Happy Birthday Rollie Fingers!!!

Happy Birthday Rollie Fingers!!!

Rollie Fingers turns 68 years old today.

While Rollie Fingers may best be known for his famous facial hair, his solid baseball career earned him quite a bit of fame too.

A 17-year veteran, boasting 341 career saves and seven All-star appearances, Fingers was a dominant relief pitcher for more than a decade.

His best work was during the 1981 season while playing for the Milwaukee Brewers.  In that season, Fingers posted a 6-3 record while also collecting 28 saves.  He had a 1.04 ERA with 78 innings pitched.  And in those appearances he struck out 61 batters while walking just 13.  Fingers’ dominance was enough to earn him the league’s Cy Young and Most Valuable Player awards – a truly remarkable feat!!

Rollie Fingers is a 3-time World Series champion.  His efforts on the 1972-74 Oakland A’s teams help the team from ‘The Bay’ become one of baseball’s greatest dynasties!!!

With such an impressive resume, it is kind of shocking that Fingers has a losing record.  For his career, he is 114-118.  So for his birthday, I would like to give Mr. Fingers a ‘do-over’ of the 1978 season in which he went 6-13.  I am hoping for 5 more wins than losses so this Hall of Famer could hold his head even a little higher with his above .500 winning percentage!!

Happy Birthday Mr. Fingers!!!

1982 HEADLINE: Rollie Fingers Captures Career Save #300

1982 HEADLINE: Rollie Fingers Captures Career Save #300

On this day in 1982, Rollie Fingers captured the 300th save of his major league baseball career.

Coming off of a Cy Young and MVP season in 1981, Fingers and the Brewers were riding high in 1982.  And as the team led their division heading into the last month of the season, several of the Brewers’ top players were performing at their peak – Fingers included.

On this night, in Seattle and in front of 20,000 fans, Fingers added another baseball milestone to his already impressive resume.  Save #300 came as he preserved the 3-2 victory over the Mariners.

Fingers’ stat line looked like this – 2 innings pitched, 3 hits allowed, 2 runs allowed, and 1 strikeout.  Not the most impressive stuff on this night, but a victory and a save nonetheless.

Happy Anniversary Mr. Rollie Fingers!!!

1992 Headline: Tom Seaver & Rollie Fingers Voted Into National Baseball Hall Of Fame

1992 Headline: Tom Seaver & Rollie Fingers Voted Into National Baseball Hall Of Fame

On this day in 1992, both Tom Seaver and Rollie Fingers were elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.  Both pitchers amassed amazing individual and team accolades during their brilliant careers – Seaver as a starting pitcher, and Fingers as a reliever.

Tom Seaver won 311 games during his major league career while amassing 3,640 strikeouts.  Being a member of both the ‘300 wins’ and ‘3000 strikeouts’ clubs, Seaver is in very rare and elite company.  Seaver is a former Rookie of the Year, a 3-time Cy Young Award winner, 12-time All-Stat, and World Series Champion.

Rollie Fingers set the standard for the ‘closer’ role in baseball.  His is a member of the ‘300 Saves Club’ with his 341 career saves.  Fingers has a career ERA of 2.90 and a lifetime strikeout to walk ratio of 2.64.  His ability to seal wins during his tenure with the A’s, Padres, and Brewers set the bar for his competition and the future of the closer role.  Fingers was a 7-time All-Star as well as a Cy Young and MVP winner.  He was part of three World Series championship winning teams in the 1970’s with Oakland.

Tom Seaver collected 425 of 430 votes cast during his first year of eligibility in 1985.

Rollie Fingers hauled in 349 of 430 votes cast in his second year of eligibility to gain entry into Cooperstown.

Rollie Fingers 1975 Topps Baseball Card

Rollie Fingers 1975 Topps Baseball Card

Well friends, I am down to needing just two cards to complete my Rollie Fingers player collection.

That’s because I just landed this card from the 1975 Topps baseball card set!!!

 

I like the card – the Orange 1/2 border works well with the Oakland A’s colors.  I do, however, wish that the image was zoomed out more so we could get a better sense of what was happening…

The next two on my list are the 1971 Topps and his 1969 Topps rookie card.  The ’71 should not be too hard to score for a good price, but it is the Black border that worries me.  I have not had much luck in finding ones in EX condition for a price that works for me – but I will try!

As for Fingers’ rookie card, I have to say that I am pretty surprised at how much they consistently sell for.  I thought that it would not be a problem sneaking one out for less than $10, but that has not worked out at all.  Maybe it is due to the card being in the very popular 1969 Topps set?  Maybe vintage is making a comeback?  Either way, this one will be a challenge.

Wish me luck!

Happy Birthday Rollie Fingers!!!

Happy Birthday Rollie Fingers!!!

