1988 Domino's Eddie Mathews

 

Looks like a spring training shot. I kind of wish this was in color.

 Never the best hitter on his own team, Eddie Mathews was nevertheless one of the best hitters in the National League in the 1950s and 1960s. A nine-time All-Star, Mathews hit .271 with 512 home runs and 1,453 RBI. Hitting in front of Hank Aaron, Mathews saw lots of good pitches to hit, most notably in the tenth inning of Game 4 of the 1957 World Series, when the Yankees elected to pitch to Mathews with first base open and Aaron on deck; Mathews hit a walk-off homer that turned the tide of that series. The only player to play for the Braves in Boston, Milwaukee and Atlanta, Mathews ended his career with stints in Houston and Detroit, where he played in 31 games in 1968, hitting .212 with 3 HR and 8 RBI. He retired after appearing for two games for the Tigers in the 1968 World Series, going 1-for-3 with a walk. Mathews was a well-respected teammate who frequently got into fights with the opposition, including on-field blows with Frank Robinson, Jackie Robinson and Don Drysdale, among others. He briefly served as Braves manager in the 1970s, and was the team's skipper when Hank Aaron hit his 715th home run in 1974. Mathews was fired later that season, and later admitted that his alcoholism cost him that job and others in baseball. He died of pneumonia in 2001.

I have 17 of his cards, from 1953 to 1969. I would be interested in trading for 1952 Topps #407, 1955 Topps #155 and 1956 Topps #107.

Burgers or gum? Rusty Kuntz

Last time was a 6-3 win for burgers. Will gum fare better here?

Wendy's has Kuntz on the road in the dark. What AL park had green walls and blue seats? I'm not sure. The Topps card is clearly Tigers Stadium, with Kuntz in the cage on a sunny day.

Kuntz was a backup outfielder for the White Sox, Twins and Royals from 1979 to 1985. In 277 games he hit .236 with 5 HR and 38 RBI. He set most of his career highs in 1984, with 140 at-bats in 84 games, hitting .286 with 2 HR and 22 RBI. He drove in the game-winning RBI of the clinching Game 5 of the 1984 World Series with a fifth-inning sacrifice fly. After his playing career, he has had a long career in coaching, and has served in various roles in the Royals organization since 2007.
 

Wood vs. Wood #332

Last time was a 5-2 win for '62. Who will win here?

Don Buddin is hatless at Yankee Stadium, a card taken during his time as a Red Sox between 1956 and 1961. Taken by Houston in the expansion draft, the shortstop played 40 games for the Colt .45's and was sold to Detroit in July. Late in the '62 season the Tigers brought up catching prospect Bill Freehan. Freehan didn't get into a big league game that season, but at some point some youngster made a connection between the two. Buddin played three more seasons in the minors but never again played in the major leagues. Overall in 711 major league games he hit .241 with 41 HR and 225 RBI. After his playing career he had various jobs - selling life insurance, writing for the local newspaper in South Carolina, selling boats, and owning a liquor store and a party store. He died in 2011.

Joe Price delivers a pitch at Shea Stadium. Price pitched in two day games at Shea in 1986. On May 10 he allowed three runs in 0.2 inning, two on a Gary Carter home run, as the Reds lost 5-1. Price and the Reds came back strong the next day. With the Reds leading 3-1 in the 6th, manager Pete Rose brought Price in to face Darryl Strawberry with runners on 2nd and 3rd and nobody out. Price kept the big slugger in the ballpark, limiting him to a sacrifice fly. It was the only batter Price faced, but he got a hold in the 3-2 Reds win. Price had a solid 11-year career as a middle reliever/spot starter for the Reds, Giants, Red Sox and Orioles. In 372 games (84 starts) he went 45-49 with 13 saves and a 3.65 ERA. He is now a realtor in Sarasota, FL.
 

Cake or gum? 1977 Cesar Cedeno

Last time was a 7-0 win for gum. Will we have another shutout here?

Two photos that appear to be at Candlestick Park. Hostess has a headshot for Cedeno, while Topps features him in the batting cage.

Cedeno came up with the Astros as a 19-year-old rookie in 1970 and quickly became a star. An exciting combination of power and speed, he led the NL in doubles in 1971 and 1972. In both 1972 and 1973, he hit .320 with 20+ HR and 50+ steals. That December, he was charged with involuntary manslaughter when he was playing with a gun with a 19-year-old woman in his hotel room; the gun went off, killing the woman. Cedeno served 20 days in jail and was fined $100. Though still a productive player for many years, he did not put up the same kind of numbers after that incident. Overall, in 17 seasons, mostly for the Astros, Cedeno hit .285 with 199 HR, 976 RBI and 550 SB. After his career he was arrested once for drunk driving and twice for domestic abuse. He had a long coaching career for several organizations, mostly the Astros, and was inducted into the Astros Hall of Fame in 2020.

