1992 Topps #970 Stan Jefferson

 Todays missing 1992 Topps card is #970 Stan Jefferson. 

Stan first got a taste of the Majors in 1986 with the New York Mets. That club won the World Series, so Stan was one of the few players to get a ring in their rookie year. He was traded to the San Diego Padres before the 1987 season in the Kevin Mitchell/Kevin McReynolds trade. He spent 1987 and 1988 with them, before being traded to the New York Yankees for Jack Clark. After only being with them for a handful of games in 1989, he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles in July. He finished the 1989 season with them, and 10 games into the 1990 season, was acquired by the Cleveland Indians. He spent the rest of the year with them, and then signed with the Cincinnati Reds as a free agent. He played with them in 1991, his final Major League season. It should be noted that he was a replacement player during 1995 spring training with the Mets. 

Stan was one of the players who gave me fits in the 1992 Topps project, as I couldn’t find a photo of him in a Reds uniform. The closest thing I could find was a minor league card of him that had similar colors, and that is how this card got made. If anyone knows where I can find a photo of him in a Reds uniform, please let me know, as I would love to update this card to a better photo. Same for Shane Turner as an Oriole, Jeff Richardson as a Pirate, and Bill Long as an Expo. 

After his career, Stan became a police officer in New York, and he was one of the officers helping during 9-11-01. He went to Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, FL, which is only about half an hour away from me. 

Stan’s first Topps card appeared in the 1987 Topps Traded set. He got into the 1988 Topps set, and got his final Topps card in the 1989 set. 

Stan is missing cards from the 1986 Topps Traded set, the 1987 Topps set (Mets), 2 cards in the 1989 Topps Traded set (one with the Yankees, one with the Orioles), the 1990 Topps set, the 1990 Topps Traded set, the 1991 Topps set, the 1991 Topps Traded set, and a sunset card in the 1995 Topps set for his time as a replacement player. I’ve covered his 1991 Topps and 1991 Topps Traded cards as well as his ‘92 card, so now he just needs a 1986 Topps Traded card, a 1987 Topps card, the 2 1989 Topps Traded cards, a 1990 Topps card, a 1990 Topps Traded card, and a 1995 Topps card to complete his career Topps run. 

Thanks for checking out my latest post. 

-Jeremy