puckett has a 1984 Fleer Update XRC. They were the fourteenth and fifteenth players to achieve the incredible milestone. Baines also won a Silver Slugger in 1989 and led the American League in slugging percentage (.541) in 1984. They didn't call him "Steady Eddie" for nothing. Reginald Martinez Jackson is a former American right fielder who spent the majority of his 21-year professional baseball career with the Kansas City and Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees, and ended his career with a two-year stint for the California Angels. Price. . Prices are updated daily based upon 1981 Topps listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. Since most collectors in this hobby tend to draw the line on the "vintage era" at 1980, many consider the Rickey Henderson rookie card to be the last big-name vintage rookie.. And while its value pales in comparison to other big-name vintage rookies like Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Roberto Clemente, to . Before Danny Ainge found success at the professional level in basketball as a player, coach and executive, he made his professional sports debut for the Toronto Blue Jays in 1979while he was still in college. However, regardless of what you might think of his legacy, it's surprising that this particular card isn't worth a little more. After nearly a decade-and-a-half as the standard for MLB catchers, Cincinnati Reds Hall-of-Famer Johnny Bench changed positions for the 1981 season. After fifteen-straight All-Star appearances from 1965-79, Yastrzemski was left out of the Midsummer Classic for the second year in a row in 1981. The 1981 Topps Scratchoffs was a 108-card baseball set distributed on perforated three-card panels measuring 3-14" by 5-1/4". While they both made their MLB debuts in 1961, Brock would retire after the 1979 season with 3,023 hits while Yaz would stick around until 1983 and finished with 3,419 hits. He finished the year with the best winning percentage of any starter in baseball (.875), notched his 3000th career strikeout on April 12th, and earned his twelfth-and-final All-Star appearance after a two-year absence. Regardless of its market value at any given point in time, the significance of this rookie card cannot be overstated as it's one of the most expensive cards from the 1980s. If you look closely, though, you'll notice the images are just slightly different as you can see two of his teammates in the background on his MVP card versus one (plus the arm of another) on his base card. As their everyday first baseman, that put Rose on the opposite corner of the field as Phillies icon Mike Schmidt at third. I know the game is played differently these days but even if it weren't, I'd be stunned if anyone in the future ever meets or bests his 130 stolen bases in a season. PSA 9 examples have sold for upwards of $6,000. Fans and media began to take note of his incredible defensive talent, giving him the nickname "The Wizard.". Wilson hit a weak grounder towards Boston's Bill Buckner at first base, and the ball squeaked by him, allowing Wilson to reach first base safely while Ray Knight scored the winning run. 5 Cal Ripken Jr. 1982 Topps Traded #98T: Everybody wants to make such a big fuss about a 2,632-game playing streak when the real awe lies with the steadiness of this card's value. Here we see Yaz staring off into the distance almost as if he's thinking back on his careeror maybe he's just watching a teammate take batting practice. On May 29th against the San Francisco Giants, Bench slid into second base, attempting to break up a double play but fractured his left ankle in the process. And unlike Brett, Schmidt followed up his 1980 MVP campaign with another one during the 1981 season. Considered by many to be the best defensive shortstop of all time, Smith won an incredible thirteen Gold Gloves over nineteen seasons in Major League Baseball. And he was still very much a respectable pitcher during his time in Cincinnati from 1977 to 1982 as he'd win around 15 games regularly, made two All-Star teams and even finished second in the Cy Young vote for the 1981 season. Despite this seemingly unjustified absence from more "Midsummer Classics," Yount is considered to be the greatest Milwaukee Brewer in the franchise's history. . We may earn an affiliate commission if you Having earned the right to produce baseball cards in a court case with Topps, the 1981 Donruss set became the company's first baseball offering. 1952 Topps #1 Andy Pafko. He also had a flair for the big hit and helped Philadelphia to a 34-21 record in the first half to secure a playoff spot for the Phillies halfway through the season. This on-card autograph card is much rarer than the typically signed cards of this all-time great as it has been likely inscribed with an 81 HRC inscription commemorating this player being tied as the 1981 American League home run champion! Perhaps Wilson's finest point of his career came during one of the most memorable at-bats in baseball history that lasted ten pitches, sent Mets fans soaring, and broke Red Sox fans' hearts. After his release by the Brewers, he was offered a contract by Pete Rose to play for the Cincinnati Reds in 1986. 1981 Topps Enrique Romo Signed Pittsburgh Pirates, 15. He was nicknamed Mex because his name suggested that he was of Mexican descent. 