Friday, February 16, 2018

NOT REALLY MISSING IN ACTION- 1972 CHUCK MANUEL, WITH A DO-OVER 1973 EDITION TOO

Here’s a new one for the blog: I wanted to create a “not so missing” 1972 card for former Twin and future manager Chuck Manuel, but realized I had an image better suited for a 1973 card, which I already produced a while back. When I went and saw the previous 1973 card, I realized it actually had a better image for a 1972!
So I swapped images, and we end up with what you see here:


Manuel appeared in only 18 games for the Twins in 1971, batting .125 with two hits over 16 at-bats. He’d get a lot more playing time the following season, playing 63 games, but would end up playing in the Minors the entire 1973 season before making a brief MLB comeback in 1974 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, albeit only four games.
After another brief season with the Dodgers in 1975, Manuel would go and take his talents to Japan, where he would downright mash the ball between 1976 and 1981.
From 1977 to 1980, his home run totals were 42, 39, 37 and 48, while driving in no less than 94 runs for Yakult and Osaka Kintetsu.
Of course, we all now that after his playing days, he’d become a long time coach and manager in the Big Leagues, guiding the Cleveland Indians and Philadelphia Phillies to the Post Season, winning it all with the Phillies in 2008 while taking home the NL Pennant the following year.

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@wthballs
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