Saturday, January 21, 2023

OPC VARIATION: 1977 PHIL ROOF

On the blog today, we take a look at another OPC to Topps image variation, this one for former catcher Phil Roof, who was one of the original members of the Toronto Blue Jays franchise:

OPC version

Topps version

Just a nicer posed photo used for his OPC card over the airbrushed close-up that Topps had.
Roof came up in 1961 as a member of the Milwaukee Braves, and went on to a solid career as a back-up catcher for eight teams: Braves, California Angels, Cleveland Indians, Kansas City/Oakland Athletics, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox and Blue Jays.
As a matter of fact Roof was the very first player taken by Toronto in the expansion draft! The very first Blue Jay!
He finished with a .215 career batting average, with 463 hits in 2151 at-bats over 857 games, all but four of them behind the plate (with three at first base and one as a designated hitter).
Post playing career, Roof went on to become a coach and manager in the Major and Minor league levels, holding various positions between 1978 until his retirement in 2005, almost 50 years in organized pro-ball.