1981 Topps Garth Iorg

The front: Pregame shot at Tiger Stadium.

The back: In a battle of two teams who were 20 games under .500, the score was tied at 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth. The White Sox brought in Ed Farmer, who with one out walked Roy Howell, and then allowed the walk-off triple to Garth Iorg.

The player: Infielder Garth Iorg played nine seasons for the Toronto Blue Jays. The brother of major leaguer Dale Iorg, and father of three pro baseball players, he payed in 931 games, hitting .258 with 20 HR and 238 RBI.

The man: After his playing career he was a longtime coach in the Blue Jays and Brewers organizations, and is now retired. He shared his thoughts on baseball cards with this blog in 2020.

My collection: I have 31 of his cards, from 1978 to 1988. I would be interested in trading for 1983 Fleer Star Stickers #110.
 

1981 Topps Jim Beattie

 

The front: Beattie is pictured wearing his windbreaker in the dugout. Rain delay?

The back: Looking at the back of the card I realize that there is an error - "Sycracuse". I'll report it to TCDB after I post this.

The player: Beattie came up with the Yankees in 1978, and despite some initial struggles which angered owner George Steinbrenner, he won some big games down the stretch, most notably eight shutout innings in the second game of the famous Boston Massacre in Fenway Park. He also won the fifth game of the 1978 World Series, pitching a complete game 12-2 victory over the Dodgers. After two years for the Yankees he was traded to Seattle for Ruppert Jones, and had several solid seasons for some pretty bad Mariners teams. 

The man: He became a front office executive after his playing career, including stints as General Manager of the Expos and Orioles. He was then a Blue Jays scout for many years, retiring after the 2018 season. He shared a baseball card story with this blog in 2010.

My collection: I have 23 of his cards, from 1979 to 1987. I would be interested in trading for 1985 Mother's Cookies Seattle Mariners SGA #15.
 

1981 Topps Ron Pruitt

 

The front: Topps goes for the extreme closeup here.

The back: Pruitt hit 21 home runs for Anchorage, a record at the time.

The player: Pruitt was a backup catcher for four teams over nine seasons, six of them with Cleveland. In 341 games he hit .269 with 12 HR and 92 RBI.

The man: After his playing career Pruitt was a youth and college baseball coach. He is now retired.

My collection: I have five of his cards, from 1977 to 1981. I would be interested in trading for 1982 Valley National Bank Phoenix Giants #13.

1981 Topps Ken Reitz

 

The front: The underrated "balancing the bat on the backs of your shoulders" look. Probably spring training.

The back: That 1,000th hit was a big one - with one out in the bottom of the ninth, Reitz singled off of Cubs reliever Willie Hernandez. Youngster Tommy Herr pinch-ran for Reitz, and scored the winning run on Garry Templeton's sacrifice fly.

The player: Third baseman Ken Reitz played eleven seasons in the major leagues, mostly for the Cardinals. A Gold Glove winner in 1975 and an All-Star in 1980, he hit .260 with 68 HR and 548 RBI for his career. 

The man: After his playing career Reitz was a community services representative for the Cardinals. He shared his thoughts on baseball cards with this blog in 2016. He passed away in 2021 at the age of 69.

My collection: I have 21 of his cards, from 1973 to 1982. I would be interested in trading for 1978 Hostess #106.
 

1981 Topps Jerry Reuss

 

The front: Where was this photo taken? Even Jerry Reuss doesn't know.

The back: No room for a blurb, and still a full decade of pitching ahead of him.

The player: Jerry Reuss pitched 22 seasons in the major leagues, winning 220 games. His best season was 1980, when he went 18-6 with a 2.51 ERA, leading the league with six shutouts (including a no-hitter), finishing second in the NL Cy Young voting.

