1985 Donruss Tribute: Sweet Mets Action

I had a blast sharing my favorite and most interesting cards from my oldest complete set, 1976 Topps. I thought I would continue with the very first set I ever completed, 1985 Donruss. I remember buying rack packs with cards I needed on the front. Early on in the life of Stats on the Back, I showcased the last card I bought to complete this set. The fact that it was Razor Shines made it all the more memorable. I have since obtained a replacement set for the one I collected but will never get rid of my original set, complete with white edges and creases.

1985 Donruss looked great. Nice black borders with classic red stripes, running horizontally through the card. And how about that team logo? I still say that the team logo should always appear on the front of cards. Big picture, simple border, and small Donruss logo with the year. This set had diamond kings, rated rookies, and a Lou Gehrig puzzle. Let's dig in!

Check out this sweet Mets action! Backman is laying down a perfect bunt. There is no way Dan Petry is getting to that one in time. (See Tigers in the Dugout) And Mookie is looking at Larry Herndon in left field, deciding whether or not to stretch it into a double. (Same dugout, same Tigers) Those blue pull-overs look nice with the pinstriped pants. The whole set isn't this action packed but these two shots are FANtastic for us Mets fans.

Walter Wayne or Wally was drafted by the Mets in the first round in 1977. He played 14 years, 9 with the Mets. Backman was an on-base guy with speed. Oddly, his OBP was above .350 every other year for his entire career. 1986 was one of the good years. Backman almost became the manager of the Diamondbacks until his financial and legal troubles caught up to him. He currently manages his son and the rest of the Independent Joliet Jackhammers.

William Hayward, nicknamed Mookie by his grandmother, was drafted in the 2nd round in the same year as Backman. The two of them had pretty equal careers. The fact that he hit the ball through Bill Buckner's legs and has a cool nickname has placed him firmly in the hearts of Mets fans and in the Mets Hall of Fame.

And how about those Tigers in the dugout? Morris won 19, Petry won 18, and Wilcox won 17. (yes, that's Milt Wilcox) Big Willie Hernandez led the team, winning the MVP and Cy Young awards. These Tigers went 7-1 in the playoffs, beating the Royals and Padres.

Remember when Trammell and Whitaker guest starred on Magnum PI?

The Mets were well on there way to being good too!

Next Up: My 2 cents, then back to 85 Donruss!