Rollie Fingers turns 67 years old today.

While Rollie Fingers may best be known for his famous facial hair, his solid baseball career earned him quite a bit of fame too.

A 17-year veteran, boasting 341 career saves and seven All-star appearances, Fingers was a dominant relief pitcher for more than a decade.

His best work was during the 1981 season while playing for the Milwaukee Brewers.  In that season, Fingers posted a 6-3 record while also collecting 28 saves.  He had a 1.04 ERA with 78 innings pitched.  And in those appearances he struck out 61 batters while walking just 13.  Fingers’ dominance was enough to earn him the league’s Cy Young and Most Valuable Player awards – a truly remarkable feat!!

Rollie Fingers is a 3-time World Series champion.  His efforts on the 1972-74 Oakland A’s teams help the team from ‘The Bay’ become one of baseball’s greatest dynasties!!!

With such an impressive resume, it is kind of shocking that Fingers has a losing record.  For his career, he is 114-118.  So for his birthday, I would like to give Mr. Fingers a ‘do-over’ of the 1978 season in which he went 6-13.  I am hoping for 5 more wins than losses so this Hall of Famer could hold his head even a little higher with his above .500 winning percentage!!

Happy Birthday Mr. Fingers!!!

1982 HEADLINE: Rollie Fingers Captures Career Save #300

1982 HEADLINE: Rollie Fingers Captures Career Save #300

On this day in 1982, Rollie Fingers captured the 300th save of his major league baseball career.

Coming off of a Cy Young and MVP season in 1981, Fingers and the Brewers were riding high in 1982.  And as the team led their division heading into the last month of the season, several of the Brewers’ top players were performing at their peak – Fingers included.

On this night, in Seattle and in front of 20,000 fans, Fingers added another baseball milestone to his already impressive resume.  Save #300 came as he preserved the 3-2 victory over the Mariners.

Fingers’ stat line looked like this – 2 innings pitched, 3 hits allowed, 2 runs allowed, and 1 strikeout.  Not the most impressive stuff on this night, but a victory and a save nonetheless.

Happy Anniversary Mr. Rollie Fingers!!!

Rollie Fingers 2002 Topps Archives Reserve – Chrome!

Rollie Fingers 2002 Topps Archives Reserve – Chrome!

I’m in a bit of a funk when it comes to pulling in new cards for my almost completed Rollie Fingers player collection.

And when I say ‘New’, I actually mean ‘Old’.

You see, of the cards I still need for this set of cards, they are the more expensive, older ones. 

I will continue to seek them out and patiently wait for affordable ones to come my way.

In the meantime, enjoy this card of Mr. Fingers from the 2002 Topps Archives Reserve set.  This is the Chrome version.

 

‘Laid back, with my mind on my money and my money on my mind’.

Rollie Fingers 1974 Topps Baseball Card

Rollie Fingers 1974 Topps Baseball Card

It has been roughly six weeks since I last featured a baseball card of Rollie Fingers on the blog.

It is not because I do not want to, it is because my at-home supply of cards that feature Mr. Fingers has been exhausted.

I am getting very close to completing the collection I am building of Fingers that honors his fantastic career.

I am left chasing a few of his early-issue cards from the 1970’s.  And the chase is rather fun too.

My most recent purchase has landed me his base card from the 1974 Topps set.

Check it out:

I am just a few cards from the finish line – but they are the tougher ones.

Wish me luck as I continue on this journey!!

Rollie Fingers 1970 Topps

Rollie Fingers 1970 Topps

It has been more than a month since I last showed off a baseball card of Rollie Fingers from my collection.

It has not due to lack of organization or time or desire.  It has more to do with availability…

You see, I am very close to completing my collection of every major-brand release of Rollie Fingers baseball cards from his playing days.  I’m just having a little bit of a hard time securing the remaining cards of him that I need for my collection in the condition that I seek and at a price that I am willing to pay.

So, it may take me a little time to knock out the remaining cards for my Rollie Fingers PC, but I am in no rush.

In the meantime, here is his 1970 Topps baseball card – a little off-centered, but still a very nice card.

Enjoy.

Rollie Fingers 1981 Topps Traded – 1st Milwaukee Brewers Card

Rollie Fingers 1981 Topps Traded – 1st Milwaukee Brewers Card

Rollie Fingers had a crazy offseason in between the 1980 and 1981 baseball seasons.

Actually, to narrow that down even further, he had one really wild week…

On December 8, 1980, Rollie Fingers was traded from the San Diego Padres to the St. Louis Cardinals.  And then just five days later, on the 12th of Decemeber, he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers.

This is Fingers’ card from the 1981 Topps Traded set:

Wouldn’t it have been cool to see a card of him with an air-brushed Cardinals uniform as well??

 I think so…