Reggie Jackson 2001 Upper Deck UD Decades ‘Award Winners’ 1973 AL MVP

Reggie Jackson 2001 Upper Deck UD Decades ‘Award Winners’ 1973 AL MVP

Upper Deck pounded us with a frenzy of retro-themed baseball cards in 2001 with their UD Decades product.  The set offered lots of vibrant color and vintage images – and as you could expect, it was littered with the stars of the 1970’s.

This set has a very large handful of cards in it that feature Reggie Jackson – both in his Athletics and Yankees garb.

The ‘Award Winners’ set takes a look at the greats that captured individual honors during the decade.

This is that card that honors Reggie for being chosen as the 1973 AL MVP.

 

The card is nice, and that trophy is sweet!  I just wish that UD had selected a better image to use for the card.  Kind of looks like Reggie popped up in this one…  I’d rather see him running the bases of slamming one out of the park…

1975 Topps Set Card 277/660 – #31 – Dave Rader, Giants

1975 Topps Set Card 277/660 – #31 – Dave Rader, Giants

Progress: 277/660

Card Number: 31

Player Name: Dave Rader

Team: San Francisco Giants

Position: Catcher

Image Style: Posed Portrait

Years In The Major Leagues: 10 seasons, 1971-80

Notes From His 1975 Season:  Rader appeared in 98 games for the Giants in 1975.  He connected for 85 hits in those games, amassing a .291 batting average in the process.  Rader connected for 15 doubles and 5 home runs while driving in 31 runs and scoring 35 times.

Notes From Career:  Doug Rader played for five different clubs during his 10-year major league career.  He is a lifetime .257 hitter with 619 hits in 846 games played.  Rader drove in 235 runs during his career while scoring 254 times.  In 1972, he finished in 2nd place for the NL ROY to John Matlack.

1986 HEADLINE: Gooden Sets Record Of 200+ Strikeouts In First Three Seasons Of His Career

1986 HEADLINE:  Gooden Sets Record Of 200+ Strikeouts In First Three Seasons Of His Career

On this day in 1986, Dwight Gooden recorded the 200th strikeout of his 1986 season.  And while there was a lengthy list of pitchers that had accomplished that feat prior to ‘Doc’, he was the first pitcher in major league history to collect more than 200 K’s in his first three big league seasons.

Amazingly, with all of the fireballers before his era, Gooden was the first.  Not Nolan Ryan or Tom Seaver or Bob Gibson or Jim Palmer.

Here is a closer look at those three historic years:

Season	K’s
1984	276
1985	268
1985	200

Congratulations and Happy Anniversary to Dwight Gooden!!!

1968 HEADLINE: Gibson Strikes Out 17 In Game 1 Of The World Series

1968 HEADLINE:  Gibson Strikes Out 17 In Game 1 Of The World Series

On this day in 1968, Bob Gibson struck out 17 batters in Game 1 of the World Series against the Detroit Tigers.  This is a World Series record that still stands today.

To be on the biggest stage in baseball and dominate the way he did shows how superior he was as a pitcher and competitor.

The full stat line from Gibson’s game looks like this – 9 innings pitched, 5 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk, 17 strikeout, WIN.

Happy Anniversary Mr. Gibson!!!

Happy Birthday Maury Wills!!!

Happy Birthday Maury Wills!!!

Maury Wills turns 82 years old today.

Wills was a player that arrived in the game one generation too early.  A speedy player with a knack for stealing bases and scoring runs, he was in a league of his own when it came to generating offense for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He should certainly be credited for paving the way for the great runners that came after him.  He made the role of the base runner more important to a team’s roster, and he was rewarded for his efforts in 1962 by winning the MVP Award.

In ’62, he stole 104 bases, a major league record at the time.  Add to that his .299 batting average, 208 hits, and 130 runs scored and you have yourself a dynamic player.  He also was an All-Star in 1962; and he won a Gold Glove for his defensive work at shortstop.

For his career, Maury Wills stole 586 bases.  He completed his 14 years in the big leagues with a .281 average alongside 2,134 hits, 1,067 runs scored, 5 All-Star selections, 2 Gold Glove awards, and most important – 3 World Series championships!!!

Happy Birthday Mr. Wills!!!