2003 Sweet Spot Classics

Description

2003 Sweet Spot Classics is a 150-card set released by Upper Deck in March, 2003. As the name suggests, the set focuses (almost) exclusively on retired players. The base set include a 30-card (cards #91-#120) Teddy Ballgame subset and a 30-card (#121-#150) Yankee Heritage subset. The Teddy Ballgame and Yankee Heritage subsets are serial-numbered to 1941 and 1500 copies, respectively.

Inclusion of Hideki Matsui

As a last-minute addition to the Sweet Spot Classics product, Upper Deck included a card of then-recent New York Yankees signing Hideki Matsui into the base set. Card #75, originally intended for Rod Carew, with withdrawn and replaced by Matsui, whose card was serial-numbered to 1999 copies. Despite this late "rookie" addition, Matsui's card does not fit the definition of a "true" Rookie Card as Sweet Spot Classics was not licensed by the MLBPA and does not feature any other active players.

It should be noted that several Rod Carew base cards did emerge from packs, but a set is considered complete without one.

Distribution

12 packs per box, five cards per pack (MSRP: $10). 16 boxes per case. Hobby only.

Insertion Ratios

Cards	Total Cards	Numbered To	Hobby Odds
Base	150	-	5:1
short set	89	-	5:1
Hideki Matsui "rookie"	1	1999	?
Teddy Ballgame	30	1941	1:12
Yankee Heritage	30	1500	1:12
Hideki Matsui Red	1	500	?
Hideki Matsui Blue	1	250	?
Hideki Matsui Silver	1	25	?
Patch Cards	83	-	1:6
Game Jersey	30	-	1:16
Pinstripes	12	-	1:40
Autographs Blue Ink	16	-	A
Autographs Black Ink	35	varies	A
Autographs Red Ink	35	25	A
Autographs Yankee Greats Blue Ink	23	-	A
Autographs Yankee Greats Black Ink	36	varies	A
Autographs Yankee Greats Red Ink	35	25	A
Autographs Yankee Greats Matsui Exchange	1	50	A

A: Odds of finding an autograph: 1:24/packs.

Checklist

• 1 Al Hrabosky
• 2 Al Lopez
• 3 Andre Dawson
• 4 Bill Buckner
• 5 Billy Williams
• 6 Bob Feller
• 7 Bob Lemon
• 8 Bobby Doerr
• 9 Cecil Cooper
• 10 Cal Ripken, Jr.
• 11 Carlton Fisk
• 12 Catfish Hunter
• 13 Chris Chambliss
• 14 Dale Murphy
• 15 Gaylord Perry
• 16 Dave Kingman
• 17 Dave Parker
• 18 Dave Stewart
• 19 David Cone
• 20 Dennis Eckersley
• 21 Don Baylor
• 22 Don Sutton
• 23 Duke Snider
• 24 Dwight Evans
• 25 Dwight Gooden
• 26 Earl Weaver
• 27 Early Wynn
• 28 Eddie Mathews
• 29 Enos Slaughter
• 30 Ernie Banks
• 31 Fred Lynn
• 32 Fred Stanley
• 33 Gary Carter
• 34 George Foster
• 35 Hal Newhouser
• 36 George Kell
• 37 Harmon Killebrew
• 38 Hoyt Wilhelm
• 39 Jack Morris
• 40 Jim Bunning
• 41 Jim Gilliam
• 42 Jim Leyritz
• 43 Jimmy Key
• 44 Joe Carter
• 45 Joe Morgan
• 46 John Montefusco
• 47 Johnny Bench
• 48 Johnny Podres
• 49 Jose Canseco
• 50 Juan Marichal
• 51 Keith Hernandez
• 52 Ken Griffey, Sr.
• 53 Kirby Puckett
• 54 Kirk Gibson
• 55 Larry Doby
• 56 Lee May
• 57 Lee Mazzilli
• 58 Lou Boudreau
• 59 Mark McGwire
• 60 Maury Wills
• 61 Mike Pagliarulo
• 62 Monte Irvin
• 63 Nolan Ryan
• 64 Orlando Cepeda
• 65 Ozzie Smith
• 66 Paul O'Neill
• 67 Pee Wee Reese
• 68 Phil Niekro
• 69 Ralph Kiner
• 70 Red Schoendienst
• 71 Richie Ashburn
• 72 Rick Ferrell
• 73 Robin Roberts
• 74 Robin Yount
• 75a Hideki Matsui XRC 1999
• 76 Rollie Fingers
• 77 Ron Cey
• 78 Tom Seaver
• 79 Sparky Anderson
• 80 Stan Musial
• 81 Steve Garvey
• 82 Ted Williams
• 83 Tom Lasorda
• 84 Tony Gwynn
• 85 Tony Perez
• 86 Vida Blue
• 87 Warren Spahn
• 88 Bob Gibson
• 89 Willie McCovey
• 90 Willie Stargell
• 75b Rod Carew ERR

Teddy Ballgame

Each Teddy Ballgame card is serial-numbered to 1941 copies.

• 91 Ted Williams
• 92 Ted Williams
• 93 Ted Williams
• 94 Ted Williams
• 95 Ted Williams
• 96 Ted Williams
• 97 Ted Williams
• 98 Ted Williams
• 99 Ted Williams
• 100 Ted Williams
• 101 Ted Williams
• 102 Ted Williams
• 103 Ted Williams
• 104 Ted Williams
• 105 Ted Williams
• 106a Ted Williams
• 106b Ted Williams
• 107 Ted Williams
• 108 Ted Williams
• 109 Ted Williams
• 110 Ted Williams
• 111 Ted Williams
• 112 Ted Williams
• 113 Ted Williams
• 114 Ted Williams
• 115 Ted Williams
• 117 Ted Williams
• 118 Ted Williams
• 119 Ted Williams
• 120 Ted Williams

Yankee Heritage

Each Yankee Heritage card is serial-numbered to 1500 copies.

• 121 Babe Ruth
• 122 Bucky Dent
• 123 Casey Stengel
• 124 Dave Righetti
• 125 Dave Winfield
• 126 Dick Tidrow
• 127 Dock Ellis
• 128 Don Mattingly
• 129 Hank Bauer
• 130 Jim Bouton
• 131 Jim Kaat
• 132 Joe DiMaggio
• 133 Joe Torre
• 134 Lou Piniella
• 135 Mel Stottlemyre
• 136 Mickey Mantle
• 137 Mickey Rivers
• 138 Phil Rizzuto
• 139 Ralph Branca
• 140 Ralph Houk
• 141 Roger Maris
• 142 Ron Guidry
• 143 Ruben Amaro
• 144 Sparky Lyle
• 145 Thurman Munson
• 146 Tommy Henrich
• 147 Tommy John
• 148 Tony Kubek
• 149 Whitey Ford
• 150 Yogi Berra

Parallels

Upper Deck three parallels of the Hideki Matsui base card (#75). No other parallels exist for this product.

• Red (serial-numbered to 500 copies)
• Blue (serial-numbered to 250 copies)
• Silver (serial-numbered to 25 copies)