Up on the blog today, by special request, a re-done 1978 card for former Minnesota Twins centerfielder Lyman Bostock, who was originally included in the 1978 Topps set airbrushed into a California Angels uniform:
Bostock had a
wonderful year in 1977 that saw him collect 199 hits while scoring 104 runs,
with 36 doubles, 12 triples and 14 homers while driving
in 90 runs for the Twins, teaming up with Rod Carew to give them a formidable 1-2 punch in the line-up.
He would take that
production and sign via Free Agency with the California Angels at
season’s end, putting in another solid campaign in 1978 when he hit .296
with 168 hits, scoring 74 runs and driving in 71
before being tragically murdered in his hometown of Gary, Indiana as an
innocent bystander, being shot sitting in a car, just short of his 28th birthday.
In
only four Major
League seasons Bostock hit .311, sadly having that talent taken from us
and leaving us to wonder what could have been, especially given the
Angels team that had guys like Don Baylor, Bobby Grich and ex-teammate
Rod Carew in the line-up.