Cake or gum? 1975 Sparky Lyle

Last time gum cruised to an 8-2 win. Will gum win again this time?

Like last time with Elliott Maddox, we have two very different-looking backgrounds, but these photos appear to have been taken at the same spot at the same time in Shea Stadium. Both photos appear to have been taken in left field. On the Hostess card we see the seats along the left field line. On the Topps card we can see the bullpens out in left field, where the Mets did not add seating until the early 1980s. Lyle's shadow is behind him and he appears brightly lit on the Hostess card. On the Topps card his shadow is behind and the sunlight seems to only be shining on his side.

One of the first great closers, Sparky Lyle won the AL Cy Young in 1977, when he went 13-5 with 26 saves and a 2.17 ERA. Though he did not lead the AL in saves that year, he did in 1972 and 1976. Overall, in 16 seasons, mostly for the Red Sox and Yankees, Lyle pitched in 634 games, all in relief, going 99-76 with 238 saves and a 2.88 ERA. He was even better in October, going 3-0 with 1 save and a 1.69 ERA in 13 postseason games. After his career, he managed the Somerset Patriots for 17 seasons, and continues to work for the team in a public relations capacity.