Cleon Jones Mets Topps Baseball Cards Thru the Years

A look at All Time Mets Top Left Fielder- All Star Cleon Jones' baseball cards thru the years:

Cleon Jones had two official Rookie cards issued, the first was in the 1965 Topps set alongside pitcher Tom Parsons. Parsons' claom to Mets fame is being the player to be named later after recieving catcher Jerry Grote from Houston. In 1966 a second Rookie card was issued, along side Tom Seaver's childhood friend, Dick Selma.

 By 1967 Topps put Cleon Jones on their Topps All Star Rookie Team. He also had a card in the subset- Topps pin ups

 

1968 Topps

 

A 1969 Topps Super- Cleon Jones card. The super set were 66 cards measuring 2-1/4" x 3-1/4" in size with a super colorful high gloss finish.

Topps issued the same picture of Cleon on different cards in 1969 & 1970.

Cleon Jones was a starting Outfielder for the 1969 NL All Star Team, but Topps did not issue a Cleon Jones All Star Card because the All Star Cards were the Sporting News All Stars. The Mets Jerry Koosman did get an All Star Card but Steve Carlton was the starter in the actual game & did not get a card. Nor did Sal Bando, Frank Howard or Mel Stottlemyre. 

But Cleon did get another subset, it was a comic book style booklet called "The Cleon Jones Story". Topps issued 24 of these booklets inserted into regular wax packs. It seems Topps picked one player from each team, some stars some just common players. He also made it onto the NL Batting Leaders Card.

 

1971 Topps

 

In 1972 the colorful Topps set featured Cleon in a regular card in in one of the special In Action cards. The Mets Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Bud Harrelson, Tug McGraw, Ed Kranepool, Danny Frisella, Ray Sadecki, Ken Singleton, Jim Fregosi & Tim Foli also had In Action Cards.

In the 1973 Topps set, Cleon has his own card & makes an appearance on Atlanta Braves catcher, Bob Didier's as well. Here Cleon is sliding into home plate as the catcher awaits the call. A great action card.

 

In the 1974 Topps set Cleon's card has him swinging while at bat in another action photo. He also appears on a World Series Game #5 card, here he is shown scoring the Mets first run as Jerry Grote signals for him to come home standing. John Milner provided the single after Cleon had doubled. off Oakland A's starter Vida Blue. The Mets won the game 2-0 & took a 3-2 Series lead back to Oakland.

1975 was Cleon Jones last Topps regular series baseball card issue. By 1976 he had been traded by the Mets in an ugly ending to his career. He briefly played with the Chicago White Sox but no card was issued in 1976.