Too many Topps sets lack character and are rather bland, hard to differentiate year over year. That’s my problem with the sets from the late 1970s. At least to me, those designs are difficult to set apart in my head, and I have a tough time remembering which design is which year. Let’s take a closer look at the distinct, easily recognizable 1986 Topps and Topps Traded sets.

The top of the 1986 cards features a black box background and the team’s name in block lettering. In the case of the Twins, the team’s name has a red font. The bottom and side borders are white. The player’s name is in capital letters at the bottom and there is a small circle in the lower left with the player’s position. The color of the circle matches the color of the team’s name. Exceptionally clean and concise. The backs (I will include one example below upon the recommendation of IndianaTwin) have the player name in block lettering at the top, the biographical information just below the name, then the player’s statistics, then some player highlights or “Talkin’ Baseball” team trivia at the bottom. All of this is against a red background.

There are a whopping 792 cards in the 1986 Topps baseball card set plus an additional 132 cards in the Topps Traded. There are 27 Twins cards in the two sets. The Traded set has rookie cards of Hall of Famer Barry Bonds, as well as others who looked like they might make the Hall – Jose Canseco and Bo Jackson. Neither made the Hall for different reasons. Rookie cards for Twins player in the main Topps set are Frank Eufemia and a player to be discussed later. The pictures in this set have plenty of action shots and a few straight-up head shots.

MOST OBSCURE PLAYER

After researching the players in this set, I considered five who might be called the most obscure Twins player in the set, including Frank Pastore (who had a very prophetic death), Frank Eufemia, Pete Filson, and Mike Stenhouse. In the end, I selected a player for whom I simply have no memory, Mr. Mark Brown (#451).

Mark Brown was a 6th round draft pick in 1980 for the Baltimore Orioles. He made it to the majors for the Orioles in 1984 pitching in nine games, winning one. Brown was traded to the Twins after the 1984 season for Brad Havens. For the Twins, Brown had no decisions, pitched only 15.2 innings in six games in relief, had an ERA of 6.89, and a WHIP of 1.878. His career WAR was -0.1. He wasn’t particularly good, but he also wasn’t given a very extensive chance and was unable to stick in MLB after his age 25 season.

THE BEST

The best and apparently most valuable Twins card in the 1986 Topps set is that of Hall of Famer, and longtime broadcaster, Bert Blyleven (#445).

I like that it’s an action shot, a look of determination on his clean-shaven face. For many years, the Twins had a no beard policy including when Blyleven returned to the Twins in the August 1985 trade from Cleveland. Bert complied with policy and shaved his beard and appeared without a beard for at least the rest of the 1985 season. Then in 1986 he played with a beard and was fined $50 per game. Bert preferred the beard, so he simply paid the team fine. In am unable to verify when, but at some point, the policy was rescinded. My memory says the fines did not exist in the World Series year of 1987.

PERSONAL FAVORITE

For my personal favorite Twins 1986 Topps, I choose the Twins Hall of Famer Kent Hrbek (#430).

To me there’s a certain air of confidence or swagger or arrogance that makes it look like a home run is sure to follow. It’s a semi-action shot that really captures a potential moment. Who really knows what happened next, but I’m confident it was something good for the Twins.

I like the 1986 Topps set design. It’s a plain design that somehow gets your attention. I think that might be because of the black background at the top, the team’s name in block lettering, and the all caps player name at the bottom. It’s super basic but it just works for me.

I’d love to see any of your thoughts and comments below.

Go Twins!