WHEN TOPPS HAD (BASE)BALLS!: 1978

Showing posts with label 1978. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 23, 2024

REVISITING A 10-YEAR-OLD POST: "MISSING IN ACTION" 1978 DON COLLINS

On the blog today, we revisit a post from 10 years ago, my "missing" 1978 card for pitcher Don Collins, who made his MLB debut with the Atlanta Braves during the 1977 season and really should have had a card in the 1978 set:

Collins appeared in 40 games during that season, and posted a 3-9 record with a 5.09 earned run average and a couple of saves thrown in.

In his 70.2 innings of work he fanned 27 batters but walked 41, not the best thing to do as a guy coming out of the bullpen.

Nevertheless, 70+ innings and 40 games deserves a card, especially considering some of the other players who got on in the '78 set that played a lot less than him.

Besides the 1977 season Collins would pitch in four games for the Cleveland Indians in 1980, marking the only other season he'd make it to the top before closing out his career.

Friday, October 18, 2024

NOT REALLY MISSING IN ACTION: 1978 GIL PATTERSON

Up on the blog today, a "not so missing" 1978 card for one-year MLB pitcher Gil Patterson of the New York Yankees:

Patterson appeared in 10 games for the eventual World Champion Bronx Bombers, going 1-2 with a 5.40 earned run average over 33.1 innings, with six of those games starts.

He also picked up a save and struck out 29 batters while walking 20, allowing three homers among his 38 hits.

You may remember that he did have a spot on one of those 1977 multi-player rookie cards, however funny enough the image is NOT Patterson at all, but another Yankee Minor Leaguer who escapes my mind at the moment.

After missing all of 1978 due to injury, he put in another three years in the Minors, the last season of 1982 in the San Francisco Giants organization, never making it to the Big Leagues again.

But hey, if you're going to put in one year in the Majors, it may as well be with the World Champs!

Monday, September 16, 2024

"NOT REALLY MISSING IN ACTION": 1978 GARY GRAY

Up on the blog today, a 1978 "not so missing" card for Gary Gray, a player with one of the cooler names in the course of baseball history:

Gray appeared in one game for the Texas Rangers in 1977, his first taste of the Big Leagues, going 0-for-2 at the plate while putting in some time out in leftfield.

He'd go on to put in parts of six years in the Majors, playing for the Rangers, Cleveland Indians and Seattle Mariners between 1977 and 1982.

Over that time he'd never put in a full season, topping out with 80 games in his last year as a Big league first baseman/outfielder.

By the time he hung them up, he hit .240 with 150 hits in 625 at-bats, appearing in 211 games, with 65 runs scored and 71 runs batted in, moving on to the Mexican League in the mid-80s and playing through the 1987 season.

Tuesday, April 2, 2024

GIMMIE A DO-OVER: 1978 CARL YASTRZEMSKI

On the blog today, my do-over for Boston Red Sox legend Carl Yastrzemski and his 1978 card, something I've wanted to do for some time now:

Rather than the boring (to me at least) close up of the man staring up into the air that Topps had out there, I wanted a nice action shot of him to go along with the legendary All-Star badge that I hold so dear.

This image seems to do the trick, and was good enough for me to include in my recent Series 16 set released a month ago.

As someone who grew up in New York City during the second half of his career, it's really easy to forget that Yastrzemski was a Long Island, New York boy before he went on to become a New England legend.

And how could he NOT become a legend, what with 23 years of Major League ball, all with the Red Sox, turning in three batting titles, a Triple Crown in 1967 along with an MVP Award, seven Gold Gloves, 18 all-star nods, and 25 league-leads in primary offensive categories.

By the time he did the retirement tour in 1983, he scored 1816 runs, collected 3419 hits, 646 doubles, 452 homers, 1844 runs batted in along with a .285 batting average.

He was just plain awesome…

Friday, March 22, 2024

MISSING ALL-STAR MANAGER: 1978 SPARKY ANDERSON

Good day everyone!

Up on the blog today, we have the "missing" 1978 N.L. All-Star manager card, and for the second year in a row it is Cincinnati Reds skipper Sparky Anderson, who guided the "Big Red Machine" to a second straight World Series victory in 1976 over the New York Yankees:

After a phenomenal 108 win season in 1975 that saw them march to a title over the Boston red Sox, the Reds kept on winning, taking home 102 victories the following year before disposing of the Yankees in four straight.

