Player: Kirby Puckett
Set: 1984 Fleer Update
Card Number: U93
Why is This Card is a Must Have?: I thought that there was a Topps update for Puckett in 1984, but I was mistaken. This is his only XRC card and you will have to pay a pretty penny for it since it’s in such a desirable set. As far as Kirby goes, he might very well be the best pure hitting outfielder (not named Tony Gwynn) to ever play the game. In just 12 seasons he had over 2300 hits, averaging nearly 200 hits a season. To make him even more dangerous is he could hit for power and steal between 15-20 bases a year. He was selected as an All Star 10 times, and although he never won an MVP or Rookie of the Year award, he finished third in ROY voting and was a top 10 in MVP voting 7 times and won 6 Silver Slugger Awards. He was elected into the Hall of Fame in 2001 (well deserved). His career was cut short by glaucoma which left him basically blind in one eye following the 1995 season. In my mind one of my top 5 favorite players from that generation and one of the truly good guys in baseball. He tragically died in 2006 after suffering a stroke
On a Scale of 1 to 10, How Must Have Are These Cards?: A 10, he had to be one of the most popular players in baseball in the 80s and 90s and his XRC is from a set that is virtually impossible to find for under $300. You can find this card for about $75 – $100 on eBay (more if graded).
kirby died in 2006, he retired in 1996.
Wow, I didn’t know his rookie card was worth that much! I do like ’84 Fleer.
YES!!! A true baseball legend. For a guy that never really ‘looked’ like an athlete, Kirby Puckett was amazing!
Like you, I believe Puckett was well deserving of being a HOFer. He was definitely a great player. However, based on your write-up of Puckett, I am confused as to your assessment of Mattingly. Look at the stats of both of these great players. They are very similar over a very similar time frame. Mattingly’s career was also cut short by injury (back vs. eye). Pucket has a couple of rings in his favor (although Mattingly has an MVP), but I think Mattingly is just as deserving based on the similarities of their careers.
In response to David,if Mattingly were to have had his career cut off by injury and not had any sub HOF years he would have gotten in. But Kirby had 200 more hits in 2 less seasons. Had he had a full career, he would have hit 3000 hits. I don’t believe that is true for Mattingly.
I am a huge Mattingly fan and I am the first to admit that 1) Puckett was a MUCH better player, especially when counting the entire career and not just the peak years and 2) Mattingly does not deserve election to the HOF, whereas Puckett most clearly does.
When thinking of the 80s and 90s, Boggs and Gwynn are always the first two and only names to come up in discussion of best hitter. But the stats show that Puckett compares quite favorably with both of those guys, amassing similar hit totals but hitting for a lot more power than either of them.
I’m still voting for Mattingly as soon as I get my BBWAA membership. I don’t care if he’s not on the ballot anymore. I’ll write him in, right next to Pete Rose.
How about this for Puckett, he averaged more hits per 162 games than Jeter his 209 hits per 162 is 14 hits more than Mattingly. Also the greatest hitter of the 80s, Gwynn averaged 209 as well. Just some food for thought.
Don’t misunderstand me…I’m all for Puckett being an immortal in Cooperstown! His career was amazing. But someone else brought up Mattingly, so I just had to throw my support behind him as well.
Man, if you needed any more of a reason to love Puckett as a player:
at 1:28, look at him hit a grounder and absolutely BUST IT down the line…during Spring Training!
Man, gotta love what Puck could do between the lines.