The man: Reuss has been a broadcaster for many years, most recently for the Dodgers' AAA affiliate in Las Vegas. He is also an accomplished photographer. His flickr page not only has baseball card commentary, as linked above, but lots of his own professional-quality baseball photography, and lots of other great photos too. At one time he was also a reader of baseball cards himself, causing quite a stir when he commented on a Night Owl Cards post in 2010. He kindly answered some questions for my blog as well.

My collection: I have 59 of his cards, from 1970 to 1990. I would be interested in trading for 1976 Hostess #29.
 

1981 Topps Denny Walling

 

The front: My first instinct was that this photo was taken in Philadelphia, but Walling hadn't played a day game there since 1978, when the Astros still wore rainbow uniforms. So my best guess is Pittsburgh, where Walling played in both games of a day doubleheader on September 1, 1980. Walling went a combined 2-for-9 as the teams split the twinbill.

The back: In recent years, Walling's leisure activities have switched from tennis to pickleball, an activity that wasn't around in 1980. 

The player: A pinch-hitter extraordinaire, Walling played 18 seasons in the major leagues, 13 of them with the Astros. In 1,271 games he hit .271 with 49 HR and 380 RBI. His 108 career pinch hits are tied for 13th all time.

The man: Walling was a long time hitting coach for several teams, and is now retired.

My collection: I have 42 of his cards, from 1977 to 1991. I would be interested in trading for 1984 Mother's Cookies Houston Astros SGA #19.
 

1981 Topps John Montefusco

The front: Looks like someone said something funny in the dugout.

The back: "The Count Montefusco" is a play on "The Count of Monte Cristo". It is believed to have originated with Giants announcer Al Michaels.

The player: John Montefusco won the NL Cy Young Award in 1975, going 15-9 with a 2.88 ERA. The following year he went 16-14 with a 2.84 ERA, leading the NL with 6.9 WAR. However, injuries hampered his effectiveness and he didn't live up to those first couple of outstanding seasons. In 298 games for four teams, he went 90-83 with a 3.54 ERA.

The man: In the late 1990s he spent two years in jail awaiting trial on domestic violence charges, of which he was acquitted on almost all counts. He spent a few years as a minor league pitching coach but appears to now be retired.

My collection: I have 32 of his cards, from 1976 to 1986. I would be interested in trading for 1976 Hostess #41. 
 

1981 Topps Mike Heath

 

The front: Heath is back at Yankee Stadium, playing against the team he debuted for.

The back: On June 19, 1979, Heath made his A's debut, pinch hitting for Jeff Newman in the second inning against the Royals. I'm not sure what happened to Newman, but in the top of the second George Scott scored on a sac fly, so maybe there was a collision at home plate. Heath flew out in that at bat. However, in the bottom of the fourth, Heath followed Wayne Gross and Dave Revering with back-to-back-to-back HRs off of Dennis Leonard to tie the game at 3. In the 8th inning, with the score now tied at 5, Heath homered off of Al Hrabosky in what proved to be the game winner. Heath played in 73 more games that season but hit just one more HR.

The player: Heath played 14 seasons in the majors for 5 teams, mostly the A's and Tigers. Overall in 1,325 games he hit .252 with 86 HR and 469 RBI.

The man: After his playing career, Heath has done some youth coaching, and is a fantasy camp regular.

My collection: I have 62 of his cards, from 1979 to 1992. I would be interested in trading for 1985 Mother's Cookies Oakland Athletics #4.
 

1981 Topps Gary Lucas

 

The front: Lucas shows a funky delivery as he delivers a pitch at Shea Stadium.

The back: The game referenced on the back may well be the game pictured on the front. Lucas did pitch a 2-1 victory in a day game on May 3, taking a shutout into the ninth before giving up a one-out solo HR to Joel Youngblood. Lucas was then relieved by Rollie Fingers who got the last two outs to save the win. However, this could also be August 26, though I think most game photos came from earlier in the year. In that game, Lucas came on in relief, pitching perfect 7th and 8th innings to preserve a 6-5 lead. In the ninth, however, Lucas gave up a leadoff single to Steve Henderson, and this time Fingers failed to save the game, allowing a game-tying double to Youngblood. The game stayed tied until the 18th inning, when Willie Montaney and Jerry Mumphrey drove in runs to give the Padres an 8-6 lead, which they held on to.

