1969 Is Fine - Part Three

Continuing on in the magical year of 1969, today we take a peek at Topps Super Baseball, one of the first Topps "premium" sets (in the "high value" sense of the word). It's been discussed here before but given the canvass of the Topps baseball issues we've been working on here at the Topps Archives Research Complex another look is certainly in order.

I won't get into the specifics on the backs (been there, done that) but do want to look at potential printing dates. Given the fact 1969 was an expansion year with four new teams added in one season for the first time, Topps did a great job keeping things straight in this set, especially compared to the Decal and Deckle inserts that appeared this year.

However, thanks to a specific transaction, the dating of the set is fairly easy. On April 25, 1969  Dick Selma was traded by the Padres to the Cubs.

Given the (almost) alphabetical ordering of the set (by teams in each league and then players on each squad) it's easy to figure out Selma was to have been a Padre in the set. So the set was composed before the trade date of April 25th for sure.  In terms of a start date, I have to think it was after the Decals and 4-on 1's were created, given the lack of anarchy in Super Baseball. Selma, who was numbered one behind his fellow Padre Ollie Brown in the set, likely replaced somebody else whose name preceded Brown's. Based upon their expansion draft picks and active roster for the season, only three players are possible: Jose Arcia, Steve Arlin and Jack Baldschun.

Arcia was a light hitting utility man with one season in the majors when the Padres selected him in the expansion draft.  No way it was him.  Arlin was taken in the same draft but had never pitched in the majors before he debuted in '69, so it wasn't him either. Baldschun was released by the Reds before the start of the season and  on April 12, 1969 was signed by San Diego. He stuck with the team for the entire season and could have been the other intended Padre.  I'm guessing Topps had slotted him in then found they had no suitable photo of him (the set showing only certain poses) so they grabbed whatever was handy, namely a shot of Selma.  That puts a potential two week window in early April on the table, assuming my guess work on Selma is right.  If not and it was just a screw up, then early March seems likely to me.

(UPDATE 4/24/16: Friend o'the Archive Keith Olbermann has pointed out the trade of Joe Torre to St. Louis from Atlanta on March 17th marks an earlier lock in date and the Mickey Mantle retirement announcement of March 1st may push this back to February at the latest. At least I'm consistent, the longer I run an arc, then more screwups I make!) 

No matter, it's a great set.  Here's a checklist in team order for you all.  Note how Kansas City is out of order as they should precede Minnesota:

No.		First Name		Last Name		Team
1		McNALLY		DAVE		BALTIMORE ORIOLES
2		ROBINSON		FRANK		BALTIMORE ORIOLES
3		ROBINSON		BROOKS		BALTIMORE ORIOLES
4		HARRELSON		KEN		BOSTON RED SOX
5		YASTRZEMSKI		CARL		BOSTON RED SOX
6		CULP		RAY		BOSTON RED SOX
7		FREGOSI		JIM		CALIFORNIA ANGELS
8		REICHARDT		RICK		CALIFORNIA ANGELS
9		DAVALILLO		VIC		CALIFORNIA ANGELS
10		APARICIO		LUIS		CHICAGO WHITE SOX
11		WARD		PETE		CHICAGO WHITE SOX
12		HORLEN		JOEL		CHICAGO WHITE SOX
13		TIANT		LUIS		CLEVELAND INDIANS
14		McDOWELL		SAM		CLEVELAND INDIANS
15		CARDENAL		JOSE		CLEVELAND INDIANS
16		HORTON		WILLIE		DETROIT TIGERS
17		McLAIN		DENNY		DETROIT TIGERS
18		FREEHAN		BILL		DETROIT TIGERS
19		KILLEBREW		HARMON		MINNESOTA TWINS
20		OLIVA		TONY		MINNESOTA TWINS
21		CHANCE		DEAN		MINNESOTA TWINS
22		FOY		JOE		KANSAS CITY ROYALS
23		NELSON		ROGER		KANSAS CITY ROYALS
24		MANTLE		MICKEY		NEW YORK YANKEES
25		STOTTLEMYRE		MEL		NEW YORK YANKEES
26		WHITE		ROY		NEW YORK YANKEES
27		MONDAY		RICK		OAKLAND ATHLETICS
28		JACKSON		REGGIE		OAKLAND ATHLETICS
29		CAMPANERIS		BERT		OAKLAND ATHLETICS
30		HOWARD		FRANK		WASHINGTONS SENATORS
31		PASCUAL		CAMILO		WASHINGTONS SENATORS
32		DAVIS		TOMMY		SEATTLE PILOTS
33		MINCHER		DON		SEATTLE PILOTS
34		AARON		HANK		ATLANTA BRAVES
35		ALOU		FELIPE		ATLANTA BRAVES
36		TORRE		JOE		ATLANTA BRAVES
37		JENKINS		FERGIE		CHICAGO CUBS
38		SANTO		RON		CHICAGO CUBS
39		WILLIAMS		BILLY		CHICAGO CUBS
40		HELMS		TOMMY		CINCINNATI REDS
41		ROSE		PETE		CINCINNATI REDS
42		MORGAN		JOE		HOUSTON ASTROS
43		WYNN		JIM		HOUSTON ASTROS
44		BLEFARY		CURT		HOUSTON ASTROS
45		DAVIS		WILLIE		LOS ANGELES DODGERS
46		DRYSDALE		DON		LOS ANGELES DODGERS
47		HALLER		TOM		LOS ANGELES DODGERS
48		STAUB		RUSTY		MONTREAL EXPOS
49		WILLS		MAURY		MONTREAL EXPOS
50		JONES		CLEON		NEW YORK METS
51		KOOSMAN		JERRY		NEW YORK METS
52		SEAVER		TOM		NEW YORK METS
53		ALLEN		RICHIE		PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
54		SHORT		CHRIS		PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
55		ROJAS		COOKIE		PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
56		ALOU		MATTY		PITTSBURGH PIRATES
57		BLASS		STEVE		PITTSBURGH PIRATES
58		CLEMENTE		ROBERTO		PITTSBURGH PIRATES
59		FLOOD		CURT		ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
60		GIBSON		BOB		ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
61		McCARVER		TIM		ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
62		SELMA		DICK		SAN DIEGO PADRES
63		BROWN		OLLIE		SAN DIEGO PADRES
64		MARICHAL		JUAN		SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
65		MAYS		WILLIE		SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
66		McCOVEY		WILLIE		SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS