Last Topps (base set) Card of Every Hall of Famer Who Has a Topps Card

by Vvvergeer - 126 cards (Last updated on Jan 23, 2024)



1. 1956 Topps #30 Jackie Robinson


Might not be my most valuable card, but it's now one of my favorites.
Inducted 1962.


2. 1956 Topps #200 Bob Feller


I'm not a high grade collector, but my Feller would probably be about a 7.
Inducted 1962.


3. 1958 Topps #1 Ted Williams


Still need it. Gonna be costly....May 25, 2015 -- got it! Decided to get a graded one (SGC 40 -- good enough for me), because there were just too many reprints out there. And I was able to use a 10% deal on eBay. So not that costly.
Inducted 1966.


4. 1963 Topps #250 Stan Musial


Aha! Given to me for my 50th birthday. My one and only Musial.
Inducted 1969.


5. 1957 Topps #210 Roy Campanella


Mildly controversial choice, as Topps came back a couple years later with a card honoring Campanella after he had his accident.
Inducted 1969.


6. 1953 Topps #220 Satchel Paige


The card I currently covet the most. I bet it's the last card I get from this collection....

And I was right. But as of 9/23/15 I got it. Bidding on eBay, turns out it was being sold by my local dealer. Graded SGC 50, again, because there are too many reprints being passed off as orginals out there.
Inducted 1971.

BUT IT'S DONE. ONLY ABOUT THREE YEARS OF THIS COLLECTION, AND I'VE GOT THEM ALL. SO PLEASED!!!!

I wish he'd gotten into the majors 10 years earlier. Or 25...


7. 1962 Topps #385 Early Wynn


Never really heard of him before I started this.
Inducted 1972.


8. 1966 Topps #100 Sandy Koufax


Blasphemous, I know, and I never saw him pitch, but he only had a few great years...
Inducted 1972.


9. 1965 Topps #470 Yogi Berra


Sometimes it's hard to find the "last" card. Yogi's player coach status made it tough. I settled on this one.
Inducted 1972.


10. 1965 Topps #205 Warren Spahn


Like some others on this list, until I knew more about my collection and baseball, I always thought he played in the 1800s.
Inducted 1973.

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Comments

Jan 25, 2014 - 2:58AM
Billy Kingsley
Great concept! I like that you specifically chose the last cards partly due to the complete (or close to it, anyway) stats on the back. (I'm a big fan of stats!) If I didn't have so many other plans and projects I'm working on, I would probably steal your idea for my NBA collection! :) Are the players here in any particular order? I don't know much about baseball, so I was wondering if they were in order of being elected to the HOF, random, your ranking of how much you like them, or something I hadn't even considered.
Jan 25, 2014 - 8:58AM
kcjays
I loved looking through your collection. I echo Billy, great idea! Don't forget, the three managers going in the Hall this year were also players. Torre's last card would have been a 76 or 77? Bobby Cox played a couple of years for the Yankees and probably had a card. I'm pretty sure LaRussa's last card as a player was 1968. (I was looking through my 68 set a couple of weeks ago. That was the only way I knew that.) Being a Royals fan, I know Whitety Herzog had cards when he was a player. Tommy Lasorda was a pitcher for the Dodgers, but I don't remember ever seeing a card of his. Anyway, great idea. Thanks for sharing..
Jan 25, 2014 - 9:22AM
ivywalls
THATS VERY COOL, GREAT COLLECTION !!
Jan 25, 2014 - 11:14AM
Vvvergeer
Thanks guys. Answers: They're in order of induction date, which is cool because older cards get mixed in with newer ones. As for managers, I'm sticking with players who were inducted as players. Some managers played, but that's not how they got in the Hall.
Jan 26, 2014 - 12:04AM
volbox
I have to wonder why Johnny Bench and Carl Yastrzemski weren't on the 1984 set. They played over 100 games in 1983. Nice list, btw.
Jan 31, 2014 - 7:49PM
vrooomed
This was an absolute blast to look through and read the comments on each card. VERY well done!
Feb 17, 2014 - 8:02PM
mundytw
Nice collection, enjoyed looking thru it!
Apr 26, 2014 - 12:54PM
Joeyd011
Nice list, I'll be getting some of these for my own collection now, thanks for the ideas.
Jul 18, 2014 - 8:10AM
NawfalAQ
Thanks for sharing. This was interesting and fun! Best of luck!
Oct 9, 2014 - 2:53PM
banny
Very nice collection. I have a few of the later cards such as Molitor, Brett, etc. I enjoy the full stats on back as well. As someone said above re the Bench card, sometimes what you think would be the last issue, is not. And sometimes they'll issue one a couple of years after the last actual year.
Dec 19, 2014 - 5:05PM
Vvvergeer
Yes, Banny, as my comments on some of the cards indicate, sometimes it was hard to declare what the "last" card was. I tried my best to stick with regular issue cards of them as players. But Fox and Berra were both player-coaches, and Campanella had a special card issued after his accident. I used my judgment and will have to content myself with the results. Just need 5 more….
Dec 23, 2014 - 10:58AM
Kep75
Great set! I enjoyed looking through it!
Apr 9, 2015 - 5:30AM
sandyrusty
Truly enjoyed your list. I collect all of the HoF players and managers. Never thought of concentrating on one particular card of each player. Makes for an interesting binder. I do include the managers because in baseball, the managers are truly part of the game on the field.
Apr 9, 2015 - 8:14AM
Vvvergeer
Thanks sandyrusty. I completely agree about managers, but they pose all sorts of difficulties for this collection, as I've constructed it. Topps is totally inconsistent about actual manager cards, so that doesn't really work. Many managers didn't play in the majors, so that leaves huge gaps. A manager can get in the HOF before retiring as a manager, I think, so there might not be a last card yet, even though they're in. And it feels disconnected to have, say, Tony LaRussa's last Topps card as a player. He didn't get in as a player; it's essentially unrelated. But he's got manager cards since that card, so it's just kind of weird. And how to deal with HOFers who then managed? Bob Lemon. Red Schoendienst. Ryne Sandberg. Too complicated if you're a bit anal, like myself. There are problems even with just the players, as I pointed out in some of my comments for the cards. The very fact that "last card year" does not equal "last playing year" undermines the whole thing. In fact "last card year" should be the year AFTER the last playing year, but that's a whole 'nother post. Anyway, I go on too long. Thanks again. Happy collecting.
Oct 14, 2015 - 6:13PM
RoundtheDiamond87
Nice post.
Jul 28, 2016 - 12:41AM
Billy Kingsley
This was enjoyable to look through again, and to read your captions.
Jul 28, 2016 - 6:52AM
Vvvergeer
Thanks, Billy. Thing is, I didn't actually mean to edit it. I clicked in the wrong list, then hit save, bringing it back to the top. I guess it's timely, what with the induction ceremonies last week.
Jul 29, 2016 - 8:52AM
DarkSide830
Griffey would've been unanimous if voters could vote for more than 10 players. The 10 vote limit has no use. GET RID OF IT!
Jul 29, 2016 - 11:08PM
Vvvergeer

