As part of the celebration of the 70th anniversary of Topps baseball cards, we've asked fans (as well as our staff) to submit their all-time favorite baseball cards, and we've broken them down by team. We'll be revealing submissions regularly throughout the season, ranging from the famous to the weird, and everything in between.

Ted Williams, 1972 Topps

Just as with Joe DiMaggio in an A’s uniform, it can be a little jarring at first to see the Splendid Splinter in a Rangers uniform … although in this card, there actually isn’t a logo on his cap, so perhaps that doesn’t apply as much here.

In any case, it’s true -- Williams was a Ranger, managing the Washington Senators/Texas Rangers from 1969-72. He even took batting practice for charity at his old stomping grounds, Fenway Park, on Aug. 25, 1972, giving the Boston faithful what they wanted after “We want Ted!” chants rang out. 

Williams is heralded by many as “the greatest hitter who ever lived.” He is forever emblazoned in memories and on film as a Red Sox legend. So it’s weird to see him in another uniform, but it did happen. Having a card like this 1972 Topps gem is pretty cool. 

What’s even cooler is the reason the person who submitted this card cherishes it so much -- it has nothing to do with Ted Williams the baseball legend, and everything to do with … fly fishing?

“I was a die-hard Dodger fan and Ted wasn’t even on my radar as a player.” wrote Neal K. “To me, he was a world renowned fly fisherman, first and foremost. My first fly rod was a Ted Williams Signature Model from Sears Roebuck & Company. My grandpa had a picture of Ted Williams hanging in his den -- not of Ted in a baseball uniform. My grandpa had seen Ted at a fishing expo of some sort and he was giving a fly-casting demonstration. He took a photo of him and that 5X7 is what launched the Ted Williams 'legendary fly fisherman' vision in my fly-fishing brain.”

A classic card can be a classic for any number of reasons. Even fly fishing. -- Manny Randhawa

Classic Rangers rookie card: Ruben Sierra, 1986 Donruss

Sierra was supposed to be the next big thing for the Rangers. It never quite clicked for the switch-hitter, whose early seasons were marred by inconsistency and clashes with managers.

But there’s no doubting the man's confidence. Just look at his '86 Donruss card. That’s the look of a guy who believes in himself.

Sierra eventually got his head on straight and went on to have a long career, playing 20 seasons and finishing with 2,152 hits and 306 homers. -- Thomas Harrigan

Bobby Valentine, 1989 Topps

Bobby V. is running for mayor of Stamford, Conn., his hometown. This card might make some good campaign content, reminding folks that he was once the manager of the Texas Rangers -- on second thought, maybe not, since he was fired by George W. Bush, who at the time was the owner of the club and later became the 43rd president of the United States.

Juan B. submitted this card, and it’s timely, given Valentine’s political aspirations. Valentine managed Texas from 1985-92, with a record of 581-605. It was his first managerial job -- he later helmed the Mets from 1996-2002, winning the 2000 National League pennant with New York, and the Red Sox in 2012.

Valentine should be OK ... so long as he doesn't show up to a debate wearing the disguise he donned to sneak back into the dugout during a game from which he was ejected in 1999. -- Manny Randhawa

Alex Rodriguez, 2003 Topps Record Breakers

Try to remember how great A-Rod's years with the Rangers were. Though he was in Texas for only three seasons, those seasons were absolutely dominant.

This great-looking Record Breakers card commemorates Rodriguez's 52 home runs in 2001, his Rangers debut. That's 52 home runs as a shortstop. And it won him the American League home run crown.

Then A-Rod hit 57 homers in '02 and won the Major League home run crown. And then he hit 47 in '03 and won the MLB home run crown again. And the AL MVP trophy. Pretty good.

Richie Zisk, 1979 Topps

Zisk wasn’t a superstar, but he made the All-Star team in ‘78 and earned an AL All-Star banner on his Topps card the next year. Pulling Zisk’s ‘79 Topps card from the first pack he ever opened made William Schlaerth a fan for life. In Schlaerth's eyes, nobody could compare to Zisk.

