The 1987 baseball season was a memorable one for New York Mets phenom Dwight Gooden. After an historic rookie campaign in 1984 and an equally impressive follow up season in 1985 that saw him win the National League Cy Young award, Gooden was still establishing himself as one of the game’s premier young power pitchers. Now entering his third full season in the big leagues at just 22 years old, Gooden was poised to take his rightful place among the elite aces in baseball. Topps was there to commemorate another stellar season from Doc Gooden with its 1987 baseball card release, featuring one of the most iconic individual cards from that year in his base rookie card.
Coming off back-to-back seasons with 19 wins and an ERA below 3.00, expectations were tremendously high for Gooden heading into 1987. He had cemented his status as the ace of the Mets staff and one of the faces of the entire franchise. Naturally, Topps wanted to highlight Gooden with one of the premier rookie cards in its 1987 set. The design of Gooden’s base card follows the vertical format Topps adopted that year, with his name in block letters across the top. Gooden is shown in his classic Mets home pinstripe uniform, glaring intensely at the camera with his signature sideways cap slightly cocked. The intense, laser-focused stare captured in his photo truly captures the fiery competitiveness and will to dominate that made Gooden one of the era’s most fearsome pitchers.
The stats listed on the 1987 Gooden base card show just how elite he had become in only his first two full seasons in the majors. In 1984 as a rookie, he went 17-9 with a 2.60 ERA and 268 strikeouts in 218 innings pitched, numbers that were practically unfathomable for a teenager just out of high school. His follow up season in 1985 was somehow even better, as he went 24-4 with a 1.53 ERA and 268 strikeouts in 276 innings to capture the NL Cy Young. The excitement around Gooden heading into 1987 was insurmountable, and Topps acknowledged that with an iconic rookie card capture of arguably the best young pitcher in baseball at that moment. As the season would unfold however, Gooden’s 1987 campaign would not match the lofty standards he had set for himself.
While Gooden stayed mostly healthy in 1987 and still managed to lead the National League with 18 wins for a Mets team that won the division, his overall performance regressed a bit from his otherworldly 1985 season. His ERA ballooned to 3.19, his highest since his rookie year, and his strikeouts dropped from 268 to 203 in 227 innings pitched. Gooden later admitted struggles with alcohol and partying had begun affecting his performance and recovery, showing the peril of fame and expectations for young stars. Despite the statistical decline, Gooden was still a horse for the Mets staff and performed like an ace, throwing 11 complete games. At just 23 years old, most viewed 1987 as a minor setback for what was expected to be a Hall of Fame career still in its early stages.
Topps clearly still believed in Gooden and featured him prominently across multiple cards in its 1987 set beyond just his iconic base rookie card. Gooden received an “All-Star” card highlighting his selection to the National League team that season. He was also included in the “Shoeless” Joe Jackson traded subset, which paid tribute to baseball legends by putting current stars in vintage uniforms. Gooden’s 1987 season may have been a relative disappointment compared to 1985, but he remained one of the most sought-after young stars in the game. As a result, his base rookie card and other Topps cards from that year retain tremendous collector value as revered artifacts from Doc Gooden’s early pitching peak with the Mets.
While injuries and personal issues would derail Gooden’s career prematurely in later years, his 1987 Topps cards stand as a reminder of how dominating he was at his best in the mid-80s. The intense stare captured in his photo, coupled with the glistening stats from his first two seasons, make his 1987 base rookie one of the most iconic individual cards from that entire set. Even after his numbers dipped a bit that year, Gooden was still viewed as arguably the best young arm in baseball. Topps recognized this with prominent cards showcasing his ongoing status as a budding superstar, headlined by perhaps the defining image of his career etched on his classic 1987 base rookie card. Over 30 years later, those pieces of cardboard continue to fascinate collectors with what they represent about Gooden’s eminence during baseball’s golden era.
