1981 Topps Brian Downing

 
The front: Here you get a pretty good look at Downing's stance, one of the more unusual ones in baseball. Downing had a very open stance where he almost faced the pitcher, much like Tony Batista in more recent years. Looks like Yankee Stadium, which would make this September 7, 1980, when Downing went 0-for-3 in a 4-1 loss to the Yankees. That would be Rick Cerone's mitt peeking behind Downing.

The back: That .326 average is not even on the top 10 list in Angels history any more. Darin Erstad's .335 average in 2000 is the team's record. Nine different players are in the team's top 10 list for single season batting average. None are named Mike Trout. (Trout's rookie-season .326 average in 2012 is his career high).

The player: Downing was a catcher for the White Sox and Angels in the 1970s. He saved his career by adapting the wide-open batting stance which helped him become a .326 hitter in '79 and a perennial 20-HR threat. A broken ankle in 1980 led him to play in just 30 games that year and switch to the outfield. Downing last played in the field in 1987 but remained a regular DH for the Angels, and then the Rangers, through 1992. In 2,344 games he hit .267 with 275 HR and 1,073 RBI. He had a keen batting eye, walking more times in his career than he struck out (1,197-1,127).

The man: Downing kept a low profile after his playing career, moving to a small town in Texas and distancing himself from baseball. According a to a 2012 article from the Angels Win blog, Downing felt disrespected by the Angels, leading to his post-career bitterness. According to the comments on that post, Downing was either one of the classiest, nicest players in the game or a jerk who would loudly yell at his wife in public.

My collection: I have 74 of his cards, from 1974 to 1992. I would be interested in trading for 1982 Fleer Stamps #215.