baseball, baseball cards

Fun Cards: 1980 Topps Ron Oester

JT

Fun Cards: 1980 Topps Ron Oester

Fun Cards: 1980 Topps Ron Oester

A few weeks ago, Night Owl Cards highlighted all the players that appeared in every base set produced by Topps in the 1980s. My first thought when I saw the post was, “Wait, where is Ron Oester?”

Oester made his first appearance on a Topps card in 1979, sharing his cardboard debut with fellow Reds prospects Mike LaCoss and Harry Spilman. While LaCoss made the 1979 National League All-Star team, Oester couldn’t squeeze into the lineup with future Hall of Famer Joe Morgan and should-be Hall of Famer Dave Concepcion in the starting lineup. Topps understandably decided to leave Oester out of the 1980 Topps set, but after Morgan moved on to Houston, Oester moved to second base and was finally able to get more playing time at the big-league level.

This is not the first time Oester has been featured on virtual cardboard in the 1980 Topps style. The Cards That Never Were blog created a 1980 “Future Stars” card for Oester along with Jeff Reardon and Al Holland.

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Fun Cards: 2026 Topps Reds Broadcasters

JT

2026 Topps Al Michaels and Joe Nuxhall

Before Hall of Fame broadcaster Marty Brennaman joined Joe Nuxhall in the Reds radio booth, Al Michaels was Nuxy’s partner from 1971-1973.

2026 Topps Joe Nuxhall

From 1974 through 2004, Marty and Joe ruled the Cincinnati airwaves on 700 WLW. Nuxhall’s said his classic line at the end of the broadcast, “This is the ol’ left-hander, rounding third and heading for home.” Marty celebrated every Reds win by saying, “And this one belongs to the Reds.” The line was so classic it became a social media hashtag near the end of Marty’s career: #ATOBTTR.

2026 Topps Marty Brennaman

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Fun Cards: 2026 Topps Joe Nuxhall

JT

2026 Topps Joe Nuxhall

Joe Nuxhall was a 15-year old kid who needed permission from his high school principal to pitch for the Reds in 1944. He was, at the time, the youngest ever to play in a major league game. That’s no longer the case. When the Negro Leagues were elevated to major league status a few years ago, Roy Campanella became the youngest ever.

Nuxy only pitched one game as a teenager. His next major league appearance didn’t come until 1952.

2026 Topps Joe Nuxhall

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Fun Cards: 2026 Topps Dave Parker

JT

2026 Topps Dave Parker

Hall of Famer Dave Parker grew up in Cincinnati. My dad is convinced he was one of the kids who parked cars for patrons around Crosley Field. Not in an official sense, like a valet, but more like, “If you don’t let me park your car, something might happen to it while you’re at the game.”

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Fun Cards: 2026 Topps Mario Soto

JT

2026 Topps Mario Soto

Mario Soto was the Opening Day starter for the Reds from 1982-1986 and 1988. He received All-Star nods 1982-1984, and started the midsummer classic for the National League in 1983. Soto received Cy Young votes in four different seasons, and came in second place in 1983.

2026 Topps Mario Soto

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Fun Cards: 2026 Topps Danny Jackson

JT

2026 Topps Danny Jackson

1988 National League All-Star. Robbed of the 1988 Cy Young Award. 1990 World Series Champion. Danny Jackson‘s Reds career was short but successful.

Outside of the Reds, Jackson also won a World Series with the Royals in 1985, was an All-Star with the Phillies and received mentions in Cy Young balloting in 1994. He appeared on the Hall of Fame ballot in 2003 but received no votes.

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Fun Cards: 2026 Topps Bo Diaz

JT

2026 Topps Bo Diaz

The late Bo Diaz debuted with the Red Sox in 1977 before moving on to Cleveland, Philadelphia, and finally Cincinnati. He was an All-Star twice (1981, 1987). He was a good defensive catcher and threw out a lot of runners trying to steal. He died while attempting to adjust his satellite dish in November, 1990.

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Fun Cards: 2026 Topps Buddy Bell

JT

2026 Topps Buddy Bell

Now this guy is underrated, but what can you expect when you play in the same era as George Brett and Mike Schmidt? Maybe Buddy Bell would have gotten a more serious look for Cooperstown if he had played at a different time. He was one-and-done in 1995 with only 8 votes. According to JAWS, though, he is ranked 15th among all third baseman in history. His WAR is 66.3, only slightly below the average for the position.

2026 Topps Buddy Bell

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Fun Cards: 2026 Topps Terry McGriff

JT

2026 Topps Terry McGriff

I was a big Terry McGriff fan. I remember watching the Reds trounce the Braves on WTBS and McGriff launching a grand slam for his second career homer. I excitedly ran out on the porch where my dad was sitting and told him about it.

I still text my parents while we watch the games… “Did you see that hit? He launched that ball! Go Reds!”

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Fun Cards: 2026 Topps Kal Daniels

JT

2026 Topps Kal Daniels

I’m not sure he was ever promoted as “the next big thing,” but Kal Daniels was certainly touted for his potential. And a look at his first few years in the majors through the lens of advanced stats shows that potential. In just 74 games in 1986, Daniels sported 2.2 WAR. That number was raised to 4.2 in 108 games in 1987, and 5.6 in 140 games in 1988! After a down year in 1989, he bounced back with the Dodgers in 1990 to register 4.3 WAR.

“I don’t believe in WAR!” you say? How about a league-leading OBP in 1988? 26 homers in 1987, or 27 in 1990 along with 94 ribbies? Batting averages of .320, .334, .291, .296? I would love to see a Reds outfielder put up those numbers in 2026!

The photo is from 1988, with the All-Star patch on the left arm and a black armband on the right to commemorate the passing of Ted Kluszewski in March.

Injuries took their toll on Daniels, and he retired at the end of the 1992 season. According to the most reliable source on the internet that is never wrong about anything ever, he attempted a comeback with the Blue Jays in 1996 but didn’t make it past spring training. I didn’t see any photographic evidence of that, so I turned to ChatGPT…

Kal Daniels Toronto Blue Jays

Don’t worry, I don’t think Topps’ airbrushers and Photoshoppers have anything to worry about yet.