#123 Lou Whitaker, Tigers

Card Front: What a beauty of a card! We find Lou in action during a game as visitors at Yankee Stadium. Obviously Lou hit some kind of ball and is busting out of the left side batter's box for first base. I love the look of the tighter uniforms and the stripes on the top of the stirrups is SO CLASSIC!! You can even see his teammates in the dugout looking to see if the hit will get through. There is still nothing better than day baseball.

Card Back: We see the beginnings of what should have been a Hall of Fame career. Lou won the Rookie of the Year in 1978 for the American League. He was a five time All Star, and three time Gold Glove winner. Lou and Alan Trammell made up one of the best double play combinations in the 80's. Lou had great numbers defensively and was great with the bat too, but was only able to muster 2.9% of the vote in 2001. Conversely, a guy like Roberto Alomar had very similar career numbers and got into the hall.

Six degrees or less to Seattle: Lou was one of those guys that I love that stayed with one team his whole career. During the 1992 season in the Motor City, Lou would team up with Kevin Ritz. Kevin saw time in 151 games in his career with the Tigers and Rockies. During Kevin's next to last season in 1997, one of his Mile High teammates was John Thomson who was a rookie for the boys in purple and silver. John was a bit of a nomad playing for 5 different teams in 10 seasons. During John's time as an Atlanta Brave in 2004, he shared locker room space with Nick Green. Nick is another nomad seeing time in 11 organizations and playing in the big leagues for 8 teams. In the 2007 season, Nick saw time in 6 games as a Mariner before leaving after the season to be in the Yankees minor leagues.

Blog related to the team: The Tigers are a long, and storied franchise. It surprises me that they don't have more fans in the blog world. One that I have recently found is doing an outstanding job. I hope that you have all gotten a chance in the last few months to check the home of Hot Corner Cards. He is working on a project similar to mine where he wants to collect all the Tigers cards out there. If you have some extras Detroit cards go over and see if you can help, and tell him I sent you.

Next Card: #124 Dan Schatzeder, Expos

#122 Mike Paxton, Indians

Card Front: Hey Mike, the hidden ball trick doesn't work when we all can see your hand is empty. You do have to love the pullover jersey and the fact that we get pics on cards from Cleveland Stadium. I guess it didn't matter if you saw the equipment that is out during warm ups, because kids want cards of all their favorite Indians players of the 70's.

Card Back: Here we see nearly all of Mike's career stats. He would pitch in 33 games in 1979, and see time in 4 games in early 1980 before being gone from baseball at the age of 26. One of the players that the Indians sent to Boston was none other than Dennis Eckersley. If you look back all the way to Willie Keeler in 1897 and getting his 5 hits or more for the 4th time in a season, you would only have to wait another 74 years from then to have me be born.

Six degrees or less to Seattle: The first time Mike saw the big leagues was with the Red Sox in 1977. Another guy that would take the mound in Beantown was Don Aase. During many years in the big leagues, Don played for a few teams including the 1989 version of the New York Mets. Another of those guys from Shea was Kevin Tapani. Fast forward to the 1996 season, and Kevin was part of the Chicago White Sox with Greg Norton. Greg saw time in 6 games for the Mariners before being sent to Atlanta for Nelson Payano who never made it past AA, but continues to pitch in the Mexican Leagues.

Blog related to the team: Indians fans are kind of like Mariners fans. Our team had a run of success and we had some great players for a time. The last run of years have been difficult to be a fan of either team. One guy that still loves his Tribe is Dan. He writes what was one of the first blogs I got hooked on way back in the day. He is a Saint of the Cheap Seats. He is a man that loves his team, knows what he like to collect, will show what he's got and writes a damn good blog. Go over and give a friend of the feather some Chief Wahoo love today!!

Next Card: #123 Lou Whitaker, Tigers

#121 Checklist 1-121

Card Front: We all know that it was blinding to find these in a pack if you opened one back in 1979. I don't know about you, but I would always use these to know what I had in my collection. I would always mark the box with a ball point pen to mark my "checklist". There are so many recognizable names, whether they were newer guys or guys that would work their way to the Hall of Fame on these cards.

Card Back: Sadly, you needed a magnifying glass to read the names on most of these lists. The green really would wash out the black ink on the checklists and make it look like a jumble.I always thought that it was nice that Topps didn't waste a card with the checklist on the back like today's cards. Not only would you get a list like this, the team cards were so awesome to list the card, player, position, and uniform #'s. Back in the day when we were young, the library, newspaper, and baseball cards were our Internet to find out about baseball stats.

