Random Topps Card of the Day: 1976 Topps #556 Minnesota Twins Team Card

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Saturday, August 21, 2010:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1976 Topps #556.
• Player Name, position, team: Gene Mauch, manager, Minnesota Twins.
• Special: Minnesota Twins Team Card
• Any special information about this specific card: The 1976 Topps Team cards did not serve as a team leaders card. Its main purpose was to provide a team checklist for each of the 24 teams (yes, there were 24 teams back then...the Blue Jays and Mariners would make their Topps debut the following year). What makes this even more unique is that the 1975 Twins in 1975 were not managed by Gene Mauch but by Frank Quilici. So while accurate in the fact that Mauch did manage the team in time for the 1976 season, he was not the manager of the team the year before. Anyway, the '75 Twins finished fourth in the AL West with a 76-83 record. The team checklist features 26 Twins cards (25 players, and one manager/team card). The breakdown by position includes 11 pitchers, 2 catchers, six outfielders (one an OF-1B), five infielders, and one designated hitter. Hey, that's a whole team. You don't see that nowadays (look, we've had that conversation before...enough already). It is also around this time that you could also get an uncut sheet of all 24 team checklists in one shot by mailing $0.50 and a Topps baseball wrapper to a PO Box in Westbury, NY. Collectors had until the end of the year to redeem this prize. I have several of these kinds of sheets (thanks to eBay), but not one from 1976. So if you have one laying around, please let me know if you'd be interested in it.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.60-$1.50.

Tomorrow is Retro Sunday, the one day of the week that we feature a card from 1951-1975. The card we will feature tomorrow is: 1963 Topps #127. Come back at 1:00 PM CST to see who (or what) it is.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama