Morgan Holler

Well it's been a while since I discussed the Topps Sports Club but I've sucked in a 1976 Joe Morgan premium and there's really is no time like the present so here we are.

Topps started a collectors club in 1975, as noted here and based on the paucity of newsletter and premium examples, it doesn't seem to have gone over too well. I had inferred the existence of Joe but this is the first one I have seen:

It's 8" x 10", printed on thin paper and blank backed.  Mine clearly was hung up at some point and there is a good deal of foxing or staining present but I still like it.  That's a great shot of Morgan in his prime as well.

The issue accompanying the premium has seen better days:

Here is the Collectors Corner column from the issue featuring Morgan.  Card Collectors Company features prominently as does Larry Fritsch, who was probably the hobby's biggest purchaser of cards directly from Topps.

There was also full page of Pen Pals, who were able to put very short ads in looking for specific cards or trying to sell small lots. Although there are about forty different ads in this issue. I don't want to post the page as it has full street addresses for each "pal".

I found a scan of a flyer out there as well.  It didn't come with this particular issue but it's pretty neat:

We've seen that poster here recently here kids, just on a different medium.  There was definitely some integration between the Sports Club and the premium team checklist sheets Topps offered in the 1970's.

I still need to find a scan of the Dave DeBusschere premium that I believe exists.  I still don't know how many issues and corresponding premiums were published but if ol' Double D is out there, five may be it.