203 Bill Gullickson Record Breaker - Expos. He helped to redefine the value of relievers within baseball and ushered in the modern closer role. Struggling through back issues and other accumulated aches and pains, Yastrzemski had the worst offensive season of his 21-year career thus far. For its 1980-81 basketball set, Topps mixed things up by releasing an entire set in which each card had three panels, each . After the 1986 season, Dawson left Montreal as a free agent for the Chicago Cubs, where he would become their everyday right fielder on a much more knee-friendly grass field. On the other hand, Ozzie's bat did nothing but improve and combined with the amazing glove he already had, he'd deliver Hall of Fame-caliber play for years in St. Louis. That just shows you what kind of effect being a Hall of Famer can have on baseball card prices. Like the 1982 Donruss and Fleer sets, large print runs saturated the market with these cards, driving down their values. 6 Don Mattingly 1984 Donruss #248: One of the most . While Pete Rose set records elsewhere in the Phillies lineup, third baseman Mike Schmidt set the National League ablaze. One thing I always found a bit strange about Yount's career was that he was a two-time MVP but appeared in just three All-Star games, the lowest amount of any Hall of Famer since the game's inception. During the 1977 season, Andre Dawson batted .282 with 19 home runs and 65 RBI, which earned him NL Rookie of the Year honors. Click on a Card detail page to see historic prices and values for all different grades. 721 Toby Harrah. 5 Cal Ripken Jr. #183. I used to collect baseball cards as a kid and loved pulling out a pack of 1981 Topps Coca Cola cardstheir design was so much better than the regular issue and their limited print run made them seem much more valuable. The player who played the most games at first base in major league history was Eddie Murray, who amassed 2,413-lifetime games at the position along with nearly 600 more as a designated hitter. Donruss wasted no time breaking into the hobby as they spent huge marketing dollars, targeted key dealers across the nation, and filled their checklist with some of the game's biggest names to grab collector attention. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. An Enrique Romo Signed Baseball card that has been authenticated by a grading service is pretty hard to find. Rookie Cards. Henderson posted a brilliant 1.144 OPS against New York, but the rest of the Oakland lineup went dead silent. 1981 Topps Expos Future Card Tim Haines Auto, 6. It would have been nice to see an action shot of Seaver on his 1982 Topps card but this is still a good-looking card overall. Keith was a baseball first baseman. During Dawson's first year with the Cubs in 1987, he would lead the league in home runs (49) and RBI (137) to win MVP honors, and the fans at Wrigley instantly fell in love with "the Hawk.". In 493 plate appearances (423 at-bats), Henderson posted a robust .319/.408/.437 slash line with nine home runs and 53 RBI while winning his first of three Silver Sluggers. The current value of this baseball card is $199.99, it has the signature of Tim Raines. This set marked the end of an era in which Topps was the only mainstream company with the MLB's blessing to print baseball cards. With the 22-year-old star setting the table, the As earned a playoff spot with a 37-23 first-half record and finished with the American Leagues best overall record at 64-45. The most valuable baseball card from the 1980s is Rickey Henderson's 1980 Topps rookie card. But, you'll remember that by 1982, Topps was no longer the only major company producing baseball cards as both Donruss and Fleer had joined the scene the year prior. Grade. Getting hands on a card like this is pretty difficult. (Updated for 2022) SUBSCRIBE NOW! Ozzie was always one of my favorite players to watch as a kid as his acrobatic defensive play left fans in awe time after time as he went on to collect 13 Gold Glove awards. Get my weekly newsletter with the latest hobby updates delivered straight to your inbox! Smith continued his outstanding defensive work in 1981 by leading the National League in assists for the third straight year to pick up his second straight Gold Glove. Estimated PSA 9 Mint Value: $120. Reggie was furious and blasted The Boss in the media. While it may not be one of the most popular sets of the era, the 1982 Topps baseball card set packed plenty of star power and two key Hall of Fame rookie cards. 5 Underrated 1981 Donruss Baseball Cards. That means the card needs to be flawless. He was a member of the Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds, and Detroit Tigers. Baseball Cards. His career was far from over at that point, but Schmidt's play showed the baseball world that they were already witnessing the greatest third baseman of all-time in the making. Jackson green-lighted the eventual signing but expected Steinbrenner to offer him a new deal as well. Players include Hank Aaron, Nolan Ryan & Mike Trout. Just look at that awesome retro Astros jersey in all its striped glory! Most Valuable Baseball Cards of All Time . At least he was voted Rookie of the Year. Ryan went 1-1 in two starts with a 1.80 ERA in the team's five-game NLDS loss to the Dodgers, striking out 14 batters in 15 innings while walking just three. It has been certified authentic by Beckett Authentication (BAS) and comes encapsulated in their tamper-proof holder. He was even the first player to collect 100 hits from both sides of the plate. For 15 seasons from 1982 to 1996, Smith was a key cog in the Cardinals lineup as he went on to win 11 more Gold Gloves and appear in 14 more All-Star Games. Raines showed the world that Rickey Henderson wasn't the only guy who could light up the basepaths as he led the Majors with 71 stolen bases while slashing .304/.391.438. Local card shops, department stores and gas stations-- to say boxes of these cards were everywhere might be the understatement of the decade. . The season was noted for the change in playoff format, which created the first-ever Divisional Series with a qualification variant that existed only for that season; and the players strike, which truncated the regular season. Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? The card from 1981 features three outstanding baseball players who were kings in their lanes. Rookie Card (1982 Topps - Card #21), $700 (Photo: Amazon.com) Here is another player who enjoyed a long MLB career, spending it all with the Baltimore Orioles starting in 1981. In 1981, the Boston Red Sox played 108 games during the regular season and won 59 of those games, losing 49. Plus Bonus Listings! So for our purpose, the most expensive Nolan Ryan rookie card is the 1969 Topps RC which is valued at $20,000, give or take a thousand. Seaver would play one more year for the Reds in 1982 when he posted a 5-13 record before heading back to the New York Mets the following year. In 1981, Schmidt became the eighth player in MLB history to do just that. Ross is the founder of Old Sports Cards and has been collecting sports cards for over 30 years. For his regular-season efforts, Rose earned the only Silver Slugger Award of his career, his 15th All-Star selection, and a tenth-place finish on the NL MVP ballot. PSA 6. $9.99. 1981 Topps Baseball 2nd Year Card Rickey Henderson. It was a fitting punctuation mark for one of Ryan's best seasons on the . Although the 1980 season would mark the first of a nine-year stint for Nolan Ryan with the Houston Astros, Topps still had to show him as a member of the California Angels because of the timing of their print run for their 1980 Topps set. Cards. After the 1981 season, however, Ainge decided to call it quits with baseball. Many times, though, he'd fail to connect on those swings and would up earning himself a spot as the career leader in strikeouts with 2,597. Prices are updated daily based upon 1981 Topps listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. It didn't matter, though, as the Reds missed out on the playoffs and a rejuvenated Tom Seaver was denied one last hurrah in October. Featured here is a 1981 Topps Coca Cola baseball card signed by Aurelio Lopez. Gary Carter, nicknamed Kid and The Kid, was a professional baseball player whose 19-year career in Major League Baseball was spent primarily with the Montreal Expos and New York Mets. Jackie Robinson | Card Sold For: $392,400. But he is more famous for the accusations of gambling that led Major League Baseball to ban him from the sport in 1989. On the right side were four rows of six . Many thought his career was slowly but surely coming to an end. He earned four varsity letters, two for college and two for the major leagues. Average . Houston went just 28-29 in the first half but won the NL West's second half at 33-20. This card is super tough to find in high grade, hence the huge price tag that might shock you. As his time with the Yankees had come to a close, Jackson packed his bag and headed back to the West Coast, signing to play for the California Angels. It's no wonder why, considering how Henderson's a beloved figure in the sport whose '81 campaign included a .319 batting average, a league-leading 56 stolen bases and a second-place MVP . Rose collected 140 hits in 1981, slashing .325/.391/.390 in his third year with the Philadelphia Phillies. Known as the Man of Steal, he is widely considered to have been baseballs greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner. . Brett's career batting average of .305 wasn't quite as good, but he did put up the better single-season effort when he batted. Read our methodology. However, on December 9, 2018 he and Harold Baines were voted in by the Today's Game Era Committe. There are no scratches, bends, or folds. If not for Fernando Valenzuela's incredible rookie performance and "Fernandomania" taking the sport by storm, Raines would've easily won the 1981 NL Rookie of the Year Award. Rodney Cline Carew is a former Panamanian baseball player who played first baseman and second baseman in the MLB from 1967 to 1985, primarily for the California Angels. Smith earned the first of those Gold Gloves during the 1980 season when he also set the single-season record for most assists by a shortstop with an astronomical total of 621. Top 10 Most Valuable: 1981 Topps Basketball. Every collector knows that theres some serious money to be made off certain cards. 1954 Topps #128 Hank Aaron RC. The 1984 Topps Football set is THE landmark football card set of the 1980s. He also led the National League in runs scored (78) and walks (73). Rickey Henderson, an American retired professional baseball player who played his entire 24-year career in Major League Baseball, helped break the sports color barrier. Ted Simmons St. Louis Cardinals 1981 Topps, 17. Most Expensive Part of the explanation is that Yount was quietly consistent and playing in small-market Milwaukee certainly didn't help. 1952 Topps Willie Mays RC #261. Greatest Topps Baseball Cards of All-Time. George Riley Autographed 1981 Topps Rookie Card, 14. Owchinko played baseball for Eastern Michigan University. This card is worth $45 but could go higher. The 1981 season was the seventh and final time. Carew's career batting average ended up at .328, while his best single-season average was .388 in 1977. The offense stagnated, and