1969 Topps Basketball Set Guide: Key Cards, Rookies, and Checklist
Set Description
The 1969 "Tall Boy" set was the first basketball set Topps released since 1957, and the first set any company released since 1961 Fleer. Topps retuned with a bang, this time printing super sized cards, nicknamed "Tall Boys" for their height compared with standard size of sports cards at the time. The design of the set featured the player's name and position on the top border and team on the lower border. A photograph of the appeared in an oval in the middle of the card. An interesting note is Topps was not able to use any team logos, so all players are featured in warmups or jersey backward. Of the 99 card released, 32 are Hall of Famers. The key card in the set is the Lew Alcindor Rookie (he would later change his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar). The cards could be bought in 10 card packs, each containing a ruler. Each ruler was a 10 inch fold out featuring one of 24 different players.
Set Information
Manufacturer: Topps
Year: 1969
Cards in Set: 99
Card Size: 2-1/2" by 4-11/16"
Series
Series 1: 1-99
Notes
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The checklist (card #99) is difficult to find in nice condition and as a result is very valuable in high grade
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Each 10 card pack contained a Topps ruler, which was a 10 inch fold out ruler featuring one of 24 players
Key Rookie Cards
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John Havlicek (#20)
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Lew Alcindor (#25)
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Earl Monroe (#80)
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Walt Frazier (#98)
Errors and Variations
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No significant errors/variations
Key Cards/Hall of Famers
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Wilt Chamberlain (#1)
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Elgin Baylor (#35)
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Oscar Robinson (#50)
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Jerry West (#90)
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Checklist (#99)
Subsets
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None
1969 Topps Basketball Checklist
1 Wilt Chamberlain - Los Angeles Lakers
2 Gail Goodrich - Phoenix Suns RC
3 Cazzie Russell - New York Knicks RC
4 Darrall Imhoff - Philadelphia 76ers RC
5 Bailey Howell - Boston Celtics
6 Lucius Allen - Seattle SuperSonics RC
7 Tom Boerwinkle - Chicago Bulls RC
8 Jimmy Walker - Detroit Pistons RC
9 John Block - San Diego Rockets RC
10 Nate Thurmond - San Francisco Warriors RC
11 Gary Gregor - Atlanta Hawks
12 Gus Johnson - Baltimore Bullets RC
13 Luther Rackley - Cincinnati Royals
14 Jon McGlocklin - Milwaukee Bucks RC
15 Connie Hawkins - Phoenix Suns RC
16 Johnny Egan - Los Angeles Lakers
17 Jim Washington - Philadelphia 76ers
18 Dick Barnett - New York Knicks RC
19 Tom Meschery - Seattle SuperSonics
20 John Havlicek - Boston Celtics RC
21 Eddie Miles - Detroit Pistons
22 Walt Wesley - Chicago Bulls
23 Rick Adelman - San Diego Rockets RC
24 Al Attles - San Francisco Warriors
25 Lew Alcindor - Milwaukee Bucks RC
26 Jack Marin - Baltimore Bullets RC
27 Walt Hazzard - Atlanta Hawks RC
28 Connie Dierking - Cincinnati Royals
