Good day all!
Thought
it'd be fun to take a closer look at the original image airbrushed by
the fine people at Topps for the 1977 OPC card of George Hendrick, who
was "put into" his new uni, that of the San Diego Padres:
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Seems
this job was somewhat half-assed, though if you're familiar with his
1976 Topps card you can clearly notice the cool Cleveland Indians
wind-breaker he's wearing.
After
a couple of very production seasons with the Indians, Hendrick found
himself out West again, putting in a very nice 1977 year that saw him
hit 23 homers with 81 ribbies, hitting .311.
Not bad for a trade that cost the Padres Hector Torres, Johnny Grubb and Fred Kendall.
The
following year he'd end up getting traded to the St. Louis Cardinals
however, for pitcher Eric Rasmussen, a trade the Padres most assuredly
would love to take back.
Hendrick
would go on to play through the 1988 campaign, finishing up with 267 homers, 1111
RBIs, a .278 batting average and 1980 hits in 2048 games and 7129
at-bats.
He
was an important cog in the Cardinals '80s machine that would net a
World Championship in 1982, while taking home two Silver Slugger Awards
and making two All-Star teams.
Apparently his nickname was “Silent George”, though I do not remember
that, but perhaps I need to whip up a “nickname of the 1970’s” card for
him as well!
