The card, in brief: Pitcher with a bat! Messersmith shows off his bunting form for the photographer. Messersmith was a typical hitter for a pitcher, coming off a .157 season, slightly worse than his .170 career average. He did hit 5 home runs in his career.
Playing career, in brief: Messersmith wasn't much of a hitter but he was a fine pitcher who twice won 20 games and was coming off a 19 win season. After the season he became the first modern free agent, and signed with the Braves at the beginning of the season, after the owners colluded against signing him all off-season. Messersmith was an All-Star in '76 but got hurt the following season and was never the same, ending his career with brief stints with the Yankees and Dodgers. Overall in 344 games he went 130-99 with a 2.86 ERA.
Post-playing career, in brief: Messersmith has mostly kept out of the public spotlight since retiring from baseball, though he did have two stints coaching the Cabrillo College baseball team. He has refused to have anything to do with Major League Baseball or the teams he played for, however.
My collection: I have 21 of his cards, from 1969 to 1979. I would be interested in trading for 1975 Hostess #79.
A. Cabrillo is just over the hill. I wanted to go there, but my parents weren't willing to have me driver almost an hour away to attend a community college.
ReplyDeleteB. I wonder if he's retired in the Bay Area.
As a Dodger fan, I appreciate cards like this of Messersmith. His Topps Dodger cards are all the same and not very interesting. Thank goodness for SSPC and Hostess.
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