Posts Tagged ‘facial hair’

Tim Leary

Thursday, June 10th, 2010 by I Love Nerd York City

Click the stars to vote: 1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (11 votes, average: 3.18 out of 5)
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When I posted the Matt Young card last month, I challenged anyone to show me a card more deserving of the “distorted faces” tag.  Well Vorpy has responded, and responded with great force, by sending me this Tim Leary card.  While Mr. Leary gets a small pass in my book due to his pose being mid-pitch, this is an awfully strong entry in the “distorted faces” camp.

Not to be confused with the psychedelic drug advocate, this Tim Leary played in the major leagues for 13 seasons.  He finished his career with almost 1500 innings pitched, an ERA+ of 90, a World Series ring, and the 1988 “Comeback Player of the Year” award.

Scott Garrelts 2.0

Thursday, May 13th, 2010 by I Love Nerd York City

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Another “repeat nerd,” Mr. Garrelts has become eligible for the lifetime achievement award.  You can check out his first appearance here.

Mr. Garrelts had several good-to-great seasons for the Giants, including 1989, in which he led the National League in ERA.

I like how the glare on his glasses makes his eyes look as if he’s “powering-up” Teen Wolf style.

Mike Fischlin

Thursday, April 29th, 2010 by I Love Nerd York City

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Enrique Romo

Thursday, April 22nd, 2010 by I Love Nerd York City

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Never has a player’s appearance on a baseball card so literally represented the team for which they played. Two interesting facts from Wikipedia:

1) Mr. Romo served as the set-up man for Kent Tekulve on the 1979 World Champion Pirates.
2) In 1983, Mr. Romo failed to report to spring training. The Pirates attempted to locate him, but failed, and he was released. His whereabouts remained unknown until a few years ago, when he appeared publicly with his brother in Mexico (at his induction into the Mexican Baseball Hall of Fame).

Pete Ladd

Sunday, April 18th, 2010 by Nerdicus Finch

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Mr. Ladd had a short career as a relief pitcher with the Houston Astros, Seattle Mariners, and Milwaukee Brewers. He had one memorable season – 1983, when he posted a 2.55 ERA (148 ERA+), 0.932 WHIP, and 25 saves in 44 appearances, taking over the closer role for the injured Rollie Fingers.

I like how the Mariners logo on the card is positioned directly over where the logo is on Mr. Ladd’s jersey.

Jerry Hairston (Sr.)

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010 by Nerdicus Finch

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Sticking with 1984 Donruss, here’s Jerry Hairston (Sr.), father of current major leaguers Jerry Hairston, Jr. and Scott Hairston, both of the San Diego Padres. Hairston’s brother, John Hairston, played in 3 games for the Chicago Cubs in 1969, and Hairston’s father, Sam Hairston, got into four games as a 31 year old rookie for the Chicago White Sox in 1951. Sam Hairston’s career batting line (7 plate appearances): .400/.571./.600 (220 OPS+).

Do the Hairstons hold the title for most family members to play in the major leagues? The Alou family was much more accomplished, but there were only 4 of them. Ditto for the Boone family.

Joey McLaughlin

Sunday, April 11th, 2010 by Nerdicus Finch

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Another one from 1984 Donruss, Mr. McLaughlin was a fairly effective relief pitcher whose best season was 1981, when he posted 10 saves and a 140 ERA+ for Toronto.

Pat Sheridan

Wednesday, April 7th, 2010 by Nerdicus Finch

Click the stars to vote: 1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (12 votes, average: 4.58 out of 5)
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I like this card for two reasons:

  1. It’s the first card to be featured on Nerd Baseball from the 1984 Donruss set, which is my all-time favorite modern baseball card set (I’m currently working on assembling a high grade ’84 Donruss set); and
  2. The card is really nerdy.

Also, my apologies for the lapse in posting; expect new nerd cards twice weekly in the coming months. I hope everyone is enjoying the first week of the baseball season.

Fred Manrique 2.0

Wednesday, March 17th, 2010 by Nerdicus Finch

Click the stars to vote: 1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (25 votes, average: 4.56 out of 5)
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I was extremely disturbed to see that Mr. Manrique has been knocked out of the #1 all-time spot by Kent Tekulve 2.0. So I thought I should remind everyone of Mr. Manrique’s greatness. Vote anything less than 5 stars at your own risk.

Greg Harris

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 by Nerdicus Finch

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Apparently, Mr. Harris was a switch-pitcher! From Baseball Library:

Harris’ unusual ability to pitch with both hands led to some tension between him and the Red Sox, who forbade the ambidextrous hurler from throwing lefty. GM Lou Gorman insisted it would “make a mockery” of the game, leading Harris to grumble, “Boston is so conservative. People are afraid to try anything.” In a muted show of defiance, Harris usually chose to wear an ambidextrous glove on the mound.

But just before his retirement, while pitching for the Expos in 1995, the veteran hurler finally became the only twentieth-century pitcher to throw from both sides of the mound. After Harris (pitching righty) retired Reggie Sanders to start off the ninth inning of a game against the Cincinnati Reds on September 28, 1995, he turned around to face the left-handed Hal Morris.

Harris issued a free pass, thus becoming the first ambidextrous major-league pitcher since Elton “Ice Box” Chamberlain of the American Association in 1888. Nerve-wracked, he stayed a southpaw and induced a ground-out from Eddie Taubensee, closing out the inning by retiring Bret Boone as a righty. The last pitcher to use both hands in a pro game had been Bert Campaneris, who did so in 1962 while playing for Daytona Beach in the Florida State League.

Pretty awesome stuff. Hopefully we’ll see something similar from Yankees farmhand Pat Venditte in the not-too-distant future.