For Anderson, it was his fourth first-place finish in five years, with only a second place finish in 1974 the only "blemish".

In the All-Star game, the national league beat the American league once again, this time winning 7-1 as they pounced on starter Mark Fidrych for two runs in the first two innings before touching Catfish Hunter for two more runs in the third and then three runs to break it wide open in the eighth off Frank Tanana.

Anderson would go down as one of the greatest managers in Major League history, moving on to the Detroit Tigers in 1979, where he would go on to manage 17 years, giving him a combined 26 years of Big League managing, even taking home another title with that great 1984 Tiger team that was in first "wire-to-wire", winning 104 games before beating the San Diego Padres in the World Series.

All told the man won 2194 games as a manager, finishing with a .545 winning percentage, three titles, 5 pennants, and of course a Hall of Fame induction in 2000.

Legend, and perpetually looking like an "old man" even when he was in his 30's!

Monday, March 11, 2024

MISSING ALL-STAR MANAGER: 1978 BILLY MARTIN

Today's blog post has a "missing" All-Star manager card for the man who led the A.L. in the 1977 "Midsummer Classic", Billy Martin of the New York Yankees:

Martin brought the Yankees back to Postseason Glory in 1976 before losing to the juggernaut "Big Red Machine" Cincinnati Reds in the World Series.

That 97 win season got him the manager role in the 1977 game, something he would repeat in 1978 as he would finally guide a team to a World Championship.

Martin was a winner wherever he managed. Just look it up!

He began his managerial career in 1969 with the Minnesota Twins and took them straight to the Playoffs, guiding the team to a first place finish with a 97-65 record.
He would move on to Detroit, and would take them to a first place finish by his second year in 1972 with a record of 86-70.
He’d move on to the Texas Rangers and they’d have their first successful season in 1974, albeit a second place finish behind league MVP Jeff Burroughs and ace Fergie Jenkins, then of course he would move on to the New York Yankees, where the “Bronx Zoo” was in full swing, eventually bringing Martin a World Championship in 1977.
He’d move on to the Oakland A’s where “Billy-Ball” was in full effect, losing to the Yankees in the Championship Series while burning through every arm on his pitching staff with overuse.
Then finally, there was the back-and-forth period between he and the Yankees, specifically owner George Steinbrenner, where he managed in 1983, 1985 and finally 1988, almost a comedic show of hiring and firing that really was an embarrassment to us Yankee fans of the era.
Nevertheless, Martin was a winner, though one with a temper at that, leaving the game with a .553 winning percentage and over 1200 wins.
Should he be in the Hall of Fame?
I do think so more for his personality than anything else. As a symbol of the wild 1970’s with his managerial style a'la Earl Weaver, arguing and fighting his way through each season.
Rest in Peace Billy, you are missed.

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

NOT REALLY MISSING IN ACTION: 1978 DAN THOMAS "THE SUNDOWN KID"

On the blog today, a card I meant to create years ago, but would flip-flop about because of the troubled player depicted, a "not so missing" 1978 card for the "Sundown Kid", Dan Thomas of the Milwaukee Brewers:

Thomas appeared in what ended up being the last 22 games of his short MLB career in 1977, hitting a respectable .271 after hitting .276 in his rookie year of 1976, when he appeared in 32 games.

Coming into the 1977 season, Thomas, who recently joined the "Worldwide Church of God" and began strictly observing the Sabbath, notified the club that he would NOT play on the Sabbath, earning him the nickname mentioned earlier.

The media played the situation up somewhat, even leading Thomas to being featured in People Magazine, where he is quoted as stating, "If I'm good at baseball, it's only because God gave me the talent. I'll give it all I've got, but I won't play on the Sabbath."

Even though the young hitter was hitting .271, he was still demoted to the Triple-A Spokane Indians, with one columnist stating that "No matter how tolerant and ecumenical Brewers' management wants to be, they are irked by having a player sit out two games a week".

Thomas' relationship further deteriorated after he even agreed to a pay cut of one day a week while with Spokane, refusing another demotion to their Eastern League affiliate in August after a decline in performance, prematurely ending his season.

