Okay, the 2011 Detroit Tigers have been eliminated from the playoffs by the Texas Rangers, who now face off against the St. Louis Cardinals in this year’s World Series, but I’ve got one last post sharing my Al Kaline cards. This post will feature his final cards that Topps issued during the years 1970 through 1975. First up is the 1970 Topps card number 640. It’s a pretty nice looking card, but what’s up with his bat tucked under his arm?
1970 Topps # 640
Then the following year, 1971 we get the following card from Topps, number 180. I like the black border and Al’s looking like he knows what to do with that bat in this picture, unlike the previous year. One thing I forgot to mention is that Al’s cards in the seventies now show him as both an outfielder and a first basemen! Did you even notice?
1971 Topps # 180
Al’s 1972 card is one of my least favorite cards from his long run. I do not like the design of the ’72 set and his pose is a little lame and appears to be taken at a practice at some place other than Tiger Stadium. He’s got his bat in hand, but the pose is too static and not very interesting, in my opinion! It doesn’t even list his position on the front of the card either! What do you think?
1972 Topps # 600
Which brings us to the 1973 set. Al’s card is number 280. It features a picture obviously taken during spring training at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Florida. Again the set is rather bland, but Al’s card is not to shabby! His position is back as being just an outfielder on this card.
1973 Topps # 280
1974 was Al’s last season, before he retired and his card from this year’s set is pretty nice. Again he’s back listed as an outfielder and a first baseman and the new picture shows him in the field while playing first base! Al’s card is number 215. I like that Topps went back to red for the Tiger cards this year, as well.
Topps # 215
Even though Al retired and did not play during the 1975 season, Topps chose to give him one last card in the 1975 set, that card is number 4 and is listed as a 1974 highlight. The back of this card did not list his stats as most cards do, this final card celebrates the fact that Al “joins the 3000 hit club”! He accomplished this feat on September 24th, 1974, with a double in the fourth inning of a game against Dave McNally and the Baltimore Orioles.
1975 Topps # 4
Well, that’s it, the last of Al Kaline’s Topps baseball cards. And it brings this series of posts to a conclusion, unless I hear that you want to see more!
