Just as I was dreaming when I designed a 1978 multi-player rookie
card featuring Ozzie Smith, Paul Molitor, Alan Trammell and Lou
Whitaker, I know I'm stretching it when I designed a 1979 Topps card for
Rickey Henderson, who was still a half a season away
from any Major League action when the card would have come out.
But take a look at my card design anyway…
But considering what Henderson was doing in the Oakland minor
league system those day, it was only a matter of time before he was
promoted and tearing up the base-paths in the Major Leagues.
Henderson was on fire in 1977 and 1978 playing for Modesto and Jersey City.
In '77 with Modesto, all he did was hit .345 with 120 runs scored
and 95 stolen bases to go along with a sick .465 on-base-percentage.
The following year, getting promoted to Double-A ball, Henderson
kept on hitting, this time to the tune of .310 with 81 runs scored and
81 steals.
I guess the thing to realistically do was design an Oakland A's
prospects card with Henderson as one of the three players depicted in
BLAZING black and white. (ugh)
However, any of you who have been following this blog know just how much I hate those cards!
So here you go, a card that would have made that '79 set so much better.