Brewers' President Bud Selig even chimed in on the matter, stating "It's just a tragic story. I know a lot of people are mad at us because of what they think we've done to him...He's really a nice kid who wants to do the right thing."

From there, Thomas' pro career was essentially done, as he was unsuccessful in later attempts to latch on with other organizations.

He'd go on to play for the Independent Boise Buckskins in the Northern league, where he'd actually win the Class-A batting title in 1978, before putting in some time with the Miami Amigos of the Inter-American League in 1979 before quitting baseball all together shortly after.

Things took an even more terrible turn for him when, in June of 1980 Thomas was arrested on a rape charge involving a 12-year-old girl in Mobile, Alabama.

While in jail on the rape charge, Thomas committed suicide by hanging, with his family so poor that they couldn't even afford a proper funeral, leading him to be burried in a "Potter's Field".

Thomas had a history of mental health problems, even taking to drink and pills to combat his inner-demons in the mid-70s.

In 1976 while in Venezuela, he was even hospitalized after overdosing on pills, telling his wife, "...I wish I had cancer, then at least people would realize what was the matter with me."

Just a tragic story all-around.

Tuesday, January 30, 2024

REVISITING A 10-YEAR-OLD POST: 1979 DEDICATED ROOKIE DALE MURPHY

Up on the blog today, revisiting a post just short of ten years old, my 1978 "dedicated rookie" for Dale Murphy, who unfortunately was on his second straight multi-player rookie card in the 1978 set:

Just a nice dedicated card to the man most feel is a Hall of Famer, me included.

Here's the original write-up from the post:

"Considering that the 1978 Topps set is rife with players that barely, if at all, played the previous year, why Topps didn't give this up-and-coming Braves prospect a card is beyond me.

A first round pick (5th pick overall) in the 1974 amateur draft out of Portland, Oregon, Murphy was already up for a cup of coffee in 1977, and performed well in his limited time in the Majors, hitting .316 with a couple of homers and 14 runs batted in in only 18 games.

Pretty nice if you ask me.

He was also up for 19 games in 1976, and did a decent job of it then as well, hitting .262 with nine R.B.I.'s.

He also ripped it up in the Minors during the 1977 season, hitting .305 with 22 homers and 90 ribbies in 127 games for Richmond in Triple-A ball.

You think this would have all been good enough to give the guy a card all by his lonesome.

As we all know, Murphy went on to have a borderline Hall of Fame career, winning the National League M.V.P. twice, in 1982 and 1983, as well as five Gold Gloves and appearing in five All-Star games.

During the first part of the 1980's he was up there as one of the best in the game.

By the time he retired after the 1993 season, his 18-year career gave us 398 homers, 1266 runs batted in, 2111 hits and 1197 runs scored.

But it was his peak years between 1980 and 1987 that made Murphy a household name in the baseball world, just falling short of Cooperstown as one of those players just outside the bubble (like Dave Parker, Steve Garvey, et al).

Factor in his boring 1979 Topps card as his first solo card, and this 1978 card would have been nice as a collector to have out there.

Oh well…"

Tuesday, December 19, 2023

REVISITING A POST FROM JULY, 2015: 1978 BOOG POWELL CAREER-CAPPER

Up on the blog today, thought it'd be fun to revisit a post from about eight years ago, my 1978 "career-capper" for Boog Powell:

Many forget that he played the last of his Major league games as a Los Angeles Dodger before closing out a magnificent Big League career.

Here's the original write-up as posted way back when:

"Yeah it's a card that has been created by others, as I've seen them online, but I just had to fill this hole in my "virtual collection" as well.

Powell closed out a very nice 17-year career in 1977 with 50 games out in Los Angeles for the Dodgers, as a pinch-hitter and playing a little first base .

He collected 10 hits over 41 at-bats, all singles, posting a .244 batting average with five runs batted in.

He was only two-years removed from an excellent season with the Cleveland Indians that saw him hit 27 homers with 86 RBI's and a .297 average, but by the time he hit 35 years of age he was done.

He finished with 339 home runs, 1187 runs batted in and a .266 average, while being named to four all-star teams, taking home a Most Valuable Player Award in 1970 while with the World Champion Orioles, and two other top-3 MVP finishes in 1966 and 1969.

Always a fan-favorite in Baltimore, Boog can still be seen around Camden Yards at his "Boog's Barbeque" restaurant.

