Interesting
OPC to Topps image variation to spotlight today, that of former pitcher
Leon Hooten in the 1977 sets, showing him as an "original" Toronto Blue
Jay:
 |
| OPC version |
 |
| Topps version |
As
we all know, there was a scramble of sorts back then to have the two
new Major League franchises Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners represented
in the upcoming card set, which led to many quirks.
In
this example, Hooten never ended up playing in the Majors for the Jays,
with only his scant 1975 action as an Oakland Athletic his MLB tenure.
Hooten appeared in six games for the A’s during their 1974 season, the
third straight World Championship season for the franchise.
He didn’t factor in a decision, but put up a nice 3.24 earned run average, allowing three runs over 8.1 innings, with a strikeout and four walks.
He’d spend the next two years in the Oakland Minor League system before getting selected by the upstart Blue Jays in the Expansion Draft as the 59th pick, but he would never play for them, not even in their Minors system.
But he did walk away with an appearance on a Topps card, getting a spot in their “Rookie Pitchers” card #478 along with Jim Gideon, Mark Lemongello and Dave Johnson.
He didn’t factor in a decision, but put up a nice 3.24 earned run average, allowing three runs over 8.1 innings, with a strikeout and four walks.
He’d spend the next two years in the Oakland Minor League system before getting selected by the upstart Blue Jays in the Expansion Draft as the 59th pick, but he would never play for them, not even in their Minors system.
But he did walk away with an appearance on a Topps card, getting a spot in their “Rookie Pitchers” card #478 along with Jim Gideon, Mark Lemongello and Dave Johnson.
