Missing Topps Cards Part 4: Tony Clark (1991, 1993, 1994, 2007, 2009, 2010)

Tony Clark played in the Majors from 1995-2005. He was a fan favorite during his career, and recently became the Executive Director of the Major League Baseball Players Association. During his 11-year career, he played with the Detroit Tigers (1995-2001), Boston Red Sox ('02), New York Mets ('03), New York Yankees ('04), Arizona Diamondbacks (2005-2009), and San Diego Padres (2008).

Tony the Tiger is only missing cards from the 2007, 2009, and 2010 Topps sets during his career. He was a 1st Round Draft Pick of the Detroit Tigers in 1990, so I decided to add the '91 Topps card, and he was a top prospect around 1993 and 1994, so I also gave him '93 and '94 Prospect cards. Topps gave him a Future Stars card in the 1995 set, so he had a real Topps card before he had even played a game in the Majors. I could give Tony a 1992 Topps prospect card to give him a Topps card from 1991-2010 in every set, but we will see. My 1992 Topps set is done, but I discovered I forgot a card of A's 3rd Baseman Scott Brosius in the set. While I fixing the last checklist, it might be worth it to add Tony and 3 others (no clue who) to the set.  We will see.

I have always been a big fan of Tony, ever since he was a Tiger prospect. I pulled his 1996 Upper Deck Future Stock Prospect insert out of a pack in '96, and waited the rest of the year and the next spring in order to see him in Spring Training in Lakeland to try to get it signed. I was playing middle-school basketball at the YMCA that year, and from reading the back of the card, I knew that Tony played hoops before signing with the Tigers. I went to a game that spring, and after the game Tony came out and started signing. He signed my card and I asked him if he ever tried a hook shot when he played. He laughed and said 'no', and seemed like a really nice guy. A few year later after he left the Tigers and was with the Mets (2003), I saw the Tigers and Mets play in Spring Training. My friend Matt went with me, and we watched as Tony hit a Home Run early in the game. During another at-bat, Matt said that he felt Tony would hit another. Sure enough, he did the very next pitch. After the game, we went out to get cards signed, and Tony came out. We told him about Matt saying he would hit his 2nd Home Run, and Tony said that Matt should come to every game. Tony signed a '98 Studio 8 by 10 and a 2000 Topps Chrome card for me this time in almost the exact same spot as before. I really wish the Tigers would've kept Tony his whole career, but was happy that he did well with other teams (except for the Yankee$), and am happy that he is in his new position with MLBPA. 

These 6 Topps cards not only give Tony Topps cards for every year in his career, but they also give an extra Topps card for Favorite Players Richie Sexson, Dave Staton, and Mike Simms, killing 2 birds with 1 stone.

I am just about done with putting loose cards in binders. All I have are a binder of refractor/special cards, my Tigers and Rays binders, and then the Mariners, White Sox, and Yankees, all of whom have a number of cards in boxes. I probably won't have enough pages to get through the White Sox, so if you have any extra ones lying around, please feel free to pass them my way. Once I'm done with my big card project, it's back to work on new customs and possibly printing some and working on a new project to hopefully one day present to Topps. 

Thanks for checking out my latest post. 

-Jeremy

1989 Topps Steve Carlton

I have looked all over, but I have been unable to find a 1989 Topps custom of Steve Carlton. I'll be the first to admit that mine certainly isn't the best, but now we finally have one. Steve got his last Topps card in the 1987 Topps Traded set. He really isn't missing too many cards from Topps during his career, just missing a 1966 issue, a 1988 Topps card, and his 1989 Topps sunset card. Interestingly, he has 3 1987 Topps cards featuring him win 3 different teams. His regular card features him with the White Sox, his '87 Traded card shows him with the Indians, and he has a box bottom card that could be found on the bottom of 1987 Topps boxes featuring him with the Giants. So 3 '87 cards with 3 different teams, but no cards in 1988 or 1989. Crazy.

I probably should've used a smaller font on this card, but it was too late when I realized it. I need to watch a tutorial on how to write text on a path using GIMP. I tried following directions to 1 video I watched, but it must've been a different version of GIMP because some of the screens they had up weren't on my version. One day I will figure it out and sets like 1989 Topps, 2002 Topps, and 2006 Topps will be a lot easier.

I haven't been doing too many customs lately as I am trying to get all my loose baseball cards in binders before I have to give up my man cave so it can become a nursery. Hopefully in our next house I can have a basement or something to call my own and I'll have all my binders out and I will finally hang up all my posters and things that have been in boxes for the past 10 years or so waiting for the perfect room. I probably will hold off on making customs for a little bit, but that's ok because I have about 50 that I haven't posted. Thanks for checking out the latest one.
-Jeremy

Favorite Player Collection Part 9: 1999 Topps Jason Johnson

Jason Johnson doesn't have many cards in Topps sets, even though he pitched from 1997-2008 (spending 2007 in the minors).  He only appeared in the 2003-2005 sets. He is one of my favorite players because he, like me, is a Type 1 Diabetic, and was the first player to wear an insulin pump on the field. I really wish there was a jersey card of him because I would love to add it to my pc, as well as an autograph or two.

I featured him on a post a few months ago featuring his 1998 Topps card.

I will probably try to give him a complete run of Topps card, and I'm off to a good start knocking 2 of his first 3 cards out. Like the '98 Topps that I did, his 1999 card has foil that's hard to see because of darkness in the background. I should've switched photos for both cards, but I'm happy with the cards the way they are. 

This card marks the last card of the '98 Rays team that I will post for a while. I still have about 10 more cards to make to complete the project, but I have been working on some Draft Pick and Prospect cards lately, so the Rays project has been on hold for a little bit. The next post will be a card that I'm surprised nobody has made yet, as it features a Hall of Fame pitcher in his final season. Thanks for checking out my latest card.

-Jeremy

1999 Topps Kerry Robinson

Kerry Robinson came up to the Bigs in 1998. He stayed there until 2004, spent '05 in the minors, and played 1 final season in the Majors in 2006. His only Topps cards came in the 2002 and 2003 sets.

Kerry was a decent spare Outfielder, getting some popularity with the Cardinals midway through his career. I will always remember him for the couple of time I've seen him in person. I would try to get autographs before games and any time I would ask Kerry for his he would reply "You don't want mine, I'm not famous" or something like that. He was a funny guy.

This would've been one of his first cards. It will be one of the final 1999 cards I do for a while, I promise. Thanks for checking out my latest post.
-Jeremy