John Pacella bounced around the Majors and minors from 1977-86, compiling a career record of 4-10 in six seasons of work. There's no doubt, though, that those numbers didn't come from lack of trying.
We all know a guy who's THAT guy, a little bit performative and not too natural. Maybe he's the hipster, maybe he's the guy who makes a point of keeping the complete works of Tolstoi on his desk, maybe he's always dropping by to ask you how your day was as a pretext to going on about his own. THAT guy.
Was John Pacella THAT guy on the '80 Mets? At first glance this card is kind of hokey: the photographer happened to get a shot of Pacella losing his hat on a pitch. Or did he? There's a LOT of airbrushing going on down there, from the shadow to the cap itself, so I wonder. But then check out the back of the card:
Yep, Pacella lost his hat on EVERY pitch. Unique? Sure. A bit much? You decide. But there's no doubt Pacella's got a well maintained coiffe going on there, so why not show it off? Or why not just put your $##$ cap on tight and not lose it 20 times a game? Either way it's pretty funny. Effort or show, only John Pacella knows.
Have a good one everybody and goodnight Pumpsie Green, wherever you are!
I saw him pitch on TV. He really did lose his cap on every pitch.
ReplyDeletePitch. Pick up cap. Pitch. Pick up cap. The announcers loved it.