The 1999 Topps baseball card set was the 58th year that Topps had produced baseball cards and collectors were excited to see what rookies and veterans would be featured in the new release. The 1990s had seen the rise of expensive collector sets from Upper Deck and Score that included premium inserts and autographs, but Topps remained the most popular brand for its affordability and large selection of players.
The set totaled 792 cards as was typical for Topps releases at the time. The design featured a white or black border around each photo with the team name and player stats printed at the bottom. Topps used the same simplistic design for many years as it was familiar to collectors but some criticized it for lacking creativity compared to competitor brands. The card stock was relatively thin which caused durability issues over time, but collectors appreciated how inexpensive it made the entire set to complete.
Some notable rookies featured in the 1999 Topps set included Ramon Ortiz of the Anaheim Angels, Ron Mahay of the Kansas City Royals, and Carl Crawford of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Ortiz and Mahay went on to have decent major league careers as starters and relievers while Crawford became a perennial all-star and won the Gold Glove award several times in the outfield for the Tampa Bay Rays. Also included were rookie cards for Mark Kotsay of the Florida Marlins and Josh Fogg of the Colorado Rockies who both had solid careers as role players.
The big name veterans that collectors sought after included Ken Griffey Jr. of the Cincinnati Reds, who was chasing the all-time home run record at the time, as well as Chicago Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa who was in a heated home run battle with Griffey all season long. Mike Piazza’s card as the new catcher for the New York Mets was popular since he was still producing like an all-star despite some injury problems the previous couple seasons. Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken Jr. and his pursuit of Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games played record also generated excitement for collectors as his career neared its end.
In addition to the base set, Topps produced several insert sets similar to previous years. The Topps Gold Label parallels featured foil stamping and serial numbering on the front. The Topps Heroes subset highlighted significant milestones and records from baseball history. The Topps Traded set was the update issue released mid-season that included players traded to new teams or called up from the minors since the original release date in spring training. An autograph card insert called “Topps Triple Threads” featured tri-material swatches of fabric, memorabilia, and autographs of some of the game’s biggest stars. These inserts provided collectors optional chase categories beyond just completing the base 792 card set.
When the 1999 season began, the home run chase between Sammy Sosa and Ken Griffey Jr. was one of the most exciting storylines. Both players were on pace to beat Roger Maris’ single season record of 61 home runs and receiving heavy media coverage. Though Sosa ultimately finished ahead of Griffey that year with 66 dingers, their prolonged back-and-forth battle helped bring new interest and collectors to the sport of baseball cards as fans followed all their monster shots. Rookies Orlando Hernandez, Matt Clement, and Bud Smith also made their Topps debuts and looked to make an impact after coming up through their team’s farm systems.
In terms of team highlights reflected on the cards, the New York Yankees were defending World Series champions behind homegrown stars Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, and Andy Pettitte. The Atlanta Braves were still a perennial contender led by future Hall of Famers Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz. The Cubs and Mets dreamed of postseason glory for their longtime suffering fans. The upstart Diamondbacks began their existence in Arizona under manager Buck Showalter and general manager Joe Garagiola Jr. Hints of dynasties were seen for the Red Sox and Cardinals while the Indians, Marlins, and Reds hoped to challenge in their divisions as well.
When collectors began opening packs of the 1999 Topps baseball cards, they saw the stars and teams that defined that season frozen in time. Though Griffey vs. Sosa ended up being the main story, young talent like Crawford, Kotsay, and Clement also signaled a changing of the guard. Veterans like Ripken waving goodbye made collectors appreciate great careers coming to an end. Between the rookies, updates, parallels and inserts – there was something in the 1999 Topps set for fans both casual and die-hard. Its affordable price point ensured the cards reached the hands of many, preserving that magic summer for future generations to experience whenever they shuffle through the well-loved cards.
