1988 Topps

We've got a new jingle!

If you want to win, here's what they say: Just start Rick Mahler on Opening Day

Card 706 on Beckett -

https://marketplace.beckett.com/gamesandcards_87/item/1988-topps-tiffany-706-rick-mahler_30276986

Rick on Opening Day - https://www.si.com/mlb/braves/news/rick-mahler-thrived-on-opening-day-for-the-braves

Rick in Santurce -

https://beisbol101.com/rick-camp-and-rick-mahler-santurce-crabbers-imports-and-atlanta-braves-teammates-part-i/ 

Hall of Fame Card Corner -  ​​https://baseballhall.org/discover/cardcorner-1982-donruss-rick-mahler

Rick’s Obituary - https://www.gainesville.com/story/news/2005/03/03/rick-mahler-dies-at-51/31685396007/

Meet Flan, the coolest guy in the set.

SABR Bio by Bob Webster - ⁠https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/Tim-Flannery/⁠ 

Card 513 on Beckett - https://marketplace.beckett.com/gamesandcards_87/item/1988-topps-513-tim-flannery_30570624

88 Topps Blog - https://88topps.blogspot.com/2008/06/513-tim-flannery.html

Flannery in 1984 NLCS - ⁠https://youtu.be/H5qOcuKn4oU?si=iOUFTnOhYlgeXg_d⁠ 

1988 Fleer Surfboard card - ⁠https://baseballdimebox.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-gems-of-junk-wax-pt-51-1988-fleer.html⁠

Flannery as the Mascot - ⁠https://www.mlb.com/news/tim-flannery-gets-ejected-dresses-as-mascot⁠ 

Flannery sends Pagan home - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SjFx0h-v5M 

Bochy and Flannery, The Odd Couple - https://youtu.be/fqEQUOmcvo0?si=hXRIjugeOvGXU5Hk 

NY Times story about Tim - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/14/sports/baseball/tim-flannery-lunatic-fringe.html 

Waiting on a Miracle - https://youtu.be/ZDzwdbcDM14?si=7MjO4B3o2b3bqjAU 

The Eyes of Texas were upon him... and Steve Goodman thought he should keep his eyes on the ball.

Card 416 on Beckett -

https://marketplace.beckett.com/cardgallery_900/item/1988-topps-tiffany-416-keith-moreland_52217595

Card 72T on ebay - https://www.ebay.com/itm/256599166743?chn=ps&mkevt=1&mkcid=28&google_free_listing_action=view_item&srsltid=AfmBOorX-wMs_y7VE54PdANUHAJtW5heoqxpLVAZqPyt4M3gHYLi7WkzXpE

Brian Dayett’s RIP Baseball Obit - https://ripbaseball.com/2025/09/19/obituary-brian-dayett-1957-2025/ 

Baseball Hall of Fame Card Corner - https://baseballhall.org/discover/card-corner/1981-donruss-keith-moreland

1975 Keith Moreland photo - https://www.facebook.com/bruce.weirauch/photos/keith-moreland-1975/10226878910590919/ 

Keith has a health scare - https://www.kvue.com/article/sports/ncaa/longhorns/ut-baseballs-keith-moreland-shares-his-story-of-survival/269-56a334e1-2c57-4197-ba7a-95d307ce41d8 

Keith in the Longhorn Hall of Honor - https://texaslonghorns.com/honors/hall-of-honor/keith-moreland/724 

Keith drives in a run in the World Series - https://youtu.be/oU687r6KCIs?si=4DJ8l_KVuvP_TVAN&t=10346 

Keith charges Ed Lynch - https://youtu.be/txJl8Gr38Ks?si=RAVIthN6A-nFWqCf&t=4222 

Keith does a Drug PSA - https://youtu.be/8lJDoEjTb-0?si=5QTSiX2W39hJOm8q 

Steve Goodman’s A Dying Cubs Fan’s Last Request - https://youtu.be/7xBxZGQ1dJk?si=mukizA86X6UlytPz 

Clutch hitting defined: this guy hit two home runs the night he was supposed to be laid off, saving his job and probably 10 more years of solid Quad-A ball.

Card 136 on Beckett - https://marketplace.beckett.com/cardgallery_900/item/1988-topps-tiffany-136-brian-dayett_52217315
Newsweek Obit - https://www.newsweek.com/sports/mlb/former-yankees-cubs-outfielder-passes-away-2126503

MILB interview with Brian - https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-17914562 

Brian hits a double -  https://youtu.be/atkHXEDH73o?si=HMFczPED3HuE0L8u 

Brian hits a grand slam - https://youtu.be/TFnSF7ZcoQY?si=job7EfZ2m-v_rHCU 

Brian’s Obituary - https://www.watsonfhtn.com/obituaries/Brian-Kelly-Dayett?obId=45239942

Charlene Kuzma’s Obituary - https://www.heritageofandover.com/obituary/charlene-kuzma

Counterintuitively, when Rod Carew says your pitching is "Little League Slop," it probably means you are doing something right.

