The 1985 Topps baseball card set was the 54th series produced by the Topps Company. The checklist featured 762 total cards including 54 rookie cards and 22 managers/coaches cards. Unlike previous years that featured team-specific cards in the 700 range, the 1985 set returned to a full player/manager/coach checklist and closed out with Nolan Ryan’s card #762.
Some key details and notable cards from the 1985 Topps baseball set:
The design featured a contemporary style with player photos on a white background and team logos appearing in the bottom corners. Statistics were featured on the reverse.
Rookies included future Hall of Famers Barry Larkin (#144), Tom Glavine (#215), and Dave Stewart (#378). Other key rookies were Will Clark (#256), Andy Van Slyke (#433), and Mark McGwire (#452).
Nolan Ryan’s famous card #762 highlighted his pursuit of Walter Johnson’s career strikeout record. He needed just 11 more Ks to break it heading into the 1985 season.
Don Mattingly’s card #1 emphasized his All-Star 1984 season where he hit .343 with 35 home runs and 145 RBIs to win American League MVP honors.
Rickey Henderson’s card #98 featured one of the more popular visuals from the set with his dramatic leadoff stance and bat barely touching his shoulder. He would steal 100+ bases in 1985.
Wade Boggs card #144 showed his batting stance and highlighted his consistency, having hit over .300 in each of his first 4 big league seasons.
Rookie sensation Fernando Valenzuela’s (#234) 1984 dominance was highlighted on his card after winning Rookie of the Year and the NL Cy Young Award.
George Brett’s (#248) card talked about his quest to become the career hits leader for the Kansas City Royals franchise. He needed just 33 more hits to break Frank White’s team record.
Pete Rose’s (#508) card discussing his pursuit of Ty Cobb’s all-time hits record was a fitting inclusion, as he was just 200 hits shy of breaking the record heading into 1985.
Ozzie Smith’s (#547) defensive wizardry was the focus of his card after he won the first of his 13 consecutive Gold Glove Awards at shortstop in 1984.
Managers/coaches included iconic names like Earl Weaver (#722), Dick Williams (#723), and Tom Lasorda (#724) in their final seasons in baseball.
Outside of the base set, the 1985 Topps set also included:
Traded set – 50 cards featuring players that switched teams in the offseason
Record Breakers supplemental set – 22 oversized cards highlighting career milestones
All-Star cards – 21 cards of 1984 AL and NL All-Star teams
Postseason highlights cards – 9 cards commemorating the 1984 postseason
The 1985 Topps baseball card checklist captured another period of transition and chase for history within the game. Featuring rookies, veterans, and milestone chasers, it provided a thorough snapshot of the 1984-1985 baseball seasons through visuals and brief write-ups on each player. The set remains a popular and historically significant release that baseball card collectors continue to hunt for to this day.
