1988 Topps

This All-Star Rookie had his life saved by a call to the pen, er, apartment.

Card 229 on Beckett

https://marketplace.beckett.com/item/1036/1988-topps-229-jeff-musselman_44463551

SABR Bio by Malcolm Allen

https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/jeff-musselman/

Jeff at Harvard talking about sobriety

https://www.thecrimson.com/article/1993/11/2/come-back-to-life-sobriety-and/

The Fall of '87

https://garejoyce2022.substack.com/p/the-fall-of-87-and-the-fail-of-2017

M.U.S.C.L.E.

http://blog.uofmuscle.com/34574/what-is-a-muscle-figure/

The Jersey Devil

https://pinelandsalliance...

This Stanford grad from Montana had one good season on the mound in Baltimore -- then had a change of plans after a snowy night in Idaho.

Card 782 on eBay

https://www.ebay.com/itm/156065903677

Watch the Diamond King now! https://www.thediamondkingmovie.com/ 

Listen to Cement City about Donora, PA - https://www.cementcity.org/ 

SABR Bio by Malcolm Allen - https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/jeff-ballard/ 

Ballard in Montana - https://www.montanaseniornews.com/jeff-ballard/

Ballard’s double ball found - https://www.forbe...

The third-best baseball player of all time born in Donora, PA.

* Card 443 on Beckett

* SABR Bio by Charles F. Faber

* Braves at Mets, Apr. 11, 1987

* Donora Smog Disaster

* Grandma's Reds Scorebook Griffey entries

*Reds 1976 All-Star Game highlights

* Griffey wins the 1980 ASG MVP

* Father-Son back to back jacks

* Ken and Buddy

* Stan and Ken and Donora, PA

Although the 1987 rookie season for "Benz" was a good one, there is no proof that he was the inspiration for the 1988 No. 1 hit "Mercedes Boy" by Pebbles.

* Card 96 on Beckett

* Sabr Bio by Bill Nowlin

* Catching up with ⁠Benz

* Todd Benzinger 1987 Highlight video

* Benzinger hits a big homer in 1988

* Todd catches the final out of 1990 World Series

Legendary artist Dick Perez and filmmaker Marq Evans join the pod to talk about their new movie "The Diamond King" along with Dick's favorite Donruss Diamond King card, the 1995 Chili Davis.

* Card 15 on Beckett

* Card 32T on Beckett

* Watch The Diamond King, opening April 25, 2025!

* Diamond King trailer

* SABR Bio by Rory Costello

* Chili signs with the Angels in 1987

* 1991 World Series Homer

* JD Davis: "Chili is my Dog"

* Chili Bowl Mullet Man at the Video Store

True, Lloyd McClendon holds the all-time single series record for batting average and on-base percentage in a playoff series. But his Little League World Series performance makes that look like child's play.

Plus: MLB needs to stop caving to pathetic authoritarians who would like to paint over baseball history in a ugly shade of white.

* Card 220 on Beckett

* The story of Legendary Lloyd in SI

* Full video of the 1971 LLWS Final!

* Valpo Mag on Lloyd

* Indiana story on Lloyd

* Grandma's Scorebook: First Game, First Hit<...

A managerial rookie card! This Cuban national played every field position and was an All-Star in both leagues. Definitely not a bozo.

* Buy Me a Coffee, especially when we're sick

* Card #97T on Beckett

* SABR Bio by Peter Gordon

* The questionable hats

* Stathead Search: WAR 2B 1971-1973

* Gene Mauch talks about Cookie

* Cookie and His Cupcakes: Mathilda

* Cookie's 1972 All-Star Homer

* Cookie shoves an ump

This catcher and future manager was great on defense, but he really hit for power when tubers were on the line.

* Card 41 on Beckett

* Star Union Spirits

* SABR Bio by Malcolm Allen

* The State: $240 worth of pudding

* Nice catch, questionable announcing???

* Bob's childhood friends reflect

James from the "Remember That Guy" podcast joins to answer a simple question:

How good of a Guy can Guy be so he can be a "Guy" while not being too good to be a "Guy?"

* Card 496 on Beckett

* Remember That Guy

* Episode with David and Matt

* Mike Lange highlights

* Guy inducted into local Hall of Fame

* Joe Labek and his 40 K game

* 1980 Topps Guy Hoffman Future Star

* Grandma's Scorebook and Marilyn Monroe connection!

* Guy and Guyette numbers retired<...

