What a card: This is Ray Knight's first Topps card as a New York Met. Topps had to work quickly as Knight was traded from the Astros on Aug. 28, 1984 and played just 27 games for New York. Fortunately, Topps has New York connections and nabbed a photo of Knight at Shea.
My observation on the front: Knight is subliminally urging you to drink Coca-Cola.
More opinion from me: I liked Knight when he first came up with the Reds (even though I didn't like the Reds). It was during that time when I was a budding teenager and liked all the up-and-coming players because they were young like me, dammit. I didn't like him as much when he was with the Mets.
Something you might know: Knight was initially known as the player who replaced Pete Rose at third base for the Reds after Rose departed for the Phillies before the 1979 season. He later became better known as the player who scored the winning run on Mookie Wilson's grounder that traveled through Bill Buckner's legs to end Game 6 of the 1986 World Series (which happened, by the way, 30 years ago yesterday).
Something you might not know: Knight endured so many injuries during his first full season with the Reds in '79 that his teammates called him "Battlescar Gallactica".
My observation on the back: A night game trivia question! The Reds beat the Phillies 2-1 in that first night game on May 24, 1935. Cincinnati was the host of the first game mostly because the team was having financial problems, and this -- and subsequent night games there -- was a bid to boost attendance.
The blog wants to speak now: The Movies category is updated.
As I'm sure you know, Ray Knight's Reds connection was far from over.
ReplyDeleteA) Ray Knight beat up Eric Davis in 1986.
B) Ray Knight was thought so highly of by Marge Schott, she fired Davey Johnson after a deep 1995 playoff run to open a spot for him (although ol' Davey and his premarital cohabitating factored in.)
C) I expected you to tie that billboard to 1985's New Coke somehow.