Interview with Mike Hargrove

Mike Hargrove is one of the few men to play over 1500 major league games and then manage over 1500 major league games. He won two pennants as a manager and is in the top 75 all time in on-base percentage. Currently the manager of the Liberal Beejays of the Jayhawk league, he kindly took time from his busy schedule to answer my questions about baseball cards.

Bo Rosny: Do you have any stories about cards of yourself or of other players?
Mike Hargrove: Billy Ripken had a photo with him swinging his bat and on the knob of the bat he had written with Magic Marker a curse word to be able to identify his bat in the bat rack. It was subsequently erased.

BR: Do you have a favorite card of yourself or of another player?
MH: My favorite card is the Billy Ripken card.

BR: Do you collect baseball cards?
MH: No, I don't collect cards. I do have some here somewhere but not in a collection.

I think one card really sticks in his memory! This is the third time a former player has talked about the Billy Ripken card, after Chris Haney and Chuck Cary.

He didn't mention any of his own cards so here is one from my collection. 1983 Fleer is one of my favorite sets.