Saturday, April 27, 2013

#170 - George Foster


What a card: George Foster was entering his final season as a full-time major league player as this card was issued.

My observation on the front: Foster is taking his warm-up swings in the on-deck circle.

More opinion from me: Foster went from being the most powerful player in the major leagues to a disappointment. His numbers weren't terrible for the Mets, but given what he did for the Reds, every time I see him on a Mets card, he looks ... well ... impotent.

Something you might know: Foster became the 10th player in major league history to hit 50 home runs in a season when he hit 52 in 1977. With the numbers produced by hitters in the '70s, that was a huge deal.

Something you might not know: Foster was a misunderstood individual during his career. He kept his distance and didn't say much, observing teammates from afar. That, and his accusations of racism during the '86 season when Len Dykstra and Mookie Wilson received more playing time than him, led to him being released by the Mets during their championship season. "Good riddance," said teammate Wally Backman. "We should've done it long ago." Foster said later he was mischaracterized.


My observation on the back: The date of Foster's trade from the Reds to the Mets -- Feb. 18, 1982 -- I remember vividly. I was a newspaper carrier at the time and I remember pulling in the bundles of papers I was going to deliver early that morning, cutting off the yellow ribbons that held the papers together, turning the top paper to the sports section. and reading with amazement about Foster's trade.

The blog wants to speak now: The Pop Culture tab is updated with a revolutionary footwear item.

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