Came
across the airbrushed image of Cleveland Indians manager Ken
Aspromonte‘s 1973 card and thought it interesting to post here:
Aspromonte, who is from the same part of Brooklyn I grew up in,
Bensonhurst/Gravesend, just finished his first season at the helm of the
Indians, finishing fifth with a team that had Cy Young winner Gaylord
Perry, Graig Nettles, Chris Chambliss and a young Buddy Bell.
He’d go on to manage the Indians for another two seasons, finishing
sixth and fourth respectively in 1973 and 1974, never to manage again.
As a player he put in seven seasons on a Big League mound, spanning 1957
through the 1963 season playing for six teams after getting signed out
of Lafayette High School, the rivals of my alma mater New Utrecht, and
former high school of Sandy Koufax.
As a matter of fact, it seems Aspromonte and Koufax just missed each
other in High School, with Koufax coming in right when Aspromonte
graduated. Not bad.
As for the paint job on the card, I’m surprised Topps went through all
the hassle to get that red cap airbrushed, even though Aspromonte was
already in Indians garb. Why bother?
As a side note: love Warren Spahn and Rocky Colavito on the manager card as coaches!