Understandably, Topps did not have an image of Jenkins in his new uniform as a member of the Texas Rangers. After all, he was traded from the Cubs in October, 1973, apparently too late for Topps to have an image to use for their upcoming baseball card set.
So what we were given was about the most UN-baseball-like image I have ever seen on a card.
Seriously, this image always reminded me of a promo still-shot from some movie. Look at him, as he stares off in the distance, wind seemingly blowing through his hair. Life and all it's mysteries.
It certainly does NOT look like one of the top pitching aces of the decade, winner of 284 career games while also becoming the first pitcher to have that many K's while walking less than 1000 batters.
Jenkins was always under-appreciated in the game. Sure, he won a Cy Young Award in 1971, but when you're pitching in the same era as Seaver, Ryan, Gibson, Carlton, Palmer, Perry, etc, it's easy to get lost in the shuffle.
Nevertheless Fergie was awesome, a seven-time 20 game winner, topping 200 strike outs six times, finishing in the Cy Young top-5 no less than five times in his 19-year career.
He was finally voted into the Hall of Fame in 1991, cementing a superstar career playing for the Phillies, Cubs, Rangers and Red Sox.
So here you have a redesigned card with him a bit more recognizable as a baseball player. I used an image of him from 1975 I believe, as a player I cropped out from the image was on the Rangers roster that year. Enjoy...
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| About as "un-baseball" as you can get. |
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| In all his Texas glory. |