Wallet Card at Freeport Bedding

This one's hard to see in the photo, but under the awning for The Mattress Factory in Freeport, NY, are the remains of letters that once said Freeport Bedding.

The only reference that I can find to this store being called Freeport Bedding is from a 1947 newspaper ad. By the 1990s it was Island Bedding and soon after the Mattress Factory. So this lettering could date from anywhere from the 1940s to the 1990s, I suppose.

 

Street trade hits and misses

Last week I did a little street trade with Al. Picked up a variety of cards, needed the first four but turned out I already had the last two.

Then yesterday a bigger trade. I never know what boxes he'll bring in. This one had a bunch of Yoo-Hoo cards. I picked out one of each except for the Yankees which I figured I already had all of. Big mistake, I should have taken a Yogi Berra because now that's the last one I need for the 1993 Yoo-Hoo set. I'll ask him to bring one next time but I don't know if he will.

These cards that I picked out were all new to me. Fun mix including some shinies. 

A few misses though, guessing wrong where it turned out I didn't need the card, so they'll go in the trade boxes.

 

Time traveling to the fights

I picked up three baseball cards in my latest Diamond Jesters time travel trade. That's certainly in character for me. Minor league oddballs and an early 2000s need.

This one was out of character for me, but I really like it. I'm not a boxing fan but I certainly have an appreciation for the legends of any sport, and Floyd Patterson, the Brooklyn-born former heavyweight champion, certainly fits that category. It's also just a great vintage photo, looking like he's in a cabin with a window looking out to the woods. The card is from a 1962 Dutch gum set, about the size of a "mini" cigarette card. Just a really cool vintage item!

 

1981 Topps Yankees Future Stars

 Skipping “front” and “back” for this card and just focusing on the players.

TIM LOLLAR 

The player: Tim Lollar had a solid 1980 season for the Yankees, appearing in 14 games, going 1-0 with 2 saves and a 3.34 ERA. Traded to the Padres after the season, he was converted to a starter and he had a great 1982, going 16-9 with a 3.13 ERA. He was unable to sustain that success, with losing records in 1983 and in 1984, when he also pitched very poorly in the postseason. He had stints with both Sox to round out his seven year MLB career, going 47-52 with a 4.27 ERA. He was one of the best hitting pitchers of his era - in 255 at bats, he hit .234 with 8 HR and 38 RBI.

The man: Baseballs were not the only little white balls Lollar was good at hitting. He reinvented himself as a two-sport star after his retirement, joining the PGA tour and serving as the head golf pro at the Lakewood Country Club in Colorado for 28 years, twice winning Golf Professional of the Year. He is now retired.

My collection: I have 22 of his cards, from 1981 to 1987. I would be interested in trading for 1980 TCMA Columbus Clippers #1
 

BRUCE ROBINSON

The player:  Catcher Bruce Robinson played ten years of professional baseball, including three years in the major leagues with Oakland and the Yankees. In 38 major league games he hit .228 with 0 HR and 10 RBI.

The man:  He is the brother of former Padres outfield Dave Robinson and the inventor of the hinged flap on the throwing shoulder of the catcher's chest protector, known as the "Robby Pad." Now a singer, songwriter and guitarist (check out his website Bruce Robinson Music), he answered my questions about baseball cards in 2012.

My collection: I have three of his cards, from 1979 to 1984. I would be interested in trading for 1980 Columbus Clippers Police #NNO.

DENNIS WERTH

The player: Dennis Werth played in parts of four seasons for the Yankees and Royals. In 117 games he hit .209 with 3 HR and 15 RBI.

The man: After his playing career he was a youth baseball coach, instructing several future major leaguers, including his stepson Jayson Werth. He is now retired.

My collection: I have five of his cards, from 1981 to 1982. I would be interested in trading for 1982 Topps Traded #126.

1976 SSPC Chris Arnold

 

The card, in brief: The twilight sky and the chaw in his cheek dominate here.

Playing career, in brief: Arnold was an unheralded middle infielder who played parts of six seasons with the Giants. In 273 games he hit .237 with 4 HR and 51 RBI. After his US career he played three seasons in Japan, displaying a power bat unseen even in the American minor leagues. Arnold whose minor league career high was eight home runs, hit double figures in HR all three seasons in Japan, hitting .274 with 43 HR and 174 RBI.

Post-playing career, in brief: After his playing career Arnold worked as an agent. He is now retired.

My collection: I have five of his cards, from 1972 to 1977. I would be interested in trading for  1977 Coke Phoenix Giants Premiums #NNO.

1986 Renata Galasso Mattingly #12

Really nice minor league snapshot of Mattingly at bat. Not quite the familiar stance but he did tinker with it a lot.

According to the Google AI, Mattingly hit .313 in Fenway Park. He also hit .313 at Yankee Stadium for his career (.302 overall batting average in away games). I couldn't find anything about his average at the Big A.