Just a few more!!

I thought I would never say it, but after the backs I've done today, I am only 3 backs away from having the 1992 Topps set officially complete!  Just need to make a back for Butch Davis, Carl Nichols, and Sergio Valdez. I have toyed with the idea of making an award winner card for the Managers of the Year, but that shouldn't be too hard, so at the very most, there are only 5 cards left, and I should be able to knock them out no problem on Wednesday morning. If it isn't too hard, I then plan on doing a post with every card front and back in numerical order. I never thought it would be possible to actually complete a set, especially one from 20+ years ago. I've learned a lot, found out about some players I never knew about, and I've had a lot of fun doing it. Surprised it didn't take longer, but I've worked really hard on getting as many cards done as I can, and once the templates for the cards were done, it was a lot easier.

What will I do after this?  Probably work on my other blog some, probably work on giving a bunch of favorite or admired players a complete Topps run. Will I ever do another complete Topps set again?  I don't know. The '92 set was a lot of work, but maybe I will dabble with an easier set someday. '94 could be pretty easy, '99 could be too. The problem is that with most sets after 1992 is that they have some type of photo on the back, and some of these players were left off of the set because they didn't play much, leading me to believe that there are very few photos, if any. I would enjoy doing the fronts to the 1993 set, but if I am making a complete set, I really want backs so it will look like they are cards from the set. With random customs, I don't care. But for a complete set, I want them to go along with the set and look so close to the real thing that if I were to put them in a cardboard box or a binder and show them to a fellow collector that they would think they were cards out of the regular set. So that pretty much takes the '93 set out of the question. Maybe the 1990 set?  Possibly. It could be pretty easy. I just never followed baseball close enough to know most of the players until the early-mid '90's?, so the players in the 1990 set were a little before my time so there isn't really a connection there. All in all, 1992 was the perfect set. It was the first one I bought packs of, it has many players I remember seeing play, the backs are nice and newer, and I love the way the fronts look too.

I'm open to other ideas too, but for now, I'll just stick to doing custom fronts on my other blog once I finish the '92 set. Thanks for checking out the latest post and stay tuned between Wednesay and Friday for the post of the whole set.
-Jeremy

1992 Topps Mike Bell

Mike Bell only played 2 years in the Majors, 1990 and 1991 with the Braves. He never appeared on a Topps flagship issue, but was in the 1991 Topps Debut set. He put up decent numbers in the Minors, but as a First Baseman, I think every team in the Majors was looking for power, so that could be why Mike only got 2 years in the Bigs. He played in the Braves system in '92 and went on to the Pirates system in 1993, then played 1 year at Independent Alexandria in 1994 before calling it a career. Perhaps if the Braves didn't have Sid Bream in 1992-1993 and Fred McGriff from late '93-'97, and would've kept Ryan Klesko in the Outfield, then Mike would've got his shot at First with the Braves.

This would've been Mike's final Topps card. As with many cards in this set, if I couldn't find a decent photo online, I would look for ones on cards.  This one came from a Minor League issue, and I added the Braves logo to his helmet.

I've been working the last 5 days since coming back from vacation, so I haven't worked on any backs since I left, but I'm hoping to change that tonight. Perhaps I'll get up to the team combo cards, leaving me with only 30 or so left. We'll see. Thanks for taking the time to ready my latest post.
-Jeremy

1992 Topps Ted Power

Ted Power pitched in the most games for the '91 Reds, but was still left off of the 1992 Topps set. He had a pretty decent season, and was included in the 1991 set, but that would be his final Topps card, even though his last season in MLB was 1993. Power had a pretty decent career, getting 27 Saves in 1985, and winning a World Series title in 1981 in his rookie year. He appeared on Topps cards from 1984-1990, missing out on cards in '82, '83, and '92-'94. 

It was hard finding a photo of Ted from his second stint with the Reds, and I think this photo may actually be from his coaching career. His hat looks like a newer-style hat, and it looks like a wedding ring on his left hand, which I don't believe he would be wearing if he were a player and not a coach. Other than that, I'm happy with the card.

This should be my last post for a week or so. I will be going on a cruise at the end of the week, and am either working or at a doctors appointment the rest of the week. I worked on a ton of backs in the last 2 days, and have now completed the backs of every coach card. The next card I will be doing a back to is card #1294, and I have only 42 more cards left to make backs to and the set will be complete. Maybe sometime in the next month or so.

Thanks for checking out the latest card.

-Jeremy

1992 Topps Tom Goodwin

Tom Goodwin was called up to the Majors in September 1991 when the rosters expanded, and made his MLB debut on the 1st. He appeared in the '92 Topps debut set, but the regular Topps issue passed on him. 

Tom appeared on many more cards throughout his long MLB career, including his first regular Topps issue in 1993, which I was lucky enough to get signed while he was in Spring Training with the Royals in the mid-'90's. I think I still have it in one of my favorite card binders.

