Prove Your Hobby Knowledge!
Welcome to the June 2025 edition of RIPPED Trivia, where you can test your knowledge of Topps cards — the obscure, the sentimental, the head-scratchers, and the weird. There’s a lot of weird here! Answers are at the bottom, but no cheating!
Score:
0-3: You’re actually pretty normal — these are meant to be hard!
4-6: You likely buy your penny sleeves by the million.
7-8: You are a former or current Topps employee
9-10: You definitely looked at the bottom.
Let’s jump in!
1. Which 1986 Topps TV show set featured its titular character saying, “OUTRAGEOUS! Me? On a…bubble gum card?” (BONUS HINT: This set also featured a totally ’80s “Sadness is a broken VCR” card, as well.)
2. In 1958, Mickey Mantle’s height on the back of his Topps card was listed as 5’11’. In 1963, his height was listed as what?
3. Russell Wilson’s Topps Football rookie card was in the 2012 set, but he actually appeared two years earlier in what set and for what team?
4. Topps debuted eTopps football in 2000. It was an “ahead of its time” predecessor of both Topps NOW/On Demand and NFTs. Who was on card #1 in the set?
5. The back of Wayne Gretzky’s rookie card says he is considered the best prospect to turn professional since which 17-year vet (who debuted in 1971, if you need a hint)?
6. In 1998, Topps introduced “Action Flats” — an action figure and card combo, where the figure was a recreation of the player’s action show on the card. The first set included two draft picks. Can you name them?
7. In 1985’s WWF Pro Wrestling Stars set, Captain Lou Albano is dressed as Santa Claus on the front of his card. On the back, he says “no more bad guy” and he’s “changed my ways.” He thanked two people for this — Hulk Hogan and which pop star?
And now, it’s time to play, “Do they have a Topps/Bowman card?” Rapid fire!
8. Dr. Jonas Salk, American virologist and medical researcher
9. Admiral Ackbar, Rebel Alliance legend from Mon Calamari
10. Keith Bulluck, 11-year NFL veteran and former All-Pro
Answers
1. Max Headroom, on cards #10 and #22
2. 6’0”
3. Wilson appeared in the Bowman 2010 set as a rookie – in baseball for the Colorado Rockies, who drafted him in the 4th round of the 2010 draft.
4. Ricky Williams
5. Guy Lafleur
6. Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf
7. Cyndi Lauper.
8. Yes, Dr. Salk has appeared in several Topps sets, most recently as part of the “Notable Americans” in 2025 Topps Heritage.
9. Yes, Admiral Ackbar, though dismissed by some haters as a relatively minor character, has plenty of Topps cards. His rookie? The 1983 Return of the Jedi set.
10. Yes, Bulluck has several cards, including his 2009 Topps Chrome Red Refractor with his signature red gloves.