Card 725 on Beckett -

https://marketplace.beckett.com/ziggys_672/item/1988-topps-725-mike-boddicker_32570532

SABR Bio by Bill Johnson https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/Mike-Boddicker/ 

SABR Game story about Boddicker’s World Series win - https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/october-12-1983-orioles-knot-world-series-on-mike-boddickers-gem/ 

Baseball Prospectus interview - https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article/9805/prospectus-qa-mike-boddicker/ 

Hawkeye Hall of Fame - https://hawkeyesports.com/hof/class-of-2024/mike-boddiker 

Baseball Hall of Fame Card Corner - https://baseballhall.org/discover/cardcorner-1984-donruss-mike-boddicker 

Boddicker ends 1983 ALCS Game 2 - https://youtu.be/IlOOwoaiNYQ?si=imlQaGVxXLDkdg4_&t=7947 

Boddicker Ks Schmidt to end World Series Game 2 - https://youtu.be/YbBzLXq4MEY?si=gW8ct02IHtEmmNOP&t=9945

This controversial pitcher closed off opportunities for women umpires for decades by opening his big mouth.

Card 151 on Beckett - https://marketplace.beckett.com/baseballcardconnection_794/item/1988-topps-151-bob-knepper_34326495

SABR Bio by David E. Skelton - https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/bob-knepper/

Hall of Fame Card Corner - https://baseballhall.org/discover/card-corner/1989-topps-bob-knepper

Where did all the Bobs go? -

https://www.mlb.com/cut4/where-did-all-the-bobs-in-baseball-go-c301633434

"Careless and Insensitive" -

https://www.upi.com/Archives/1988/06/18/Houston-Astros-pitcher-Bob-Knepper-who-called-the-National/7331582609600/

Knepper apologizes -

https://www.efootage.com/videos/108045/knepper-statement-sexist-comments

Bob in the SI Vault -

https://vault.si.com/vault/1988/06/20/some-say-no-leica-astro-lefty-bob-knepper-has-a-decidedly-controversial-focus-on-the-world-but-his-pitching-this-year-is-right-on-target

https://tht.fangraphs.com/tht-live/25th-anniversary-pitcher-misses-perfecto-in-debut-by-one-pitch/

Article about Female Umpires - https://baseballhall.org/discover-more/stories/baseball-history/woman-in-blue

Jeff from Two Strike Noise joins David for a Giants game and a pack of legends.

Two Strike Noise - https://twostrikenoise.podbean.com

A card so great, we just had to sing about it.

Card 102T on Beckett - 

⁠https://marketplace.beckett.com/threestarssportscards_925/item/1988-topps-traded-102t-nelson-santovenia_67275693⁠

Kenny Williams and Jerry Krause -  https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/how-jerry-krause-before-he-built-a-dynasty-with-michael-jordan-was-shaped-by-his-time-in-baseball/ 

Nelson and Bill and Ted - https://ultimateclassicrock.com/nelson-bill-and-ted/ 

Miami Hidden Ball Trick - ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j45ztPQ6i2I⁠ 

Article about the Grand Illusion - ⁠https://miamihurricanes.com/news/2007/04/13/205542924-2/⁠ 

Canadian Baseball Network (behind paywall) - https://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/2015/5/7/santovenia-hopes-to-make-mo-town 

Nelson's Coaching Bio

https://mdcathletics.com/information/directory/bios/Nelson_Santobenia

If there are three true outcomes in baseball, this Mariners bomber had two of them (the HRs and Ks) nailed.

Inside: Everything you ever wanted to know about the 2005 World Series-winning Chicago White Sox. RIP Bobby Jenks

Card 559 on Beckett

https://marketplace.beckett.com/baseballcardconnection_794/item/1988-topps-559-ken-williams-rc_34326910

1988 Topps in Sports Illustrated

https://www.si.com/collectibles/the-five-essential-baseball-cards-of-1988-topps

Leadbelly in Lincoln, NE

https://getleaded.com/

SABR Bio by Bill Pruden

https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/ken-williams/

SABR Bio of the other Ken Williams by Joseph Wancho with poem

https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/ken-williams-2/

Base path antics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SInxwZTZp8&t=1s

2005 ALCS dropped third strike?

https://youtu.be/9Tn5CQ9vyYQ?si=fRkkNbwQcxAPRkgi

Williams on race and racism in America in 2020

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U9nJ7S9KeI