mike schmidt is in my hall of famer collection

michael jack schmidt. as kids back in the neighborhood, we enjoyed saying his full name. schmidt is one of the first baseball players i was ever aware of, as i found his 1977 topps card in the first pack of cards that i ever opened. that same year, my dad bought me and my brother our first baseball gloves - rawlings mike schmidt models.  i was therefore a bit of a mike schmidt fan.

don't get me wrong; ron cey was always the guy that i thought should be the starting third baseman in the all-star game, but i recognized that he had stiff competition from pete rose (who got the nod in 1978) and schmidt (who took the honors in 1979, as rose moved to first base).  it's schmidt's 1980 topps card, complete with the all-star banner, that is a piece of my hall of famer collection. to clarify, it's a 2002 topps archives autoproofs 1980 topps buyback 

here's the back:

the cartoon caption is partially obscured, but it says "mike hit double and triple in the 1979 all-star game at seattle".  that would mean that the pitcher with the flop sweat in the cartoon is either nolan ryan (he allowed the triple) or bob stanley (he allowed the double). i suppose it could also be mike clear, who faced schmidt after he was half-way to the cycle in the game.  side note - schmidt's first inning triple scored steve garvey with the first run of the game.

following his retirement, schmidt was a no-brainer first ballot hall of famer, and a member of the all-century team. speaking of his retirement, i was just finishing up my first year of college when i heard the news that schmidt had decided to end his career. even though other players that i followed (such as the entire garvey/cey/russell/lopes infield) had retired previously, schmidt's retirement made me feel old-ish.  from my first pack of cards to my first glove to the three nlcs series against the dodgers, i had come to root for michael jack schmidt.

i am very happy to have his 1980 topps card in my hall of famer collection, as it shows schmidt pretty much as i remember him.

here's my hall of famer collection as its been documented so far:

babe ruth - 2003 topps tribute world series edition world series tribute relic 351/425

bob feller - 2001 topps archives

jackie robinson - 2004 topps clubhouse collection clubhouse relics

roberto clemente - 2005 donruss greats hall of fame souvenirs relic

warren spahn - 1999 upper deck century legends epic signatures

mickey mantle - 2000 upper deck legends legendary game jerseys relic

willie mays - 1997 topps willie mays reprints autograph

duke snider - 2003 upper deck sp authentic chirography hall of famers 144/250

hank aaron - 2004 topps originals 1979 topps all-time record holders rbi 03/32

harmon killebrew - 2000 upper deck legends legendary signatures

mike schmidt - 2002 topps archives autoproof 1980 topps buyback

bruce sutter - 2003 topps all-time fan favorites

jim rice - 2005 upper deck past time pennants

pete rose* - 2018 panini flawless legendary signatures 15/25

barry bonds* - 2001 bowman heritage autographs

you can find the full list of hall of famers (and some not - yet) that i aim to include in this collection at my want list site.

*not currently a member of the hall of fame