It wasn't officially a *perfect* game, but it was still simply irresitible.

* Card 732 on Beckett

* Card 79T on Beckett

* SABR Bio by Norm King

* Palmer's Perfect* Game SABR Game Story

* 15 of 15 Cardinals outs of the game

* Dave Palmer Day!

* Braves/Mets Brawl

* Face Plant

In a discussion of famous people named "Buddy," your hosts somehow forgot the most famous Buddy of the 1980's, 1985 Chicago Bears Defensive Coordinator (and coach of some other teams) Buddy Ryan.

*Card 130 on eBay

*Card 13T on eBay

* SABR Bio byJoe Wancho

* Buddy Miles"Them Changes"

* Buddy Bell asks "What Would Gus Do"

* Carbo vs Bellscrappin'

*Hall of Fame Card Corner - 1986 Topps

*Levi Weaver case for Buddy in the Hall

* 3Bunderrepresentedin the Hall

* Stathead Search:1978-1984 Position Players...

Jeff Snider of Locked on Dodgers returns to the show to discuss his first favorite player growing up — a power hitter we're sure you'll go Head Over Heels for.

Author Marshall Garvey joins us to talk about this blue-collar reliever who changed baseball history with one flap of his butterfly wings. Check out the new book!

Interstate '85: The Royals, The Cardinals and the Show-Me World Series

This well-traveled reliever and pitching coach had a mustache fit for the OK Corral.

Rejected rhymes include finicky, panicky, and the slant rhyme monarchy.

MVP, All-Star, and Hall of Fame voters rarely gave Chet his due, but we here at the 1988 Topps Podcast bleed Lemon red.

Jeff from Two Strike Noise joins to talk about the coolest card in the 1998 Topps set.

This outfielder from the Bronx had a first career marred by injury, and a second one marred by terrorism.

The Beach Boys' original lyric, "I wish they all could be Quebecois girls" was rejected out of hand.

For a record five times in his career, this speedy outfielder was the only thing preventing his team from losing in a no-hitter.

"Valenzuelunacy" was first proposed, but just never had the right ring to it.

This outfielder stole a record 123 bases in a single season in the minors, but in the majors he had trouble getting up to speed.

Wear a life jacket.

This mild-mannered shortstop and World Series-winning coach was accidentally shot in the head by Robin Yount.

This defensive specialist made a successful return to home run hitting after 10+ years away from dingers. No word yet on how this may have inspired the return of Oasis.

In an alternate universe episode of Boy Meets World, Nails beats up Mr. Feeny and teaches Cory to dip.

It's Episode #200! Our show has finally crossed the Mendoza Line for Podcasts. Thank you for listening!

This crafty left-hander got schooled by Dr. J in college, but he won a Cy Young and a ring thanks to some Orioles Magic.

Adam Darowski of Sports Reference joins the show to discuss one of the most underrated outfielders of the 1980s.

Beware! The mascots of Jamestown, NY will become the mascots of your nightmares!

What present do you get for the Dad who seems to have everything? A contract rider for a sweet performing gig!

Both club soda and seltzer are types of water that are carbonated by injection, with club soda having some additional added salts like sodium chloride and disodium phosphate. Mineral water, however, is naturally carbonated and must contain 250 parts per million of dissolved solids from the source.

Unused puns from this episode:

Something's Gotta Give

Gottem

Winning an EGOT(T)

Caramel, chocolate and nouGott

There was a time when 50 homers in a season was a very big deal. That was the time of the very big Cecil Fielder.

This speedy outfielder went .750/.800/1.250 in a victorious World Series. Then, two years later, he laid an egg.

In 1986, the top player in terms of WAR in the National League was Mike Scott. #2 was Rick Rhoden. What?

This hard-throwing reliever was as comfortable at the free throw line as he was on the mound.

This veteran catcher never pulled a sword from a stone, but he did become Kansas City royalty.

Glenn brags. Mike is done. Randy is ready. Sam and Steve play the horn and sax. But none compare to the onomatopoeia of Lazorko!

During our summer schedule, please enjoy podcasts from friends of the show:

Two Strike Noise

Building the Ballot

Injured Athletes Club

SIS Baseball Podcast

This two-time World Series winner was the best sequel to a Terminator since Robert Patrick.

The descent of Eric Show from a talented pitcher and musician -- to hardcore addict -- to dead at age 37 is one of the saddest stories we've covered.