The front: This looks like Memorial Stadium, one of the last parks to have such a wide open view beyond the outfield wall. Stanley pitched in two day games in Baltimore, Saturday and Sunday, July 5 & 6. On Saturday he got four outs among the 7th and 8th innings to hold a 1-0 Sox win, and on Sunday he pitched to the last two batters in the ninth, retiring Ken Singleton on a groundout to save a 6-4 Boston triumph.
The back: Stanley pitched the third and fourth innings of the '79 All Star Game, in relief of starter Nolan Ryan. He allowed a double to Mike Schmidt and an RBI groundout to Dave Winfield. To this date he is still the only person from Maine to play in an All Star Game.
The player: Stanley had some fantastic years as a reliever for the Red Sox, twice finishing in the top 10 in Cy Young voting. In 1986 he finally got to pitch in a World Series, and put together a terrific stat line - 6.1 scoreless innings over five appearances, with four K's and only one walk. Yet the inherited runners he allowed to score in Game 6, including his own wild pitch that tied the game, leave him forever remembered as a World Series goat (not the good kind). In 13 seasons in the majors, all with Boston, he went 115-97 with 132 saves and a 3.64 ERA.
The man: Stanley had a long career as a minor league pitching coach for several teams. He is now retired.
My collection: I have 47 of his cards, from 1978 to 1990. I would be interested in trading for 1978 SSPC #164.
In either fifth or sixth grade, we had to do a report on a random state given to us. Mine was Maine. I was such a baseball fan that Bob Stanley was one of my "famous people."
ReplyDeleteI like that this set has two comics on the back rather than one.
ReplyDeleteThat piece of trivia on him being the only MLB all-star from Maine is cool. I looked at other players who were born in Maine that potentially could have joined him. Looks like Bill Swift had a great year in 1993 (11-5 2.93 @ the All-Star Break... ended the season 2nd to Maddux), but wasn't selected.
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