Burgers or gum? Jack Morris

Last time it was a 3-1 win for Wendy's. Hopefully there are more voters this time!

Like many players in this series, we have a Wendy's card with a spring training portrait and a Topps card with a Tiger Stadium action photo.

Like the whole Tiger team, Jack Morris's 1984 started off with a bang - in his case, a no-hitter on April 7. Morris started the season 10-1, tailed off a bit and finished the regular season 19-11, with a 3.60 ERA. However, he was dominant in October. In three postseason starts, two in the World Series, Morris went 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA. The Hall of Famer pitched 14 seasons for the Tigers, and then spent time with the Twins and Blue Jays, helping both teams win World Series. Overall in 549 games, he went 254-186 with a 3.90 ERA. He has since been an announcer for each of the three teams he won a World Series with.
 

Wood vs. Wood #337

 Last time it was an 8-0 drubbing by 1962. Will this be closer?

Jim Marshall's cap has the logo thoroughly blacked out. However, his inability to properly tuck in his collar allows just enough orange striping to be visible to show that this was a Giants uniform. A slugging first baseman with a decent batting eye but low batting average, he was better suited to today's game than the 1950s and 1960s. In parts of five seasons for five teams, he played in 410 games and hit .242 with 29 HR and 106 RBI. 1962 was the last of those seasons - he was purchased by the expansion Mets in the offseason and actually did well (.344 with 3 HR in 17 games) but was traded to the Pirates in May for Vinegar Bend Mizell. After the season, at the suggestion of the Pirates GM, he moved to Japan and became the first former American major leaguer to play there, hitting 78 HR over three seasons for the Chunichi Dragons. That theoretically freed up a '63 Pirates roster spot for Howie Goss, who was coming off a fine rookie season in 1962. However, in a move that probably frustrated the young fan who wrote "H. Goss" on the top of this card, Goss was traded to Houston right before opening day for Manny Mota. As a player, coach, manager and scout, Marshall had a 70-year career in baseball. He had managerial stints for the Cubs and A's, and was an American scout in Japan in the 1990s. In Japan he became friends with Ichiro Suzuki, advising the young star on his plans to play in the US. Suzuki's father had been a fan of the Dragons, and had a picture of Marshall in their home when Ichiro was growing up. Marshall died in 2025.

1986 was Don Sutton's first spring training as an Angel, and his influence is apparent on Darrell Miller's card, with the young catcher "Suttoning". Nice background with the stadium, the mountain, and possibly a palm tree. Miller played in parts of five seasons for the Angels. In 224 games the backup hit .241 with 8 HR and 35 RBI. After his playing career he became the Angels' Director of Community Relations, and later a scout. Since 2001 he has VP and Director of MLB's Urban Youth Academy in Compton, CA. In 2021 he became the first Black to be ordained as a Catholic Deacon in the Diocese of Orange, performing those duties at St. Juliana Falconieri Church in Fullerton, CA.

Cake or gum? 1977 Larry Bowa

 Last time was a 5-1 win for gum. Who will come out on top this time?

Hostess has Bowa in a spring training shot, with lots of interesting things going on in the background. Topps has him in a batting cage shot, with his Phillies jacket in their unusual purplish red color.

Larry Bowa held several shortstop fielding records during his career and remains the all-time NL leader in fielding percentage. In addition to his excellent glove Bowa had a solid bat. He led the NL in triples in 1971 and hit .375 in the 1980 World Series. Overall, in 2,247 games he hit .260 with 15 HR, 525 RBI and 318 SB. Bowa has been a coach for several teams and had managerial stints with the Padres and Phillies. He is currently Senior Advisor to the Phillies General Manager.

1981 Topps John D'Acquisto

 

The front: At Three Rivers Stadium, posing with his DAC42 glove.

The back: D'Acquisto no-hit the Tacoma Twins that day. The only Tacoma batter to reach base was future Twins manager Tom Kelly, who walked in the sixth inning.

The player: John D'Acquisto pitched ten years in the major leagues from 1973 to 1982. In 1974, he was the National League Rookie Pitcher of the Year. Overall in 266 games (92 starts) for six teams, he went 34-51 with 15 saves and a 4.56 ERA.

