THE GREAT DEBATE
vs.
In 1960, Topps began recognizing the top newcomers from the previous season with cards that, in addition to recognizing them as All-Star Rookies, included a graphic of a golden trophy. The trophy, whose design was further refined in the 1961 set, was a rather elaborate multi-tiered graphic: a golden statuette of a slugger completing his swing standing atop a decorative pedestal that, in turn, rested upon a block base bearing the words "TOPPS [YEAR] ALL-STAR ROOKIE." The impressive-looking and prominently sized rookie trophy added real cachet to every card on which it was featured (my personal favorite is Bill Buckner's 1972 card) and continued to be a fixture in Topps sets for over a decade.
Then in 1973, Topps for some reason swapped the trophy for a decidedly less-than-regal bronze cup situated on a rectangular base, which, unlike the trophy, omitted the year. And also unlike the trophy, the cup bears no decorative flourishes, which makes it rather ... blah. The rookie cup has undergone some minor cosmetic changes over the years, but it has remained the signifier for all-rookie performers since it's introduction four decades ago (though Topps' use of the cup has been somewhat inconsistent from set to set).
I wonder why Topps decided to make the change. Was it because the rookie trophy seemed overly ostentatious relative to the achievement being recognized? (Admittedly, being named to the all-rookie team, while not to be scoffed at, is hardly on par with being deemed all-league.). Or was the trophy graphic considered too busy, in contrast to the relative simplicity of the cup? Whatever the reason, the cup won out over the trophy, much to my chagrin. I don't mean to bag on the rookie cup, which is okay in its own way. It's just that the cup is clearly inferior to the trophy.
To Topps' credit, however, it revived the rookie trophy for its Heritage sets, and it also included the trophy in the 2011 Lineage set. So for the partisans of the majestic rookie trophy (maybe just me), we can celebrate the fact that it has found new life.
Check out Wrigley Wax for an excellent chronology regarding the Topps rookie trophy and cup.
Yeah,I never collected during the trophy era, just the cup era. I thought the cup was cool...but could tell that there was an old statuette that it was valuable and it was old.
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