The 1986 Topps baseball card #64T features pitcher Tim Leary of the New York Mets. The 1986 season was Leary’s second full season in the major leagues after making his debut with the Mets in 1985. Let’s take a deeper look at Leary’s career up to 1986 and what this particular baseball card represents.
Timothy James Leary was born on December 27, 1960 in Worcester, Massachusetts. He attended St. John’s High School in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts and the University of Arkansas, where he played college baseball for the Razorbacks from 1979-1981. The Mets selected Leary in the 2nd round of the 1981 MLB Draft. He made his professional debut that season pitching for the Little Falls Mets of the New York-Penn League.
Leary rose through the Mets farm system over the next few seasons, pitching for the Jackson Mets in 1982 and Tidewater Tides in 1983 and 1984. In 1985, he made his MLB debut with the Mets on September 3rd. He would appear in 7 games out of the bullpen that season, posting a 3.00 ERA. Leary showed promise with his mid-90s fastball and slider combination.
Entering the 1986 season, Leary competed for a spot in the Mets starting rotation. He made the team and was slated as the #4 starter behind Dwight Gooden, Ron Darling, and Sid Fernandez. His 1986 Topps card captures Leary at this point in his career, as an up-and-coming starting pitcher looking to build on his success from 1985.
The photo on the card shows Leary in the Mets home pinstripes, staring intensely with his hat pulled low over his eyes. In the background is the familiar Topps blue design. The card details provide stats from 1985 and identifies Leary as a left-handed pitcher listed at 6’3″ and 195 lbs. It’s a simple but effective visual representation of Leary and his role with the Mets at that time.
In 1986, Leary enjoyed a breakout season as a full-time starter for the Mets. In 31 starts and 175.1 innings pitched, he went 13-7 with a 3.19 ERA and 119 strikeouts. He finished 6th in voting for the National League Rookie of the Year award. Leary helped lead the Mets to a World Series appearance, where they fell to the Boston Red Sox. His performance that year increased his value and solidified his place in the Mets rotation.
The 1986 season was the pinnacle of Leary’s career. Arm injuries would plague him over the next few years. He struggled in 1987 with a 10-13 record and 4.80 ERA in 31 games started. In 1988, he underwent shoulder surgery and missed the entire season rehabbing. Leary returned in 1989 but was never the same dominant pitcher. He bounced around with the Mets, Cubs, and Expos over the next few seasons before retiring in 1992.
In summary, Tim Leary’s 1986 Topps baseball card captures a pivotal moment in his career. It represents his breakout season as a full-time starter and all-star caliber pitcher for the Mets. While injuries later derailed his career, that 1986 campaign proved Leary was capable of being an impact arm for New York. The card stands as a reminder of Leary’s potential and what could have been. For Mets fans of that era, it takes them back to a time when Leary was one of the brightest young stars on a team destined for greatness.