And who can forget those awesome Miller Lite commercials in the 1980's!? Those were great!

Monday, December 4, 2023

GIMMIE A DO-OVER: 1978 RICH GOSSAGE

Up on the blog today, a card I actually printed up for an early WTHBALLS set years ago, my 1978 do-over for Rich "Goose" Gossage:

While Topps originally had him airbrushed into a New York Yankee uniform for their original card, I went ahead and created a Pittsburgh Pirates version, showing him with the team he suited up for the previous year.

After spending his first five Major League seasons with the Chicago White Sox, Gossge found himself with the Pittsburgh Pirates for the 1977 season, performing very well as he would go 11-9 over 72 appearances, with 26 saves and a sparkling 1.62 earned run average over 133 innings, striking out 151 batters.

He parlayed that season in the new Free Agent world, signing with the New York Yankees, where he would star for the next six years, gaining tons of fans, me included.

Gossage was a true character of the game. He was all legs and arms whipping near-100 mile-per-hour fastballs while sporting that trademark 'stache, closing out games for those "Bronx Zoo" teams I loved so much.

He spent six years in the Bronx, and never had an E.R.A. over 2.62, even sporting a microscopic 0.77 in 1981!

He also led the league in saves twice while wearing pinstripes, as well as getting named to three all-star teams.

In 1978, 1980 and 1981 he'd also finish in the top-5 in Cy Young voting, in addition to getting some M.V.P. attention.

Around the school-yard I literally spent most of my childhood in, the nickname "Goose" was taken by so many kids it was ridiculous. We all loved that "crazy dude" who looked as mean as any biker.

By the time he was done, Gossage put in a 22 year career that landed him in the Hall of Fame, being inducted in 2008.

He was also given a plaque out in Yankee Stadium this year (to which I am a bit puzzled by), cementing his Yankee legend for all to look back on.

The "Goose", a real wild-man of a closer…

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

REVISITING A POST FROM 2015: ELLIOTT MADDOX AND HIS AIRBRUSHED 1978 CARD

Good day everyone!

On the blog today, revisiting a blog post from March of 2015, taking a closer look at a great airbrushing job by Topps on the 1978 Elliott Maddox card.

Here's the original write-up for that post way back when:

"Recently, when I posted an article on the great airbrushing job by Topps on the 1977 Doyle Alexander card, we started a small conversation on some OTHER great airbrushing done on cards of the period.

Some one mentioned the 1976 Nelson Briles, which was indeed a great job (I'll cover that in the future), and someone else mentioned a card I was already planning on writing about: the 1978 Elliott Maddox card.

Now, first things first: I never realized this was an airbrushing job until about a month ago! All these years it just looked genuine to me at a passing glance.

Then I was looking at Maddox's career and saw he never played for the Mets in 1977, but the Orioles.

That's when I took a closer look and realized Topps took a shot of Maddox when he was with the Yankees, and cleverly airbrushed the TINIEST end of the "Mets" logo on his jersey, while keeping the Yankees pinstriping, messing with the hue just a bit to resemble the Met's pinstriping.

Brilliant!

With the most minimal of airbrushing: in this case that little bit of the "Mets" script peeking out from behind his arm, this really made for an authentic looking shot.

I love stuff like this!

As for Maddox the player, he played a solid 11 years in the Major Leagues, coming up in 1970 with the Tigers before moving on to the Senators/Rangers, Yankees, Orioles and Mets, for whom he played for the last three years of his career until 1980.

He finished with a .261 average with 742 hits over 2843 at-bats, and even finished 8th in MVP voting in 1974, his first season with the Yankees, after hitting .303 in perhaps his finest year in the Majors.

Thursday, June 29, 2023

GIMMIE A DO-OVER: 1978 ATLANTA BRAVES DAVE BRISTOL MANAGER CARD

Today on the blog, a card I've wanted to do for some time, a redone 1978 Atlanta Braves manager card, being as the original card issued by Topps featured Bobby Cox, who was about to begin leading the team that season.

I wanted a card featuring the guy who managed the team in 1977, in this case Dave Bristol, who finished the 1977 campaign as the Braves on field manager after some moves:

While Bristol began the year as the manager for the Braves, posting a record of 8-21, he was "replaced" by team owner Ted Turner in his famous stunt where he named himself manager.

