1976 Topps – 1975 Batting Leaders: Rod Carew, Fred Lynn, and Thurman Munson

1976 Topps – 1975 Batting Leaders: Rod Carew, Fred Lynn, and Thurman Munson

I like all things 1975.  It is te year of my birth and I try to collect as many baseball related things from that season that I can.

That extends into the 1976 baseball cards that honor the feats achieved during the ’75 season.

And that leads me to this card:

This card pays tribute to the American League batting leaders from the 1975 season.

Rod Carew led the league with his .359 batting average.  He was followed by another ’30-YOC’ favorite Fred Lynn who hit .331 for the Boston Red Sox.  Thurman Munson of the New York Yankees finished in third place that year with a .318 average.

The batting title that Carew claimed during that 1975 campaign was his 5th of 7.  Unreal!!!

Rod Carew 1986 Donruss

Rod Carew 1986 Donruss

Rod Carew did not appear in a major league game during the 1986 baseball season.  He had retired at the conclusion of his ’85 campaign.

Still, that did not stop the baseball card companies from including Rod in their releases in 1986.  He was wildly popular, a certain Hall of Famer, and a fan favorite.

I for one am happy that Mr. Carew was part of so many sets in 1986 - it gives a player collector like me more cards to go after! 

 

Rod Carew 1983 Fleer – Batting Cage Card!!!

Rod Carew 1983 Fleer – Batting Cage Card!!!

If it was not for this card having the backdrop of a batting cage, it could be categorized as horrible.

Thankfully, and probably a fluke, the card does indeed capture on of my favorite backgrounds, and it is SAVED!!!

Have a peek:

Gotta love the batting cage cards!!

But 1983 Fleer, not so much….

Rod Carew 1985 Fleer

Rod Carew 1985 Fleer

The 1985 Fleer baseball set was the company’s first release in which they injected a lot of color into their cards.  And after doing a quick mental check, I believe that it is also my favorite design of the decade issued by Fleer.

The cards featured brightly colored borders, and had much cleaner and clearer photos than what we had been used to seeing from them.

Here is the card of Hall of Famer Rod Carew from that set:

Great borders and great colors.  The picture choice, that is another story for another day…

Rod Carew 2004 Topps All-Time Fan Favorites

Rod Carew 2004 Topps All-Time Fan Favorites

Rod Carew’s baseball card in the 2004 Topps All-Time Fan Favorites set pays tribute to his 1980 baseball season.

An established superstar with tons of experience, Carew entered into his third decade in the major leagues when the 1980 baseball season started.

And he excelled!!  In 144 games, Carew collected 179 hits en route to a .331 batting average.  He hit 34 doubles, 7 triples, and 3 home runs while scoring 74 runs and driving in 59.  He also stole 23 bases in 38 attempts.

Carew made the All-Star time for the 14th consecutive season in 1980, streak that began during his rookie campaign in 1967.

Baseball Card Show Purchase #4 – Rod Carew 1983 Drake’s Big Hitters

Baseball Card Show Purchase #4 – Rod Carew 1983 Drake’s Big Hitters

I like oddballs.  They make a great part of my collection, and without them many of my larger player collections would be minimized drastically.

I particularly like the Drakes cards from 1983, 1984, and 1985 as I remember grabbing them back in the day.

I found this one of Hall of Famer Rod Carew in a bargain bin and I immediately wanted it for my collection.

I love the photo used on this one!

Rod Carew 2003 Donruss Team Heroes

Rod Carew 2003 Donruss Team Heroes

Rod Carew is one of the guys that I really don’t associate with just 1 team.  Johnny Bench is a Red.  Ozzie Smith is a Cardinal.  But, Rod Carew is a Twin and an Angel in my eyes.

This card, tagged as ‘Team Heroes’, shows Carew in his Angels uniform.

Have a look:

This got me to thinking about Carew’s time with the Angels and how it has held up over the years.

So, I did a little homework and here is what I came up with:

• 2nd in career BA with .314 average.  Trails Vladamir Guerrero’s .319
• 1st in on-base percentage with .393
• 10th in hits with 968
• 8th in walks with 405
• 7th in singles with 788
• 9th in times on base with 1,378
• 6th in sacrifices with 60
• 6th in intentional walks with 45

And there you have it – a pretty solid resume for Carew’s seven seasons in the Angels organization!!

Rod Carew 1984 Fleer – Batting Cage Card!!!

Rod Carew 1984 Fleer – Batting Cage Card!!!

I have been steadily knocking off the Rod Carew baseball cards issued in the 1980s for my player collection that honors his Hall of Fame career.

As with most cards, I can scoop up handfuls of cards from the 1980s pretty easily, while the ones issued in the 1970s present a bit more of a challenge.

The latest addition to my Carew collection from the 1980s is his base card from the 1984 Fleer set.

The card’s design is rather dull, possibly one of the least imaginative issues of the decade.

But, the card is saved!

Saved?

Yes, saved.  At least in my opinion. 

Why?

Because I LOVE cards that feature players and their batting cages!!!!

Have a look:

Rod Carew 1984 Donruss

Rod Carew 1984 Donruss

Gotta love the look of a player wearing just one batting glove!!! 

That doesn’t happen too much anymore…

1983 Topps – 1982 Angels Team Leaders: Rod Carew & Mike Witt

1983 Topps – 1982 Angels Team Leaders: Rod Carew & Mike Witt

Man, I wish that Topps kept these ‘Team Leaders’ cards as part of their sets.  I would certainly have some more cards in many of my player collections!! 

But, in the early 1980′s, these kind of cards were staples of the Topps base set.

And they often featured the most popular and best players of each squad.

Take the California Angels card from the 1983 set – featuring teammates Rod Carew and Mike Witt.

Here it is:

Carew paced the offense for the club with his .319 batting average.

And while not the best of his career, Witt led the way for the Angels with his 3.51 ERA.