1988 Domino's Darryl Patterson

 

A very simple photo of Patterson.

Daryl Patterson came up with the Tigers in '68 and was a very good reliever for the team. In 38 games he went 2-3 with 7 saves and a 2.12 ERA. He also pitched three scoreless innings in two World Series games. He was never nearly that good again, bouncing around with the Tigers and three other teams. The most notable event for the rest of his career was in 1974, his last major league season, when as a member of the Pirates he was bitten by the Reds' Pedro Borbon in a brawl, requiring Patterson to get a tetanus shot. Overall in 142 games, Patterson went 11-9 with 11 saves and a 4.09 ERA. After his playing career he was an inspector for Pacific Gas & Electric. He died in 2025.

I have five of his cards, from 1968 to 1971. I would be interested in trading for 1971 Dell Today's Team Stamps #NNO

Burgers or gum? Bill Scherrer

Only a few cards left in the set, hopefully people still like this series! Only two votes last time, a 1-1 tie.

The roles are reversed compared to a lot of other matchups - here Wendy's has the action shot, and Topps has the portrait.

After a nice rookie season in 1983, Reds reliever Bill Scherrer struggled in the 1984 season, and was eventually demoted to the minors. The Tigers, needing another lefty in their bullpen, acquired Scherrer in a deadline deal. Pitching coach Roger Craig worked his magic on Scherrer, who had a 1.89 ERA in 18 games. He had three more appearances in the World Series, with an ERA of 3.00, highlighted by picking off future Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn. Scherrer struggled in '85 and '86, had brief stints with the Reds, Orioles and Phillies, but never regained the form he showed in 1984. Overall in 228 games, he went 8-10 with 11 saves and a 4.08 ERA. He won a second World Series ring in 1997 as a scout for the Marlins, and a third in 2005 as a special assistant to the White Sox GM. He continues to do some youth baseball instruction.
 

Wood vs. Wood #341

Last time Clemens beat Drysdale 6-1. Gotta admit I never saw that coming. Anyway, who will win this battle of outfielders named Mike?

I've written about Hershberger's card before - it's spring training in Sarasota, with the Sarasota Terrace Inn on the right. As I look at this card again, I wonder if it's possibly a black-and-white photo that's been colorized. The person behind him does look rather monochromatic. Hershberger played parts of 11 seasons for the White Sox, A's and Brewers. A rather nondescript player on some nondescript teams, his biggest highlight was leading the AL with 7 sacrifice flies in 1966. Overall in 1,150 games he hit .252 with 26 HR and 344 RBI. After his playing career he worked in sporting goods and was a youth baseball coach. He died in 2012.

Mike Brown squares up at the plate in a game at Shea Stadium. In three day games at Shea in '86, (lost by the Pirates by scores of 4-1, 5-1 and 6-1), Brown went 1-for-8 with a sacrifice fly. Brown played parts of 5 seasons for the Angels and Pirates. In 315 games he hit .265 with 23 HR and 113 RBI. Brown seems to have kept a very low profile since his playing days. Anyone know where he is now?
 

Cake or gum? 1977 Roy Smalley

Last time it was a 5-1 win for gum. Will it win again here?

Before and after swing at Anaheim Stadium. I couldn't resist lining up the cards to follow the curve of the stadium.

Shortstop Roy Smalley played sixteen seasons in the major leagues, mostly for the Twins and Yankees. He was an All-Star in 1979, hitting .271 with 24 HR and 95 RBI. Overall in 1,653 games he hit .257 with 163 HR and 694 RBI, good power numbers for a shortstop Smalley’s father, also named Roy Smalley, played eleven seasons in the major leagues. His uncle was long-time manager Gene Mauch. While playing for the Yankees Smalley’s neighbor was a banking executive (later the CEO of EF Hutton) who convinced Smalley to go into banking after his career. He is currently a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley in Minneapolis. 

Street trades are still hanging on

It's been getting harder and harder to fill Al's player needs, and he's been running out of boxes. Still, we've both got a long way to go before we run out of cards. We both agreed today that it's getting harder and harder to buy collections. I know this year there seem to be very few yard sales except for the usual suspects. I guess maybe the real estate market is slow these days, not too many people moving.

The box he brought for me today was full of just 1986 Topps and 1990 Fleer. Still, mixed in with the 1990 Fleer were a couple of World Series inserts I needed:

I then went through one of the boxes Al always keeps, with cards from some of the more popular out-of-town teams - Red Sox, Dodgers, Tigers. I managed to find a few promising cards.

Luck was with me - only the mini Pedro I had already. That card is available for trade.

As I was flipping through, I noticed the gray back of a 1981 Topps card. It was an OPC! A good one too, Alan Trammell. I flipped through the rest of the cards backwards, and found two '84 Topps Tradeds, but I had both of them so they're available, I'm sure they won't last long! And in the light the gold hologram on the back of this 1992 UD Mo Vaughn card caught my eye. I've got a few copies of this card already and hardly need more, but I figure the gold hologram will appeal to the magnifying-glass set over at TCDB.

 

Canadian quickie

I needed a short post on a late night, fortunately I had a nice little eBay package come in. 32 cheap '78 OPCs, of which I needed 16.

A couple were of the "traded" variety!

50% ratio is pretty good for this set. I might have a taker for the dupes, but if you collect this set and have needs, let me know.
 

Wallet Card at Datz Moving & Storage

Another example of a pretty old sign that looks really old. This sign for Datz Moving & Storage on Vestry Street in Manhattan looks like it could be 1930s, but the business was at this site from 1969 to 1974. The business did not last very long but the signage sure has. You can even see remnants of an older sign behind the Datz sign. Looks like the word "Famous"? Also barely visible above are the remnants of another business, Regina Products.

 

1981 Topps Jim Bibby

 

The front: A cloudy day at Shea Stadium.

The back: The only other Pirate to reach double-digits in wins was John Candelaria, with 11.

The player: Jim Bibby was one of the best unheralded pitchers of the 1970s. He put up excellent numbers for lousy teams in Texas and Cleveland, highlighted by a no-hitter of the Oakland A’s at the peak of their dynasty in 1973. He signed with the Pirates in 1978 and was a key member of their World Championship team in 1979, leading the NL in winning percentage, a feat he would repeat the following year. Overall in twelve seasons he went 111-101 with a 3.76 ERA.

The man: Bibby served in Vietnam as a truck driver before his major league career began. After his playing career he was a minor league pitching coach for several teams. He died from bone cancer in 2010.

My collection: I have 22 of his cards, from 1972 to 1984. I would be interested in trading for 1976 SSPC Samples #2.
 

1976 SSPC Chris Speier

 

The card: Some of the Giants players are photographed at twilight, making them borderline night cards. This one might be one of the darkest nights seen on a card.

Playing career, in brief:  Speier came up with the Giants in 1971 and was an All-Star the next three seasons, mostly because of his defensive reputation. He never hit much, but stayed in the league until 1989. In 19 seasons for five teams, mostly the Giants and Expos, he hit .246 with 112 HR and 720 RBI.

Post-playing career, in brief:  After his playing career he was a major league coach for seven different teams between 2000 and 2020. He appears to now be retired.

My collection: I have 54 of his cards, from 1972 to 1990. I would be interested in trading for 1974 Topps Stamps #NNO. 

1986 Renata Galasso Mattingly #18

The Mattinglys in the sleigh on Christmas 1985 with six-month-old Taylor. 

Looks like Mattingly enjoyed facing the stars. He would later get to play with Boggs on the Yankees from 1993 to 1995. I wonder if this set came out later in the 1986 season; before 1986 Clemens wasn't a star.