Interview with Mike Easler

Mike Easler earned the nickname "Hit Man" during his fourteen year major league career, hitting .293 with 118 home runs. Since his retirement he has become a respected hitting coach. He kindly took the time recently to answer a few of my baseball-card related questions.

Bo Rosny: Do you have any stories about cards of yourself or of other players?
Mike Easler: My dad use to receive baseball cards at our home in Cleveland. He used to keep them in a bag and make me sign all of them every time I came home to visit. He made sure I signed them all. My dad told me the fans are very important and he said to respect them always. They are the ones who help pay my salary. I still keep them in a bag,and I try to sign them all when I receive cards at my home. Truthfully I have slacked off a bit, but when I get quiet times at home I open them all and sign and send them off.
BR: Do you have a favorite card of yourself or of another player?
ME: My 2 favorite cards of myself are the card of me in a Pirates uniform with Louie Tiant in the backround. I had a black top and a yellow helmet on. The other card was of me in a Boston Red Sox uniform at first base with a firstbase glove on. The Hitman with a glove on my hand. Thats a joke.
BR: Do you collect baseball cards?
ME: don't collect cards, but from time to time I like to sort through them to see me in my hey day. I tell people that is my son, not me.

Judging from his favorite cards, it looks like Mike Easler is another fan of early 80's Fleer! In fact, on his blog he uses a picture of another Fleer card showing him as a Yankee - 1987 Fleer. Below are two more Fleer cards of Easler as a Yankee from my own collection.

Thanks, Coach Easler!