MY FAVORITE CARDS:

1971 TOPPS THURMAN MUNSON

 

 

 

 

            At the time of its release, Topps’s 1971 collection (containing 752 cards) was its largest to date. Had the design team known in advance that it would be virtually impossible to assemble the set in pristine condition, they might have reconsidered the color scheme. The black borders make even the slightest defects glaringly evident. As a result, Gem Mint copies are virtually non-existent.

            Even so, there is plenty to like about the ’71 cards. Topps included player photos on the back-sides—an unusual feature for the era. Front-side action pics are abundant with a pleasing balance of vertical and horizontal alignments. The set is loaded with Hall of Famers—some who were entering the final years of their playing careers (like Ernie Banks and Bill Mazeroski). Other Cooperstown inductees appear on manager cards, including Ted Williams, Bob Lemon, and Red Schoendienst.

            In the 1970s, there was a lively debate as to who was the best catcher in the American League. Most fans in New York believed it was Thurman Munson while New Englanders typically argued in favor of Carlton Fisk. In the end, it was Fisk, not Munson who wound up in the Hall of Fame. But Fisk never won a World Series ring or an MVP Award as Munson did in the Bronx.

            The rivalry between the two backstops came to a head on August 1, 1973. In the ninth inning of a game between the Yanks and Sox, Munson was on third, Gene Michael was batting, and Fisk was behind the plate. Michael squared to bunt but failed to make contact with the pitch. Munson—not the speediest of runners—came barreling home anyway. There was a collision between the opposing catchers followed by a hellacious fight.

            Munson’s ‘71 Topps card shows him in his catcher’s gear applying a tag to A’s pitcher Chuck Dobson. Both players have their eyes closed as a cloud of dust and flying dirt partially obscures the view. The photo is horizontally aligned with the iconic gold All-Star Rookie symbol on the left side of the card. This is the old design when it more closely resembled a trophy with a batter standing on top of a pedestal. The trophy was later replaced with a gold cup. Munson was entering his second full season in ’71 and had walked away with Rookie of the Year honors the previous year. Seven All-Star selections, three Gold Gloves, and two World Series victories followed.

            Although he could be gruff, dismissive, and downright ornery, Munson remains one of the most popular Yankee icons. Sadly, his life was cut short on August 2, 1979, when the private jet he was piloting crashed at the Akron-Canton Airport in Ohio. The Yankees retired his number (15) and added a plaque to Monument Park. More than 40 years after his passing, he still enters into discussions of the greatest Yankee catchers of all-time. In a 2026 MLB online survey, Yogi Berra received the most votes for franchise best with Munson coming in second. Jorge Posada and Bill Dickey ranked third and fourth respectively.

            High-grade copies of Munson’s ’71 Topps card have been known to sell for tens of thousands while mid-grade examples can be obtained on eBay for less than $200.