“With his bat carelessly flung across his left shoulder and his penetrating eyes, he looked like he could conquer the world," Schlaerth wrote. "To a kid just starting his Little League career, that meant everything. Most importantly, this was the only All-Star card to come out of my first pack of baseball cards. He was one of the best, he was special, and he was all mine. While other kids were talking up Reggie Jackson, George Brett or Johnny Bench (all future Hall of Famers) no one knew about Richie Zisk, except me.

“I safeguarded this card throughout my youth, took it to college, and kept it with me well into my marriage. In early summer a few years back, I could not find it anywhere. It was gone. I started looking for replacements on eBay and going through all my old boxes. I could not find the original and was going to buy a replacement. Then, at dinner on Father's Day, my kids gave me a full-sized frame with baseball cards of all my favorite players in their positions set against a baseball diamond. There was my All-Star, Richie Zisk, in the on-deck circle (bottom right corner). My kids said he was my team's DH. They had done their homework. It was the best gift I ever got.” -- Thomas Harrigan

Best Rangers facial hair card: Juan Gonzalez, 1993 Topps

Gonzalez makes his second appearance on this list thanks to a great 'stache that was with him through most of his Major League career. The two-time American League MVP Award winner drove in 100 or more runs in eight different seasons, leading baseball with 157 RBIs in 1998. He also led the Majors in home runs twice, achieving the feat in back-to-back years from 1992-93.

"Juan-Gone" was his nickname, and for good reason. And the mustache he sported throughout the prime of his career was as distinctive as his batting stance, which involved holding the bat entirely over the top of his head before getting into the load position to unleash his powerful swing.

The 1993 Topps set was simple and understated, which was perfect for highlighting the player himself, and in Gonzalez's case, that meant his mustache was an easy feature upon which to fix a card collector's gaze.

The card surely caught the eye of Brad M. of Saint Charles, Missouri, who submitted it in our survey.

"No other card for me evokes such fond memories of summer adolescence," Brad wrote. "We neighborhood boys would walk up to K-Mart anytime we scraped together a couple dollars and busted rack packs of Topps throughout the summer of 1993. We all had our favorite and I spent the summer trading for additional copies of this card." -- Manny Randhawa

Juan Gonzalez, 1990 Topps

After Gonzalez debuted at the age of 19 in September 1989, his rookie card was included in the Topps set the following year. It wasn’t until ‘91 that Gonzalez became a big league regular, but once he did, he gave Texas one of the most feared sluggers in the Majors.

From 1991-99, "Juan Gone" averaged 37 homers and 117 RBIs per season while hitting .296 with a .922 OPS. He was named the American League MVP in both ‘96 and ‘98.

Jonathan Soliz of McAllen, Texas, wrote in to share why Gonzalez's Topps rookie card, and the Rangers in general, hold a special significance for him.

“Baseball is a family heirloom," Soliz wrote. "My personal family heirloom is a 1990 Topps Juan Gonzalez Rookie Card. It is not the interesting color scheme or the fact it is the rookie card of a two-time American League MVP that makes this card valuable. It once belonged to my grandpa and was recently discovered while going through old boxes. It was in a small stack of cards held together with a rubber band.

“My grandpa was a Rangers fan, therefore I am a Rangers fan. Juan Gonzalez was his favorite player from the 1990s Rangers teams. As my Grandpa aged, he developed Alzheimer’s and it became more and more difficult for him to remember. However, whenever I turned the TV on to a Rangers game, he always knew it was baseball and watched intently. For a few hours, it was as if we had our grandpa back. It has been almost three years since he passed away, and my family and I continue to watch the Rangers and cheer them on. When I discovered the Juan Gonzalez card, it was like finding another piece of my grandpa to treasure.” -- Thomas Harrigan

Nolan Ryan, 1992 Fleer

What’s more Nolan Ryan than a smoking baseball?

So when it comes to a great Rangers baseball card, this one is a great choice. The 1992 Fleer set, with its turquoise borders and bold lettering for player names is aesthetically pleasing, and there are some select cards that feature artwork rather than a photo.

