I always wondered what exactly happened between Topps and Staub. Was it money? What else could it be, and how much money could we be talking about?
Anyway, today I post my design for the 1973 "missing" card, and will follow up later this week with my two versions of his 1972 card (I designed a NY Mets version as well as a Montreal Expos version. More on that when I post it).
I went with a decent action shot of him sprinting to first instead of a portrait. Not bad.
As for Staub the player, he's one of those really good players that falls by the wayside when you think of that generation of baseball.
Lost in the crowd that was Rose, Bench, Jackson, Carew, etc. was this player who built a 23 year career, finishing up with over 2700 hits, 292 homers, 1466 R.B.I.'s, and six all-star appearances.
He started out as a 19 year old kid in Houston in 1963 and went on to play for Montreal, Detroit, Texas and the New York Mets for two stints, with whom he retired with after the 1985 season.
And for those last five seasons with the Mets, he became one of the top pinch-hitters in the game and endeared himself to the Met faithful, even opening up a couple of well-liked restaurants in NYC along the way.
A few little "extras" about his career: Staub is one of three players (along with Ty Cobb and Gary Sheffield) to hit home runs as a teenager and as a 40-year old, and he is also the only player to amass 500 hits with four different teams (Astros, Mets, Expos and Tigers).
He was also the first player to play all 162 games in a season strictly as a Designated Hitter, which was for Detroit in 1978.
"Le Grand Orange" in 1973:
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| The "missing" 1973 Topps card. |
