two "special" cards

for those of you who know me probably know I am a Cubs fan and prefer "vintage" cards to the "modern" cards (though I am a quiet Rays fan since I live the Tampa Bay area called Sarasota and am slowly coming around to appreciate some newer cards)

That being said, two cards came to me from Jim at GCRL that are worthy of a "special" designation. First of all they came from a very generous blogger and that always makes a card special - thank you again, Jim.

Secondly, both of these cards are Dodgers; ok true, not my favorite team by a long shot but coming from a Dodger fan makes them special as well. Many of us get flooded with cards of our favorite team's so when cards come from the senders favorite team, it should be noted as "special".

Probably not as important as the two reasons above but both of these cards are what I have termed as a "Clemente-ism" (look at some previous posts under my irregular special feature onthe right, if you need a explanation of what I mean).

This 1978 Steve Garvey # 350 showcases his batting average at the end of the '77 campaign at exactly .300 !

And this 1986 Steve Yeager # 32 after fourteen years as a Dodger has his total career homeruns at exactly 100 !

You will have to believe me because I purposely did not show the backs of these cards in hopes that some of you might look at your own collections and see if you can find any other "Clemente-isms", just to designate them "special" too.

And finally these two cards are special because they are Steve's . . . and anyone with the first name Steve in my book is "special".

Rickey's 3000

for so many Rickey Henderson will be remembered as the "greatest" base stealer of all time, the "greatest" leadoff hitter of all time and as being flamboyant and arrogant. Henderson holds many all-time records and will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this summer after appearing on 94.8 % of ballots.

Of his 297 career homeruns; 81 were leadoff homers a major league record. His 1406 stolen bases will never be threatened - ever. He ranks first all time in runs scored with 2295 and 2nd all time in walks with 2190. A ten time all-star, 3 time silver slugger awardee and the 1990 MVP is all rather commonly known.

I like to think of Henderson is terms of one stat many times over looked; he did have 3055 hits, ranking 20th all time (as of writing this post).


Thanks to Jim at gcrl Rickey's 2002 Topps card arrived a few days ago amoungst all those Cubs cards. The front has him swinging for the fences though the back of his card indicates exactly 3000 hits at seasons end (something I have termed as a clemente-ism). This card will be proudly put right next to Clemente's 1973 card - backs facing front !

So for whatever reason you want to remember and think of Rickey Henderson, he is someone who knew how to get on base. Here is to him reaching over 3000 hits and having it highlighted on his card!

"It's a beautiful day for a ball game . . .

. . . lets play two". That is only one of so many "happy" quotes from Mr. Cub, Ernie Banks.

Today is April 1st (no pranks planned) and marks the 101st day of my blog. I do know 101 days is nothing to "shout about" in the world of the blogsophere but 101 is an important number (this year) for Cub-dome.

So I thought I would revert back to the reasons why I started this blog and do a post on a Chicago Cub of my youth, the one and only Ernie Banks.

This 1964 card, # 55 has several things I like about it. First, the 1964 set is appealing to me; the traditional white border and large team name offset by the usual portrait (or posed) photo of the day. This thoughtful head shot of Banks makes me think "what is he thinking about" ? Could it be that he is staring out to the horizon as he just completed his tenth year in the majors and saying to himself "awards mean a lot, but they don't say it all. The people in baseball mean more to me than statistics" (yes another quote from Banks himself).

The back of this card is that unusual orange (this scan does not do it justice, sorry) with a clever rub off question / answer panel. This card asks "Who was the last AL man to pinch hit 2 consecutive HR's ?" A rather odd question for the two-time NL MVP (1958, 59) and "super star" but . . . the answer is Johnny Blanchard of the Yankees in 1961 (as an aside, Blanchard recently passed away on March 25th, 2009 at the age of 76).
I also like the back of this 1964 card of Banks for this reason; he just completed his tenth full year in the majors and the stats are easy to calculate his career year-to-year averages (just divide by ten or drop the last number, you can do the math): 1500 games, 1617 hits, 250 doubles, 353 HR' and 1026 RBI's. Not too bad for the first ten years of his career.

While Banks would keep this pace up until age and injuries hit him during the 1970 and 1971 campaigns, his career numbers are pretty impressive; 2528 games, 2583 hits, 407 doubles, 512 HR's and 1636 RBI's.

Banks ranks fourth all-time for most homeruns hit for one team and playing for one team only. Only Mike Schmidt (548), Mickey Mantle (536) and Ted Williams (521) who spent their entire careers with only one team and hit more homeruns.