That’s the case with this Ryan card, which has him holding a smoking baseball with his back to the viewer but his head turned toward the viewer. He’s also standing in front of a wall with a tally being kept of all his strikeouts.

Eric P. of Tualatin, Ore., submitted this card, and he pretty much summed it all up with his description of it:

“Captures the essence of Nolan Ryan. The smoking ball, the strikeouts adding up on the wall and his face. His face says so many different things, but mainly ‘you think you can hit my fastball?’”

The answer for most Major League hitters during Ryan’s era was “not a chance.” That’s evidenced by his Major League-record 5,714 strikeouts and seven no-hitters. That triple-digit fastball certainly made it seem like there should be smoke rising from its surface. -- Manny Randhawa

Iconic Rangers card: Ivan Rodriguez, 1991 Score Rookie/Traded set

This was submitted by Christian Kline of Austin, Texas, who wrote:

"Having thousands of baseball cards from all eras, I consider my collection to be top notch for only being 24 years old. I have an extreme passion for the sport of baseball, with the Texas Rangers being my personal favorite team. With that being said, my 1991 Ivan 'Pudge' Rodriguez rookie card rated a perfect 10 in mint condition by PSA is one of my most treasured cards. Pudge was one of the greatest catchers behind the plate in the modern era of baseball. I was lucky enough to be in attendance when the Rangers retired his number and inducted him into the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame. It is a memory I will always remember and cherish."

The 1991 season was Rodriguez's first in Major League Baseball. He debuted that June, beginning a run of 12 seasons with the Rangers during which he hit 215 homers, made 10 American League All-Star teams and won 10 Gold Glove Awards.

Texas retired Rodriguez's No. 7 in 2012, and he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame five years later. -- Thomas Harrigan

Cliff Lee, 2011 Topps

Lee spent only a few months with the Rangers, but he’ll forever hold a special place in the franchise’s history after helping the team notch its first-ever postseason series win and advance to the World Series in 2010.

Lee picked up two wins and recorded a 1.13 ERA with 21 K’s in 16 innings during the ALDS against the Rays, tossing a complete game in the winner-take-all Game 5 at Tropicana Field. Then, after the Rangers split the first two games of the ALCS at home against the Yankees, Lee took the mound at Yankee Stadium and fired eight scoreless innings with 13 strikeouts in an 8-0 win.

Lee had already signed a free-agent deal with the Phillies by the time the 2011 Topps Series 1 set was released, but the left-hander makes an appearance in a Rangers uniform. It’s one of the only cards out there depicting Lee with Texas. -- Thomas Harrigan

1972 Rangers team card, 1972 Topps

In 1972, the Lone Star State got its second MLB club when the Washington Senators became the Texas Rangers. This card shows the entire team and is a memorable one for Rojelio G., who submitted it in our survey.

Rojelio was 10 years old at the time, and went to several games with his father. That's what it's all about.

Rangers insert card: Nolan Ryan, 2015 Topps Archetypes

This is the perfect card for an insert set called "Archetypes," because Ryan is the archetype of the strikeout pitcher.

The all-time leader in K's, with 5,714, is shown here in a Rangers uniform in front of a unique word map-style background.

"This is a very interesting and special card to me," writes Kai Jefferson of McLean, Va., who submitted the card. "I respect Nolan Ryan for his skills and passion for baseball."

Jeff Burroughs and Toby Harrah, 1976 Topps

So what do you do if it's the mid-1970s and you want to get some baseball cards autographed? Well, outside going to a ballgame and hoping for some good fortune, you'd mail the cards to the players you want signatures from and hope they'll sign and send them back.

That doesn't always work, but Paul M. of London, Ontario, had a pretty good idea.

"I was nine years old at the time and collecting cards," Paul wrote in response to our survey. "I decided to mail (yes, the old-fashioned way) two cards from every team and ask them to be signed. The only team that responded to me was the Texas Rangers. Some 44 years later, I still have the two cards on the shelf in my basement."