After that was blocked by the league, Bristol was put back in the manager's seat for the last 131 games, not faring any better, going 52-79 for a slightly better .397 winning percentage, with the Braves finishing a cumulative 61-101.

It took me a while to find a somewhat usable image of Bristol's playing days, though not an optimum one at that.

However I figured for this it would do and here we are.

Bristol put in 11 years as a Big League manager, finishing up with a record of 657 and 764, most notably as the manager of the burgeoning Cincinnati Reds up until Sparky Anderson replaced him in 1970, just as the elements of the "Big Red Machine" were coming together.

As a player, he never made it to the Majors, but put in ten years in the Reds' Minor League system as an infielder between 1951 and 1961.

His last year as a manager was 1980, as he led the San Francisco Giants to a record of 75-86, finishing fifth in the N.L. West.

Wednesday, April 5, 2023

CAREER-CAPPER: 1978 JIM WYNN

Fun card to add to the blog today, and one that was included in my Series 13 set printed up a month or so ago, a 1978 "career-capper" for the "Toy Cannon", Jim Wynn, who closed out a very nice Big League career with some games as a Milwaukee Brewer in 1977:

Wynn appeared in 36 games for Milwaukee after starting the season with the New York Yankees, hitting .197 while hitting .143 for New York, a combined .175 figure over 66 games total.

He put up some solid years during his excellent 15-year Big League run between 1963 and 1977.

Eight times he'd top 20 homers, with three of them 30+, while also driving in 100+ runs twice, scoring 100+ runs four times and topping 100 walks six times, two seasons of which he'd lead the National League, with a high of 148 in 1969.

While slugging away, he was also a threat on the base paths, as he'd go on to swipe a total of 225 before retiring, with a high of 43 in 1965.

After those handful of games with the Milwaukee Brewers in the latter half of 1977, he called it a career, finishing with 1100+ runs scored, 1665 hits, 291 homers and 964 runs batted in, with a .250 average thrown in.

Just a solid, overlooked player from the era that deserves a spotlight for his excellent career!

Thursday, March 2, 2023

"HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 1970's": SEATTLE MARINERS PLAY THEIR FIRST GAME

Up on the blog today, a card I should have created a long time ago, a "Highlight" card celebrating the Seattle Mariners playing their first game on April 6th, 1977:

The card features the team's very first starter, Diego Segui, who incredibly also started the first game in Seattle Pilots history back in 1969.

Playing in the Kingdome against the California Angels, Segui would get hit hard, leading to a 7-0 loss at the hands of the Halos.

Opposing them that day on the mound, young stud Frank Tanana, who tossed a shutout, striking out nine while giving up a surprising nine hits.

For Seattle, the hitting starts would be Jose Baez, Bill Stein and Craig Reynolds, all who collected two hits apiece, with Stein's hits both being doubles.

The team would go on to post a record of 64-98 in their inaugural season, last in the A.L. West, though drawing 1.33 Million fans out to see them, right in the middle of the pack for the A.L. as far as attendance.

Sunday, February 26, 2023

EXPANDED LEAGUE LEADERS: 1978 A.L. FIREMEN

On the blog today, we move on to the American league and the top three relievers of the 1977 season proudly showcased on a 1978 “expanded league leader: card:

We begin with Bill Campbell, “Soup”, who had a great first season with the Boston Red Sox after coming over from the Minnesota Twins.

The man went 13-9 with a 2.96 earned run average while saving a league-leading 31 games, giving him his 44 “points” to come out on top for the A.L.’s premier fireman.

The 1977 season followed an even better 1976 season that saw him win 17 games while saving 20 for the Twins, appearing in 78 games while closing out 68, throwing an incredible 308 innings in relief over those two campaigns!

In second place with 39 points, funny enough, the pitcher who would take home the A.L. Cy Young Award in 1977, New York Yankees closer Sparky Lyle, who also had a fantastic season out of the bullpen, going 13-5 with 26 saves while pitching to a brilliant 2.17 ERA in 137 innings.

Lyle was a stallion of the Yankees bullpen since 1972, and helped them all the way back to glory with a World Series win in 1977, their first championship since 1962.

