Great Moments in 1986 Topps, Part 1

by Robert J. Baumann - February 27, 2012

I recently purchased factory sets of Topps and Topps Traded from 1986. A while back, I posted a desktop wallpaper that people seemed to like, for which I used images that I got from google searches, which means that the wallpaper was kind of jagged and inconsistent in terms of quality, etc., which bothered me. Now that I actually own the sets, I remade the wallpaper using scans of the actual cards, and, based on the request of one commenter, optimized it for 15-inch, 17-inch, and 24-inch screens. Also per the request of commenters, I replaced Roger Clemens with Wade Boggs. If any one would like one of these desktop wallpapers, please leave a note in the comments and I will do my best to email you the files, which are sorta too big to include here, lest Carson get all pissy. I hope to do the same for other sets of Topps cards from the 1980s in the near future.

The 1986 Topps sets are full of strange images: poor lighting, bad angles, unsuspecting subjects, compromising poses, greasy faces. Often, the players appear steeped in the awkwardness of adolescence, and the photographers, equally awkward in their amateurishness, seem to have snapped off unconsidered shots with disposable cameras.

The following spread of cards should illustrate what I mean, providing, to start with, with some

Great Moments in Duh

This and all subsequent images are embiggenable.

Conroy‘s mom might have tucked his jersey in for him, while Stillwell might have admonished his mother, “Don’t button my chin!” Andy Allanson has been encouraged by prickish classmates to shave for the first time; Ken Dixon is trying, but just doesn’t get algebra. Perhaps he will eat some chalk.

Akin to this, consider these

Great Moments in ¡Surprise!

I love Rafael Ramirez‘s t-shirt jersey (it was a different time, you understand), Sarge‘s utter bewilderment [at the phenomenon known as flight]. Tony Phillips is just darling, and does anyone think that Duane Walker looks a little bit like Emilio Estevez in The Breakfast Club? OMG.

And finally (for today, anyway), remember yearbook picture days in high school photos you forgot a comb? Or, when you over-combed? Had “hat head”? Or, perhaps you blow-dried your locks for the first time, shooting for a sexy Patrick Swayze but ending up with an electrocuted Marv from Home Alone? Well, allow the 1986 Topps sets to jog your memory with these

Great Moments in Coiffure

That’s all for today. Check in tomorrow for more Great Moments in 1986 Topps, including Great Moments in Look-Alikes, Moustachios, Smiles, and Loutishness.

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Robert J. Baumann came of age in the '80s, AKA The Rickey Henderson Era. He takes baseball like a painkiller. He's a multi-purpose troll at Woodland Pattern Book Center. He's been a "writer" at NotGraphs since October 2011. He tweets.

12 Responses to “Great Moments in 1986 Topps, Part 1”

1. M. Harms says:

   February 27, 2012 at 1:52 pm

   The inner 1980′s child/geek in me loves this! I would love the wallpapers too. Thank you!
   

   

   Reply
   • Robert J. Baumann says:

     February 27, 2012 at 2:00 pm

     Which size would you like?
     

     

     Reply
2. Dave says:

   February 27, 2012 at 1:52 pm

   I’d like the 17-inch version of the wallpaper, please. Thanks!
   

   

   Reply
3. Erik Archer says:

   February 27, 2012 at 2:27 pm

   I wouldn’t mess with Paul Householder
   

   

   Reply
4. Steve says:

   February 27, 2012 at 2:27 pm

   Probably the worst design and photography in Topps history, (88 and 90 are in the discussion there as well). That being said, I’ll take the 15 inch wallpaper.
   

   

   Reply
5. Guy says:

   February 27, 2012 at 2:35 pm

   send wallpapers please?
   

   

   Reply
   • Robert J. Baumann says:

     February 27, 2012 at 2:38 pm

     Which size? They are large files. Like 8MB each.
     

     

     Reply
6. Elliot says:

   February 28, 2012 at 12:16 pm

   Nice article! I would love it if you could send me the 24″ file. Thanks for doing this.
   

   

   Reply
7. Matt says:

   February 28, 2012 at 1:25 pm

   Awesome work! Can I get the 15-inch version? Cheers!
   

   

   Reply
8. therood says:

   February 28, 2012 at 3:38 pm

   I think baseball card photographers must have always snuck up on Rafael Ramirez:

   http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4030/4312789239_0eb663ac18.jpg
   

   

   Reply
9. bstar says:

   February 28, 2012 at 7:59 pm

   I’d love to have wallpaper of the best set EVARRRRRR…….Topps 1975.
   

   

   Reply
10. john says:

    March 4, 2012 at 11:03 am

    i’d love the 15-inch version with Boggs, thanks!
    

    

    Reply