Six degrees or less to Seattle: On this first checklist card there are 9 guys that at one time or another that would put on the Mariners colors. I decided since Willie Stargell is still my favorite all time player, I want to do another link to Pops. During the 1967 season in the Steel City, Willie would play with Woodie Fryman. For our 1979 season, Woodie would be in Montreal as an Expo with Scott Sanderson. Scott would be part of the 1995 California Angles that would lose the division to the Refuse to Lose Mariners. Another of those Halos that year was Eduardo Perez. Late in July of the 2006 season, the Mariners would send a young Asdrubal Cabrera to Cleveland for Eduardo. Perez would finish the season in Seattle only to retire after that season.

Blog related to the team: It is kind of hard to link a blog to a card with a bunch of names and no team. I was thinking that with this being a card that is at least 30 years old, let's make a link. There are many Hall of Famers on this checklists too. One blogger that should be in the blogging Hall of Fame and has a love for 30 Year Old Cardboard is Brian. If you haven't read his blog and over 8500 posts, I don't know if I can help you in getting started in the card world. I know you've all read his work, and like me are always looking forward to his new work.

Next Card: #122 Mike Paxton, Indians

#120 Jim Sundberg, Rangers

Card Front: There is just so much I love about the front of this card. There is no doubt that it is such a posed card from spring training. It is obvious that the Rangers played in a big park in spring if it is 350' down the left field line. Have you ever noticed how many guys would wear the mesh back hats during spring, but you would never see that in a real game? I know it all about being cool nowadays, but you have to love the style of the pullover jersey and the double snap pants with no belt. I miss the looks of the 70's.

Card Back: Back in the old days there was two drafts in January and in June. Jim was drafted in the Rangers first year in Texas. He would spent the 1973 season in AA Pittsfield, MA and burst on to the scene as the regular catcher in 1974. It was the start of a long career that would include a World Series with KC in 1985 only to come back and finish in Arlington in 1989. Jim was obviously a great defensive catcher to make it that long. He would be part of the Rangers first HOF class in 2003, and has been a Senior Executive VP of Baseball since 2008 with the Rangers.

Six degrees or less to Seattle: Jim was around for a long time. Today we can trace him to a player that was a Seattle Mariner without even leaving the state of Texas even though the Mariners are in Washington. During the 1978 season in Arlington, Jim was the catcher that would commonly catch Danny Darwin as the Rangers were in action. If you move ahead in time 10 years to 1988, Danny would move across the state and be a part of the Houston Astros. During that 1988 season, a 22 year old rookie was called up from the AAA Tucson Toros named Craig Biggio. Craig would be on the path to a long soon to be HOF career, and in 2006 would share Enron Field with Charlton Jimerson. Charlton spent parts of the 2007 and 2008 seasons in Seattle before being released and bouncing around. After not seeing the big leagues again, Charlton retired from baseball after the 2010 season.

Blog related to the team: It must be a great feeling to have your team go to back to back World Series. I know it has to hurt to lose both, but it's closer than my team's ever been to the series. I know that Rangers fans are a proud group and aren't afraid to be vocal about how they feel when their stars leave. One guy that is newer to the blog world, but is doing great and loves the Rangers is out there. If you haven't sat in it, you need to check out the Waxcaptain's Dugout. He is doing some great work, and loves his gunslingers from the Lone Star State. See if you can help him out with some cards or anything else Rangers.

Next Card: #121 Checklist 1-121

#119 Don Stanhouse, Orioles

Card Front: Ahh, good old Yankee Stadium on a nice sunny day. Don looks like he and a few of the boys just rolled out of the van after getting seriously baked! I guess maybe he is just smiling because neither you nor I have an afro as cool as his! You can see the beginnings of some massive 70's sideburns going but I don't remember Don ever growing them out. I'm not sure I like the no hat look though, it reminds me of this year's Heritage with all the forehead going on.

Card Back: It seems that neither the Rangers or the Expos could decide if Don was a starter or a bullpen guy. I remember Don form the 1979 World Series but not much else. I know he was in the game a long time but kind of gets forgotten about. He was traded with some recognizable names from Montreal to Baltimore. Don must obviously be comfortable in DuQuoin, Illinois since he was born there and is still listed as his home. I think they could have given us Don's minor league stats too, but I wonder if Topps had a rule that if a guy saw more than 5? seasons in the majors that they left off the minors numbers?

Six degrees or less to Seattle: During Don's rookie season with the newly relocated 1972 Texas Rangers, another of those guys new to Dallas was Jim Mason. During that magic season of 1979, Jim was part of Les Expos de Montreal with Scott Sanderson. Scott was a guy that was here, there, and everywhere during his long career. One of Scott's stops include a turn with the 1994 strike shortened version of the Chicago White Sox. Another young player on that team was Warren Newson. Warren came to the Mariners in July of 1995 for Jeff Darwin. He saw some time in the black hole of Seattle: Left Field and was a pinch hitter. He was let go after that one season.