The man: D'Acquisto was involved in a wide variety of business ventures after his playing career, and is a published author and artist. He shared his thoughts on baseball cards with this blog in 2010.

My collection: I have 11 of his cards, from 1974 to 1983. I would be interested in trading for 1982 TCMA Richmond Braves #4.
 

Bimonthly roundup

It's been over two months since I did one of these posts  . . . 

A nice vintage trade with cdorso, TCDB.

Fun mix of cards from Randy Welk, OBC.

Elston Howard rookie! eBay

'65 Rose! eBay

10 OPC cards from  OBCer Scott Jensen.

Really nice Koufax oddball, '63 Fleer. eBay

Semi-high number cards from Casey Branton, OBC.

Gum and cake from Jennifer Roach, OBC.

Greg Henthorn from OBC, four from the fifties.

My first '51 Berk Ross cards, eBay. Willie Jones, Andy Seminick and Eddie Waitkus.

 

Street trade - 1984 Topps Traded

This was a fun find in one of Al's boxes today - 85 cards from 1984 Topps Traded! It's one of the few early 80s "major" sets I still haven't completed. I needed 37 of them, so a nice mix of cards I needed and cards to trade. I'm down to needing 25 for the set, so I've added the set to the wantlist on the blog, and will soon add it to my TCDB wants.

Cards I needed part I. Lots of players I don't get to add a new card from these days. 

Cards I needed part II. These were mostly commons but a few bigger names as you can see. 

Cards to trade part 1. Let me know if there's a player here you collect, or a team, or if you just have a wantlist you want me to check out.

Cards to trade part II. Hope to find good homes for these!

 

Wallet card in Nashville: Acme Farm Supply

This building, built in 1890, housed various businesses before Acme Feed and Hatchery moved in in 1943. In 1965 the business changed it's name to Acme Farm Supply. The business closed in 1999, and the building was vacant until 2013, when a bar/music venue was opened on the site, one of many catering to the tourists on Nashville's Broadway. What I really like here are the Purina privilege signs on this side of the building.

 

1976 SSPC Bruce Miller

 

The card, in brief: The dark, cloudy background makes it looks like he's standing on a foggy pier at night.

Playing career, in brief: Infielder Bruce Miller played in parts of four seasons with the Giants. In 196 games he hit .288 with 1 HR and 51 RBI. In September of 1976 he punched the Giants' team statistician. The Giants released Miller after the incident, ending his pro baseball career.

Post-playing career, in brief: Miller was a long time teacher and baseball coach at North Side High School in Ft. Wayne, IN. He is now retired.

My collection: I have four of his cards, from 1975 to 1976. I would be interested in trading for  1976 Cramer Phoenix Giants #NNO.

1986 Renata Galasso Mattingly #15

 Mattingly in the red, white and blue of the Nashville Sounds.

Error card! Mike Flanagan's name is misspelled. Looking at baseball-reference, if I am using their tool right, here's Mattingly's batting record through 1985 against each of these pitchers.

Candelaria: 0-for-5

Flanagan: 3-for-13 with two doubles

Hurst: 5-for-36 with two doubles

Boddicker: 6-for-21 with two doubles

The biggest ones missed are Mike Smithson (6-for-28 with three doubles); Storm Davis (2-for-15, most AB without an XBH) and Teddy Higuera (0-for-8, most AB without a hit).

1988 Domino's Denny McLain

 

Very classic pitching motion in this photo. 

Denny McLain had a meteoric rise to success in the major leagues, and an even more sudden plummet to the depths. He won 20 games as a 22-year-old in 1966, and in 1968 became baseball's last 30 game winner. He had another AL win title in 1969, but lost most of 1970 due to suspensions for gambling and for carrying a gun on a team plane. He was traded to the Senators in 1971, openly feuded with manager, Ted Williams, and lost a league leading 22 games. A year later he was out of baseball at the age of 28. Overall in 280 games McLain went 131-91 with a 3.39 ERA. After his career he was involved in numerous illegal activities and served jail time for cocaine trafficking, embezzlement and racketeering. In the past 15 years he has managed to stay out of legal trouble, and currently is involved in sports radio, magazine columns, and podcasts.

I have 14 of his cards, from 1965 to 1973. I would be interested in trading for 1966 Topps #540 and 1971 Topps #750.