The front: There aren’t that many cards, especially from
this time period, that show the catcher putting on his gear.
The back: Nicosia was 1-for-16 at the plate but excelled in
the field, including a tag of Ken Singleton at home plate to preserve the 3-2
Game 3 win. Perhaps his most famous moment from the World Series was beating up
a Baltimore fan who was trying to steal his gear after the last out of the
Series – see 2:29:48 in this YouTube clip.
The player: Nicosia played parts of eight seasons in the
major leagues as a backup catcher, six of them with the Pirates. In 358 games
he hit .248 with 11 HR and 88 RBI.
The man: Nicosia worked in the hospitality industry for many
years but is now retired. He was also a volunteer youth coach.
My collection: I have 14 of his cards, from 1980 to 1985. I
would be interested in trading for 1984 Nestle #98.
I like how Nicosia just walks away after pummeling the guy. Doesn't even look back.
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