#291 - Bob Welch

What a card: Bob Welch was coming off a somewhat mediocre season when this card arrived in packs in 1985. After a 1983 season in which he finished 8th in the Cy Young Award voting, Welch dropped off a bit in '84.

My observation on the front: Welch was huge favorite of mine when he pitched for L.A., and I especially liked it when he was featured in action shots. Topps did me a favor by using nothing but action shots for Welch between 1982-86.

More opinion from me: Welch's book about his battle with alcoholism, "5 O'Clock Comes Early," is part of the trifecta of baseball tell-all books that I read as a teenager in the early '80s. In a short span of time, I read Welch's book, "The Bronx Zoo" and "Ball Four". My view of ballplayers was forever changed.

Something you might know: Welch rocketed to fame when he struck out Reggie Jackson to end Game 2 of the 1978 World Series. Welch was just 21 when he retired Jackson with two men on and two outs in the ninth inning.

Something you might not know: Welch was the beneficiary of what Seamheads.com calls the Most Egregious Cy Young Award Snub Of All-Time. The writer believes Roger Clemens should have beaten out Welch for the award in 1990.

My observation on the back: Every time I hear a mention of Welch playing for Eastern Michigan University, I think of the great Roger Angell's account of Welch and Bob Owchinko pitching respective ends of an Eastern Michigan doubleheader while Angell talked with scout Ray Scarborough. Fantastic article.

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