1976 Topps Traded: The Missing Cards - #495T Nate Colbert

1976 Topps Traded: The Missing Cards - #495T Nate Colbert

While the baseball-speaking world currently fawns over Josh Hamilton and his four home runs in one game, remember that Nate Colbert hit five home runs in one double-header.

Charlie and the Canadian Mask Factory

Charlie O'Brien, 1989 Topps

If I were to tell you that Charlie O’Brien, the person you see here, revolutionized the game of baseball, would you believe me? Well, you should, because it’s true.

But how, you ask? Here are some excellent guesses made by no one in particular, and I will examine which guess is correct. Feel free to play at home!

Did Charlie O’Brien change the game of baseball by …

 … being the first person to wear a helmet with zero earflaps?

Unfortunately, no. Many players before Charlie O’Brien sported the earflapless helmet. However, it should be noted that, via this very card, O’Brien brought the earflapless helmet controversy to the forefront. Suddenly, people were like, “Geez, that thing looks stupid. A gust of wind could knock that off his head, which doesn’t bode well for the prospects of a 90-mph fastball to the dome. I want to take that thing off his head and put a scoop of ice cream in it. Mommy, there’s a curly red hair in my ice cream! Ha, ha. Word.” That is exactly the thing many people were saying. Anyway, after Thomas Edison viewed this card, he got the idea to invent earflaps. The rest is history.

(Hint: That said, don’t dismiss the theme of protecting the face area. I’ve said too much.)

… inventing the burdensome, seemingly very hot, garbage-bag-type, long-sleeve baseball undershirt?

Another great guess, but … no. Few people appeared to be as comfortable in this undergarment as O’Brien, but he was not the first to wear it. Many players in the mid-to-late 80s wore the burdensome, crinkly, underbag, and a few even lived to tell about it. The others died of heat exhaustion. O’Brien himself was once quoted as saying, “It’s great! It really allows me to slow down my swing, because I can’t move my arms. And the noise it makes while doing anything really blocks out the jeers of the crowd when we’re on the road. I’ve lost 80 lbs!” The underbag was the brainchild of Jorge Costanza, and eventually led to Under Armor. The differences between the underbag and the modern Under Armor shirt are virtually indistinguishable.

… being the first catcher with a red, curly mullet to pose while wearing an earflapless helmet and a garbage bag underneath this jersey?

Maybe. I did not know how to look that up.

… inventing the All-Star MVP, the first hockey-style catcher’s mask?

Ding, ding, ding! You are correct! Granted, there was no possible way of knowing that simply by looking at this picture, or by possessing common knowledge. Nevertheless! According to Wiki:

After getting hit in his mask by two consecutive foul-tip balls in a game, O'Brien had the idea for a new catcher's mask while he was watching a hockey game. He worked with Van Velden Mask Inc., of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, to develop his idea. The new design, called the All-Star MVP, was approved in 1996 by Major League Baseball.

Before the All-Star MVP, catchers wore a mask with one bar across the front, like the old NFL punters. So this was a big deal for catchers’ faces. I, by the way, am also inspired by great ideas while watching hockey. For example, I frequently get the idea to change the channel. Jk! Hockey joke, not meant to be offensive! Everybody relax!

So O’Brien won a title with the ’95 Braves, hit 56 career ding-dongs, and helped entire generations of future catchers protect their dome pieces. Not too shabby. Here is a picture of Charlie O’Brien not wearing a helmet and protecting himself against the onslaught of a New York Italian person. Have a great day, everyone!

1976 Topps Traded: The Missing Cards - #481T Rudy May

1976 Topps Traded: The Missing Cards - #481T Rudy May

For a team destined to finish 10.5 games behind the first-place Yankees, the Baltimore Orioles were busy in 1976. All told, 10 players joined the team that year, including the Dude, Rudy May. May was part of a great acquisition for the O's—netting them an everyday catcher and rainout-entertainment extraordinaire in Rick Dempsey, a young Scott MacGregor, and reliever Tippy Martinez—even though the team sent Doyle Alexander, Ken Holtzman, three sacks of rice, and 20 head of cattle to New York to get it done.

Card vs. Card - May 9

The Champ: 1992 Topps Craig Wilson
The Challenger: 1991 Topps Archives "1953: The Ultimate Series" Eleanor Engle

We've got a new champ tonight: Eleanor Engle pulls out the win, 8-7.
We're going to stop doing these for a little while till we figure out a better way to display the polls on the blog.

