1987 Topps Traded: More CMC Finds

Joe Johnson had been in the majors the previous two seasons, getting 14 starts in 1985 and 30 total starts in 1986, between the Braves and the Blue Jays.

But he still didn't make the 1987 Topps regular set. He had to wait for the traded set, though he was last traded in July 1986.

Maybe he didn't make the regular set because Topps was focused on his high school play. According to his card back, he held records for wins, strikeouts by game and season, winning percentage and ERA, all at King Philip Regional High School in Wrentham, Mass.

Johnson played that year in 1987, getting 14 starts for the Blue Jays. But he didn't make the majors again. He did make the CMC set in 1990 as a member of the Pawtucket Red Sox. He has yet to be featured here.

I received the 1987 Topps Traded set from my lovely wife for Christmas. It's been fun going through these cards that I never really saw back when I started collecting in 1987 with the base set. There are also several players who went on to be included in the 1990 CMC set.

Jim Lindeman is another CMC set member in the 87 Traded set, whom I have yet to feature.

Lindeman debuted with the Cardinals in 1986, getting into 19 games, hitting .255. Lindeman went on to play in nine major league seasons. In 1990, with Detroit, Lindeman got into just 12 games. The rest of the year, he played at AAA Toledo, getting into the CMC set.

According to Topps, Johnson "derives enjoyment from saltwater fishing."

Greg Booker played in the majors each of the previous four seasons, from 1983 to 1986. But he never played in more than 32 games in a season, most in relief. He didn't make the Topps base set because he got into just nine games the year before in 1986.

Topps notes on Booker's card back notes his marriage to Jack McKeon's daughter.

In 1987, though, Booker pitched in 44 games in relief. His last year was 1990, the year he made the CMC set. His feature came here in July 2010.

Dickie Noles made the 1987 Topps base set as a member of the Indians. For 1987, he signed with the Cubs, pitching for the Cubs and Tigers. He pitched in 45 total games that year in relief.

In all, Noles played in 11 major league seasons, his last coming in 1990, the year he made the CMC set as a member of Scranton. Noles has yet to be featured here.

Noles' card back includes only an "on this date," noting that on May 31, 1972, Bobby Bonds completed an unassisted double play in the outfield.

Mike Kingery made the Topps base set as a member of the Royals, getting into 62 games in 1986. But an off-season trade sent him to the Mariners, where he got into 120 games in 1987, the most of his 10-season big league career.

Kingery was featured here in February 2011. He made the CMC set as a member of the Phoenix Firebirds, having signed that year with the Giants. He made San Francisco in 1990 for 105 games, called up in late May.

The back of his card also includes only an "on this date" feature, noting that on Aug. 18, 1969, Mark Belanger "laced 2 doubles in one inning" for the Orioles.