Continuing with my new "on-card" All-Star project, the 1974 set, we move on to the starting second baseman for the American League in the 1973 Midsummer classic, Hall of Famer Rod Carew:
Again, trying to mimic what Topps did with their All-Star designation in other sports, "bold and beautiful"!
Carew of course would go on to play in 18 All-Star games, missing only his final season in the Majors in 1985. Just incredible.
The first nine seasons of his career were as an All-Star second baseman, while the last nine were as a first baseman.
Of
course 1969 would be significant in that Carew would take home the
first of what would be seven batting titles, hitting .332 for the
Minnesota Twins, a 29-point increase from the year before.
It
also helped the Twins take first place in the newly formed West
division races, with the Baltimore Orioles taking first in the East.
What really needs to be said about the greatest hitter of his generation?
The man topped .300 15 years in a row, with a high of .388 in 1977 on
his way to a Most Valuable Player Award and capturing the public’s
attention with his .400 chase late in the season.
A clear-cut Hall of Fame player, he was inducted on his first year of eligibility in 1991 when he garnered 90.5% of the vote, which leaves me with the question: who the hell are the 9.5% who DIDN’T vote for him!!!???
A clear-cut Hall of Fame player, he was inducted on his first year of eligibility in 1991 when he garnered 90.5% of the vote, which leaves me with the question: who the hell are the 9.5% who DIDN’T vote for him!!!???
3053 hits, a .328 career average, 353 stolen bases and 15 straight seasons of .300+ batting.
