What a card: This was a card to have in 1985. If you couldn't get your hands on the 1984 Topps Traded or Fleer Update Sutcliffe cards, this was your first Sutcliffe-in-a-Cubs-uniform card. He was dealt from the Indians to the Cubs in the middle of the 1984 season and proceeded to go 16-1 for Chicago, help the team to the NLCS, and win the Cy Young Award.
My observation on the front: I'm wondering if this is a photo of Sutcliffe in postseason action. Topps had several months of the 1984 regular season to get a photo of him in a Cubs uniform, but that was still an iffy proposition in the mid-'80s. The postseason would have given Topps photographers more time.
More opinion from me: As a Dodger fan, it was difficult for me to get used to Sutcliffe as a Cub. I had barely gotten used to him as a Cleveland Indian when he was shipped to the Cubs.
Something you might know: Sutcliffe is known more for his broadcasting for ESPN now than his playing career. And, of course, there are the played-to-death videos of his allegedly under-the-influence on-air rambling in San Diego, and, two years later, his inappropriate comments about colleague Erin Andrews.
Something you might not know: Sutcliffe was so furious that he was left off of the postseason roster by the Dodgers in 1981 that he went into manager Tommy Lasorda's office and overturned his desk and smashed chairs.
My observation on the back: OK, these trivia questions are starting to piss me off. "Royals Stadium is the home of what team?" ???? Really???
At least it's timely, with the All-Star Game just going off in K.C.
The blog wants to speak now: The Music, TV and News tabs are each updated.
Kind of odd that Topps didn't at least give the reigning NL Cy Young Award Winner a number that end in '5'.
ReplyDeleteSutcliffe sang "Take Me Out..." at Wrigley a week ago Saturday when my son was there. When they got back he asked my why the 'ESPN dude' was there and why they made such a big deal about him. Sigh.
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