Here’s
a card that I’ve created as a special request, a “missing” In-Action
card in the 1972 Topps set for “Tony C”, Tony Conigliaro of the
California Angels:
About as tragic a baseball figure as you can come across, Conigliaro was
well on his way to a brilliant career before being hit in the face with
a pitch in 1967 at the age of only 22.
By the time 1971 came around he found himself as a member of the Angels, trying to come back.
He appeared in 74 games, hitting .222 with four homers over 266 at-bats
while playing the outfield, but the vision problems he suffered because
of the injury came back, cutting short what could have a great career in
the big leagues.
He did manage to make it back in 1975 with his original team, the Red
Sox, for 21 games, but it didn’t work out as he hit .123 in that time,
thus ending his career for good.
Sadly, even post-career his life was tragic, as he passed away at the
young age of 45 in 1990 after suffering a heart attack and stroke eight
years earlier.
RIP “Tony C”.