Gods of the Three True Outcomes: 1980 HR Leaders (AND a Grand Cards Contest)

Happy New Year!

First, MASSIVE contest over at Grand Cards. Go there, enter it, and come back.

And don't forget the Nelson Reimold trade bait!

Today's pic comes from 1980 Topps Baseball. If you haven't already, go check that blog out. It's awesome. Today's card is of two absolute a@@ kickers from years past.

Dave Kingman. Gorman Thomas. There wasn't a whole lot of messing around with these guys: HR, K, BB. The "Three True Outcomes." OK, maybe not so much the BB, but you get the picture. These two had massive power and swung from their heels, and both are as famous for their HR output as their prodigious K numbers. In terms of OPS+ they are, career-wise, virtually identical: Kingman with 115 and Thomas with 114.

Kingman bounced around a bit while Thomas spent most of his career with the Brewers.

Gorman is also from Charleston, SC, and used to own a bar, Stormin' Gorman's, that was right up the street from my house. Stormin' Gorman's was long gone by the time I was of age, or at least old enough to pass as being "of age," so I never had a drink there, much less had the pleasure of meeting the man in person or have him serve me a beer. Especially since he was from Charleston he was one of the gods of my youth, untouchable for being a ballplayer and yet earthbound in appearance (his mustache that Brewers uni) and for being one of us, a kid from Charleston from the same ball fields as the rest of us. That made him all the more real to us, more real than Mattingly, Schmidt, or Brett if only because that connection made the far off teams in Atlanta, Baltimore, etc. more real to our lives, as if those were teams that WE could play for some day (none of us did). At any rate Gorman's mere legend added a bit more substance to our dreams, something he did by simply existing on cardboard or in a bar we'd never enter.

Have a good one and goodnight Pumpsie Green, wherever you are!

A Guy Walks into a Bar: Shoeless Joe Reprints from Iowa

Which after Kinsella's book and the movie, may as well be Shoeless Joe's second home. Being from SC, one one my growing interests is ballplayers from my home state and the Carolinas in general. Makes me feel connected to my roots despite the fact I'm 3000 miles away in an igloo just down the block from Capt'n Canuck. My correspondence with one of the dean's of Carolina ball, Lou Brissie, has been particularly awesome.

So, when I came across these in Iowa last month I pulled the trigger. I asked the guy, "Can I take a look at those," to which he responded, "You know those are reprints, right?"

Now, I'm reasonably intelligent and was rather non-plussed. I mean, the cards were marked $1 (with a 50% discount), and anyone would assume that these cards were reprints. I will never be able to afford the real thing, and even if I had the cash must admit I'd be more likely to make ginormous charitable donation than throw down for one of these.

I dig the Play Ball cards in general, and this one is AMAZING. Joe taking a huge rip, with an expression on his face like he's watching the ball far off in the distance. Even looks like there's some chaw in his right cheek. That back is also nice:

That's one thing people don't know about Shoeless Joe: he was traded around a lot before going to the Sox. Connie Mack of the A's thought he was just an illiterate, homesick rube. Each their own, but as a SC boy way up here in the snow, I can say I'm feeling a little Shoeless Joe these days. No pine forests, no Spanish moss, no oyster roasts, damn right I'm homesick now and again.

Next up:

Oh yes, the Cracker Jack. One day I'd like to own a common from this set, or maybe a Charles Bender in terrible condition. This card will never be mine, but the reprint is fine by me. I wonder if that's his bat Black Betty in this photo or the one above. Or if Betty survived UD's wood chipper. Hope to God the answer is yes. The back of this card is also pretty awesome:

Unlike the Play Ball card, this one gets his birthplace correct, as in it's SC, not NC. There is a difference. Moreover, my mom is from Pickens County, where Shoeless Joe was born, and that's a big point of pride for a lot of folks in that area. I wonder how much 100 boxes of Cracker Jacks would have cost so you could land the whole set.

