It's
been a while since I had a “Missing” In-Action card from the 1972 set,
so today I’ll post up my card for Pirates cathcer Manny Sanguillen.
Take a look:
With the 1970’s giving us catchers like Johnny Bench, Carlton Fisk and
Thurman Munson, it’s easy to overlook Sanguillen and just how good a
player he was.
A career Pittsburgh Pirate except for a lone season (1977) in Oakland,
he put together a very nice 13-year career between 1967 and 1980, ending
up with a .296 lifetime average.
Over the course of his career the man could flat out rake, posting .300
plus averages four times in his career, while hitting .280 or better
another four years.
In 1975 he hit .328, his career high, and between 1969 and 1971 his averages were: .303, .325 and .319.
Named to three all-star teams during his career, he was also a member of
both the 1971 and 1979 World Champion teams, and finished with 1500
hits over 5062 at-bats, with 57 triples (for a catcher!) and 65 homers.