I haven’t had time to do an Operation Topps review in quite some time, but today that ends. I have really only had about an hour a day for the site of late, and sometimes even less time than that. I have officially started the Zach Duke / Nate McLouth collection and again, I am begging, please let me know of what ever you have, I want your game used or autographs of these two. Currently I have 3 Duke autos and 3 game used, I don’t have anything for McLouth, but just won an auto from eBay. I also have been on a Brian Bannister kick as well, so if you have anything from him, I am also willing to wheel and deal. Anyhow, lets rip into pack 34.
1. Rich “Goose” Gossage
Position: P
Team: Padres
Card Number: 380
Age: 35
1987 Stats – 5-4/11 saves/3.96/1.27
Awards – None
Player Notes – This would be his last steady job. His last season with the Padres. He would move on to quite a few more teams after that season.
Fun Facts – None
2. Terry “Tito” Fancona
Position: 1B/OF
Team: Cubs
Card Number: 785
Age: 27
1987 Stats – 0.250/2/8 in 124 at bats
Awards – None
Player Notes – They always say, the back ups make for the best managers and in Tito’s case thats definitely true. He had a nice long career but never topped the 300 at bat mark.
Fun Facts – He and his wife are parents of one son.
3. Steve “Psycho” Lyons
Position: 3B/OF
Team: White Sox
Card Number: 511
Age: 27
1987 Stats – 0.280/1/19 in 193 at bats
Awards – None
Player Notes – He was known as Psycho for the crazy things he did on and off the field. One time after sliding into third, he got up dusted himself off, but there must have been dirt down his pants, so he undid his pants and slid it down to get out the dirt. Of course that was in front of 25,000+ people.
Fun Facts – None
4.George “Mullet” Brett
Position: 3B
Team: Royals
Card Number: 400
Age: 34
1987 Stats – 0.290/22/78
Awards – 12th consecutive All Star appearance
Player Notes – Usually I like to make fun of the players on the card, but look at that swing, is it just not one of the best swings in baseball? Of course I could make fun of the huge vein in his neck, but he might come running at me with a pine tar bat.
Fun Facts – None
5. Urbano Lugo
Position: P
Team: Angels
Card Number: 92
Age: 24
1987 Stats – 0-2/9.32/2.14 in 7 games
Awards – None
Player Notes – Wow, those might just be some of the worst stats I have ever seen. On a side note, he is one of the few players, whoes first name starts with a U.
Fun Facts – None
6. John Stefero – Final Season
Position: C
Team: Orioles (played with the Expos that year)
Card Number: 563
Age: 27
1987 Stats – 0.196/1/3 in 56 at bats
Awards – None
Player Notes – If Bam Bam would have grown up, this is what he would look like. I have to get a scan of this card.
Fun Facts – None
7. Ernie Camacho
Position: P
Team: Indians
Card Number: 353
Age: 32
1987 Stats – 0-1/1save/9.22/1.90
Awards – None
Player Notes – A career middle relief guy, spend most of his career in AAA. Must have had some real thick skin after growing up with that name.
Fun Facts – In College he set a school record with 302 strikeouts in 2 years.
8. Scott McGregor
Position: P
Team: Orioles
Card Number: 708
Age: 33
1987 Stats – 2-7/6.64/1.72
Awards – None
Player Notes – Scott had lots of success earlier in his career, but thanks to injuries, he became pedestrian as he grew older. Before this season he had reeled off 9 straight seasons with 11 or more wins.
Fun Facts – He and his wife have 2 children and he is active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Organization. After he retired he actually became a minister.
9. Kevin Romine
Position: OF
Team: Red Sox
Card Number: 121
Age: 26
1987 Stats – 0.292/0/2 in 24 at bats
Awards – None
Player Notes – Kevin was a career backup and worst of all he was an ASU Sun Devil (Down with Sparky!) He has two sons who are currently in minor league baseball.
Fun Facts – He and his wife have one child Janelle. I guess somewhere along the line they had more than one.
10. Tony Pena
Position: Pirates
Team: C
Card Number: 60
Age: 30
1987 Stats – 0.214/5/44/6
Awards – None
Player Notes – The thing about Tony, wasn’t his on the field performance, since he wasn’t much of a slugger, but more of the way he handled pitchers and how great he was in the clubhouse. He really brought teams together.
Fun Facts – He had 14 broken bat hits on one 1985 road trip.
11. Doug Drabek
Position: P
Team: Yankees (played the entire season with the Pirates)
Card Number: 283
Age: 24
1987 Stats – 11-12/3.88/1.20
Awards – None
Player Notes – Drabek was one of my favorite pitchers growing up. I think it was mostly because of his blue collar work ethic. I have a few of his autographed cards, and always looking to pick up more. He wasn’t by any means a superstar, but he was a hard worker for sure.
Fun Facts – Doug was an All-Texas high school track star.
12. Joe Hesketh
Position: P
Team: Expos
Card Number: 189
Age: 28
1987 Stats – 0-0/1 save/3.14/1.33 in 18 games
Awards – None
Player Notes – He had a great rookie year, but never really did anything after that. He was solid as far as a pitcher.
Fun Facts – He majored in Business Administration at Buffalo University. He loves hockey and his favorite team is the Buffalo Sabres.
13. Argenis Salazar
Position: SS
Team: Royals
Card Number:533
Age: 24
1987 Stats – 0.205/2/21 in 308 at bats
Awards – None
Player Notes – He wasn’t in the majors for his bat, that much is obvious. Nope he was in the majors for his defensive prowess.
Fun Facts – He was MVP of 1982 FSL mid season All Star game.
14. Cal “Iron Man” Ripken
Position: SS
Team: Orioles
Card Number: 784
Age: 26
1987 Stats – 0.252/27/98
Awards – 5th consecutive All Star appearance
Player Notes – The Iron Man endured his first kink in his armor during this season. This was his first sub 0.282 season. I remember there was a lot of complaining about how poorly he was hitting this year. It’s good to see that it didn’t mess up his streak though.
Fun Facts – His brother Billy plays in the Orioles’ chain.
15. Jose Uribe
Position: SS
Team:Giants
Card Number: 633
Age: 28
1987 Stats – 0.291/5/30/12
Awards – None
Player Notes – Another guy who was mainly a defensive guy. He grinded out a nice career in the majors.
Fun Facts – None
16. Rick Honeycutt
Position: P
Team: Dodgers (traded to the A’s mid season)
Card Number: 753
Age: 33
1987 Stats – 3-16/4.72/1.54
Awards – None
Player Notes – This was the year his career came to a screeching halt! He was cruising along winning 11-12 wins a season for a number of years. Then this train wreck happened and he never really got out of the losing funk.
Fun Facts – He was quarterback of his high school football team. He and his wife have two children.
17. Bob Forsch
Position: P
Team: Cardinals
Card Number: 257
Age: 37
1987 Stats – 11-7/4.32/1.31
Awards – None
Player Notes – What a ridiculous face he has when he pitches. He looks like a chipmunk. Not a bad career, 168 wins and 137 losses.
Fun Facts – None
Overall we had another pack with no doubles. So I have to give it 2 stars just for that. Throw in 3 Hall of Famers (Brett, Ripken and Gossage), now we are at 4.5 stars. I would have given it more but there was just too much dead wood in this pack. Don’t forget about my Duke / McLouth collection, hook me up! Thanks! Check back for another post later today.