It is only natural to end this post with another quote from Banks himself: "Work ? I never worked a day in my life. I always loved what I was doing, had a passion for it."

Bicentennial George Brett

Twenty-one (21) seasons in small market Kansas City, thirteen (13) times an all-star (consecutive years), three silver slugger awards, one AL MVP (1980) and one World Championship ring (1985). Career statistics that earned Brett a first ballot (98.2%) election to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999 and he was the first player to have his number (#5) retired by the Royals.

The notorious "Pine Tar Incident" (1983); 3,154 career hits and according to historian Bill James; George Howard Brett is the second-best third baseman ever to play the game (behind Mike Schmidt).

I present his 1977 Topps All-Star card # 580 (with the stats on the back obviously depicting the year 1976). In 1976, Brett was elected to his first of thirteen consecutive all-star teams, led the league in hits (215, the most in his career with 160 singles), BA (.333) and total bases (298) and came in 2nd in MVP voting (behind Thurman Munson).

All that may be well and good but Brett was also very patriotic (even if he had not planned on being so). At the conclusion of the 1976 campaign, Brett had exactly 1776 hits ! (something I refer to as a "Clemente-ism", a statistical quirk occurring at the end of a year and depicted on ones card). Nice way to celebrate the Bicentennial !

a little bit o' "Rico"

Americo Peter "Rico" Petrocelli spent his entire 13 year career with the Boston Red Sox from 1963 until 1976. A defensive specialist at shortstop and third base (led the league twice in FP), Petrocelli also had a pop in his bat.

Playing in only 103 games in 1965, Topps elected Petrocelli to its 1966 Topps All-Star Rookie team. Not to disappoint, in 1966, Petrocelli did hit 18 round trippers, had 20 doubles with a low yet respectable (for the era) batting average of .238.

His glove work was his main skill yet in 1969 Petrocelli found that offensive punch as well. He had career highs in HR ad BA; hitting 40 (a record at the time for AL shortstops) and batted .297. He was also elected to his second all-star team (first was in 1967). While injuries would cause Petrocelli to retire after the 1976 campaign, he did have a solid career for thirteen years; hitting 210 HR's, 773 RBI's, a .251 BA and a .970 FP.

I like this 1970 card for a few reasons (aside from the fact that I am 92 % complete of the set). Take a look at Petrocelli's face - did he just wake up or something ?

More interesting (at least to me) is the back. I like the fact that Topps put his "real" first name on the card - Americo; and in looking at his stats and HR column, his major league total for home runs is exactly 100 at seasons end. Something I classify as a "clemente-ism"; a unique statistic occurring on ones card. The little factoid in the upper right says "Rico plays the drums to keep his wrists strong". I can see it now being patented as a rather interesting musical training device of the 60's or in todays world being banned as a PED.

So, I hope you enjoyed your "little bit o' Rico" for the day. Every day should have a bit o' rico.

44HR for #44

In another entry in my tribute to Roberto Clemente and his remarkable career, a statisical coincidence which appears on other baseball cards (if you recall Clemente's 1973 last card indicates exactly 3000 hits achieved) as I call a "Clemente-ism"

So I present the 1963 National League Homerun Leaders (card is the Topps 1964 # 9).

This card displays awesome power led by Henry Aaron and three members of the San Francisco Giants; McCovey, Mays and Cepeda. The Giants team of 1963 hit an amazing 197 homeruns that year with five players over 20 HR's (those three and Bailey and Felipe Alou).

For comparison, the Cubs hit 127 and the "powerful" New York Yankees hit only 188 (I know Mantle and Maris had injuries). For the Chicago Cubs perspective; Santo and Williams tied for the club honors, each hitting 25.

This card becomes rather unique from the quirkyness found on the back. Aaron and McCovey tied for the League Lead with 44 round trippers . . . they each wore uniform #44 !

Jim Palmer - 1973 and 100 Wins !

In another one of my entries that I term a “Clemente-ism” I present Jim Palmer and his Topps 1973 card # 160.

Before I continue, let me explain what I mean. The term “Clemente-ism” is my way of describing a statistical rarity on ones baseball card (honoring Clementes’ 1973 card # 50, his last card and eerily career ending with exactly 3000 hits) I have had two previous “Clemente-ism” posts; one Clemente and the the 1970 Willie Mays 600HR on card # 600 in Dec 2008). I like the backs of cards as much as the fronts, maybe that is because the “vintage” cards had weak photography on the front (most of the time) in comparison to today’s action shots. So, I have extended this “Clemente-ism” to any card that has a milestone (or coincidence) that culminated at year’s end.