Eh. I disagree. On all counts. Griffey still wouldn't've been unanimous because there are still a few voters who think if the Babe wasn't unanimous, no one should be. And I like the 10 vote limit. I'm not feeling like there are bunch guys being left out of the hall nowadays. I like that it's tough. And I don't think there are too many years when there are 10 guys who deserve it. I wish more overlooked old timers would get in, though.


Edited on: Dec 9, 2019 - 10:27AM

Mar 12, 2017 - 7:10AM
Sportzcommish

Aargh! Willie Mays does not look good in a Mets uniform! Of course, I never saw him as part of the New York Giants, so there goes my purist point of view.

Also, neither Craig Biggio nor Nolan Ryan are the first Astros inducted in the Hall of Fame. It's Robin Roberts! Mere technicalities.

Mar 12, 2017 - 10:28AM
C2Cigars

Depends on how you look at it. Robin Roberts did play (23 games) for the Astros during his career but was inducted as a Philly. The first Astro inducted as an Astro was Biggio.

Apr 27, 2017 - 12:26PM
Joeyd011

Just revisited your list.  Yesterday, I almost pulled the trigger on the '57 Campanella, and listened to an interview from 1989 with him that is currently on YouTube to learn a little more about him from his own point of view.  Right now, it's between the '57 Topps Campanella, or the more expensive '53 Topps.....I think you've chosen the right card, that's how baseball fans would want to remember him.

Apr 27, 2017 - 2:19PM
Vvvergeer

Thanks, Joeyd.

I didn't actually mean to have this list featured again. I was just looking at my other lists and realized this one was closed, so I opened it. Anyway, I do love the '53 Topps. Go with that, if you can afford it.

v3

Dec 11, 2017 - 2:59PM
EbeSPN

Topps Traded did a card for Jack Morris with the Indians in 1994, with the smaller series and strike there was no 1995 Topps retirement base set card. Collector's Choice did a nice 1997 Tribute card for Trammell with full career stats. Glad both made the Hall of Fame, Ted Simmons was one vote short of making this list, not sure when his last card is. 

Dec 11, 2017 - 6:02PM
Vvvergeer

Thanks. Yeah, that’s why I stuck to base sets. First, I don’t collect traded or updates, etc. Second, if I went outside of base sets, I’d drive myself crazy. There are enough judgment calls as it is. 

Feb 8, 2018 - 11:51AM
RoundtheDiamond87

Maybe it's described somewhere in the comments above, but how do you determine the order of cards for players inducted in the same year?  Jack Morris vs. Alan Trammell (?).  Jones vs. Guerrero vs. Thome vs. Hoffman (% of ballot?)

Feb 8, 2018 - 12:58PM
Vvvergeer

Pretty random. 

