Folder of Fun: Page 26

The Folder of Fun, as I like to call it, has been in the works for about three years. That's about the time I stopped buying retail and hobby packs and began tracking down cards which fit a certain general description: FUN.  Here's a link to the first post in this series if you'd like to go back and catch up. 

Page 26 shows off nine more cards today from the "Tells a Story" section from the Folder of Fun.  

1991 Studio, #260 - Bud Black and Steve Decker

As a kid I found this card interesting because I believe we had a Black and Decker coffee pot or something in our kitchen. It's not as novel to me now, but it still makes the cut.

1991 Score, #841 - The Griffeys

Baseball at its best: a father-son duo playing on the same team. Does it get any better than that?

2009 Tri-Star Obak, #28 - Pat Venditte

I read an article about Pat Venditte, the switch pitcher, when he was in college at Creighton. I've always thought having him in the bullpen would be like rostering an extra player, one who could be both a lefty and righty specialist. Unfortunately, he was buried in the Yankees' system for far too long, because he didn't throw very hard, but he did put up good numbers in the minors. He made his MLB debut with Oakland at the age of 30 in 2015.
He's pitched a total of 68 innings in MLB, with his best run coming with the Dodgers in 2018.
Venditte was a volunteer at a couple of local winter camps hosted by Ben Zobrist. He can still be seen working out in P-town at a local indoor baseball facility from time-to-time.

1984 Fleer, #638 - The Pine Tar Incident with George Brett and Gaylord Perry

This card helps remind me that Gaylord Perry tried to hide the bat after the incident. What a crazy moment in baseball history.

1991 Donruss, #744 - Dr. Dirt and Mr. Clean with Lenny Dysktra and Dale Murphy

Dale Murphy feels like the poster boy for the straight-and-narrow. Lenny Dykstra is anything but.

1986 Donruss, #645 - Phil and Joe Niekro, the Knuckle Brothers

The knuckleball sure could extend the career of a pitcher. Phil is 45 and Joe is 40 years old in this picture. The two Niekros would pitch a total of 46 seasons between them before calling it quits.

2009 Tri-Star Obak, #44 - Steve Dalkowski

Steve Dalkowski passed away in April of 2020, so maybe you've heard of him. He is said to have been the hardest throwing pitcher ever and he was the inspiration for the character Nuke LaLoosh in the movie Bull Durham. If you have a second take a look at his 1958 or 1960 seasons, specifically the number of innings he pitched and how they compare to his walk and strikeout totals. You won't be disappointed!

2014 Panini Golden Age, #52 - Eddie Gaedel

Gaedel was 3'7" and walked on four pitches in his only plate appearance. Gaedel was one of Bill Veeck's more widely known publicity stunts and he was introduced to the baseball world between games of a doubleheader when he popped out of a cake wearing a baseball uniform with the number 1/8 on the back.

1992 Upper Deck, #82 - Cal Jr. and Billy Ripken

Brothers turning two. Just fantastic. 

For the next Folder of Fun post we'll focus on some of the more iconic cards and players in baseball's history.
Thanks for reading!