The front: Looks like a day game at Shea Stadium. If this is
Shea in 1980, then this could only be one at-bat. Shirley came in to the game
in the ninth inning and a 4-3 Padres lead when starter John Curtis walked Alex
Trevino with two outs. Shirley got Dan Norman to fly out to left to end the
game.
The back: Shirley struck out 11 batters against the two-time
defending champions Reds during the first week of the 1977 season.
The player: Shirley never lived up to the hype of that first
start. His strikeouts-per-nine-innings dwindled throughout his career, and he
ended up 67-94 with a 3.82 ERA for the Padres, Cardinals, Reds, Yankees and
Royals. Yankee fans remember him best as the person who injured Don Mattingly’s
back play-wrestling in the Yankees clubhouse in 1987, wrecking a sure-fire Hall
of Fame career.
The man: Shirley kept a low profile during and after his
playing career. He is now retired and living in Oklahoma.
My collection: I have 27 of his cards, from 1978 to 1988. I
would be interested in trading for 1982 Topps Traded #105.
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