This card was a little difficult to make becuase the only suitable Dodgers photos I could find of Tom were from his 2nd appearance with the club where the uniforms are different. I think I got this one off of another card, but had to really stretch out the sides to make the photo work.  

I finished the backs to every coach in the American League today, and started on the NL teams and did the Braves and Cubs. That leaves me with only 108 more backs to go, and I'm happy to say that the coach cards are going alot faster than I thought they would. Only 10 more teams to go, and I will be done with every coach card, with just a few draft picks, award winners, 3 managers, a few highlights, executives, and some random player cards and the set will be done. Thanks for checking out the latest card.

-Jeremy

1992 Topps Dave Clark

Dave Clark was primarily a pinch hitter and reserve outfielder from 1986-1998. He appeared on Topps cards from 1988-1991, and then again in 1994 (Traded) and 1995. He missed out on a good number of cards due to his role as a reserve, but he probably could've made an argument to get in the 1987 set after his rookie season. He also could've perhaps been placed in the '93 Traded set as well. Topps made Traded sets during the last 2 years he appeared on cards, but stopped after 1995, then didn't start again until 1999 after he retired. Perhaps I will try to make Dave's 1993 and 1996-1999 cards in the future, and maybe some coach cards if I can find photos. Dave coached for a while in the Astros (even managing them in late 2009), and is currently a coach for the Tigers.

Clark didn't get into many games in 1991 (only 11), so it's easy to see why he didn't get a '92 Topps card. He somehow managed to get into the '92 Score set, and he may have the record for fewest '92 cards from other brands out of guys in my set. I couldn't even find another good photo of him as a Royal, so I had to use the one on his Score card.

A few cards in the 1992 Topps set have players or bats or balls covering up part of the Topps logo (I believe Nolan Ryan and Bill Gullickson were some), so I did that with Clark's bat on this card just to pay homage to a small detail in the set that only a true '92 Topps fan would pick up on.

I'm off later today, so I should have the chance to work on backs. Currently, I'm done with the Royals coaches, so that puts me around card 1175 I believe. I counted and including some backs to cards I've done later in the set, I only have 152 more to go to complete the set. I should be able to knock that number lower in the coming days. The end is so close I can smell it.
Thanks for checking out my latest card.
-Jeremy

1992 Topps Tommy Kramer

Tommy Kramer pitched for the Indians from 1991-1993. He got a '92 Topps Debut card, and appeared in the 1994 regular set, but other than those issues, that was about it for Kramer on Topps cards. He is missing a '92 and '93 card, but now it will be down to just the 1993 card with the '92 Topps custom I've made.

Kramer actually was pretty decent in 1993, pitching a one-hitter against the White Soc, and I was surprised he didn't play beyond '93, but the Indians had some great pitchers in 1994 (Denny Martinez, Charles Nagy, Jack McDowell) and would get some solid pitching from Orel Hershiser, Albie Lopez, and Chad Ogea in addition in 1995, so I guess the Indians staff didn't have much room for Kramer.

I only have 2 more backs to do until I hit the coach cards. Might get to them today if I have time after work, but if not, I have half a day free on Thursday and the whole day off on Friday, so I will work on backs then. Saturday I will have the chance to meet one of my musical heroes, Joel Hanson at a concert in Jacksonville. He was the lead singer/guitarist for '90's Christian-rock band PfR. He's playing in the house band for a few artists and I got tickets for me and my wife. I love his smooth tenor voice and loved listening to his guitar riffs and solos when he was with PfR. I would love to have had it just been him at the concert, but I'm hoping he will at least sing backup and have some guitar solos during the show. I'm hoping to get a guitar pick and maybe talk with him about music theory a bit, but well see how it goes. Next few weekends will be busy with concerts, doctor appointments, and a cruise in a few weeks, but I'll try to make a few posts and give updates on where the set stands.

Thanks for checking out my latest post.
-Jeremy

1992 Topps Tim Scott

The next card in my custom 1992 Topps set is Tim Scott. Tim didn't appear in the 1992 Topps set, but did get a card in the '92 Topps Debut set since his debut came in 1991. Tim would go on to pitch up through 1997, but only appeared in the '93, '94, and '95 Topps editions. Relievers don't get any love in Topps sets today, and they didn't 20 year ago either. 

I need to edit this card, as part of his jersey stuck through the vertical lines on the right side of the card, but that shouldn't be too difficult to change. I actually have went through all the fronts of cards and put them in a file and made changes I needed to, so I don't know how I missed this one. 

I finished the back of card #1130 today. If my count is correct, I only need to finish backs to 205 more cards, which basically are coaches, a few managers, some draft picks, award winners, highlight cards, and a few random players. I work 5 days in a row, but I'm hoping to have energy on Thursday and Friday of next week to get on some backs, and at least get to some coach cards, and perhaps even get a team or two of coaches done. Thanks for checking out the latest card.

-Jeremy