In third place with 32 points, Chicago White Sox reliever Lerrin LaGrow, who was converted to a reliever and found success, going 7-3 out of the ‘pen with 25 saves, posting a very nice 2.46 ERA over 66 appearances and 98.2 innings of work.

Easily the best season of the man’s 10-year Big League career, LaGrow previously made his mark in the Majors as a starter for the Detroit Tigers in the early-70’s, though finding some tough luck with a 19-loss and 14-loss season in 1974 and 1975.

Well there you go!

The top relievers in the Junior Circuit for 1977 on a 1978 “expanded league leader” card.

Saturday, February 25, 2023

1978 STARS RETIRE: BROOKS ROBINSON & DICK ALLEN

Today on the blog, we have a 1978 "Stars Retire" card celebrating the great careers of brooks Robinson and Dick Allen, who called it a Major League career after the 1977 season:

First up, Brooks Robinson, Orioles legend, who retired after a STAGGERING 23 year Big League career playing for only one team.

A perennial all-star, all Robinson did throughout his career was win 16 Gold Gloves, an MVP Award in 1964, two World Championships (1966 & 1970), and get named to 15-straight all-star games.

By the time he was eligible for Hall of Fame induction in 1983, he was voted in without a problem, getting named on 344 of 374 ballots.

For Dick Allen, though still "only" 35 years of age in 1977, he decided to retire after a season with the Oakland A's, bringing to a close a career that saw him take home an MVP Award in 1972, a Rookie of the Year Award in 1964, and make seven All-Star teams over his 15 year career.

By the time he left the game, Allen hit over 350 homers, batted .292 and scored 1099 runs with 1119 RBI's.

Two studs of the game that could be proud of what they accomplished on the baseball diamond!

Sunday, February 19, 2023

EXPANDED LEAGUE LEADERS: 1978 N.L. FIREMEN

On the blog today, an awesome card to create featuring three future Hall of Fame members, an “expanded league leader” 1978 card featuring the National League’s top three firemen of 1977:

We start off with the great Rollie Fingers, who had a wonderful first season in the Senior League, racking up 43 “points” in 1977 as a Free Agent signing for the San Diego Padres.

Fingers led the N.L. with his 35 saves, in addition to his 8 wins, giving him the 43 point total, while also posting a 2.99 earned run average with 113 strikeouts over 132.1 innings of work.

The man was a machine coming out of the bullpen for all three franchises he suited up for: Oakland A’s, Padres and Milwaukee Brewers, with whom he took home a Cy Young Award and MVP in 1981.

In second place with 38 points, a man who was just announcing himself and his future greatness to the Big League world, Chicago Cub reliever Bruce Sutter.

In his second season as a Major Leaguer, Sutter absolutely dominated batter, posting a ridiculous ERA of 1.34 over 107.1 innings, while saving 31 games and winning seven more in 62 appearances.

An absolute beast as a reliever, Sutter would go on to take home a Cy Young Award in 1979 when he saved 37 games while posting a 2.22 ERA over 62 games, striking out 110 batters in 101.1 innings.

In third place, with 37 points, yet another future Hall of Famer, the “Goose” Rich Gossage, who put in one great season for the Pittsburgh Pirates after coming over from the Chicago White Sox, saving 26 games while winning 11 more over 72 appearances, striking out 151 batters over 133 innings while finishing up with a brilliant 1.62 ERA.

He would parlay that performance by signing with the New York Yankees as a Free Agent before the 1978 season, helping them win their second World Series in a row and become a fan favorite through the early-80’s before heading off to the San Diego Padres.

Three studs out of the bullpen who were easily three of the best in the game during that and any other era!

Friday, February 17, 2023

DEDICATED ROOKIE: 1978 MIKE EASLER

Today's blog post has a 1978 "Dedicated Rookie" for the "Hit Man", Mike Easler, a guy who I have created a couple of "pre-rookie" cards for over the years:

It would be a slow process for Easler to really break though, not getting any substantial playing time until the 1980 season playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates, now 29 years of age.
However, he’d do alright over the next seven seasons, having some really good years with the Pirates, Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees before retiring after the 1987 season.
By the time he did retire, he finished with a lifetime .293 batting average, with 118 homers and 522 runs batted in over 1151 games and 3677 at-bats.
It’s amazing to realize that of his 14 seasons as a Big League player, he only had four in which he even had enough plate appearances to qualify for the batting title.

