Thanks to "Reader Jim", I was directed to a much better image of my
favorite childhood pitcher: Ron Guidry. So I wanted to redesign my
original "Dedicated Rookie".
Here you go, a rehashed Ron Guidry 1976 rookie card:
Obviously a photo of Guidry during his first call-up to the "big
show", it makes for a more accurate representation of "Louisiana
Lightning" before he'd light-up the baseball world a few years later.
I absolutely loved the guy, and still do!
Beyond his great career, he was, and still is, a great man. One of those guys that everyone seemed to respect no matter what.
On the mound, all he did was win a Cy Young in 1978, get ripped off
an MVP that very same year (sorry Jim Rice), get named to four all-star
teams, win five Gold Gloves, lead the league in wins twice, ERA twice,
shutouts once, WHIP twice, and of course
post that awesome 18-strikeout game against the Angels in 1978 during
his magical 25-3 season which also saw him post 248 K's.
For his 14-year career he went 170-91, good for a .651 winning
percentage, along with a 3.29 ERA, 26 shutouts and 1778 strikeouts.
He'd also go 5-2 in postseason play, with a 3.02 ERA and 51 K's in
62.2 innings, and was part of two World Champion teams (1977/78).
