Saturday, September 19, 2015

TIME FOR ANOTHER HEAD SCRATCHER- 1972 BOB ASPROMONTE

Here's another that has left me wondering: the Topps 1972 Bob Aspromonte card.


The fellow Bensonhurst, Brooklyn native is shown at the tail end of his career as a Cincinnati Reds player.
However, a couple of things: first, he never played for the Reds. As a matter of fact he never played Major League ball again after 1971 with the New York Mets.
Secondly, I cannot find any record of him even signing with the Reds before the 1972 season (??). 
Was he a Spring Training invite? Did he just happen to be in the right place at the right time, leading to a card in the '72 set?
Anyone know what was going on here?
As stated earlier, Aspromonte wrapped up a decent 13-year career in 1971, playing for the Dodgers, Colt .45's/Astros, Braves and Mets.
In 1324 games played he collected 1103 hits over 4369 at-bats, good for a .252 average with 60 homers and 457 runs batted in.
His brother Ken was also a long time Major League player as well as manager. He even appears in the 1972 set on a card I profiled a while ago because it looks like the photo was taken in the middle of the street in my old neighborhood. I kid you not. (Look it up. So odd).

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