Baseball cards are awesome. I was born in 1969, and 77-79 was the height of my card interest. 2-3 times a week, like 6:00 or so, my dad and I would walk to the general store at the end of the street to get milk. He would get me a treat, and during those years with rare exceptions I chose baseball cards. I don’t know the value, but I have one of those future stars cards with Robin Yount AND Paul Molitor.
The store was on the other side of a (relatively) busy (still just one lane each way) street. We would race to that street, and then stop and cross together. The race would start whenever he said “readysetgo!” By that time I was faster but he would always do something to distract me before the “readysetgo!” I would tell myself to be ready, but I fell for it every time! Baseball cards remind me of that.
I received that issue of SI in the mail shortly before my wedding that month. I will always remember that cover photo, the accompanying prediction, and the terrible season Cleveland followed it up with.
As someone who still collects cards (always looking to add to my Mets collection if anyone reads this and wants to send some my way), I have to say since his 1985 card featured him as part of Team USA, that would not be considered Snyder's rookie card. Given how many games he played in 1986 and how good he was, I'm surprised he didn't make the 1986 Topps Traded set.
Joe Carter came and spoke to my Sports Law class at UMKC Law School in...oh, 2012 or 2013. Really nice guy. I haven't met too many athletes, retired or playing, but he was by far the most down to earth, nicest one.
Your focus on Cory Snyder somehow triggered my memories of Herbie Plews who played infield for the woeful Washington Nationals (Senators) in the mid to late 1950s. While he might have been a decent hitter, I remember him primarily for his four error game (an American League record) and wearing sun glasses at night. For me he was a symbol of how really bad the Senators were. We had some stars over the years, such as Roy Sievers, Eddie Yost, Mickey Vernon, and Juan Ramos, yet the team always lived up to the old Washington, DC, saying: "First in war, first in peace and last in the American League." And to me, poor Herbie, represented that image to me.
You are referring to Pedro Ramos, not Juan Ramos. He was not a "star", but he was a workhorse for a weak Senators pitching staff in the second half of the decade of the 1950's.
When I was young, the coach of my baseball team was old friends with Larry Bowa, who managed the Las Vegas Stars, then San Diego's AAA team. We got to play a game structured practice with them. I got to pitch in the middle, and the AAA guys went 1-2-3, the last striking out on a sweet curveball. Walked off feeling 10 feet tall and bullet proof. He asked me if I wanted another inning. I should have said no. My day ended when Benito Santiago (He seemed huge and hulking then - not so much when he ended his career with the Royals years later) hit a 3 run home run off me that might still be orbiting the earth.
Surprised they didn’t mention the Jeff Leonard one-flap down until Mike checked Wikipedia.
How did they discuss the Forsch brothers without mentioning they both threw no-hitters?
I am the only one considering buying 1981 Fleer & Donruss cards? Was 10 in 1981 so that was right in my card collecting wheelhouse. I didn’t notice the quality, it was just exciting to have chances to get more cards of the stars. Plus Fleer & Donruss put out multiple cards of the stars, often combining multiple players on the same card.
That 1987 set makes me think of Kal Daniels (Kalvoski!) and his injury-derailed career. But that guy and Barry Larkin were going to create the next version of the Big Red Machine, in my young mind. And I'm a Mets fan!
Over almost 2000 AB from age 22-26, Daniels put up about a .300 / .400 / .500 Pham(n) line with stolen bases taboot. About 16 WAR. But he'd had something like four knee surgeries by that point, and it was over soon after.
Does anybody remember Gene Garber as a Royal at the end of his career (1987-88)? Apparently sharing a bullpen with Dan Quisenberry. Didn’t follow the Royals but was their strategy to corner the market on submarining relievers, and if so why didn’t they swing a trade with the Phillies for a 40-ish Kent Tekulve?
Also in that bullpen a great name I’d completely forgotten, Jerry Don Gleaton.
Thanks Joe for sending us down these rabbit holes.
I’m
Baseball cards are awesome. I was born in 1969, and 77-79 was the height of my card interest. 2-3 times a week, like 6:00 or so, my dad and I would walk to the general store at the end of the street to get milk. He would get me a treat, and during those years with rare exceptions I chose baseball cards. I don’t know the value, but I have one of those future stars cards with Robin Yount AND Paul Molitor.