Blog related to the team: I really hope the Orioles have another good season. I think it will continue to bring us more bloggers that love the Birds. I'm still jealous that they stole Adam Jones away from us, but I do love the look they went back to last year with the iconic cartoon bird. I guy that I know loves all the logos of the Orioles is Kevin. You may recognize his work from the Orioles Card "O" the Day. It is awesome how everyday he can show us a card of a Baltimore player that we have all seen or one that is totally new and mind blowing. Head over and see what today's card might be..

Next Card: Jim Sundberg, Rangers

#118 Bud Harrelson, Phillies

Card Front: It is nice to see that Topps did their homework and got a picture of a player with his new team and didn't airbrush it. I have to admit that I wasn't a Phils fan back in the 70's and 80's, but I did like the mix of burgundy and baby blue. There is so much going on here. You have to love Bud and his Top Gun aviator glasses. Maybe it's the batting glove that looks like a golf glove, or it could be the choking up on the bat to get the little guy a hit.

Card Back: All you have to do is look at Bud's card and you would have thought he would have been a Met for life. I don't know who really won in the trade, since Bud only did 2 part time seasons in Philly but his trade partner last saw the Majors in 1976 an '77 and was never back up. Obviously Bud had a long career in the big leagues for his defense, because those stats are nothing to write home about. I would assume that he was the typical #8 hitter in front of the pitcher.Hank Aaron was called out for stepping out of the box. You see it quite often today, but it is never called.  

Six degrees or less to Seattle: During Bud's long run in the Big Apple, he had many teammates come and go. During the 1973 season, Bud would play with John Milner as Mets. John would find fame and fortune in the Steel City. As a part of the 1982 Pirates, he would play on the other side the state from Philly and another of those Pirates was Junior Ortiz. Junior would catch many games, and was with a handful of teams, but in 1992 he was Cleveland Indian along with Reggie Jefferson. Reggie came to Seattle for the 1994 season with Felix Fermin in the trade that saw the Indians obtain soon to be HOF'er Omar Vizquel. The Mariners let Reggie go before the magical 1995 season.

Blog related to the team: So many Phillies fans out there. One blogger that has been at it for quite a while and does a great job gets the love today. How many of you read The Phillies Room? Jim is one of the authorities on all things Phillies related. He even does his own custom cards for the Phils. How about Twitter for a place to check him out? I say you must go to one or both today and see him, and tell him a ghost form the 1979 season sent you to see him.

Next Card: Don Stanhouse, Orioles

#117 Grant Jackson, Pirates

Card Front: Here comes a pitch from the lefty. There is just so much to love about the Pirates and their uniforms from this time. I once saw something on MLB Network that said the clubhouse guy had a running list of combos so they wouldn't repeat them soon together. I like the way the blue walls of Three Rivers go with the blue banner below Grant. I love the black flattop hats, but wish they would have worn the yellow ones a little more...

Card Back: That is one big fat stack of stats there. Back then it sounded like a long time ago to be signed in 1962, but now it was over 50 years ago! It seems the Phils had him start in 1969 and 70 but then decided Grant was more valuable in the pen. Unusual to see someone born in Ohio, but lives in Puerto Rico. It seems strange to see the Acquired line say Trade, Mariners in 1976, when they hadn't even taken the field yet. I guess Topps must have been searching for anything to put on the side with the fact that the Padres and Giants used 13 pitchers in a doubleheader.

Six degrees or less to Seattle: Yes, Grant was drafted by the M's in November of 1976 only to be traded to the Pirates in December so he never saw the field with a trident on his cap(see below to see Topps offering of Grant as a Mariner).  During Grant's only season in the Big Apple in 1976, he was a Yankee with Otto Velez. I think Otto liked Maple Syrup so he went to Toronto and was a Blue Jay in 1979 with a very young Dave Stieb. I still think of Stieb as one of the faces of the Blue Jays franchise. Almost 20 years in 1998, after a short stop as a White Sox?? for four starts and a four year absence from the game, Dave was on the bump in Ontario with former Mariner Pat Lennon. Pat was one of those thought to be a future star in the outfield with Junior, but Pat saw 10 games in '91 and '92 before being let go from Seattle.

Blog related to the team: Ahh, Pirates fans are becoming more common. I'm glad to see it. They are one of those franchises that has a great history but have suffered for a long time now. I know how their fans feel to have lesser ownership that doesn't give you a chance to win. I think the Buccos are on the right track and could have a really good year. One of those fans is from south of the Steel City but loves his team. You may know him ad BigDaddyFilth. He also goes by Victor, and he writes about Gravediggers, Mooses, and such.  Go and see his work, and maybe send some Pirates his way, and he will definitely help you back.

Next Card: #118 Bud Harrelson, Phillies




Thanks Topps for giving us Grant for 1977 even though he never threw a pitch with a trident on his cap