The front: The photographer went down low to get this shot,
just the pitcher and the sky.
The back: That blurb makes an extraordinary claim, that he
struck out the first 21 batters he faced as a pro in 1970. It may be true but I
couldn’t find any other corroboration. Overall in 1970, at Great Falls, he went
2-5 with a 6.63 ERA, but did strike out 69 batters in 38 innings. That would
mean after those first 21 batters, he pitched to an 8.13 ERA. He also walked 56
batters, about one and a half an inning.
The player: Capilla showed similar wildness in the major
leagues. He pitched parts of six seasons in the major leagues as the Cardinals,
Reds and Cubs each tried to harness his potential. In 136 games, including 31
starts, he went 12-18 with a 4.34 ERA. He struck out 178 and walked 173 in
292.1 innings.
The man: Capilla now lives in San Jose, CA. He is one of
several ex-major leaguers to play in the San Jose Men’s Senior Baseball League.
My collection: I have six of his cards, from 1978 to 1982. I
would be interested in trading for 1978 SSPC #127.
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