The store was on the other side of a (relatively) busy (still just one lane each way) street. We would race to that street, and then stop and cross together. The race would start whenever he said “readysetgo!” By that time I was faster but he would always do something to distract me before the “readysetgo!” I would tell myself to be ready, but I fell for it every time! Baseball cards remind me of that.
I received that issue of SI in the mail shortly before my wedding that month. I will always remember that cover photo, the accompanying prediction, and the terrible season Cleveland followed it up with.
As someone who still collects cards (always looking to add to my Mets collection if anyone reads this and wants to send some my way), I have to say since his 1985 card featured him as part of Team USA, that would not be considered Snyder's rookie card. Given how many games he played in 1986 and how good he was, I'm surprised he didn't make the 1986 Topps Traded set.
Joe Carter came and spoke to my Sports Law class at UMKC Law School in...oh, 2012 or 2013. Really nice guy. I haven't met too many athletes, retired or playing, but he was by far the most down to earth, nicest one.
Your focus on Cory Snyder somehow triggered my memories of Herbie Plews who played infield for the woeful Washington Nationals (Senators) in the mid to late 1950s. While he might have been a decent hitter, I remember him primarily for his four error game (an American League record) and wearing sun glasses at night. For me he was a symbol of how really bad the Senators were. We had some stars over the years, such as Roy Sievers, Eddie Yost, Mickey Vernon, and Juan Ramos, yet the team always lived up to the old Washington, DC, saying: "First in war, first in peace and last in the American League." And to me, poor Herbie, represented that image to me.
You are referring to Pedro Ramos, not Juan Ramos. He was not a "star", but he was a workhorse for a weak Senators pitching staff in the second half of the decade of the 1950's.
You have no idea how infamous that SI cover is in the State of Indiana.
When I was young, the coach of my baseball team was old friends with Larry Bowa, who managed the Las Vegas Stars, then San Diego's AAA team. We got to play a game structured practice with them. I got to pitch in the middle, and the AAA guys went 1-2-3, the last striking out on a sweet curveball. Walked off feeling 10 feet tall and bullet proof. He asked me if I wanted another inning. I should have said no. My day ended when Benito Santiago (He seemed huge and hulking then - not so much when he ended his career with the Royals years later) hit a 3 run home run off me that might still be orbiting the earth.
Surprised they didn’t mention the Jeff Leonard one-flap down until Mike checked Wikipedia.
How did they discuss the Forsch brothers without mentioning they both threw no-hitters?
I am the only one considering buying 1981 Fleer & Donruss cards? Was 10 in 1981 so that was right in my card collecting wheelhouse. I didn’t notice the quality, it was just exciting to have chances to get more cards of the stars. Plus Fleer & Donruss put out multiple cards of the stars, often combining multiple players on the same card.
Topps '87 was the peak of my baseball card collecting days - bought an ish-ton of those cards. Always liked that design.
ah, the Cory Snyder group. Also in there - Todd Van Poppel, Brien Taylor, probably others I'm forgetting...
I was doing software testing yesterday - stay with me here- and had to make up user names for the testing. One that I used was Tom Brunansky.
He lives in Springville, Utah now and coaches at Springville hs. I coach vb and coach someone related to him.
That 1987 set makes me think of Kal Daniels (Kalvoski!) and his injury-derailed career. But that guy and Barry Larkin were going to create the next version of the Big Red Machine, in my young mind. And I'm a Mets fan!
Over almost 2000 AB from age 22-26, Daniels put up about a .300 / .400 / .500 Pham(n) line with stolen bases taboot. About 16 WAR. But he'd had something like four knee surgeries by that point, and it was over soon after.
I guess we'll never get to the rest of the HOF ballot....
Pete Rose grumbling over Gene Garber ending his 44-game hit streak: "He was pitching like it was the seventh game of the World Series."
Pete Rose shrugging over taking out Ray Fosse in the 1970 All-Star Game: “Nobody told me they changed it to girls’ softball between third and home.”
Playing all-out is expected if you‘re Pete Rose. If you’re doing it *to* Pete Rose, well, geez, what's the matter with you?
Does anybody remember Gene Garber as a Royal at the end of his career (1987-88)? Apparently sharing a bullpen with Dan Quisenberry. Didn’t follow the Royals but was their strategy to corner the market on submarining relievers, and if so why didn’t they swing a trade with the Phillies for a 40-ish Kent Tekulve?
Also in that bullpen a great name I’d completely forgotten, Jerry Don Gleaton.
Thanks Joe for sending us down these rabbit holes.