Dec 10, 2018 - 5:49PM
stevejrogers

You mentioned the “arm around the shoulder” scene from 42 with Pee Wee and Jackie.  I’m pretty sure that scene in the movie lasted longer than a statue depicting the moment has been standing outside the Brooklyn Cyclones’ (Mets Single A Short Season minors) home stadium! ;)

OE: Info on said statue that was unveiled back in 2005

http://www.offbeat.group.shef.ac.uk/statues/STUS_Reese_Robinson.htm


Edited on: Dec 10, 2018 - 8:25PM

Dec 10, 2018 - 6:04PM
stevejrogers

Fergie and Harmon would qualify for “right team, wrong uni!” In terms of players who you picture in either earlier, or later (i.e. Frank Thomas pre White Sox monochrome and pinstripes) day uni styles.

Hmmm, maybe I should do that as a list 🤔😉

Dec 10, 2018 - 10:24PM
switzr1

Have you taken the time to figure which sets AREN'T represented?  Without looking again, I don't remember a 1952.  Obviously the newest years aren't.  I wonder which in-between years have no cards, and if their sets might have a borderline guy who gets in eventually. 

Dec 10, 2018 - 11:28PM
Vvvergeer

Switz, 

Nope. No discretion and no projections. I see who gets into the Hall and I find their last Topps base card. 

I’d love it if some older dudes got in, so I could hunt their cards and see those cards stand out among their modern counterparts on my display of these. The 1972 Ron Santo is as close as I get. But maybe Gil Hodges will get in or Maury Wills. Don’t know if there are any (almost) greats whose last card is a 1952. 


Edited on: Jan 29, 2021 - 10:00AM

Dec 11, 2018 - 10:28AM
Handsome Wes

Great list, BTW.  You inspired me to do the same - I had quite the time on eBay tracking some of these down...  I still remember fist-pumping when I had a seller accept my offer for the '53 Satchel Paige - that one completed my collection.  Plus...  It's Satchel Paige!

(FWIW, that 1951 Topps Bobby Doerr is not an easy find!)

Looking forward to adding to the album my '14 Halladay & Mariano, and the '04 E-Martinez in a few weeks.....

Dec 11, 2018 - 10:41AM
Handsome Wes

Also, for the poster above (Switz), in my quick run through I have zero cards representing:
1952 / 1954
1960 / 1961
1970 / 1978
1981
1991 / 1992

I can also see 2013 being vacant for awhile - my back-of-the-book scan has Andruw Jones as the biggest name whose card run ended there.

Jan 11, 2019 - 10:48AM
CardFan

Love this concept, I am trying to get all the cards listed.  I think Rich Gossage's last card is actually #215 from the 1992 topps set.  I stumbled upon it when I was going though my collection to see what cards I already have.

Jan 12, 2019 - 4:05PM
darthquiverous

Great read. Gives me great ideas. Red Sox and Cubs are my favorite teams. Love your comments. Born in 83 collecting most of my life. My cards are mostly late 70s to late 80s. Back home I have boxes of ones from the 90s. 

Jan 22, 2019 - 9:26PM
stevejrogers

Find it a bit charming that there is a "never played for them" card in here with Alomar as a Spring Training Devil Ray.  He was released before camp broke, and that was it for Alomar's career.

Jan 22, 2019 - 9:55PM
Slugboy

Thank you so much for doing this list.  I love it and I love that you immediately update it.  I agree with nearly everything you post about each player.  A job well done and certainly a worthwhile collection to be had.  Definitely a fun binder to build.

Jan 22, 2019 - 10:50PM
rmpaq5

Sorry---Halladay is a Jay, not a Phillie.

Jan 22, 2019 - 11:01PM
Vvvergeer

Halladay is a Jay and a Phillie. I’m not saying him being a Phillie on his last card means he was more Phillie than Jay. I’m just saying that Halladay had a long and storied career as Phillie, so I have no problem with his last card being in that uniform. Not like Alomar as a Ray...

Jan 29, 2021 - 9:54AM
Godzilla8you

Thanks for making this list.  Great idea and I really like your commentary.

Aug 26, 2021 - 9:51AM
mkb

I really enjoy this list a lot. It's so cool!

Dec 16, 2021 - 8:40PM
Handsome Wes

Thanks (again) for this invaluable resource.  I always look forward to checking back here whenever there is a new inductee.

 

two questions:  you mention a display shelf.  If you don't mind me asking, do you have a specific shelf that you like (and where did you get it?)

also...  what are we collectors going to do when Fanatics takes over the baseball card market???

Jan 26, 2022 - 10:37AM
DarkSide830

Okay, so here me out - would Wladimir Balentien's 2021 Topps NPB card be eligible for this list once he makes the NPB Hall seeing as it is an NPB issue?

Mar 4, 2022 - 10:32PM
schwitz

Loved looking at this list. Thanks for your stories!

Jun 20, 2023 - 4:06PM
SPORTZES

I had heard of this idea and I love it. For those of us that could not begin to assemble rookie card collection of HOFs, it is a great idea along with being able to check their career stats. Maybe consider the 1976 All Time Great cards for Ruth, Cobb, Hornsby, etc... their lifetime stats are all there.



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