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".

1970 Topps: card # 5

Maurice Wesley Parker; the first legitimate "star" that appears in this set as card number 5. Playing first base for the Los Angeles Dodgers for nine years, six consecutive gold gloves (1967 thru 1972 and one World Series ring (1965) is only part of his story.

Parker had a career batting average of .267 had 1110 hits, 64 HR's while driving in 470 runs. His best offensive year was in 1970 playing in a league leading 161 games, batting .319 with 111 RBI's and 47 doubles; coming in 5th in MVP voting that year as well. Defensively, Parker was phenomenal; not only those six gold gloves but he had a career fielding percentage of .996 ! In 2007, Parker was named to the Major League Baseball All-Time Gold Glove Team, being the only eligible member of the team who is not in the Hall of Fame.

Parker was part of a string of outstanding first baseman for the Dodgers, being sandwiched between Gil Hodges and Steve Garvey.

In typical Topps fashion for 1970 , the back of his card notes a non-baseball factoid stating that Parker "is an excellent bridge player".

Interesting to note is that after his life in baseball, Parker had a successful stint as an actor, about 12 years worth. He might be most known (in the crowd aged under 30) as "that ballplayer" that appeared in a Brady Bunch episode promising Greg Brady "two tickets to a game if he gets an A in math". He also had appearances in several other show including being the "star" in All that Glitters a show that ran in 1977.

A star on and off the field . . . . Wes Parker the first "star"card of 1970.

Ripped-off Post continued: the All-Steve team

As many of you have been reading about the All-"state your name" pots the last few days I thought I would give it a try myself. It was not as easy as one would think with a common name like Steve but here goes: my All-Steve team.

I must start with my pitchers; this will be the team strength boasting a starting rotation of four, two righties and two lefties with 671 career wins and 7623 strikeouts !

LHP: Steve Carlton (HOF, 329 career wins, 4136 K's and the key to this team)

LHP: Steve Avery (career 96 wins and 980 K's)

RHP: Steve Trachsel (former Cub and career 143 wins / 1591 K's)

RHP: Steve Blass (103 wins and 896 K's)

In the bullpen will be:

Steve Howe

Steve Reed (every team needs a submarine pitcher)

Steve Searcy

Steve Trout (former Cub)

Steve Ontiveros (same name as bench player but different person)

Steve Busby

Steve Bedrosian

As far as the defense goes:

the outfield

Steve Kemp

Steve Henderson

Steve Hosey (1st round draft pick that never made it - I am giving him a second chance)

the infield

3B: Steve Buechele

SS: Vern Stephens (please allow this last name liberty; he was an 8x all-star with 247 HR's during his career 1941-55)

2B: Steve Sax

1B: Steve Garvey

C: Steve Yeager

off the bench:

Steve Ontiveros (former Cub and the more well known of the two same name players)

Steve Lake (former Cub)

Steve Swisher (former Cub)

So as you can imagine we wont score many runs, have limited power, little speed, short resources on the bench but . . . we do have starting pitching ! We also have too many Cubs and Dodgers represented but . . . did I mention we do have starting pitching !

If we ever do make it to the All-"state your name" Team playoffs, rest assured we will be "cursed" with our favorite fan rooting us on in the front row . . . Steve Bartman. And in the booth announcing the games will be former Cub, Cy Young award winner Steve Stone (he will have his uniform ready in case of injuries)

Have mentioned our starting pitching . . .

What was Topps thinking ?

In the past six weeks, since starting this blog, I have read hundreds of posts and have learned so much about card collecting that my personal collection has taken on a new life of its own. I am now looking at my cards differently (with a more tuned mind and closer eye) yet with the same interest and passion I have aways had for the game of baseball and the cards of yesterday.

Many of you have taught me to look at cards with this question: what were they thinking ?

So in my thumbing through my 1973 cards I noticed two that stand out.

What was Topps thinking . . .

This is a Steve Garvey card yet his face is completely in the shadows and Wes Parker stands taller and closer. Yes Garvey probably just hit a homerun (he only hit nine in 1972) and as he approaches home plate is being congratulated but Steve Garvey deserves better. Ok, he did not really come into his own until 1974, winning the NL MVP and 8 straight gold gloves at first base from 1974-1981 but still . . . couldn't Topps come up with a better picture ?

and then there is Jim Kaat

. . . a twenty-five year major league career as a left handed pitcher, winning 283 games and earning 16 (yes sixteen) consecutive gold glove awards from 1962 - 1977. Here is Jim Kaat . . . hitting ? Probably watching one of his 2 HR's he hit in 1972. Kaat was a "great" hitting pitcher and did hit 16 career round-trippers so I guess in 1973 Topps decided it was time to showcase his "power" not his pitching or fielding.

Just my question of the day: What was Topps thinking ?