The 1989 Topps baseball card set was a transition year for Topps as the company continued moving away from the large photo sizes that dominated the 1980s. Like 1988, the 1989 Topps design featured smaller player photos, but the backgrounds were now white instead of a team logo. The set contained 762 cards and was the first Topps issue since 1971 without a Traded or Update series.
The 1989 rookie class would end up being one of the best in baseball history. Future Hall of Famers Ken Griffey Jr. and Gregg Maddux had their rookie cards in the set. Other notable rookies included Barry Larkin, Mark Grace, Greg Vaughn, and Randy Johnson. Griffey’s rookie is arguably the most iconic and desirable card of the 1980s. The excitement surrounding his debut led Topps to put him on the very first card in the set.
The photos in the 1989 Topps set varied greatly in quality. While some shots had clear close-ups of the players, others had odd crop jobs that cut off heads or limbs. This was likely due to the smaller sizes Topps had adopted. Backgrounds were now plain white instead of team logos like in past years. The border designs were also simpler after years of ornate graphics in the 1980s. Card stock was thicker than 1988 and had a glossy finish.
A few key cards stand out from the 1989 Topps issue. Steve Carlton’s final career card is #60. Carlton announced his retirement after the 1988 season at the age of 43. His card acknowledges his 329 career wins, a record for left-handed pitchers at the time. #226 features Nolan Ryan, who was still throwing heat at age 42 for the Texas Rangers. He would pitch two more seasons before retiring with a record 7 no-hitters. Card #329 honors the 50th anniversary of the New York Yankees dynasty, an iconic franchise in baseball history.
The checklist is dominated by American League players since the AL won the 1988 All-Star Game. This meant the Boston Red Sox, Oakland A’s, Detroit Tigers, and Minnesota Twins were well-represented in the leading card numbers. Toronto Blue Jays rookie cards of Fred McGriff, Tony Fernandez, and Jimmy Key also appeared early in the set. Key Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, and Los Angeles Dodgers stars like Ryne Sandberg, Dwight Gooden, and Orel Hershiser had high numbers reflective of their NL squads.
Card collecting was at its peak in the late 1980s. The 1989 Topps release would have been found in nearly every pack of baseball cards sold that year. While the design transitioned away from the oversized photos of the past, the rookie class and talented veterans like Ryan and Carlton ensured this set remained a favorite for collectors even after the 1990s dawned. Prices have skyrocketed for the star rookies such as Griffey and Maddux in the decades since. The 1989 Topps baseball card set stands as one of the most iconic issues of the 1980s hobby boom era.
