2002 Topps Series 1

Greetings!

Time to follow up my debut post with the first of many unfiled packs. I'd pick them up from the (then $1.49) Target discount bin from time to time but never got around to putting them away; they'd wind up in shoeboxes and sit in their wrappers until I'd come across them a year or so later. Then I'd make a goal to put them away but then something else came up and then they'd sit in shoeboxes again until I'd come across them a year or so later again. The circle of life, I guess.

Will the sophomore effort be as good as the rookie post? I doubt it. But here it is anyway...2002 Topps Series 1!!!


Will there be a randomly inserted original Topps card of a Hall of Famer in this pack? Well, no:

#124 Jaret Wright

#145 John Smoltz

#224 Roger Cedeno

I remember when Jaret Wright was supposed to be a big deal. I like the Negro League Stars jersey Cedeno's wearing. They should have more pictures of players in the alternate jersey; it adds some variety to the team sets.

#155 Omar Daal

#210 Hideo Nomo

#208 Marquis Grissom

By this time, all 3 players above have been well travelled. Nomo's in the middle of the 1 team per year tour.

#246 Einar Diaz (back)

No # Logo Race Card

#363 America United We Stand (Angels / Mariners)

I like the card backs, clean with a picture of the player and complete stats. Anyone try to get the hat? The back of the card says you have to find a Team Sticker Card randomly inserted into packs; on the card, there's a small sticker you'd use to fill in the spots on the Race Card. Get all the teams on the Race Card and you can mail it in to get a baseball hat of your choice. I don't remember getting a Team Sticker Card.

Oh, and the America United We Stand card is not an insert. It is shiny, though.

#263 Mike Cameron

#243 Torii Hunter

#264 Paul Konerko

Hunter's entering his prime here, and Paulie's a couple of years into it.

Checklist 2/4

#104 Daryle Ward

#262 Jay Bell

FYI, the checklist boarders are white. Was 2002 supposed to mimic the '89 Topps design? All you need is the team name spelled out on the wave.

Anyway, that's the pack. More later eventually. Thanks for reading!