Ryne Sandberg quickly became my favorite when I was first introduced to baseball. He retired after the 1997 season and then a flame-throwing Kerry Wood burst on to the scene in 1998. Wood closed out his career in the spring of 2012, but guess who was already smashing baseballs in the low minors of the Cubs' system?
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| Vogey rookie cards! |
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| Ogle these Vogels! |
Let's play a quick game of "What if?"
What if I was introduced to baseball a decade earlier? Let's say during the late 70's or early 80's... Who would I have gone crazy over?
The aforementioned players all have some common links: at least one All-Star appearance, Cubs ties, and good human beings.
Here's the card from Fuji which got me thinking:
Thanks for the package Fuji! I know it was intended to wipe your slate clean, but we were clean! You just dirtied things up again. Sigh. No matter, I made a weak attempt this morning to balance out the scales again with a package I shipped out. I hope this doesn't escalate into a Wes vs. BWTP thing. 😜
I'd love to see another WAR thing again.
ReplyDeleteWell, gee, I know a lot about Buckner without actually knowing him (RIP).
ReplyDeleteWhen I interviewed Bobby Valentine, Buckner's roommate when they were in the minor leagues with the Dodgers, Valentine said Buckner was quiet, a "man's man" who liked to hunt and fish. Valentine said he taught Buckner to be "a big mouth" and ask for what he was worth. He says that led Buckner's trade to the Cubs. "He should have been a lifelong Dodger," Valentine said to me.
Cool story, NO. Thanks for sharing!
DeleteI met Bill Buckner, albeit briefly, before a minor league game in Massachusetts no more than 10 years ago. He seemed like a decent enough fellow. I admire him for putting up with so much crap from New England sports fans after 1986 and taking it as gracefully as one could have expected.
ReplyDeleteDon't know much about Buckner... but I do know that you don't owe me a darn thing. #nostringsattached
ReplyDeleteI have a feeling you would've really enjoyed Dennis Lamp because of his name and because you saw him as a minor leaguer in the Cubs system. Then get very upset when the Cubs trade him to the White Sox.
ReplyDeleteI don't know much about Buckner but he always looked surly to me. Which I realize is stupid to say given the expression in that card.
ReplyDeleteLoved readingg this thanks
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