2009 Topps Series I Legends of the Game Timeline

I received the final three Target cards I needed (Ruth, Sisler, Munson) last night. That means I now have 45 of these Legends of the Game insert cards (25 cards from the regular set, 10 from the Walmart set, and 10 Target from the Target set). Going through them all, I have enough to present the timeline used for the 2009 Topps Series I Legends of the Game cards.

Here is the timeline, and where appropriate, the card number the information was gathered. Any card numbered LG# is from the regular insert set, LLP# is from the Walmart set, LLG# is from the Target set):

1871 - 1st Professional Baseball Game
1876 - National League Created
1890 - Cy Young MLB Debut (LG1)
1897 - Honus Wagner .338 in Rookie Year (LG2)
1901 - Cy Young Pitching Triple Crown
1901 - Christy Mathewson Wins 20 G as a Rookie
1905 - Christy Mathewson Pitching Triple Crown
1905 - Ty Cobb Doubles in First AB (LG4)
1907 - Walter Johnson 8/2 First Start (LG5)
1907 - Tris Speaker MLB Debut
1909 - Honus Wagner Wins 7th Batting Title (LLG4)
1910 - Cy Young 500th Win (LLP6)
1911 - Ty Cobb 1st MLB MVP (LLP5)
1912 - Tris Speaker Leads Boston to World Series Win (LG6)
1913 - Walter Johnson Pitching Triple Crown
1914 - Babe Ruth Wins MLB Debut (LG7)
1915 - George Sisler 4 Wins as LHP (LLG10)
1915 - Rogers Hornsby 1st Full Season
1920 - George Sisler Record 257 Hits (LG8)
1920 - Rogers Hornsby 1st Batting Title
1920 - Tris Speaker Manages Indians to World Series Win
1922 - George Sisler 41 Game Hitting Streak
1923 - Babe Ruth AL MVP (LLG3)
1924 - Rogers Hornsby Batted .424 (LG9)
1925 - Jimmie Foxx MLB Debut (LG10)
1925 - Lou Gehrig Becomes Full-Time Player (LLG5)
1926 - Mel Ott MLB Debut (LG12)
1926 - Walter Johnson 400th Win (LLP8)
1932 - Jimmie Foxx 58 HR
1934 - Lou Gehrig Wins Triple Crown (LG11)
1936 - Christy Mathewson 1st HOF Class (LG3)
1936 - Ty Cobb 1st HOF Class
1937 - Johnny Mize Bats Career High .364 (LG14)
1939 - Lou Gehrig Luckiest Man Speech
1939 - Ted Williams 31 HR 145 RBI (LG17)
1940 - Johnny Mize 425-Foot HR into Pacific
1941 - Pee Wee Reese 1st Full Season (LG15)
1941 - Ted Williams Batted .406 (LLP1)
1942 - Mel Ott 42 HR 151 RBI
1945 - Jimmy Foxx Retires (LLP10)
1947 - Jackie Robinson Breaks Color Barrier (LG13)
1947 - Mel Ott Retires
1948 - Babe Ruth Yankees Retire #3 (LLP3)
1949 - Jackie Robinson NL MVP (LLG2)
1949 - Pee Wee Reese Leads NL in Runs
1949 - Roy Campanella 1st-Time All-Star (LG16)
1951 - Mickey Mantle MLB Debut (LG20)
1953 - Roy Campanella Wins Second MVP (LLP4)
1955 - Pee Wee Reese Beats Yankees in World Series
1955 - Roberto Clemente Rookie Season (LG21)
1957 - Roger Maris First Game
1959 - Bob Gibson CG SHO as Rookie
1960 - Ted Williams Final Season (LLG1)
1961 - Carl Yastrzemski 21-Yeaer Old Rookie
1961 - Mickey Mantle 54 HR (LLG7)
1961 - Roger Maris Breaks HR Record (LG18)
1966 - Nolan Ryan 2nd Youngest Player in NL (LLG6 & LG24*)
1966 - Roberto Clemente NL MVP
1967 - Carl Yastrzemski AL MVP (LG23)
1968 - Bob Gibson NL MVP & Cy Young Winner (LG19)
1968 - Roger Maris Retires
1969 - Mickey Mantle Yankees Retire #7 (LLP7)
1970 - Thurman Munson AL Rookie of the Year (LG22)
1972 - Roy Campanella Dodgers Retire #39
1973 - Nolan Ryan K's 383 Batters
1973 - Roberto Clemente Inducted into HOF (LLP9)
1975 - Bob Gibson Retires (LLP2)
1976 - Thurman Munson Leads NYY to World Series (LLG8)
1979 - Thurman Munson NYY Captain Passes Away
1981 - Cal Ripken Jr. MLB Debut (LG25)
1983 - Carl Yastrzemski Last Game at Fenway
1993 - Nolan Ryan Retires
1995 - Cal Ripken Jr. Breaks Consecutive Games Streak (LLG9)
1997 - Jackie Robinson MLB Retires #42
2001 - Cal Ripken Jr. Retires

*Nolan Ryan's two cards both highlight the same event. Also, in the timelines on the cards, Maris card (LG18) has the entries of Clemente and Yastrzemski's MVPs, but no Ryan entry that was to go between them. On Yaz's card (LG23), Ryan's entry comes before Clemente's MVP win. On both of Ryan's cards (LLG6 & LG24), his entry is between Clemente and Yaz.

That's 75 historic events within 45 cards. Now I can only imagine that the inserts found in the Cereal sets (the gold and platinum refractors) as well as the numbered LotG cards (I think #'d to 599 for the "platinum" and #'d to 999 for the "gold") probably has the other highlights not featured within the cards I have on them. But other than the Ryan entries, I was impressed that Topps stuck to the timeline that they presented.

Now I can't wait for Series 2. And for the record, Series 2 of this insert set features fifteen more retired legends as well as ten active players who are deemed "Legends in the Making." Barring a change in checklists (as it is always subject to change), the 25 subjects to be featured in series 2 include:

• Juan Marichal
• Steve Carlton
• Tony Gwynn
• Reggie Jackson
• Brooks Robinson
• Frank Robinson
• Tom Glavine
• Mike Schmidt
• Greg Maddux
• Wade Boggs
• John Smoltz
• Ryne Sandberg
• Jim Palmer
• Robin Yount
• Paul Molitor
• Alex Rodriguez
• Mariano Rivera
• Albert Pujols
• Trevor Hoffman
• Vladimir Guerrero
• Chipper Jones
• Frank Thomas
• Randy Johnson
• Manny Ramirez
• Ichiro

Now I'm looking forward to Series 2. When I get all the cards from this set, I'll do the timeline again.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama