Here’s
a “missing” 1978 card for inaugural Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Tom
Bruno, who’d eventually have a rookie card a couple of years later in
the 1979 set on one of those terrible black-and-white cards:
Bruno was selected by Toronto in the expansions draft from the Kansas
City Royals, where he made his Major League debut in 1976, appearing in
12 games and posting a record of 1-0.
In that initial Blue Jay season of 1977, Bruno went on to appear in
another 12 games, this time going 0-1 with a bloated earned run average
of 7.85 over 18.1 innings pitched.
He’d find himself over in St. Louis in 1978 after being traded to the
Cardinals for Rick Bosetti, and he’d have his best season as a big
league pitcher, posting a record of 4-3 with a very nice 1.99 E.R.A.
over 18 appearances and 49.2 innings.
Funny enough, all that would get him card-wise in 1979 is a spot on the
aforementioned rookie cards that Topps created, sharing the spotlight
with George Frazier and Terry Kennedy.
He’d finish his career after the 1979 season, posting a record of 2-3
with a 4.23 E.R.A., with 27 strikeouts over 38.1 innings and 27
appearances, ending up with a record of 7-7 with a decent 4.22 E.R.A.,
80 strikeouts and a single save over 69 games and 123.2 innings pitched.