Cake or gum? 1977 Bob Watson

Last time it was a 7-0 shutout for gum. Will cake get on the board here?

Hostess has the Bull at spring training, taking a serious photo, with the photographer's flash doubly reflected in his sunglasses. I thought his uniform looked off-center but apparently the Astros name was right-justified on the jerseys with the front stripes. I never noticed that until now. Meanwhile Topps has Watson fielding his position at first, his bright Astros uniform in full display. It might be a spring training shot, but I also think it could be Shea Stadium.

Bob Watson was a two-time All-Star during his 19-year-career. He spent the first fourteen of those years with Houston, where he had good power numbers considering that the Astrodome was a notorious pitchers park. After a brief stint with the Red Sox, he signed with the Yankees in 1980. He put up good numbers during the regular season and great numbers in October, hitting .371 in four postseason series, and blasting two home runs in the '81 World Series. After that season the Yankees traded him to the Braves for the actor who played Elaine's spongeworthy boyfriend on Seinfeld. He retired after the 1984 season. In 1,832 games, he hit .295 with 307 2B, 184 HR and 989 RBI. After his playing career, he was a coach and front office executive. He became the GM of first the Astros and then the Yankees, with whom he became the first Black GM to win a World Series in 1996. He also worked as an executive for Team USA Baseball and MLB. He died of kidney disease in 2020.