Sunday, February 12, 2023

EXPANDED LEAGUE LEADERS: 1978 A.L. STRIKEOUTS

Up on the blog today, we have a 1978 “expanded league leader” card that features the top three strikeout pitchers in the American League for 1977:

Of course we begin with the king, California Angels pitcher Nolan Ryan, who led the A.L. with his 341 strikeouts, almost ONE HUNDRED more than the runner-up!

It was the fifth time in six years Ryan reached the 300-strikeout plateau, something he would do one more time TWELVE years later when he’d K 301 with the Texas Rangers at the age of 42 in 1989. Just mind-boggling!

He would top 200+ strikeouts 15 seasons over his incredible Major League career, finishing with 5714 and atop the all-time list, something we may never see matched or broken.

In second place with 244 strikeouts, former Kansas City ace Dennis Leonard, who reached the 200-K mark for what would be the only time in his career.

Leonard also won 20 games that year, his first of three such campaigns for the perennial A.L. West powerhouse Royals of the late-70’s/early-80’s, while posting innings totals that would destroy a pitcher of today, with a high of 294.2 in 1978, which followed a 1977 season of 292.2.

Sadly arm troubles cut his career short by 1982, and he was out of baseball by 1986 after only 45 appearances the final three years of his Big League tenure.

In third place with 205 strikeouts, Nolan Ryan’s teammate Frank Tanana, who was still a fire-balling pitcher before he’d change his game to becoming a true “pitcher” after arm issues set in.

For Tanana, it was his third straight 200-strikeout campaign, leading the league with his 269 K’s in 1975 before a follow-up season of 261 in 1976.

What a one-two pitching punch Ryan and Tanana were for the Angels back then! Must have been something to witness.

There you have it! The top three power-pitchers of the American League in 1977, on an “expanded” league-leader card for 1978.

Sunday, February 5, 2023

EXPANDED LEAGUE LEADERS: 1978 N.L. STRIKEOUTS

On the blog today, we have a 1978 “expanded league leader” card celebrating the top three strikeout pitchers of the 1977 season in the National League, featuring three solid pitchers of the era:

We begin with Hall of Famer Phil Niekro, who was an absolute BEAST in 1977, leading the league with 262 strikeouts, a career-best for him, while putting in a workhorse of a year for the Atlanta Braves.

Over the course of that year Niekro started 43 games, completed 20 of them, tossed 330.1 innings while going 16-20 with a 4.03 earned run average, tossing two shutouts while allowing 315 hits while walking 164 batters!

If you can believe it he’d top those innings pitched in each of the next two seasons, throwing 334.1 and 342 in 1978 and 1979 respectively, while winning 19 and 21 games, completing 22 and 23 as well.

Just the definition of “workhorse” while throwing his knuckleball on his way to the Hall of Fame, winning 318 games while striking out 3342 batters along the way, with 45 shutouts over 864 games in his 24-year career.

Behind him with 214 strikeouts in 1977, the pitcher who would go on to lead the league in K’s the following two seasons, Houston Astros fire-baller J.R. Richard, who matched his previous season’s strikeout total while winning 18 games along with three shutouts and a 2.97 ERA.

Richard would eclipse the 300-strikeout threshold in the 1978 and 1979, with 303 and 313 before a stroke during the 1980 season tragically cut his career short after a brilliant 10-4 start with a 1.90 ERA, including four shutouts.

The man was well on his way to a dominant decade in the 1980’s, now teamed up with Nolan Ryan who arrived in 1980 to form what could have been one of the great 1-2 pitching tandems of all-time.

In third place with 206 strikeouts, overlooked ace Steve Rogers of the Montreal Expos, who had a fine year in 1977 with 17 wins and a 3.10 ERA over 40 starts, completing 17 and tossing four shutouts.

Rogers would go on to post some solid years for the Expos into the 1980’s, winning as many as 19 games (1982) and even leading the league that year with a 2.40 ERA, and shutouts in 1983 with five.

A victim of some bad Expos teams in the early part of the 1970’s, he’d finish with a record of 158-152 over 13 seasons, with a very nice 3.17 ERA and 37 shutouts over 399 appearances, all for the Montreal franchise between 1973 and 1985.