George Brett is widely considered one of the greatest third basemen in Major League Baseball history. He spent his entire 21-year career with the Kansas City Royals from 1973 to 1993. Brett was an extremely consistent and durable player who put up Hall of Fame worthy numbers. Not surprisingly, he has been featured prominently on numerous baseball cards over the years.
One of Brett’s earliest baseball cards came from his rookie season in 1973 when he was featured in the Topps set. This was during the early stages of Brett’s career when he was still establishing himself in the big leagues. The 1973 Topps Brett card shows him in a Royals uniform from the waist up with his batting stance. It captured a young Brett at the beginning of what would become a legendary career. This rookie card of Brett is still popular with collectors today given it was one of the first to feature him as a big leaguer.
Perhaps Brett’s most iconic baseball card appearance came on his 1980 Topps card. This was arguably the peak of Brett’s playing career as he was coming off winning the American League batting title in 1980 with a stellar .390 batting average. The 1980 season is still considered one of the greatest individual offensive campaigns in MLB history. Brett’s 1980 Topps card reflected his superstar status at the time by featuring a close-up head shot of him in full Royals uniform. It highlighted his intense competitive expression that baseball fans had become familiar with over the years. This particular Brett card from 1980 remains one of the most sought after and valuable in the hobby given it memorialized one of the game’s all-time great seasons.
Another extremely popular George Brett baseball card was issued in 1981 by Topps. This card came on the heels of Brett’s historic 1980 season and captured him in the midst of continuing his outstanding production at the plate. The 1981 Topps Brett card showed him from the waist up in his batting stance with his trademark high socks. It exemplified the smooth lefty swing that made Brett such a feared hitter for nearly two decades in the big leagues. This card further cemented Brett’s status as a true superstar and is still a highly collectible item for fans and investors.
In addition to his regular issue Topps cards throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Brett also made several notable appearances in the annual Topps Traded set. These traded cards were inserted randomly in wax packs and featured key players photographed with different uniforms or in unique posed shots. Brett received Traded cards in 1979, 1982, 1983 and 1984 from Topps that showcased alternative images outside of his typical Royals batting stance. The 1979 Traded Brett pictured him signing autographs while dressed in street clothes. Meanwhile, the 1982, 1983 and 1984 versions had Brett modeling various Royals jerseys in posed shots. These Traded cards added to the Brett collection and intrigue for devoted fans and collectors.
Brett achieved several major career milestones in the late 1980s that garnered special recognition on baseball cards. In 1985, he collected his 2,000th career hit which Topps commemorated with a special sticker card insert. Then in 1987, Brett slammed his 300th career home run and Topps issued a separate highlighted card to mark the occasion. Perhaps most notably, Brett’s 1989 Upper Deck card celebrated him reaching the 3,000 hit plateau, making him just the second player ever to accomplish the feat. These milestone cards captured Brett achieving some of the game’s most exclusive and historic records.
While primarily known for his Topps cards in the 1970s-80s, Brett also had a few memorable appearances in other brands over the years. He was featured in the 1981 Fleer set wearing a Royals batting practice jersey in an action shot at the plate. Then in 1992, the final year of his career, Brett’s baseball cards could be found in the Stadium Club and Leaf sets in portrait and action photos. Even after retirement, Brett continued to be included in annual tribute sets by Topps and others honoring his legendary career.
In addition to his standard issue cards, Brett garnered special limited edition releases later on that were highly sought after by collectors. In 1999, Upper Deck issued a gold parallel card of Brett’s iconic 1980 season numbered to just 1980 copies. Then in 2000, Playoff Premium produced a 1/1 plate card featuring a regal portrait of Brett in a Royals uniform that was hand numbered and autographed. In 2009, Topps released five exquisite rookie signature cards of Brett that were hand signed, encapsulated and numbered to only 5 copies each. These ultra-premium Brett cards commanded enormous price tags given their extreme scarcity and historical subject.
While no longer an active player, George Brett’s legacy and impact on the game of baseball continues to be recognized. In 2007, he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame receiving 98.2% of the vote in his first year of eligibility. This cemented his status as one of the all-time greats. Brett’s baseball cards from his playing days in the 1970s and 80s remain some of the most iconic and valuable in the hobby. They captured all the excitement and history from one of the greatest third basemen to ever play. As long as baseball endures, George Brett’s accomplishments and featured cards will always have a cherished place among fans and collectors. He is truly one of the most memorable and decorated players to be spotlighted on cardboard over the decades.
