The 1988 Topps Big Baseball card set was unique in that it featured enlarged 3.5-inch by 5-inch versions of Topps’ standard baseball cards from that year. The set was released as a series of 100-card mini-sets with the cards randomly inserted into wax packs. The third series was published in the late summer/early fall of 1988 and featured another round of large-sized cards focusing on the 1988 Major League Baseball season.
At the time, Topps was pioneering the new ” XL card ” format that offered baseball fans an innovative new way to enjoy and collect their favorite players. The oversized cards allowed for more detailed photographs as well as larger images and statistics. They provided a more immersive experience for collectors compared to traditional card sizes. The 1988 Topps Big set nicely capitalized on the growing interest in what we now call “oversize” or “jumbo” trading cards.
The third series of 100 cards continued the themes established in the first two installments by showcasing the biggest stars and best moments from around the major leagues at the mid-season mark. Iconic players like Ozzie Smith, Wade Boggs, Roger Clemens, and Darryl Strawberry were all prominently featured given their strong performances to date. Rookies and young standouts like Barry Larkin, Mark McGwire, and Will Clark also received cards as they began to make their mark on the year.
In terms of design, the oversized cards maintained Topps’ retro aesthetic with team-color borders surrounding action photos on a white background. Basic player stats like batting average, home runs, and RBI were listed along with each athlete’s team, position, and batter vs. pitcher matchup on the front. Biographical information and career highlights were printed on the backs. As with all Topps Big issues that year, the 88T set also included manager cards, Checklist reprints, and Team cards to round things out.
Some notable individual cards from Series 3 include #91 Ozzie Smith of the St. Louis Cardinals in the midst of throwing out a baserunner, showcasing “The Wizard’s” otherworldly defensive skills. #14 Ken Griffey Sr. of the Cincinnati Reds pictured hitting a long ball, displaying the power potential of his talented yet oft-injured career. #83 Mark McGwire of the Oakland A’s mid-swing in the left-handed batter’s box, foreshadowing “Big Mac’s” future as one of baseball’s most feared sluggers.
The rookies and young players continued to stand out as ones to watch. #27 Barry Larkin’s card portrayed the developing Cincinnati Reds shortstop fielding a ground ball, highlighting the defense that would lead to twelve Gold Gloves. #37 Will Clark of the San Francisco Giants is pictured ripping the cover off the ball for extra bases, a harbinger of his feared bat that resulted in 304 career home runs and a .303 career average. #40 Frank Viola poses on the mound for the world champion Minnesota Twins, a model of consistency who would win the 1987 AL Cy Young Award.
The third series also featured a number of significant team cards to represent the league leaders at the time. #Checklist 55 paid homage to the first place New York Mets highlighted by young talent like Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden, and Gary Carter leading the charge. #Team 84 saluted the defending World Series champion Minnesota Twins and their seemingly ageless stars like Kirby Puckett and Kent Hrbek. #Team 71 showcased the dominant Oakland A’s led by the “Bash Brothers” Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire pulverizing baseballs all over the American League.
Beyond the prominent stars and teams, many other noteworthy minor and supporting players received cards as well to complete the picture of the 1988 season at its midpoint. The set represented all 26 major league franchises of the time evenly. When added all together, the 100 cards of the 1988 Topps Big Baseball third series captured a memorable snapshot of baseball at summer’s peak through its enlarged portrait style photography and retro aesthetic design. For fans and collectors of ’80s cards and the players of that era, it serves as a fun and vivid time capsule to reminisce about the great games and players of that memorable season over 30 years later.
The 1988 Topps Big Baseball third series was a follow up success that expanded on the novel oversized card concept. It highlighted many future Hall of Famers and other notable players from the year through its large player photography. The set served baseball card collectors well by offering an exciting new way to enjoy and preserve the moments of the 1988 Major League Baseball season midway through in its 100-card commemorative form. Along with its predecessors, the third series helped cement Topps’ early leadership in the growing “jumbo card” category that remains popular among collectors today.
