1981 Topps Joe Beckwith

The front: I believe this is Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. Beckwith pitched in two day games there in 1980, May 3 and May 4. In 2.2 innings he allowed 0 runs on 1 hit, striking out 4 without a walk.

The back: Bill Beckwith was head of ticket sales and public relations for Auburn from 1957 to 1992.

The player: Reliever Joe Beckwith pitched for the Dodgers and Royals from 1979 to 1986, winning a World Series ring with Kansas City in 1985. In 229 major league games he went 18-19 with 7 saves and a 3.54 ERA.

The man: Beckwith is a district representative for Ready Mix Concrete and also does some college radio broadcasting.

The collection: I have 11 of his cards, from 1980 to 1986. I would be interested in trading for 1982 TCMA Albuquerque Dukes #1.

1981 Topps George Hendrick

The front: Not too many cards with hatless ballplayers. You can barely see any logo here – this photo would fit right in with Topps’s football sets at the time.

The back: Hendrick’s 25 home runs (four more than Ted Simmons) and 109 RBI (ten more than Keith Hernandez) were both career highs.

The player: A four-time All-Star, George Hendrick could hit for power and average, hitting over .300 four times and over 20 home runs five times. He was the regular right fielder for the 1982 World Series champion Cardinals, hitting .282 with 19 HR and 104 RBI, and hit .317 during the postseason. Overall, in his eighteen-year career, Hendrick hit .278 with 267 HR and 1,111 RBI.

The man: Hendrick was a long-time coach for the Rays and is now a Special Advisor for Baseball Operations for the team.

My collection: I have 40 of his cards, from 1972 to 1988. I would be interested in trading for 1979 Hostess #66.

Ryan Westmoreland on baseball cards

The Red Sox fifth-round pick in 2008, Ryan Westmoreland had a great first professional season in 2009, hitting .296 with 7 HR, 35 RBI and 19 SB at Class-A Lowell. Unfortunately, the next spring a tumor was discovered in his brain, leading to two surgeries in three years, prematurely ending his playing career. Now an Assistant Coach at UMass Dartmouth, he kindly answered my questions about baseball cards.

"So one of my first cards was right when I signed-it’s a picture of me touching my neck in the dugout. What isn’t noted was I was feeling at a small cyst I had. I got it removed but always thought it was funny being my first card. My favorite card ever was a Pedro Martinez card and on the back was a description of his performance in the All Star Game when he mowed down some of the best hitters in the game."

Thanks! Here is a card of him from my collection.

1981 Topps Rollie Fingers

The front: Simple headshot of one of the more recognizable faces in baseball at this time.

The back: The long-time veteran didn’t have room on the back for a blurb.

The player: A seven-time All-Star, Rollie Fingers was one of the first of the modern closers, moving permanently to the bullpen in 1972, leading the relievers of the three-peat Oakland A’s. He then signed with the Padres, where he had some of his best seasons. After the 1980 season he was traded to the Brewers, and he won the AL MVP award in his first season in Milwaukee, going 6-3 with 28 saves and a 1.04 ERA, allowing just nine runs the entire (strike-shortened) season. When he retired in 1985 his 341 saves were first all-time.

The man: Fingers is now an alumni ambassador for the Oakland A’s.

My collection: I have 28 of his cards, from 1972 to 1986. I would be interested in trading for 1969 Topps #597, 1970 Topps #502, 1971 Topps #384 and 1976 Topps #405.

A little vintage football

I very casually collect football cards, nowhere near to what I do with baseball but I keep the ones I come across. I only had a couple of cards from the 1960s and none from the 1950s, so when i saw some 1950s cards in last week's Big Fun Game from Johnny's Trading Spot, I felt compelled to pick them.

Two Detroit Lions team cards and Gordy Soltau - very cool. There was also a Fred Dreyer and two '79s. There was also a 1969 deckle-edge Ken Harrelson. I already had the Harrelson and the two '79s so they are up for trade. In fact I have a lot from '79 and '80 available for trade if anyone is interested.

 Worth taking a look at the back of Soltau's card. A wide receiver and kicker, not unusual for the 1950s. And the "frogman" cartoon is great too.

Highly cool and completely free

Highly Subjective and Completely Arbitary has been putting together some very nice Free Card Friday giveaways. Fortunately his wantlists are pretty easy to fill so I'll be able to send back the occasional thank-you package. Here's what I got from his latest package.

Here's a nice selection of set needs and inserts. A couple of Yankees in Jeter and Stanton. When the Blackmon card came up I asked for "Arenado". I guess all Rockies look alike to me. But Brian generously threw in an extra Arenado anyway!

And here are some more cards, all of which are very shiny! The Team USA card on the bottom left is apparently called a Disco Ball parallel - never seen one of those before, looks great.

1981 Topps Tom Paciorek

The front: Taking batting practice at a sun-drenched Tiger Stadium.

The back: Only eleven years in the major leagues, there should have been room for some kind of blurb.

The player: Paciorek played eighteen seasons in the major leagues for six teams as a backup outfielder and pinch hitter, only once playing more than 115 games in a season. Overall, in 1,392 games he hit .282 with 86 HR and 503 RBI.

The man: Paciorek was an announcer for several teams, most notably the White Sox. He is now retired.

My collection: I have 32 of his cards, from 1973 to 1988. I would be interested in trading for 1971 Topps #709.