Here’s a “missing” 1977 card for former Cuban pitcher Oscar Zamora, who just wrapped up his third season with the Chicago Cubs:
Zamora appeared in 40 games for the Cubs, posting a 5-3 record with a 5.24 earned run average over 55 innings pitched.
He’d spend the 1977 season in the Minors, where he’d go 7-2 in 59 relief
appearances with the Wichita Aeros in Triple-A before making it back to
the Majors in 1978 as a member of the Houston Astros.
In that stint he wouldn’t factor in a decision over 10 appearances and
15 innings. Strangely, Topps would go and give him a card in the 1978
set in an airbrushed cap.
Go figure. You spend an entire year in the Minors and get a card the
following year, but appear in 40 games in 1976 and get snubbed for the
‘77 set.
He’d spend four years in the Majors, ending up with a 13-14 career
record with a 4.53 E.R.A over 158 games and 224.2 innings of work.