The 1986 Topps set has always and will always be my favorite baseball set.









I grew up spending the weekdays in the summer with my grandparents out on their farm. In the summer of 1986, I was 8 years old and helped my grandparents with chores out in the fields. I also helped out with my grandmother's sister who lived with them. She had been in an accident before I was even born and couldn't live on her own. Every Wednesday morning, we would go to town to get groceries and other necessities. My great-aunt knew I liked baseball and slid a pack of 1986 Topps into her grocery cart at the store one day. When we returned home, she surprised me with them.





To say I was excited would be an understatement. Every week from then on, my great-aunt would buy me a couple of packs and I would save all my money through the week and get packs of my own. It wasn't too long until I had amassed quite a collection of 1986 Topps and then, the 87's came out....





My 86 Topps are in every kind of condition imaginable. From gem mint to gum stained backs to creases to rounded corners to rubber band damage. I still love them all.





A few years back when I first discovered ttm, I decided that in between Dodger ttm requests, I was gonna pursue autographs on the 1986 Topps set. I'm currently sitting at 113 signed out of the 792 cards. That leaves 679. Subtract 66 for players that are deceased and it leaves 613. I have roughly 40 requests out at the moment and have addresses for at least 125 more players.





It's a task that I know I will never complete, but the pursuit makes me feel like that 8 year old kid getting packs of baseball cards for the first time all over again. I have a 7 year old son now, and I'm eagerly anticipating his introduction into baseball cards. he already thinks they're cool, but has yet to be bitten by the collecting bug yet. Maybe 2020 Topps will be to him like 1986 Topps is to me.





Kirby Puckett was one of my favorites as a kid. It makes me sad that I'll never get to get this one signed. Side Kirby Puckett fact; I once worked with a guy that pitched against Kirby in Juco ball. Puckett homered off the guy on the first pitch.





This is how I keep up with addresses I have yet to mail out to. I just make a note card with the address and slide it into the 9 pocket sheet with the card.





Sample page of my 1986 binder. Signed cards go right back in the binder when they come back. Addresses go in the pocket with the card until it goes out. Orange tag goes in slot for cards that are mailed out.