The 1972 Topps baseball card set was issued by Topps during the 1972 baseball season. The complete set contains 792 cards and was the first Topps set to break the 700 card mark. One of the most fascinating aspects of the 1972 Topps set is the extensive database that card collectors and researchers have compiled containing information and statistics on each player and card in the set.
This 1972 Topps database tracks key details like individual player statistics from the 1971 season that would have been known when the cards were designed and produced in late 1971/early 1972. It also documents information printed directly on the cards such as positions played, batting and pitching stats, rookie or star status. Beyond the basics, the extensive research done on the 1972 set over the decades has uncovered many interesting facts and anomalies within the numbered statistics.
One example is the case of pitcher Diego Segui, who is listed on his 1972 Topps card as having an ERA of 2.70. Researchers know that his actual ERA for the 1971 season was 2.79, meaning Topps printed an incorrect stat. In another case, reliever Jack Aker’s win-loss record is listed as 6-6 on his card but he actually finished 1971 at 7-6. Minor errors and discrepancies like this scattered among the hundreds of player stats provide a real curiosity for those obsessively scrutinizing the 1972 database.
In addition to statistics, other key details tracked in the database include photo variations, errors, omissions, stage of career, and tragic eventualities like premature death. The 1972 set is also known for featuring rookie cards of future Hall of Famers like George Brett, Dave Parker, Tommy John, Rich Gossage, Paul Molitor and #1 overall draft pick David Clyde. Tracking which cards depicted a player’s rookie season versus a photo from a later year offers important context.
For example, researcher have discovered that Reds’ second baseman Joe Morgan’s 1972 Topps card shows him with the Houston Astros, even though it was issued after he was traded to the Reds in November 1971. The database also notes how Morgan’s rookie season was actually 1965, but he didn’t receive a true rookie card until his appearance in the 1968 Fleer and Topps sets. Cataloging details like this uncovers interesting facts beyond just statistics.
The 1972 database is also enhanced by the inclusion of information about errors, omissions and anomalies in the production process that year. A notable error saw Joe Torre’s first name mistakenly spelled “Jerry” on his Cardinals manager card. Rangers prospects Mike Hargrove and Bert Blyleven were accidentally left out of the set entirely despite making their MLB debuts in 1971. Documenting production errors or player exclusions from the issued checklist adds another layer of intrigue.
Another area tracked extensively in the 1972 Topps database is the countless variations that existed in the photo and design process that year. For example, researchers have identified at least 7 different photo variations of Johnny Bench’s card alone. Even more have been cataloged for other players across the set. Noting photo or design changes between early and late print runs deepens understanding of the manufacturing intricacies behind the scenes.
As with any vintage sports card set, the 1972 edition also memorializes players who passed away long before their time. Sadly, the database has expanded over the decades to include notes about players like Duane Josephson and Tom Burgmeier, who both had promising careers cut short by tragic accidents in the early 1970s. Their inclusion in the set takes on extra historical significance in light of their untimely deaths.
The incredible depth of detailed information chronicled about each player and card within the 1972 Topps baseball set over the past 50 years represents an incredibly comprehensive undertaking. It allows for a richer appreciation of the statistical context behind the cards at the time of issue as well as the many anomalies, variations and unique stories that enhance our understanding of the set and memorialization of players from that era. No other vintage release has perhaps had its history, nuances and footnotes documented as thoroughly as the 1972 edition.