Increase your odds and you just might be happy with the return. -- Manny Randhawa

Ian Kinsler, 2015 Topps

While it might not seem spectacular at first glance, this Kinsler relic from 2015 has a special meaning to Kaylee from Wichita Falls, who submitted this card.

“I became an avid baseball fan when I was about 5," she wrote. "I remember going to my first Texas Rangers game and seeing my uncle wear an Ian Kinsler shirt. I knew that if my uncle liked Kinsler, I had to also. From then on, I bought my first Kinsler shirt and have followed him ever since.

“I have watched Kinsler play all the way up until he retired recently. I have several baseball cards of him, but nothing like this one.”

Just more proof that cards can be more than cardboard. -- Nick Aguilera

1990s throwback card: Ivan Rodriguez, 1994 Topps

Among an array of impressive defensive tools, Rodriguez was known for his rocket arm behind the plate, and this card captures the backstop firing away, perhaps on one of his 51 caught-stealings during the 1993 season.

It’s a great action shot that shows Pudge’s mask flying off as he completes his throw.

Rodriguez went on to win his third straight Gold Glove Award in 1994, continuing a streak that would ultimately last 10 seasons. -- Thomas Harrigan

Julio Franco, 1992 Score

The late 1980s and early 1990s represented the heyday of the sports card collecting hobby. And one of the signature styles of the time was the "giant cartoon head" of ballplayers that would often appear not only on trading cards, but on t-shirts and other memorabilia.

This Franco card is a great example of that. Franco, of course, is well known for having played in the Majors for nearly a quarter of a century, donning the uniform of the Phillies, Indians, Rangers, White Sox, Brewers, Rays, Braves and Mets from 1982-2007. Some of his most productive years were with the Rangers -- it was in Texas that he earned all three of his career All-Star selections between 1989 and '93.

Andrew M. of Willmar, Minn., submitted this gem in our survey.

"My brother and I collected cards together and even though he is seven years older than I am, he would trade with me, too," Andrew wrote. "For my birthday one year he bought me a box of 1992 Score ... a BOX!!!! He must have been about 16 or so. I was so excited and my favorite cards were the 'big head' All-Star cards! This was one of my favorites because he is smiling right at you!"

If it's going to be a card with a giant cartoon head, might as well have a smile on the player's face, right? -- Manny Randhawa

Goose Gossage, 1992 Fleer

This is actually a great-looking card of Gossage, mid-windup, baseball gripped tight as he extends his right arm, signature mustache on full display.

But that Rangers uniform? When did that happen?

The Hall of Fame closer spent exactly one season in Texas in 1991. (It was his return to the Major Leagues after he pitched in Japan for the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks in 1990.) He recorded exactly one of his 310 career saves there.

Adrián Beltré, 2015 Topps

Beltré was one of the greatest defensive third basemen ever, and his ‘15 Topps card depicts him doing what he did best. It features an action shot of Beltré preparing to make a throw, a determined look on his face.

The card was mentioned in our survey by Ethan Christian of Waco, Texas, who got it signed by Beltré himself, giving it major points in the sentimental department.

“Adrián Beltré was my favorite baseball player when I was growing up,” Christian wrote. “I sent a 2015 Topps card off to him wanting him to sign it. Normally players would have an assistant sign a stack of cards, take the letter out of the envelope, put the pre-signed card in the envelope and then send it back. Beltré actually took the time to sign my card which meant the world to me. It may not be the most valuable baseball card but that card meant the world to me and it still does and I treasure it as my favorite card in my collection.” -- Thomas Harrigan

Lee Stevens, 2000 Fleer Ultra / 1999 Topps

These Lee Stevens cards are extra special. Why? They were submitted by his kid, Payden.

"My favorite baseball cards are my dad's baseball cards from when he played ball," Payden writes.

On the left is Stevens' 2000 Fleer Ultra card, showing him mid-swing. On the right is his 1999 Topps card, showing him stretching for a throw at first base.

Stevens played first base for the Rangers from 1996-99, hitting 68 home runs while with the club, including three straight 20-homer seasons his last three years there.