Night Owl Cards

  I made the inaccurate statement the other day that the forgotten Billy Wynne received just two Topps cards in his career and both of them were high numbers. But actually just one of them was a high number. His 1970 Topps card is a "semi-high number" at card No. 618, according to most set checklists. I suppose that doesn't make a difference to some of you, but if you're collecting a set that involves high numbers, it definitely makes a difference. The 1970 Topps high numbers start at No. 634 and Wynne is just 16 cards away from being studied, memorized and having his mug shot posted on every set-collectors' wanted wall. Wynne's appearance made me wonder if there were any players whose cards showed up only in the high numbers, which was a yearly part of Topps sets between 1952-73, with a few exceptions. But obviously Wynne is not eligible now. And as I studied the high numbers my wondering changed to "who has the MOST cards in the high numbers?" I c...

This is not a 1967 Topps high number. Nope, it's just Terry Francona's dad at card No. 443, creased four ways to Sunday by some demented kid on the playground 50 years ago. And this is exactly the point. I haven't accumulated many '67 high numbers and even the '67s that aren't highs arrive in need of a shave, shower and place to sleep for the night. I continue to say I'm attempting to complete the 1967 Topps set. But I still don't believe I'm doing it. It seems like a dead end. Unrealistic. Totally impractical. I know there are other card chases much more quixotic than trying to finish the '67 set, but I often ignore card chases that I know will be exceedingly difficult. Yet, I'm doing THIS . Just the other day a very impressive collector reminded me of exactly how impossible this set chase is. He often displays on Twitter a "carpet o' cards" and his carpet the other day was the 1967 high number series, cards 534-609. ...

I am in the final stages of completing the 1973 Topps baseball set. In fact, if I do a little fudging, I've basically completed it. -- No, I don't have all of the cards in hand. The Cleon Jones, Joe Niekro, Leo Durocher and Yankees team cards are on their way. So is the elusive final checklist card, ol' number 588. But more on that later. -- No, I haven't acquired an extra Walter Alston card (a high number) or an extra Mike Schmidt rookie (Ron Cey's second-year card). Both reside in my Dodger card binders and I'll consider the '73 set complete even without the two extras, although I do intend on getting both at some point. -- No, I haven't grabbed all the non-numbered team checklists. I still have the Red Sox, Indians, Twins and Padres to go. I'll get them, but I'm not going to delay my announcement of completing the set for them. -- No, I haven't bothered with the manager variation cards or the team checklists with extra stars o...