29 Keith Erickson - Los Angeles Lakers RC
30 Bob Rule - Seattle SuperSonics RC
31 Dick Van Arsdale - Phoenix Suns RC
32 Archie Clark - Philadelphia 76ers RC
33 Terry Dischinger - Detroit Pistons RC
34 Henry Finkel - Boston Celtics RC
35 Elgin Baylor - Los Angeles Lakers
36 Ron Williams - San Francisco Warriors
37 Loy Petersen - Chicago Bulls
38 Guy Rodgers - Milwaukee Bucks
39 Toby Kimball - San Diego Rockets
40 Billy Cunningham - Philadelphia 76ers RC
41 Joe Caldwell - Atlanta Hawks RC
42 Leroy Ellis - Baltimore Bullets RC
43 Bill Bradley - New York Knicks RC
44 Len Wilkens - Seattle SuperSonics
45 Jerry Lucas - San Francisco Warriors RC
46 Neal Walk - Phoenix Suns RC
47 Emmette Bryant - Boston Celtics RC
48 Bob Kauffman - Chicago Bulls RC
49 Mel Counts - Los Angeles Lakers RC
50 Oscar Robertson - Cincinnati Royals
51 Jim Barnett - San Diego Rockets RC
52 Don Smith - Milwaukee Bucks
53 Jim Davis - Atlanta Hawks
54 Wally Jones - Philadelphia 76ers RC
55 Dave Bing - Detroit Pistons RC
56 Wes Unseld - Baltimore Bullets RC
57 Joe Ellis - San Francisco Warriors
58 John Tresvant - Seattle SuperSonics
59 Larry Siegfried - Boston Celtics RC
60 Willis Reed - New York Knicks RC
61 Paul Silas - Phoenix Suns RC
62 Bob Weiss - Chicago Bulls RC
63 Willie McCarter - Los Angeles Lakers RC
64 Don Kojis - San Diego Rockets RC
65 Lou Hudson - Atlanta Hawks RC
66 Jim King - Cincinnati Royals
67 Luke Jackson - Philadelphia 76ers RC
68 Len Chappell - Milwaukee Bucks RC
69 Ray Scott - Baltimore Bullets
70 Jeff Mullins - San Francisco Warriors RC
71 Howie Komives - Detroit Pistons
72 Tom Sanders - Boston Celtics RC
73 Dick Snyder - Seattle SuperSonics
74 Dave Stallworth - New York Knicks RC
75 Elvin Hayes - San Diego Rockets RC
76 Art Harris - Phoenix Suns
77 Don Ohl - Atlanta Hawks
78 Bob Love - Chicago Bulls RC
79 Tom Van Arsdale - Cincinnati Royals RC
80 Earl Monroe - Baltimore Bullets RC
81 Greg Smith - Milwaukee Bucks
82 Don Nelson - Boston Celtics RC
83 Happy Hairston - Detroit Pistons RC
84 Hal Greer - Philadelphia 76ers
85 Dave DeBusschere - New York Knicks RC
86 Bill Bridges - Atlanta Hawks RC
87 Herm Gilliam - Cincinnati Royals RC
88 Jim Fox - Phoenix Suns
89 Bob Boozer - Seattle SuperSonics
90 Jerry West - Los Angeles Lakers
91 Chet Walker - Chicago Bulls RC
92 Flynn Robinson - Milwaukee Bucks RC
93 Clyde Lee - San Francisco Warriors
94 Kevin Loughery - Baltimore Bullets RC
95 Walt Bellamy - Detroit Pistons
96 Art Williams - San Diego Rockets
97 Adrian Smith - Cincinnati Royals RC
98 Walt Frazier - New York Knicks RC
99 Checklist
Ruler Checklist
1 Walt Bellamy - Detroit Pistons
2 Jerry West - Los Angeles Lakers
3 Bailey Howell - Boston Celtics
4 Elvin Hayes - San Diego Rockets
6 Bob Rule - Seattle SuperSonics
7 Gail Goodrich - Los Angeles Lakers
8 Jeff Mullins - San Francisco Warriors
9 John Havlicek - Boston Celtics
10 Lew Alcindor - Milwaukee Bucks
11 Wilt Chamberlain - Los Angeles Lakers
12 Nate Thurmond - San Francisco Warriors
13 Hal Greer - Philadelphia 76ers
14 Lou Hudson - Atlanta Hawks
15 Jerry Lucas - Cincinnati Royals
16 Dave Bing - Detroit Pistons
17 Walt Frazier - New York Knicks
18 Gus Johnson - Baltimore Bullets
19 Willis Reed - New York Knicks
20 Earl Monroe - Baltimore Bullets
21 Billy Cunningham - Philadelphia 76ers
22 Wes Unseld - Baltimore Bullets
23 Bob Boozer - Chicago Bulls
24 Oscar Robertson - Cincinnati Royals