About a month ago here on the blog, I posted a "do-over" for Pete Vuckovich and his 1977 Topps card, showing him with the Chicago White Sox, for whom he pitched the 1976 season for, instead of the airbrushed Toronto Blue Jays card that we all pulled out of packs way back when.
Well
today we take a look at that airbrushed card and how it differed from
its OPC counterpart released North of the border in Canada:
 |
| OPC version |
.jpg) | |
| Topps version |
Obviously,
a much nicer card for the OPC kids out there, given the benefit of a
later release date, allowing for actual photography of players in the
new franchise uniforms.
In
his first full season in the Big Leagues in 1976, Vuckovich appeared in 33
games, seven of them starts, going 7-4 with a 4.65 ERA over 110.1
innings, completing one and striking out 62 batters.
In
what turned out to be his only season with the Blue Jays before being
shipped to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1978, Vuckovich went 7-7 with a
respectable 3.47 ERA over 53 games, all but eight of those appearances
out of the bullpen, tossing a shutout while saving eight games.
It’s easy to forget the rather pedestrian career Vuckovich had leading
up to his 1982 Cy Young Award when he led the Milwaukee Brewers to an
American League title, eventually losing to the St. Louis Cardinals in
the World Series.
Some may even question if Jim Palmer or even Dan Quisenberry were more worthy recipients of the award (I thought “Quiz” was ripped off three awards to be honest, from 1982 to 1984).
Nevertheless, Vuckovich had his high-point that season, going 18-6 with a 3.34 earned run average, beating out future Hall of Fame Orioles pitcher Palmer for the Cy Young honors.
Sadly for Vuckovich, however, he came up with arm troubles the following year and only appeared in three games before missing the entire 1984 season before returning in 1985, playing for two more seasons before retiring for good after the 1986 season.
He’d win only eight games after his award winning season, finishing with 93 career wins against 69 losses over 11-years and 286 appearances.
Some may even question if Jim Palmer or even Dan Quisenberry were more worthy recipients of the award (I thought “Quiz” was ripped off three awards to be honest, from 1982 to 1984).
Nevertheless, Vuckovich had his high-point that season, going 18-6 with a 3.34 earned run average, beating out future Hall of Fame Orioles pitcher Palmer for the Cy Young honors.
Sadly for Vuckovich, however, he came up with arm troubles the following year and only appeared in three games before missing the entire 1984 season before returning in 1985, playing for two more seasons before retiring for good after the 1986 season.
He’d win only eight games after his award winning season, finishing with 93 career wins against 69 losses over 11-years and 286 appearances.