1963 Topps Baseball Cards – Best Of The Best

Topps has been a household name in the baseball card industry for decades. During the 1960s, they released some of the most iconic cards in history. The 1963 Topps set is one of the most popular and recognizable sets ever produced by Topps, as it was the first full-season set produced by Topps since 1952. 

This set contains classic cards, including many of the game’s greatest players, such as Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Pete Rose, and Roberto Clemente. The 1963 Topps Baseball Card Set is also one of the most valuable baseball card sets ever produced. This article discusses the best of the 1963 Topps Baseball Cards.

#537 Pete Rose Rookie Card

A little over two decades after his rookie season, Pete Rose had become one of the most beloved players in Major League Baseball. His on-field accomplishments speak for themselves, but his hustle and grit made him a fan favorite. He played every game like his last and never took a single at-bat or play-off.

Rose was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the first round (third overall) of the 1963 MLB draft out of West Catholic High School in Cincinnati. He signed with the Reds for $7,500 and went on to have a Hall of Fame career. He made his major league debut at 19 years old and became known as “Charlie Hustle” for playing hard even when he wasn’t at 100%.

Rose spent his entire career with the Reds until 1982 when he was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies after becoming embroiled in gambling scandals that eventually led to a lifetime ban from baseball.

#200 Mickey Mantle

Mantle is the best player in the history of the American League. He was a switch-hitter with power, speed, and all the tools. He won six MVPs and led the league in homers three times.

Mantle played his entire career with the Yankees and was a key member of their dynastic teams of the 1950s and 1960s. He was also an All-Star 12 times and helped lead New York to 10 World Series titles during his career.

Despite being one of the greatest players, Mantle never played in a World Series championship game during his career (he played in seven). The Yankees lost two World Series by one run to the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1952 and 1953. Then, in 1955, they lost to Cleveland 4 games to 2 in what was called “The Battle Of The Century” because both teams had so many stars on them (Mantle vs. Jim Brown!).

#340 Yogi Berra

Yogi Berra was the most popular player in baseball history. His round face and squat body looked like a cartoon character. He played for 18 years in New York, mostly with the Yankees, including 13 World Series games. Berra also managed the Yankees to 10 pennants and seven titles.

Berra became a legend as a player because of his ability to hit home runs and catch pop flies in foul territory. Still, he was better known as a manager because of his ability to give the perfect quote after every game.

Berra’s famous line “It ain’t over till it’s over” has been used by sportswriters and commentators since it was uttered after Game 7 of the 1986 World Series when the Mets beat Boston on a walk-off single by Mookie Wilson.

#553 Willie Stargell Rookie Card

Willie Stargell was a great hitter with a great swing, but he was also an excellent fielder who played in all-star games at every position except pitcher, catcher, and first base. He won two World Series rings with Pittsburgh in 1971 and 1979 and one with Oakland in 1989.

Stargell had a tremendous career, hitting .282 with 475 home runs and 1,540 RBIs for 22 seasons. He won the Most Valuable Player Award in 1979 with the Pirates, when he hit .315 with 38 home runs and 126 RBIs for an offense that led the league in runs scored.

Stargell’s best season came in 1971 when he hit .316/.427/.621 with 45 home runs and 121 RBIs while leading the league with 132 walks against just 75 strikeouts (his BB/K rate was 2:1). That year he finished second in MVP voting behind Johnny Bench of the Cincinnati Reds despite playing on a losing team that finished under .500 for only the third time since moving to Pittsburgh in 1900.

#540 Roberto Clemente

Roberto Clemente was the first Hispanic player inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He was one of the most famous baseball players during his career and remains so today.

Roberto Clemente Walker (August 18, 1934 – December 31, 1972) was a Puerto Rican professional baseball right fielder who spent 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 1966, Clemente became the first Latin American and Caribbean player to be elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

He was an All-Star for twelve seasons and fifteen All-Star Games. He was also selected to three NL pennant-winning teams (1960, 1971, and 1972). He hit 3,000 career base hits when no player had reached that milestone. The Pirates retired his number 21 in 1973, making him just the second MLB player to have his number retired by a team other than the club he played most with at his time of retirement (Ernie Banks would become the third). The Roberto Clemente Museum in San Juan, Puerto Rico, is named after him, as well as a sports complex and several other things in Puerto Rico.

Conclusion

Well, there you have it – a simple list of the most valuable 1963 Topps baseball cards. We hope this information helps with your vintage card collecting endeavors to help you build a useful baseball card collection over time.

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