The Five Essential Baseball Cards of 1973 Topps
Talk to vintage collectors about the 1973 Topps Baseball set, and you're likely to find two camps: those who love the set and those who count the set among the worst Topps has ever produced. Historically the set marked the end of an era for the card maker, as it was the last of the Topps vintage sets to be released in series. It also reflected the relatively early days of bringing true game action to cardboard, the result being a good deal fewer hits than misses. Finally, the set marked the ends of several storied careers along with the beginnings of others. The Five Essential Baseball Cards of 1973 Topps, therefore, feature a mix of old and new, of poses and action, and (as usual) the predictable and the unexpected.
1973 Topps Rookie Third Basemen feat. Mike Schmidt
The obvious choice for the Essentials list is the Mike Schmidt rookie card, even as he shares the real estate with two other players. The first player, of course, is the Penguin, six-time All-Star and World Series MVP Ron Cey, easily the greatest Dodger third baseman of all-time. In fact, at least for a time, Cey was the big name on the card. After all, Cey appeared on three Topps All-Star cards (1975, 1976, 1978) before Schmidt appeared on even one.
"Was it ever known as the Cey rookie rather than the Schmidt rookie?" you might wonder. Perhaps it might have been save for two things: 1) rookie cards weren't much of a thing back in the 1970s, and 2) Cey's true rookie card came the year before in the 1972 Topps set!
Largely ignored, even by the most die-hard of Friars fans, is the card's middle player, John Hilton, more commonly known as Dave during his career. In truth, however, did the great Japanese writer Haruki Murakami ever say this about Mike Schmidt or Ron Cey? "It felt as if the spring sunlight shone more intensely around him,
and him alone.”
1973 Topps Rich Gossage
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Apart from Schmidt, the only other Hall of Famer with a rookie card in the 1973 Topps set was Rich Gossage. Admittedly, relief pitcher may well be the one position that gets even less Hobby love from collectors than DH, but here's the thing. Gossage was also a starter, well, at least for a season. Sure, he went 9-17 with a 3.94 ERA, but guess what: He still made the All-Star team somehow!
1973 Topps Roberto Clemente
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The Great One's December 31, 1972, passing was still fresh in the minds of fans when this card came out as part of the 1973 set's first series. While in most circumstances a player's face obscured by shadow would seem unfortunate, here it felt fitting. A haunting card to pull but also somehow consoling.
1973 Topps Dick Allen
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Like the Clemente card, shadows once again prevent a clean look at the player's face. Still, everything else about this card is a home run. Not only did the Topps photographer snap Allen just after what appears to be a 500-foot blast but the card is also a rookie card of sorts. Following years of Richie and Rich on his cardboard, 1973 was the first year Topps called Allen by his preferred name of Dick. So yes, on one hand this is the tenth Topps base card of Dick Allen, but on the other hand it's the first.
1973 Topps Bill Freehan
As far as plays at the plate go, the Pat Corrales card (with Fergie Jenkins cameo!) might be more bang-bang, but overall this Freehan takes the prize for the coolest action shot in the 1973 Topps set. Plus, Freehan was an 11-time All-Star in his fifteen seasons with Detroit. Want to know what other 11-time All-Stars with no gambling or PED links never got the call from Cooperstown? Apart from players not yet eligible, there aren't any! And if WAR is your preferred metric, Freehan's was higher than two of the five players in the Hall of Fame's Class of 2025.
Jason A. Schwartz is a collectibles expert whose work can be found regularly at SABR Baseball Cards, Hobby News Daily, and 1939Bruins.com. His collection of Hank Aaron baseball cards and memorabilia is currently on exhibit at the Atlanta History Center, and his collectibles-themed artwork is on display at the Honus Wagner Museum and PNC Park.