The 1989 Topps Big Baseball card set was one of the most highly anticipated releases of the year for collectors. The massive oversized cards stood out compared to standard issues and featured vibrant colorful photography to highlight the biggest stars in the game. Series 1 of the flagship ’89 Topps Big set was released early in the baseball card season, offering collectors their first chance to add these enlarged cards to their collections.
Spanning 330 cards total across 4 series, the debut Series 1 release numbered 88 cards focused primarily on highlighting recent top performers and MLB all-stars from the previous season of 1988. One of the more notable rookie cards was that of Fernando Valenzuela of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Though “Fernandomania” had started to cool off after his breakout season in 1981, he was still one of the league’s most popular pitchers. His large sized card provided plenty of real estate to showcase his unique pitching motion and distinctive smile.
Another rookie appearing was that of Lenny Dykstra of the New York Mets. Though he’d played parts of the previous two seasons, 1988 was his true breakout that saw him bat over .300 while stealing 39 bases. His speed and daring style on the bases translated well to the oversized Topps Big format. He went on to become one of the game’s more tenacious competitors known simply as “Nails”. Both the Valenzuela and Dykstra rookies would become important chase cards for collectors throughout the year as popularity in the players continued to grow.
Veteran superstars like Ozzie Smith, Reggie Jackson, and Tony Gwynn all received prestigious cards early in the Series 1 lineup showing them in their respective team uniforms. Gwynn’s card in particular stood out for highlighting his smooth left-handed swing against a brick backdrop at legendary Dodger Stadium. His sweet swing earned him the 1988 National League batting title with a sizzling .313 average. The large size Topps cards were perfectly suited to capturing the beauty of Gwynn’s stroke from multiple angles.
Some of the other top players receiving early cards in the ’89 Topps Big Series 1 checklists included Will Clark of the San Francisco Giants coming off an MVP caliber 1988, Don Mattingly of the Yankees in the midst of one of the game’s most prolific offensive stretches, and Milwaukee Brewers slugger Robin Yount who was in the midst of a Hall of Fame worthy career. Their cards featured eye-catching action photography showcasing why they were considered among the elite players in baseball at the time.
In addition to star players and rookies, Topps also made sure to include veteran managers on the checklist who were paving successful careers on the bench. Early entries went to Whitey Herzog of the St. Louis Cardinals, known for stringing together multiple pennant winners in the 1980s, and Tommy Lasorda of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who continued bringing comedy and passion to the dugout despite his advancing age.
The card design itself featured a classic vertical layout with the player’s name, team, and position prominently across the top. Bold black borders helped the photographs and colors really pop on the oversized stock. On the reverse, uniform stats from the previous season were shown along with a splash of color photos or action shots specifically chosen for each individual player. The production quality was top notch with crisp registration and colors that truly showed off each subject to their best abilities on the larger platform.
Being the first series released for the flagship ’89 Topps set naturally drew plenty of collector attention and generated hype. Early checklist cards like those of Valenzuela, Dykstra, Clark, and Gwynn offered the very first chances to start completing teams or grab rookie gems. For players appearing, seeing themselves blown up to the grand scale of the Topps Big format was quite an honor and treat for collectors worldwide. Series 1 helped launch what would become one of the most iconic oversized baseball card releases in the modern era which is still fondly remembered to this day.
While the primary focus of the ’89 Topps Big Series 1 checklist was on recent MLB standouts, there was still room for some surprise deeper cuts as well. Career minor leaguers and call ups got their chance at the big time with inclusions like catcher Burt Hooton and pitcher Neal Heaton receiving their lone Topps cards. Even long retired legends from baseball history made cameo appearances. Players like Monte Irvin, Bob Lemon, and Roy Campanella were honored with cards showcasing highlights from their legendary careers.
Checking in at a hearty 88 cards, Series 1 of the 1989 Topps Big set set the stage for an exciting baseball card collecting season ahead. Chasing down stars like Clark, Valenzuela, and Smith helped build early team and player collections. Findings surprises pulled straight from the past or from obscure reaching depths added intrigue. But above all, the oversized presentation, colorful photography, and classic Topps card design combined to make Series 1 an instant iconic release. Its arrival helped officially launch what would be remembered as one of the hobby’s all-time greatest modern issues.
