AIRBRUSHING THROUGH THE 1970'S- 1978 DOUG RADER

Just about two years ago I posted a profile on the 1978 Doug Rader card for its airbrushing job, showing him with the Toronto Blue Jays, with whom he finished up his career with.
Well since then I’ve found the actual airbrushed photo-original, so I wanted to post this here. Take a look:

What’s interesting is that Rader played in 96 games with the Blue Jays in 1977, so why Topps didn’t have a shot of him to use in their 1978 set is beyond me.
I guess back then if it wasn’t shot in Sprint Training, it was too late?
Funny enough little did Topps know that Rader’s playing days were already behind him when this card would come out, finishing up a very nice 11-year career with 96 games in Toronto’s inaugural 1977 season.
Rader’s first nine years in the Big Leagues were spent with the Houston Astros, where he took home five straight Gold Gloves between 1970 and 1974 while showing some “pop” with his bat, topping 20 homers three times while driving in 80+ four times, with a high of 90 in 1972.
I was surprised to see he never made an All-Star team. I’m not saying the guy deserved to be a starter or anything, but I’d figured he made one or two as a back-up or replacement along the way.
After his playing career was over he went in to coaching, then managing, putting in six years leading the Texas Rangers and California Angels, the latter of which I have NO recollection, even though he had the Angels win 91 games in 1989, finishing third in a strong American League West division.

NICKNAMES OF THE 1970'S: 1974 "THE RED ROOSTER" DOUG RADER

Here’s a “nickname” card I’ve been meaning to create for a while now, a 1974 edition doe former Houston Astros Gold Glove third baseman Doug “The Red Rooster” Rader:

It’s easy to forget that the man put together a string of solid seasons for the Astros in the first part of the 1970’s, with the five straight Gold Gloves between 1970 and 1974, as well as three 20+ home run seasons and four 80+ RBI seasons.
As a matter of fact, I really would love to know why he hung up the cleats after the 1977 season at the age of only 32, considering he hit 18 homers while driving in 67 runs with a .251 average split between the San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays.
Seems he could have had a few more productive years left in the tank, no?
Nevertheless, he retired with a batting average of .251, along with 155 homers and 722 RBIs over 11 years and 1465 Big League games before moving into coaching and them managing, which he did for the Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox (for two games in 1986), and California Angels between 1983 and 1991.

1978 REDEUX- DOUG RADER'S AIRBRUSH JOB

Came across this nice in-game shot of former Gold Glove third baseman Doug Rader recently and wanted to redo his airbrushed 1978 “career-capper”, so here we go:

Re-done

Original by Topps

Funny enough little did Topps know that Rader’s playing days were already behind him when this card would come out, finishing up a very nice 11-year career with 96 games in Toronto’s inaugural 1977 season.
Rader’s first nine years in the Big Leagues were spent with the Houston Astros, where he took home five straight Gold Gloves between 1970 and 1974 while showing some “pop” with his bat, topping 20 homers three times while driving in 80+ four times, with a high of 90 in 1972.
I was surprised to see he never made an All-Star team. I’m not saying the guy deserved to be a starter or anything, but I’d figured he made one or two as a back-up or replacement along the way.
After his playing career was over he went in to coaching, then managing, putting in six years leading the Texas Rangers and California Angels, the latter of which I have NO recollection, even though he had the Angels win 91 games in 1989, finishing third in a strong American League West division.
I’ll have to whip up a “Nickname” card for him soon! “The Red Rooster”!