What a card: Bob Kearney was coming off the most playing time he'd enjoy in a single season, appearing in 133 games in his first season with the Mariners in 1984.
My observation on the front: Kearney looks like a big man in some of his other cards, although not so much here. He is listed as 6-feet, 180 pounds, so this is probably an accurate representation.
More opinion from me: Kearney replaced Rick Sweet as the Mariners' starting catcher, which reminds me of just how much Seattle struggled with personnel in their first decade.
Something you might know: Kearney was named the catcher on Topps' All-Rookie Team in 1983. Sadly, Topps wasn't displaying rookie cups on its cards at the time and Kearney missed out.
Something you might not know: Kearney didn't connect with some of his pitchers regarding pitch selection and it came out in the papers after Mariners pitcher Ed Vande Berg was traded to the Dodgers for catcher Steve Yeager. Vande Berg called Kearney a "rockhead," and Kearney responded by saying of Vande Berg, "It's nice to have a good arm but you need to use your noodle a little bit, too."
My observation on the back: I'm coming up with dead-ends on the Mr. San Antonio and substitute teacher references, so I'll just say the trivia question makes me sad.
The blog wants to speak now: The News category is updated.
I was living in the Seattle/Tacoma area as a kid during the mid-80's, and once went to a game at the Kingdome where, during a pre-game festivity or maybe an event in between a doubleheader, The Mariners had a mini home run derby. Kearney was one of the players and was swinging so hard he was missing the batting practice speed pitches. My dad really got to laughing and that was more or less the Seattle experience at that time in club history.
ReplyDeleteI don't even remember that guy. I remember Ed Vande Berg...I think he pitched for the Tribe. Dude does not lok very athletic, and those glasses look like the one's the boss wears in Office Space. I love the blog.
ReplyDeleteBorn and raised in San Antonio and I have never heard of the "Mr. Athlete of San Antonio" award
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