DEDICATED ROOKIES- 1976 WILLIE RANDOLPH

I have been wanting to do a proper 1976 “dedicated rookies” card for my favorite second baseman, Willie Randolph, for years now, and I finally scored a wonderful photo of him during his brief time with the Pittsburgh Pirates, so here you go:

Hard to find some really good photos of Randolph with the Pirates in what was his first taste of the Big Leagues in 1975, but I think this one fits the bill!
Of course, Randolph was (thankfully) traded to the New York Yankees by the time this card would have seen the light of day as part of a blockbuster deal that also saw Ken Brett and Dock Ellis head to the Bronx for pitcher Doc Medich.
All Randolph did was play the next 13 years of his great career as the Yankees second baseman, the understated infielder who dealt with all the “Bronx Zoo” madness with grace and professionalism, making six All-Star teams and helping the Yankees win two championships while also taking home two American League titles.
I cannot state how much I loved him as a kid growing up in Brooklyn in the 1970’s and 1980’s.
Year in and year out all he did was give the Yankees a solid bat in the line-up while playing stellar defense, keeping out of the Steinbrenner madness, and acting as an anchor those “Bronx Zoo” teams sorely needed.
What a steal for the Yanks!

DEDICATED "ROOKIE CARDS" #10: 1976 WILLIE RANDOLPH

Here's a card that really serves two purposes: a 1976 "dedicated rookie card" for my favorite second baseman growing up, Willie Randolph, which also serves as part of my "traded" series.

Take a look:

I was initially going to design a Randolph card with him as a Pittsburgh Pirate, but thought a card for him as a Yankee, with a "traded" notation along the bottom to add to my traded series would be cool. (I was never a fan of the 1976 "traded" sub-set).

Randolph was on his way to a very nice 18-year career, primarily manning second base with the Yanks between 1976 and 1988.

By the time he retired after the 1992 season, he collected over 2000 hits, scored over 1200 runs, stole 271 bases, and was a six-time all-star with a Silver Slugger Award thrown in for good measure in 1980.

For me, Randolph came in right when I became a baseball "nut", and left the Yankees via free agency right when I was "distracted" from the game for a few years in my late-teens. So really, there was NO other second baseman in my young life.

A solid player who went about his business quietly, yet very effectively.

ACCIDENTAL PHOTO BOMBING: PART V

Today's accidental photo-bombing cards are two of the first cards where I spotted a star player on someone elses baseball card way back when: 1973 #145 Bobby Bonds and 1977 #640 Carlton Fisk.
First up we have the Bonds card. It's a nice horizontal photo with Bonds getting back to the bag, perhaps on a pick-off attempt. After all, Bonds was the proto-type "double threat" when it came to slugging and stealing, so this was a crucial part of his game. (Many of you will say Willie Mays was really the first double-threat, and I can't really argue, but I always saw Bonds as the guy who put "30/30" on the map).
Anyway, manning first base, awaiting the throw from the pitcher is none other than the Pirates Willie Stargell.  This photo was taken right about when Stargell began playing more games at first base than in the outfield. Just a nice clean card with two stars for the price of one.
The second card I'm posting today was always one of my favorites. As a young Yankee fan I was quick to notice that my favorite second basemen, #30 Willie Randolph, was sliding into home plate while Carlton Fisk waited for the throw home.
Action shots of plays at the plate are always the best shots! Look at the crowd in the background: they're frozen in time waiting for the play's outcome. Fisk looks like he's about to get the ball and sweep tag Randolph as he's crossing the plate.
Just awesome. I wonder if he was safe or not.

Willie Stargell making an appearance at first base.

Willie Randolph going in for the slide.