The player: The move to the bullpen was a permanent one for Lucas, who never started a game after his rookie season of 1980. In 1981 he led the NL in appearances (57 in the strike shortened season), and had three straight seasons of double-digit saves. In eight seasons for the Padres, Expos and Angels, Lucas went 29-44 with 63 saves and a 3.01 ERA.

The man: After his playing career he had a long career as a minor league pitching coach. He is now retired.

My collection: I have  31 of his cards, from 1981 to 1988. I would be interested in trading for 1984 Stuart Montreal Expos #12.
 

1981 Topps Jim Spencer

 The front: Spencer is shaking hands with one Yankee while talking to another, what looks like after a home run. The Yankee on the right looks like Graig Nettles. This lines up with June 21, 1980, a day game against Oakland. Spencer's 3-run home run off of Mike Norris in the first inning scored Graig Nettles and Reggie Jackson. That is probably on-deck hitter Joe Lefebvre who hand Spencer is shaking. The home plate ump is Bill Haller. The Yankees won the game, 5-3. In previous posts I've noted that both Norris and Nettles have photos that look like they came from this game.

The back: Over a decade in the majors prevented room for a blurb.

The player: Jim Spencer played fifteen seasons in the major leagues for five teams. He won Gold Gloves with the Angels and White Sox, was an All Star with the Rangers, and won a World Series with the Yankees. Overall in 1,553 games he hit .250 with 146 HR and 599 RBI.

The man: After his playing career he worked in  restaurant and real estate business, and was a baseball coach at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis. He died of a heart attack in 2002. 

My collection: I have 31 of his cards, from 1970 to 1982. I would be interested in trading for 1971 Dell Today's Team Stamps #NNO.

1981 Topps Roger Erickson

 

The front: A fun card with lots going on in the background, including a couple of Twins who appear to be adjusting their equipment.

The back: Erickson's pickoff record was broken in 1990 by Mark Guthrie, who recorded 11.

Playing career: Erickson came up with the Twins as a 21-year-old rookie in 1978 and went 14-13 with a 3.96 ERA. However, injuries prevented him from sustaining that success. In 135 games for the Twins and Yankees from 1978 to 1983, he went 35-53 with a 4.13 ERA. He attempted a comeback with the Cardinals in 1989 and pitched well in AAA, but did not return to the major leagues.

Post-playing career: After his playing career he was involved in a variety of business pursuits, several of them related to baseball instruction. He is now retired. He shared his thoughts on baseball cards with this blog in 2015.

My collection: I have 12 of his cards, from 1979 to 1990. I would be interested in trading for 1982 Topps Traded #30.
 

1981 Topps Rance Mulliniks

 

The front: Mulliniks is captured pregame in Milwaukee.

The back: On July 4, 1977, Dave Chalk and Rance Mulliniks hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning off of Rick Langford to give California a 4-1 lead in a game they would win, 4-2.

The player: Mulliniks started his career with the Angels and Royals, playing parts of five seasons and struggling to make an impact. He was traded to Toronto before the 1982 season and there he developed into one of the best utility players in the majors. From 1982 to 1988 he played in 110-130 games a year, hitting around .300 with 10-12 HR most years. He was a solid defender with a good batting eye, and was good for 2-3 WAR per season, nice numbers for someone who was not a regular. Toward the end of his career injuries cut his playing time dramatically. In his final season, 1992, he was out for most of the year, returning at the end of the season for three games. He was on the World Series roster but did not play. Overall in 1,325 games he hit .272 with 73 HR and 435 RBI.

The man: After his playing career Mulliniks had a long stint as a Blue Jays announcer, and was also a realtor for Century 21. He is now a motivational speaker.

