“Clemente was born in Puerto Rico, one of six siblings in a poor but hard-working family.  Throughout his career, he used his position to help those in similar circumstances.  On 12-31-72, he was killed when his plane, bound for earthquake-ravaged Nicaragua with humanitarian aid, crashed.  In his honor, Puerto Rico declared an official three-day mourning period.”

“CLEMENTE IN FACT: Roberto was aboard the plane because he had heard supplies were being stolen and he wanted to deliver the goods himself.”

1998 Topps Series 1:

1. #89 Edgardo Alfonzo
2. #225 Mark Loretta
3. #149 Alex Fernandez
4. Clemente Tribute #RC1 Roberto Clemente
5. #94 Mike Lieberthal
6. #236 Jason McDonald
7. #6 Kevin Brown
8. #79 Kevin Polcovich (Rookie Card)
9. #145 Joe Carter
10. #255 Ben Grieve/Dermal Brown/Brian Buchanan (Prospects)
11. #254 Aaron Boone/Adrian Beltre/Ryan Minor (Prospects)

“Roger is the only 4-time AL Cy Young winner.”

Then he won the Cy Young Award again in 1998 and 2001 to bring the total to 6.

1998 Topps Series 2:

1. #489 Tim Drew/Donnie Bridges (Draft Picks) (Rookie)
2. #291 Paul Molitor
3. #497 Tony Saunders (Topps All-Star Rookie)
4. #309 Chuck Knoblauch
5. #496 Brian Anderson
6. #300 Roger Clemens
7. #365 Jermaine Allensworth
8. #313 Moises Alou
9. #428 Ed Sprague
10. #426 Pete Schourek
11. #340 Chris Stynes

“With home run and RBI totals that represented the second-highest of his career, David was a no-brainer choice as The Sporting News AL Comeback Player-of-the-Year.  He played only 40 games in 1996 because of a shoulder injury.”

1998 Topps Series 2:

1. #373 Chris Holt
2. #447 Shannon Stewart
3. #344 Wilson Alvarez
4. #446 Ken Hill
5. #457 Devon White
6. Minted in Cooperstown #336 David Justice
7. #438 Jim Leyritz
8. #375 Marty Cordova
9. #472 Brooks Kieschnick
10. #386 Brian McRae
11. #408 Roberto Kelly

1998 Topps Series 1:

1. #272 Denny Neagle (Interleague Play)
2. #270 Chuck Knoblauch (Interleague Play)
3. #224 Woody Williams
4. #117 Chris Gomez
5. #25 Scott Rolen (Topps All-Star Rookie)
6. #207 Raul Casanova (Rookie Card)
7. #119 Orlando Merced
8. #177 Hal Morris
9. #86 B.J. Surhoff
10. #223 Matt Karchner (Rookie Card)
11. #231 Glendon Rusch

“Cleveland manager Mike Hargrove said his team “out-uglied” the Marlins in Game 3, but Florida’s Gary Sheffield came out looking good.  In his team’s wild 14-11 win, the rightfielder contributed a solo home run, RBI double, two-run single, bases-loaded walk and a great catch at the wall.  The slugfest, impacted by six errors and 17 walks, gave Florida a two games-to-one edge.  It was the second-highest scoring, second-coldest (41 degrees) and second longest (4:12) nine-inning game in Series history.”

Sheffield hit his 500th homer on the final season of his 22-season MLB career in 2009, as a member of the New York Mets.

1998 Topps Series 1:

1. #96 Walt Weiss
2. #24 Jeff Kent
3. #177 Hal Morris
4. #279 Gary Sheffield (World Series Highlights)
5. #191 Dave Mlicki
6. #47 Devon White
7. #141 Jaime Navarro
8. #15 Bobby Witt
9. #138 Doug Jones
10. #253 Larry Rodriguez/John Patterson (Prospects)
11. #249 Jason Dellaero/Troy Cameron (Draft Picks) (Rookie Card)

“Perhaps still rebounding from relatively minor shoulder surgery after the 1996 season ended, Mike started slowly in ’97, then emerged as one of the better pitchers in the league.  At one point in July and August, he reeled off seven straight victories.  Hitting his spots has always been the key for Hampton.  In a May 8 victory over the Mets last year, he threw 17 straight strikes over three innings.”

At the age of 38, Hampton might make a few appearances for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2011.

1998 Topps Series 1:

1. #268 Nomar Garciaparra (Season Highlights)
2. #267 Francisco Cordova (Season Highlights)
3. #179 Orel Hershiser
4. #226 Mike Hampton
5. #60 Mark Leiter
6. #93 Edgar Renteria
7. #238 Tom Martin (Rookie Card)
8. Minted in Cooperstown #226 Mike Hampton
9. #210 Luis Gonzalez
10. #38 Dan Wilson
11. #192 Garrett Stephenson (Rookie Card)

“Matt’s family owns a photo of his grandfather (ex-ML OF’er Bert Griffith) smoking cigars and fishing with Babe Ruth.  At times, Williams does a fair imitation of grandpa’s old buddy.”

1998 Topps Series 2:

1. #486 Eric Milton/Jason Marquis/Corey Lee (Prospects)
2. #425 Bob Tewksbury
3. #487 A.J. Hinch/Mark Osborne/Robert Fick (Prospects)
4. #353 Fernando Vina
5. #488 Aramis Ramirez/Alex Gonzalez/Sean Casey (Prospects)
6. #452 John Valentin
7. #413 Ryan McGuire
8. #378 Jeff Brantley
9. #445 Jason Schmidt
10. #439 Matt Williams
11. #381 Mike Fetters

“Chris was tougher the second time around the league in 1997 — always a promising sign for a rookie.  After initial struggles, he was brilliant over the final few weeks, compiling a 1.87 ERA in September.  His masterwork was a three-hitter over the Angels — the first shutout by a Blue Jay rookie in 11 years.”

Chris Carpenter is an odd case.  From 1997 to 2002 he posted a losing 49-50 record and a sub-par 4.83 ERA.  He then suffered a torn labrum and sat out the entire 2003 season.  Since returning to action in 2004, he has posted an 84-33 record and a 2.98 ERA, while striking out more batters per nine innings than he ever had before.

1998 Topps Series 2:

1. #388 Heathcliff Slocumb
2. #387 Alan Benes
3. #364 Reggie Sanders
4. #401 John Burkett
5. #359 Kirk Rueter
6. Minted in Cooperstown #442 Chris Carpenter (Rookie Card)
7. #295 Andres Galarraga
8. #434 Andy Ashby
9. #345 Bip Roberts
10. #407 Brian Johnson
11. #468 Rich Butler