1983 Topps

1983 Topps was the very first pack that I opened, way back in 1983. I have a soft spot for the set. I loved everything about this set, from the two different pictures on the front to the Super Veterans. It captured my interest. I might have dismissed the entire first pack and gone my entire existence without opening another pack, if it weren't for one card.

Alfredo Griffin.

That one card, which is now lost to the evil monkey living in my closet, changed my entire childhood. That one play captured on cardboard catapulted me into a world of baseball cards. A world that I cannot escape.

It's been a strange journey from that Alfredo Griffin card. I couldn't stop collecting from that moment until sometime after the 1987 season. I collected everything. Every team, every player, every card. Now, those foolish days are behind me. I only collect one team and a couple of players from my childhood. But this was the set that started it all.

In my opinion, this is one of the best looking sets of the eighties. Everything seems bright and in balance. It strikes the right balance of geometric shapes and photographs, without seeming too overwhelming. Many releases would try to imitate this set, but none have come close to capturing the same kind of magic.

There are 29 cards featuring White Sox players.

20 - Carlton Fisk
46 - Richard Dotson
72 - Tom Paciorek
98 - Vance Law
124 - Marc Hill
153 - Jerry Koosman
177 - Harold Baines
216 - Tony LaRussa MG
260 - Steve Kemp
278 - Kevin Hickey
310 - Greg Luzinski
362 - Bill Almon
393 - Carlton Fisk AS
409 - Marvis Foley
434 - Dennis Lamp
461 - Steve Trout
487 - Jerry Hairston
514 - Rudy Law
541 - Britt Burns
560 - Ron LeFlore
591 - White Sox TL Greg Luzinski & LaMarr Hoyt
618 - LaMarr Hoyt
669 - Mike Squires
693 - Sparky Lyle
694 - Sparky Lyle SV
698 - Tony Bernazard
705 - LaMarr Hoyt (Steve Carlton) LL
758 - Aurelio Rodriguez
772 - Jim Kern

With a pleasing design and bright, crisp photographs and colors, this set is a winner. This was part of the mid eighties Topps releases where special subsets felt special. They were part of the actual set. This was before intentional short prints and insert cards. It was a simpler time and a better product. I'll take this set over this year's Topps set any day of the week.