(The numbers on the sign: 02 - two years since last division title, 65 - years since NL pennant, 102 - years since World Series championship)
Now my number of followers almost matches up with the number of years since the last Cubs championship. I wish there was something else Cub related to match those numbers with!
To all of you who follow, subscribe, or get to this blog somehow, thanks for reading!
In honor of follower #100, I wanted to post a Topps Cubs card with that was numbered 100. But in the entire run of Topps base, a Cub has never been card #100. Topps usually reserves the double zero numbers for the big stars. Billy Williams got #200 in 1973, Ryno was #300 in 1994, and #400 went to Alfonso Soriano in 2009. That's all of the Cubs to get a double zero in 60 releases of Topps.
So out of 1607 Topps Cubs base cards from 1951 - 2010, only three got a superstar slot. Just for the heck of it, I checked the master Topps checklist I've got from 1969 - 2010 to see who did get #100. Some of the names should be there: 1969 and 1973, Hank Aaron; 1971, Pete Rose; 1976, Catfish Hunter; 2005 and 2010, Albert Pujols.
But what about 1970...Mel Stottlemyre? Or 2007, Dontrelle Willis? Couldn't Topps have found one Cub player worthy of #100?
Other companies did show the Cubs some 100 love...but you may be surprised who turns up.
Gallery 2003 #100, Sammy Sosa. This name shouldn't be too surprising. It's interesting, though that Topps never gave Sammy a double zero ever, especially in the late 90s and early 2000s when he was hitting all his home runs. Bonds and McGwire got 00s, but not Sammy.
Fleer 2006 #100, Glendon Rusch Apparently Fleer didn't buy into the "only stars get 00s" thing because I don't think Glendon Rusch qualifies as a star!
Pacific 1994 #100, Mike Harkey.
Topps may not think enough of the Cubs to give them 100, but Wrigley Wax appreciates all 100 (+1) of you that follow the blog!
Make it 102 on the followers list, I'm in. Now we have the years of agony matching the list.
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to mention that your research of the #100s is maybe the most analytical of any item in the cardosphere. That is fantastic work. I'm surprised Topps didn't have a Sosa make #100 in '99 or during that stretch.
I think I won't allow any more followers! If I get to 103, does that mean the Cubs will too? Sure hope not!!
ReplyDeleteMike....Topps did give Sammy #66 in 1999 to match his HR total from 1998. So at least they did acknowledge him; but no 00's.