Jim Palmer, one of the premier pitchers of all time won 3 time Cy Young awards, voted a 6 time all-star and enshrined in the Hall of Fame, spent his entire 19 years as a professional with the Baltimore Orioles (1965 – 1984) and his uniform # 22 is naturally never to be worn again in Baltimore. From the years between 1970 and 1978, Palmer won 176 games, reaching the 20 victory plateau in 8 of those nine years (almost besting Ferguson Jenkins in the 20 win streak category).

One unique factoid; in 575 games played (including 17 postseason games) Palmer never allowed a grand slam.

An in regards to why this card is a “Clemente-ism”; at the end of the 1972 campaign as indicated on this card, Palmer had 100 wins !

Ok, just one of my quirky things I notice about the stats on the back of some cards. Let me know if you have noticed any of these statistical coincidences . . . stay tuned for more of my “Clemente-ism’s” . . .

Willie May - 1970 - 600 HR on #600

My first baseball card post for 2009 is none other than Willie Howard Mays. Some regard Mays as the greatest all around baseball player ever (if not number one certainly in the top five on everyone’s list). While I was able to see him play in person only twice, his career numbers are incredible.

660 homeruns, .302 career batting average, 1903 RBI’s, to go along with 338 stolen bases, 20 time all-star, 2 time National League MVP (1954 and 1965), 12 time gold glove award winner, 1951 Rookie of the Year and naturally his uniform # 24 is retired by the San Francisco Giants. If that was not enough, the current Giant stadium (AT&T Park) is addressed as 24 Willie Mays Plaza.

The 1970 card of Mays, # 600 pictured here is one of my favorites. I like the cards from 1970, simple gray border, name printed in script and a posed picture with Mays’ eyes looking for that perfect pitch to be thrown. As in some of my earlier posts, I like the back of the card even better. The nine basic statistical categories and the listing of his entire career year by year; unlike the 1971 cards listing only stats from 1970 and career. Take a look at games played and you will see a player who played in over 150 games 13 years in a row – look at most of today’s players and the number of games played, it is a joke.

One most interesting stat on the back is homeruns. Mays ended the 1969 campaign with exactly 600 round trippers . . . his card is numbered 600. As I mentioned before in my Roberto Clemente 1973 post, I have termed this sort of coincidence as a “Clementi-ism” . Do you know of other cards with this sort of “coincidence” ? Let’s share . . .

Roberto Clemente - 3000 Hits

Happy New Years Eve to everyone ! I hope that 2009 starts off with a bang and brings everyone good health and more baseball cards to enjoy and share. 2009 may just be the year the Cubs win teh World Series too - ok I will continue to believe and dream.

Anyhow, the card I am highlighting today is in honor of one of the greatest basbeall players ever and his last card.

Lets go back in time for a moment: the year is 1973, and the baseball season begins like any other except baseball lost one of the greatest stars of all time before the first pitch ever crosses home plate.


Roberto Clemente died in an aviation accident on December 31, 1972 en route to deliver aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. Clemente had been involved in this work for several years, helping those in need in his home country of Puerto Rico and other Latin American countries and the off season of 1972 was no exception. Personally speaking, I admire those that “give back” and I myself am active in Rotary International (I will write more about that in future posts).

So much has been written about Roberto Clemente; schools have been named after him, documentaries, books and even a movie has been produced.

Roberto Clemente was inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame in 1973, the only player for whom the mandatory five year waiting period was waived. A twelve time all-star, twelve time gold glove award winner , the 1966 NL MVP, 1971 World Series MVP and his uniform #21 is retired (just to name a few of his career highlights). This is not a history of Clemente since I could not do that any justice and will not try.

Roberto Clemente’s last card is the 1973 Topps # 50. I find it most interesting to collect the last cards of hall of famers, to have a glimpse of their career stats and Clemente’s ’73 card tops my list for that reason. The back of the card (yes once again the back tells more of a story than the front) depicts a drawing with 3000 in big print on his bat. Yes Clemente got his 3000th hit in 1972. The major league totals on this card bears that fact as well. An accomplishment held by very few and to have his career end with exactly 3000 hits is what I like to term as a “Clemente-ism”. I like this card for that reason.

As far as a Cubs connection goes – July 25, 1956, Clemente hit a walk-off inside the park grand slam at Forbes Field as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs 9 – 8.