Have a good one everybody and goodnight Pumpsie Green, wherever you are!

(Belated) Thankfulness

Like everyone, I've got a lot to be thankful for. I'm in Iowa, with the compa's family, who was gracious enough to delay Turkey Day until Friday so we could be here and share it with them.

I've got a lot to be thankful for. Aside from being ill as a dog after dinner yesterday (I blame my mother-in-law), I've got my health. Despite my considerable eccentricities I have the compa. I'm also employed in a great job, which in this day and age is no mean accomplishment in higher education. I'm thankful for

I'm thankful I'm NOT a Cubs fan. Cubs fans have it tougher than most, and I don't think the rest of us appreciate that. Compa's grand dad was a Cubs fan, which gave Daddy D a permanent leg up in family arguments. Think Zim is happy to be a Cub in 1961? This might be the only card in existence where Zim isn't smiling. In fact, he looks depressed.

Willie Jones doesn't look much happier, but I'm guessing he's just happy to have a job. "Puddin' Head" Jones played most of his career with the Fightin's before traveling around a bit on his way to Cincy. He's also from Dillon, SC. Apparently he was, like me, thankful to be FROM SC as opposed to be living IN SC, as he lived out his days in OH.

And finally, I'm thankful for all my great friends past, present, and bloggered. Without you life wouldn't be nearly so interesting, and there'd certainly be no binge-drinking fueled trips to Jerusalem. Hopefully we'll all get there one day.

Thanks to Daddy D for the '61s, and have a good one Pumpsie Green, wherever you are!

Waiting for Brissie

I might have said it before, but I'm from SC, a state that has given the nation this guy, that guy, and her. And Shoeless Joe. Yep, even when we get it right something tends not to go right. One of the greatest hitters ever, but not eligible for the HOF.

Which is why I wrote Lou Brissie. Now, the career numbers aren't HOF worthy, but he was an AS in 1949 and played from historically bad A's teams. He also played with only one good leg. See, he was wounded pretty badly in WWII and doctors came close to amputating his leg, only Brissie told them "no." He rehabbed, learned to get around with a brace, and when he came home went back to pursuing a MLB career. As for me, what I could be doing other than writing a blog about baseball and baseball cards: astronaut? cure for cancer finder? communist revolutionary? We'll never know. Lou Brissie looks at the rest of us SCinians and hangs his head. I mean, we've kinda dropped the ball as of late.

See, Mr. Brissie is actually one of the guys who IS a hero, despite the fact when live in a culture where "hero" is everything from the dog walker who bailed you out this morning to your spouse who remembered to grab your favorite beer at the store. (Note to compa: no, I don't mean that, the heroism you displayed in remembering the Sierra Nevada will never be forgotten!!!!) I'm proud to be from the same state as he.

Anyway, I wrote Mr. Brissie a while back before I knew any of the backstory. I had simply picked up a '51 Bowman of his and, being overexcited about finding a ball player from SC, sent it off. Here's what he sent back:

I know, the card ain't the prettiest pig in the pen (SC metaphor), and looks to be in worse shape than the cars my cousin Fritz keeps on blocks in the front yard (cultural reference) but the auto is sweet. Mr. Brissie was also kind enough to answer my questions. Best thing about being an All-Star in 1949? "All of it. Just being there with the players." When I think about it, that might be the best response to that question, ever.

He has a new biography out written by Ira Berkow, The Corporal Was a Pitcher. I don't have it yet, as my parents want to get it for me for Christmas. Seriously. So I have to wait....

After finding out more about him, I also ordered two late 1940s Brissie card to send to him. For which I am waiting...about a week now...

I'll let you know how things turn out, but thank you Mr. Brissie for the auto, but even more so for your service to our country both in WWII and for the inspiration you continue to give to those who were wounded in action in Iraq and Afghanistan. It shows what we can all do to work towards making the world a better place!!

Have a great evening everyone!