I always loved the early Topps cards. They would take photographs of the players during the spring training, but also always take a photo of them without a hat on, in case the player was traded between the end of the photograph season and when the cards were issued.

Also remember that often it was a even series release. Every four weeks they would send out a new batch of cards to correspond wqith the checklist. And often the print runs of the cards would be smaller as each series was released. 

This was a fun series of All-Stars and was a popular way to play one of the many games at the time. The other was just using dice and your own team of baseball card greats.

Thank you for doing the year 1968. I love baseball, but I missed that year of baseball and baseball cards, since I was in the infantry in Korea beginning in February, 1968. I, and many other American soldiers, were sent to Korea in February and March, 1968, instead of being sent to Vietnam, because at the end of January, 1968, the North Koreans sent a 31 man commando team into South Korea through the DMZ to kill the South Korean president. They failed - read about "The Blue House Raid" of 1968. A few days after that raid, the North Koreans captured a US Navy ship, the USS Pueblo, killing one sailor (Duane Hodges) and took the other 82 US sailors prisoner for the rest of 1968, until they were released around Christmas, 1968. I must say that baseball was not one of my top priorities while I was stationed in and around the Korean DMZ in 1968, where 6 members of my 20-25 man platoon (Michael Rymarczuk from Philadelphia, Cleveland Davis from Gainesville, Florida, Private Um from South Korea, Earl Jeffrey from Dennison, Texas, Private Kwan from South Korea and Reese Weathers from Louisville, Kentucky) were shot and 2 (Michael and Kwan) died, in 4 separate firefights with the North Koreans in the summer of 1968. I say this not to brag, nor to seek thanks nor sympathy, but to simply say that I have been very blessed to have been able to serve my country and to be here now to tell you about my 1968. We live in a great country. We have serious problems now, but I truly believe that we Americans will rise to the occasion and do what is necessary to preserve our nation. I am so glad to be here to be able to drive to Fort Myers from my home in North Carolina and to attend spring training for the past 6 years (except the covid year) and to have lunch with a 1968 DMZ army buddy in Bonita Springs, Florida. I have a responsibility to remember my army buddies and to tell people about them and what we, and others, did in Korea in 1968. God bless the Korean DMZ vets and God bless America. 

Something not touched on was that Dean Chance threw 2 no-hitters for the Twins in August 1967 (the first one being a 5 inning perfect game that was rain-shortened). The second one though wasn't even a shutout, as Chance walked 5, including the first two batters of the game, and a Jerry Zimmerman error let in a run early. Chance had a very nice season that year, Jim Kaat was the best pitcher on MLB for the stretch run, and Jim Merritt was also a potentially dominant force too - strong K rate but the epitome of the hard luck pitcher with little run support. I would have loved to see that team compete in the World Series that year - unfortunately, Kaat hurt his overused arm, and Yaz and the Bosox stole the pennant from Minnesota.

So, for those 1968 cards that were printed following the season that could have been...HOF or not, I really like that Chance card. Thanks for sharing! It brought back some memories from that era..

10 hours ago, tarheeltwinsfan said:

Thank you for doing the year 1968. I love baseball, but I missed that year of baseball and baseball cards, since I was in the infantry in Korea beginning in February, 1968. I, and many other American soldiers, were sent to Korea in February and March, 1968, instead of being sent to Vietnam, because at the end of January, 1968, the North Koreans sent a 31 man commando team into South Korea through the DMZ to kill the South Korean president. They failed - read about "The Blue House Raid" of 1968. A few days after that raid, the North Koreans captured a US Navy ship, the USS Pueblo, killing one sailor (Duane Hodges) and took the other 82 US sailors prisoner for the rest of 1968, until they were released around Christmas, 1968. I must say that baseball was not one of my top priorities while I was stationed in and around the Korean DMZ in 1968, where 6 members of my 20-25 man platoon (Michael Rymarczuk from Philadelphia, Cleveland Davis from Gainesville, Florida, Private Um from South Korea, Earl Jeffrey from Dennison, Texas, Private Kwan from South Korea and Reese Weathers from Louisville, Kentucky) were shot and 2 (Michael and Kwan) died, in 4 separate firefights with the North Koreans in the summer of 1968. I say this not to brag, nor to seek thanks nor sympathy, but to simply say that I have been very blessed to have been able to serve my country and to be here now to tell you about my 1968. We live in a great country. We have serious problems now, but I truly believe that we Americans will rise to the occasion and do what is necessary to preserve our nation. I am so glad to be here to be able to drive to Fort Myers from my home in North Carolina and to attend spring training for the past 6 years (except the covid year) and to have lunch with a 1968 DMZ army buddy in Bonita Springs, Florida. I have a responsibility to remember my army buddies and to tell people about them and what we, and others, did in Korea in 1968. God bless the Korean DMZ vets and God bless America. 

Thank you for the education. I honestly didn't know about the issues in Korea during that time frame.