My collection: I have 56 of his cards, from 1978 to 1992. I would be interested in trading for 1978 SSPC #216.
 

1981 Topps Len Barker

 

The front: An awkward-looking delivery at Yankee Stadium. This must be June 29, 1980, same as Gary Alexander, Bo Diaz and Jorge Orta. Barker struggled that day, allowing 6 earned runs in 6.1 innings as Cleveland fell, 7-2. Barker allowed home runs to Bronx Bombers Jim Spencer, Joe Lefebvre and Brian Doyle.

The back: Barker won two games that week in 1979, beating the Red Sox 3-0 and the Rangers 6-2.

The player: Len Barker pitched eleven years in the major leagues. His best seasons were in Cleveland, leading the American League in strikeouts in 1980 and 1981. He pitched a perfect game for the Indians in 1981. He was traded to the Braves during the 1983 season, but injuries limited his effectiveness for Atlanta. Overall in 248 games he went 74-76 with a 4.34 ERA.

The man: According to a Sports Illustrated article after Barker’s perfect game, he improved when he went to Cleveland because they got him to lay off beer, which helped him lose ten pounds and improve his concentration from 50% to 80%. Said Indians President Gabe Paul, “When I see Barker watching a plane going overhead when he's on the mound, I know he's through.” He is now head baseball coach at Notre Dame College. He also participates in fantasy camps. In the 1990s, he met a fantasy camper named Mike Ferrante. They ended up going into the construction business together for a while, and Barker married Ferrante’s daughter.

My collection: I have 29 of his cards, from 1977 to 1986. I would be interested in trading for 1978 SSPC #91.
 

 

1981 Topps Dave Roberts (#431)

The front: The second Dave Roberts in the set, this Dave is captured pregame at Tiger Stadium.

The back: Roberts was the #1 overall pick in the 1972 draft, and the sixth player to go straight from the draft to the major leagues. He came into the game in the 12th inning, and went 0-for-3 as the game went on for 18 innings.

The player: Roberts never lived up to the hype of being the #1 pick. By mid-1973 he was in the minor leagues, and he bounced around for four teams over 10 seasons as a utilityman. Overall in 709 games he hit .239 with 49 HR and 208 RBI.

The man: Roberts seems to have kept a low profile since his career ended, and a brief stint coaching and managing in the minor leagues in the 1980s. He now lives in Texas.

My collection: I have 17 of his cards, from 1973 to 1983. I would be interested in trading for 1977 O-Pee-Chee #193.
 

1981 Topps Jim Bibby

 

The front: A cloudy day at Shea Stadium.

The back: The only other Pirate to reach double-digits in wins was John Candelaria, with 11.

The player: Jim Bibby was one of the best unheralded pitchers of the 1970s. He put up excellent numbers for lousy teams in Texas and Cleveland, highlighted by a no-hitter of the Oakland A’s at the peak of their dynasty in 1973. He signed with the Pirates in 1978 and was a key member of their World Championship team in 1979, leading the NL in winning percentage, a feat he would repeat the following year. Overall in twelve seasons he went 111-101 with a 3.76 ERA.

The man: Bibby served in Vietnam as a truck driver before his major league career began. After his playing career he was a minor league pitching coach for several teams. He died from bone cancer in 2010.

My collection: I have 22 of his cards, from 1972 to 1984. I would be interested in trading for 1976 SSPC Samples #2.
 

1981 Topps Mick Kelleher

 

The front: Who's that in a red jacket behind him? That's not a Cubs jacket. An opposing team at spring training - Angels maybe?

The back: Killer?? The Johngy's Beat blog explains how he earned the nickname winning a fight against the much larger Dave Kingman.

The player: Kelleher was more scrappy then good. In parts of 11 seasons for five teams, predominantly the Cubs, he hit .213 with 0 HR and 65 RBI in 1,202 at bats. He is still the last non-pitcher with over 1,000 major league at bats to not hit a home run.

