The Forever Topps Binder Project: Page 2 (1960 - 1968)

I'm back to show off my second page in my Forever Topps Binder Project.  If you missed my first post, the idea of this project is for me to collect a single card from each year of Topps' base sets beginning with 1951 and working my way up to the current year.  Once I have a card from each set, my long-term goal is to try to "upgrade" that card to one of a Hall of Famer (or some other card I like for some reason). 

The Forever Topps Binder Project
Page 2 (1960 - 1968):

1960:

Current card in binder:  #81 Russ Snyder
Goal card(s):  #10 Ernie Banks, #200 Willie Mays, #350 Mickey Mantle

The 1960 set is one of my favorite early Topps designs.  I don't usually like horizontal layouts, but this particular set design works for me.  I love the multiple photos combined with the team logo and the splashes of color.  I do kind of wish the player name was done in a single color, but that's a minor quibble in what is otherwise a dynamite design.

1961:

Current card in binder:  #271 Jim Landis
Goal card(s):  #35 Ron Santo, #417 Juan Marichal, #577 Hank Aaron

We go from one of my all-time favorite Topps designs (1960) to one of my least favorite designs of the 1960s.  While the 1961 design is certainly clean, I find it to be quite dull to look at in mass quantities.  

1962:

Current card in binder:  #187 Gene Conley
Goal card(s):  #5 Sandy Koufax, #10 Roberto Clemente, #320 Hank Aaron

I'll probably get blasted for this in the comments, but I don't think the 1962 design is all that great.  Sure, it's iconic with the wood borders, but if I'm being honest, the 1987 Topps design made the wood border look even better.  I do like the large comic on the back of the cards (which is enough to elevate this set up above the 1961 set in my eyes).

1963:

Current card in binder:  #152 Ron Nischwitz
Goal card:  #537 Rookie Stars (Gonzalez, McMullen, Rose, and Weis)

The 1963 set is another one of my favorite sets from the early years of Topps.  Once again, I'm drawn to the bright colors (though a lack of team logo on the card front is disappointing).  Flipping the card over, the yellow and black backs are easy to read, certainly a better color pairing than the dark green and black of the 1961 set.  The Pete Rose rookie is one of my "grail cards" for both my personal collection and this particular Forever Topps Binder Project!

1964:

Current card in binder:  #185 Jim O'Toole
Goal card(s):  #125 Pete Rose, #300 Hank Aaron, #541 Phil Niekro

I'm certainly happy to have a Cincinnati Red representing the 1964 set in my binder.  That said, I think O'Toole looks a bit like a John Wayne cosplayer as opposed to a Major League Baseball player in that photo.  Doesn't he look like he's standing in front of an oil rig, perhaps about to walk down to the local saloon?!

1965:

Current card in binder:  #242 George Brunet
Goal card(s):  #16 Morgan & Jackson, #581 Perez, Collins, & Ricketts

We've reached my favorite Topps set of the 1960s, the pennant design of the 1965 set is perfect.  This design screams "baseball."  Even better, the card backs are also easy enough to read and you get full career statistics, which you know I love.  

1966:

Current card in binder:  #149 Dick Nen
Goal card(s):  #1 Willie Mays, #30 Pete Rose, #126 Jim Palmer

The '66 design is a perfectly acceptable design with easy-to-read card backs.  However, there's nothing here that really "pops" if you ask me.  Dick Nen also looks rather unimpressed with his surroundings.

1967:  

Current card in binder:  #149 Joe Moeller
Goal card(s):  #150 Mickey Mantle, #476 Tony Perez, #581 Denehy & Seaver

Topps basically flip-flopped the location of the team and player names between the '66 and '67 sets.  Personally, I prefer the player names at the bottom of the card and team names at the top of the card, so for my money, the '66 design is slightly preferable.

1968:

Current card in binder:  #216 Bubba Morton
Goal card(s):  #247 Bench & Tompkins

We reach the end of page #2 with this canvas-inspired design.  I think the main standout for this particular card is the bright yellow/orange card back; it's certainly nice and bright and easy to read!  This is the second time for this particular binder page where I have a very specific card in mind for the ultimate goal card - Johnny Bench's rookie card!

That does it for the second page of my Forever Topps Binder Project.  Obviously, there are plenty of candidates on this particular page that could stand to be upgraded.  Even so, I'm happy to have a full binder page of 1960s Topps sets!