Playing career, in brief: Howard split between outfield and pitching early in his minor league career, before dropping pitching after the 1969 season. In six seasons, mostly with Houston, Howard played in 466 games, hitting .250 with 6 HR, 71 RBI and 60 SB.
Post-playing career, in brief: Howard kept a very low profile after his playing career. He died in 2022.
My collection: I have nine of his cards, from 1974 to 1979. I would be interested in trading for 1979 TCMA Charleston Charlies #17.
Bit of an awkward looking swing at Cleveland Stadium.
The center cartoon has the factoid that Lansford was a descendant of Sir Francis Drake, which was also mentioned on his 1987 Topps card. The cartoonist doubles down on the claim - "Really, it's true!" It turns out that Sir Francis Drake had no known children, and claims to be the heir to a supposed Drake inheritance were so common at one point that the British government put out a statement that there is no Drake fortune. (Drake's wife inherited the pirate admiral's fortune, which was later turned over to the government.) The 1980 Topps Blog says he is also related to Tex Ritter (and therefore, I suppose, John Ritter) but there is no source for that claim and I did not see any other references to that connection.
Last time it was 9-1 gum. Will cake have a chance this time?
The heart and soul of the Yankees 1976-1978 pennant winners, Thuman Munson was the MVP in 1976, the Rookie of the Year in 1970, and was a 7-time All Star and 3-time Gold Glove winner. Before his death in a plane crash in 1979, Munson played in 1,423 games and hit .292 with 113 HR and 701 RBI. He was even better in the postseason, including his legendary 1976 when he hit .435 in the ALCS and .529 in the World Series. In six postseason series his lowest average was .278, and in 30 total games he hit .357 with 3 HR and 22 RBI.
Last time it was an easy 8-1 win for 1987. Will this be closer?
Andres Galarraga waits for a pitch in what must have been a Braves home game at the teams' shared spring home at West Palm Beach. Galarraga was known as "El Gran Gato" - the Big Cat. I learned both of those Spanish words from this card. Galarraga was a powerful first baseman with a big swing who had some big years with the Expos, but seemed to be a fading star when he signed with the expansion Rockies in 1993. The thin Colorado air brought new life to Galarraga's bat, and over the next five years he won a batting title, a home run title, and two RBI titles. He signed with the Braves in 1998 and was just as good as he was in Colorado, hitting .305 with 41 HR and 121 RBI. He was diagnosed with cancer in 1999 and missed the season. He returned in 2000 and had a good season at age 39, and hung around until another cancer diagnosis in 2004 effectively ended his career. Overall in 2,257 games over 19 seasons, he hit .288 with 399 HR and 1,425 RBI. He did some coaching for Venezeula in some WBCs but is now retired and living in Florida, where his grandson known as "Little Cat" is a rising youth baseball player.
Loehmann's - short for Chas. A. Loehmann Co., was a discount department store chain that started in Brooklyn in 1921 and grew to over 100 stores by the end of the 1990s. In 2014, the now-bankrupt chain closed it's last 40 locations, including this spot in Hewlett, NY. A variety of stores have been in the spot in the last eleven years, but I noticed that they've stripped down a lot of the stucco and other siding, down to the bare brick. On the side of the building this has exposed an old Chase A. Loehmann labelscar. As far back as 2007 Google Streets photos there was a different sign on the stucco, but a 1977 NY Times article mentions a script sign just like this one.
A scruffy look for the usually well-groomed Palmer.
This is the same date that the Willie Davis card was supposedly taken, the one with all the bridge news. (The new London Bridge opened; a new record was set for the heaviest weight ever lifted, as part of the construction of the Fremont Bridge in Portland, OR; and the US Department of the Interior blocked a plan to construct a bridge connecting Oyster Bay and Rye, NY.)
The photo was almost certainly taken two years earlier, however. The Orioles last had those stripes on their away jerseys in 1971. Maybe 1972 spring training. And why would he be wearing an away jersey at home?
If the tree and hair are any indication, this looks like it was taken the same time as Palmer's 1972 Topps candy lid.
Which was also used on his 1973 candy lid . . .
. . . and the inset on his 1973 Topps boyhood photos card.
The back: Pattin was one of the few remaining active Seattle Pilots. The last Pilot to retire was Fred Stanley.
The man: His nickname was "Duck", as he was known for an profane impression of Donald Duck, famously chronicled in Ball Four. He was the Head Baseball Coach at the University of Kansas in the 1980s, and was heavily involved in Royals alumni activities. He died of a heart condition in 2018.
My collection: I have 17 of his cards, from 1969 to 1981. I would be interested in trading for 1978 SSPC 270 #231.
Playing career, in brief: Gross played 17 years in the major leagues. He was a regular outfielder for the Astros from '74-'76, then settled into a role as a pinch-hitter extraordinaire for the Cubs and Phillies until his retirement in 1989. He holds the major league record for pinch-walks with 117, and is fifth all time with 143 pinch hits.
Post playing career, in brief: He had a long career as a minor league manager and coach, and is now retired.
My collection: I have 43 of his cards, from 1975 to 1989. I would be interested in trading for 1976 Hostess #90.
My favorite: The Sizemore is pretty good, but the Thome has more character than the rest of the cards combined.
Your favorite: ???
My favorite: Several good junk wax cards here but 1993 is an easy pick for my favorite.
Your favorite???
My favorite: I have to go with the action shot of a great Yankee. These are all great cards though.
Your favorite: ???