The man: Kelleher had a long coaching career, most prominently with the Yankees, winning a World Series for the last Yankees championship team in 2009. He retired from coaching in 2015.

My collection: I have 11 of his cards, from 1976 to 1983. I would be interested in trading for 1978 SSPC #269.
 

1981 Topps John Stearns

The front: Stearns bats with eye black on, with a bright sunny sky at Shea Stadium.

The back: Stearns holds the University of Colorado record with 16 career interceptions.

The player: Drafted by both the Bills and the Phils, Stearns chose baseball, and played in one major league game with the Phillies before being traded to the Mets. He supplanted Jerry Grote as the starting catcher and played in parts of ten seasons for the Mets in their down years between championships. A four-time All Star, Stearns was a better defensive catcher than hitter. Overall in 810 games he hit .260 with 46 HR and 312 RBI.

The man: Stearns was a long time coach after his playing career. He died in 2022.

My collection: I have 20 of his cards, from 1976 to 1984. I would be interested in trading for 1975 SSPC New York Mets #8.
 

1981 Topps John D'Acquisto

 

The front: At Three Rivers Stadium, posing with his DAC42 glove.

The back: D'Acquisto no-hit the Tacoma Twins that day. The only Tacoma batter to reach base was future Twins manager Tom Kelly, who walked in the sixth inning.

The player: John D'Acquisto pitched ten years in the major leagues from 1973 to 1982. In 1974, he was the National League Rookie Pitcher of the Year. Overall in 266 games (92 starts) for six teams, he went 34-51 with 15 saves and a 4.56 ERA.

The man: D'Acquisto was involved in a wide variety of business ventures after his playing career, and is a published author and artist. He shared his thoughts on baseball cards with this blog in 2010.

My collection: I have 11 of his cards, from 1974 to 1983. I would be interested in trading for 1982 TCMA Richmond Braves #4.
 

1981 Topps Warren Brusstar

 

The front: Fun background with cars and a warehouse.

The back: Brusstar's 199 innings were 12 more than the second place pitcher, Rick Sutcliffe.

The player: Brusstar's career was a good example of the volatility of middle relievers. He had some excellent seasons, such as 1978 (the year he allowed 0 HR), 1981 and 1983, but most of the other seasons he was mediocre. Overall in 340 games over 9 seasons, mostly for the Phillies and Cubs, Brusstar went 28-16 with 14 saves and a 3.51 ERA.

The man: After his playing career Brusstar had a long coaching career, but is now retired. He also works with the Tug McGraw Foundation, where his wife Jennifer Brusstar is the CEO.

My collection: I have 15 of his cards, from 1978 to 1986. I would be interested in trading for 1978 SSPC #54.
 

1981 Topps Al Bumbry

 

The front: This is one of the more action packed cards in the set. The speedy Bumbry is off to first after hitting the ball hard somewhere.

The back: Bumbry played in six postseason series in his career. In four games he hit .250 (4-for-16), scoring 5 runs. In the other five series, he played in 18 games, hitting .086 (5-for-58), scoring 4 runs.

The player: Bumbry was the AL Rookie of the Year in 1973, hitting .337 with 7 HR, 34 RBI and 23 SB, leading the AL with 11 triples. He remained a fixture at the top of the Orioles lineup for a decade, with speed and doubles power. Overall in 1,496 games he hit .281 with 220 2B, 52 3B, 54 HR, 402 RBI and 254 SB.

The man: Bumbry served in the ROTC while in college, and was drafted into the Army, where he lead a platoon in Vietnam for 11 months. He was awarded a Bronze Star for his service. After his playing career he was a coach for many years, and since 1989 he has been a co-owner of Robbie's First Base, a baseball card store in Timonium, MD, where he can often be seen interacting with fans.

My collection: I have 32 of his cards, from 1973 to 1986. I would be interested in trading for 1982 Fleer Stamps #147.