1981 Topps Jim Clancy

Front: Typical spring training shot. Clancy appears to be squinting; Topps photographers often shot with the sun behind them, so there used to be many squinting photos.

 

The back: In the middle of a pennant race with the Yankees, Orioles manager Earl Weaver forfeited a game in Toronto (the only intentional forfeit by a team since 1914) due to what he considered a dangerous tarp on the Blue Jays bullpen within the field of play. Baltimore ended up losing the division by three games so the forfeit didn’t end up factoring into the race.

The player: Jim Clancy was one of the first Blue Jay regulars, though never a star. A solid pitcher for the team for over a decade, Clancy went 128-140 with a 4.10 ERA in the franchise’s first twelve seasons, a time when an ERA over 4 was quite high. He finished out his career with the Astros and Braves.

 

The man: For someone who pitched fifteen years in the major leagues, Clancy kept a very low profile during and after his career.

 

My collection: I have 51 of his cards, from 1978 to 1992. I would be interested in trading for 1988 Sportflics #215.