1976 Topps Traded: The Missing Cards - #25T Mike Torrez

1976 Topps Traded: The Missing Cards - #25T Mike Torrez

While Torrez will forever be remembered by Red Sox fans as the guy who gave up Bucky Dent's home run in the one-game play-off in 1978, he really should be remembered as a 20-game winner and sturdy, top-of-the-rotation-type pitcher. With 185 career wins to his credit, not including a pair of victories in the 1977 World Series, the Bear was great. As a sidebar, it's crazy to think about the talent that changed teams in the Reggie Jackson trade to Baltimore: Reggie and Ken Holtzman to the O's and Baylor, Torrez, and Paul Mitchell to the A's. And none of these players ended the 1977 season on either of these teams! Amazing!

Card vs. Card - May 8th

The Champ: 1992 Topps Craig Wilson
The Challenger: 1992 Donruss Roger Clemens Diamond King

Craig Wilson makes quick work of Clemens, 18 - 5. Make sure to come back tomorrow to vote in the next Card versus Card poll!

1976 Topps Traded: The Missing Cards - #90T Sal Bando

1976 Topps Traded: The Missing Cards - #90T Sal Bando

As part of the Great Fire Sale That Wasn't, Charlie Finley let the White Sox kick the tires on Sal Bando. Bando was granted free agency after the 1976 season and signed with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Card vs. Card - May 7th

The Champ: 1958 Topps Moose Skowron All-Star
The Challenger: 1992 Topps Craig Wilson

Craig Wilson pulls off the upset! Bring on the fresh meat tomorrow!

1976 Topps Traded: The Missing Cards - #268T Del Unser

1976 Topps Traded: The Missing Cards - #268T Del Unser

Here's something: Baseball Reference lists Unser one place in front of Ozark Ike, Gus Zernial, on its All-Time Rank (among Batters) list.

Here's something else: If you're not following The Baseball Card Blog on Facebook, you're missing some great stuff, including a few of these "Missing Cards" that won't be posted on the Blog until the series is complete.

Casting Agent: "Baker's Dozen"

For this Sunday's game of Casting Agent, I've picked the shoot-em-up genre, made-for-TV–movie variety. For those readers who are unfamiliar with Casting Agent, the object of the game is to cast a TV show, movie, or play based on the photographs used on baseball cards.

So this week I've got a stack of cards that I think would be perfect for an ensemble made-for-TV movie, one I'm calling Baker's Dozen. It's your garden-variety ensemble of misfits teaming up to vanquish the baddie while overcoming their differences type film. With a high body count. 

"A" Plot: When a secretly corrupt U.S. Senator and his mistress get taken hostage by a band of pirates off the coast of Africa, the president calls for a clean rescue. There's only one group who can handle the assignment: Baker's Dozen—Sargent Don Baker (ret.) and his 12 super soldiers. There's just one problem: their last assignment was five years ago, it didn't end well, and there was a falling out with the men.  

"B" Plot: The president's son is in cahoots with the pirates. 

Characters

Warren Giles as Senator Griggs

Gene Woodling as retired Sargent Don Baker

Jose Laboy as Jax aka "Number 1," member of Baker's Dozen
Civilian job: Owns a chain of car washes in California

Paul Serna as Univac aka "Number 2," member of Baker's Dozen
Civilian job: Engineer for Department of Defense

Brian McRae as Hobo John aka "Number 3," member of Baker's Dozen
Civilian job: Is a hobo

Tommy Harper as Smooth aka "Number 4," member of Baker's Dozen

Civilian job: Sells ladies' shoes at a department store in Omaha

Turk Farrell as Fingers aka "Number 5," member of Baker's Dozen

Civilian job: Gifted concert pianist, travels the world over

Jerry Lumpe as Bloodmaker aka "Number 6," member of Baker's Dozen

Civilian job: Works as a butcher in the meatpacking district of New York City

Shane Mack as Fuzz aka "Number 7," member of Baker's Dozen

Civilian job: Tour guide at the Getty in Los Angeles

Ryan Howard as Furlough aka "Number 8," member of Baker's Dozen

Civilian job: Traffic cop in Chicago

Joe Adcock as The Canadian aka "Number 9," member of Baker's Dozen

Civilian job: International figure-skating judge, representing Canada

George Foster as Ugly Pete aka "Number 10," member of Baker's Dozen

Civilian job: Chuck Berry impersonator on a Branson riverboat

Don Newcombe as Pops aka "Number 11," member of Baker's Dozen

Civilian job: junior U.S. Senator representing the great state of New Mexico

Whitey Lockman as Slim aka "Number 12," member of Baker's Dozen

Civilian job: Runs a chop shop in Louisville, Kentucky

Barry Bonds as Etienne, the lead Pirate

with Jimmie Dykes as the President

and Bart Johnson as the President's son