the Astros fell 4-0. The 1981 season stands out for Eddie Murray in a unique way: somehow, it was the only season where he managed to lead the American League in home runs (22) and RBI (78). This trading card has been authenticated by PSA, it has the signature of Rollie fingers on the obverse. For a guy who had his rookie card debut in the 1960 Topps set, it's impressive that Yaz played long enough to be featured in this set as well. While George Brett lit up the AL in 1980, Mike Schmidt was doing the same in the NL and would take home his first of three career MVP Awards for his efforts. It was also the first Topps set to feature a monster 792-card checklist. The most expensive baseball card in history just sold for $12.6 million By Zoe Sottile, . Smith felt more welcomed by the Cardinals ownership and management and settled in quite nicely to be one of the franchise's most beloved players in team history. Most Expensive 1981 Topps card list & price guide. Ryan dazzled on that fall afternoon in Houston, striking out eleven and walking just three. 3. Donruss would take the experience with this set and continue to churn out many improved and memorable sets for years to come. Not bad for an 11th round pick (#250 overall) in the 1975 MLB Draft. Yastrzemski played two more seasons in Boston before retiring, making All-Star appearances at the age of 42 and 43 during the 1982 and 1983 seasons, respectively. Average ungraded base card value (excludes parallels) for 1981 Topps And, in this guide, we look at the 25 most valuable. This Nolan Ryan card is another fantastic example of Topps capturing the style and vibe of the 1980s. Tim Raines was one of the most successful stealers in baseball history and can be seen on the far left of the card. Let's be clear:most of the cards from this set do not have any value these days. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The nerve! 29 Surprisingly Cheap: 1985 Mark McGwire Topps. In 2004 he was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame; in 2005 he was enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Jackson's time in New York wasn't exactly smooth as he occasionally clashed with teammates, manager Billy Martin and owner George Steinbrenner, contributing to an environment that earned the team the nickname "The Bronx Zoo.". You can almost feel the tension in this card as he's poised and just waiting for the perfect moment to break for second. Now anchoring the back of the Brewers bullpen, Fingers won by a mere eleven points. Instead, he was more of a craftsman on the mound and outsmarted hitters to allow a career-low 6.5 hits per nine innings. He also loves to write about the hobby and has written for Beckett, Topps, SABR and of course, this website. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. Read our methodology. The 1981 season was the St. Louis Cardinals 100th season in St. Louis, Missouri, and their 90th year in the National League (NL). Topps has dominated the baseball card scene for the past six decades, issuing a set in every year . While eligible for induction, Murphy peaked at 23% of the vote in 2000, falling well short of the 75% needed for entry. In the teams first game back following the players strike, the 40-year-old recorded hit number 3,631, passing Stan Musial as the National Leagues all-time hits leader. It is also (by a slight margin) the most valuable card in the 1984 Topps Football set. Ken Griffey Jr. It was a fitting punctuation mark for one of Ryan's best seasons on the mound. While this set may be slightly overlooked in the history of the hobby, it still delivers a great checklist. The 1982 season saw Henderson set a single-season best for stolen bases as he swiped a ridiculous 130 bases in total. Though it may be light on key rookie cards, this set is certainly not light on stars and Hall of Famers. 1981 Topps Traded Tim Raines Rookie Baseball Card #816 NM-MT FREE SHIPPING. Bench was a complete catcher as he was dangerous with both the bat and glove and was a significant reason "The Big Red Machine" was so dominant throughout the 1970s. Throughout his career, Carter was known for his hitting and excellent defense, as well as his ability to handle pitchers. Kansas City went 20-30 in the season's first half and started the second half slowly, with Manager Jim Frey taking the heat. From the 1983 season on, he was selected to the All-Star game every year until he retired after the 2001 season. Although this one isn't worth as much as it might . And while its value pales in comparison to other big-name vintage rookies like Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Roberto Clemente, to name a few, its price soared dramatically during the recent sports card boom. Previous Article. And ever since his induction into the Hall of Fame, his 1981 Donruss rookie card has enjoyed a nice bump in value. Ryan dazzled on that fall afternoon in Houston, striking out eleven and walking just three. Brett was one of the finest hitters in baseball history, but I think what is most impressive was his longevity as a top hitter, having won a batting title in three different decades (1976, 1980, and 1990). Right around that same time, the relationship between the St. Louis Cardinals and their shortstop, Garry Templeton, wasn't going well either. He was the clear choice for National League MVP and also picked up a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger. Oakland swept three straight from the Kansas City Royals in the ALDS but, the tables turned in the ALCS when the Yankees eliminated them in three.
