Frank Robinson 1934-2019

I have covered Frank Robinson a few times on this blog but not nearly enough. While I never got to see him play, I did get to see an historic game in which he was involved.

2005 Topps Update Nationals Inaugural Lineup #NI-TEAM

The April 2005 game was so historic that Topps honored it with a trading card - It was the first game in the history of the Nationals.

Robinson appears prominently on the card twice. First in the top photo he is at the center to the left of home plate, while the Phillies skipper Charlie Manuel guards the other. The inset photo on the bottom left features Frank Robinson even more prominently. The two images are clearly from different games - note that the smaller picture features the Nats in their Home uniforms at RFK.

The Phillies won the game 8-4 you can read more about the game at the SABR Baseball Game project.

I go into this card more in depth here, but at the time I didn't mention Frank Robinson. 

Tributes
SABR BB Card Blog
1960s Baseball Card Blog 
Fresh Air - Terry Gross Terrific interview (13 mins audio & text) includes Robinson's views on integration/segregation.

Links and Sources
Frank Robinson HOF Index
2005 0404 Nationals inaugural game at Phillies
SABR games project
Baseball-ref

Jim Thome: Welcome to the Wall!

The Philllies are adding a Jim Thome plaque to their Wall of Fame tonight. I won't be there for the induction but do plan on getting down to the park at some point this weekend.

Thome's tenure here was short but he did provide some great memories

2005 Topps #25 Jim Thome

Remember a few years back when there was a buzz regarding Topps giving players card numbers that matched their uniform numbers. This Thome card is pre-buzz but it does fall on his #25.

2005 Topps #25 Jim Thome (b-side)

One of the reasons that I like this card is the fun fact, "On June 14, 2004, Jim Became the 37th Major Leaguer to reach 400 home runs." First off I respect the accomplishment and I am happy that the prodigious home run hitter reached the milestone while with the Phillies.

More selfishly I think it is cool that it was a game attended by Team Phungo.

Citizens Bank Ballpark was brand new at the time, there was always buzz at the stadium - even more so with a potential Thome Milestone. June 14 2004 was a rainy Monday night in which the Reds were in town to make up a game that had already been postponed once. None of this could damper the spirits of the fans there to see if Thome could hit #400. He didn't make us wait long - He homered in the first inning.

Except that there was the issue of a potential rainout - what would happen if the game didn't go the required 5 innings?

The clubs played through some rain and there were delays but the clubs eventually finished the contest (officially) with the Phillies winning 10-7 in a weather shortened 8 innings.

Someday I will dig through my ticket stubs and add one to this post.

Sources and Links
Phungo Jim Thome HR #400 Index
Phungo Jim Thome Player Collection
Phungo Games Index
Baseball-ref


 

Alex Rodriguez: Exclusive Member of Topps #1 Five Timers Club

Last Year in the wake of the commotion regarding Topps awarding the #1 Card to Derek Jeter we took a look at the other lead off cards from Flagship. One of the things we found out was that the Captain had not made the top spot previously.

 However one of his teammates had done it a number of times

2005 Topps #1 Alex Rodriguez

This isn't A-Rod's first #1 but it is the first time he was honored with the top spot as a member of the New York Yankees. I am not positive but I am pretty sure that is Derek Jeter hovering in the background. The photo and the card is a summary of Alex Rodriguez's Yankees career. No matter what he did Jeter would always be looming.

Quote

2005 Topps #1 Alex Rodriguez (b-side)

Given his polarizing career and personality, I found the Buck Showalter Quote and related Text on the back of A-Rod's 2005 Card pretty amusing.

"A Good Man with a Pure Heart" and "One of the game's Classiest Emissaries" are definitely not in the narrative I most often see associated with Alex Rodriguez.

Five Timers Club
Alex occupied the top spot four other times including three with the Yankees. He is the sole 5 time member of the Topps #1 Club.   

(Four Scans below are from Baseball Card Database)

Realizing that Alex Rodriguez is a Five Time Topps Lead-Off player reminded me of "The Five Timers Club" sketch on Saturday Night Live. Essentially anyone that has hosted the show five times a member of an exclusive club. Folks in that club include Tom Hanks, Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin, Paul Simon and Justin Timberlake.

Alex is the charter member of the Five Timer Club related to #1 Cards in Topps.

Sources and Links
Topps #1 Club
Baseball Card Database
NBC

ASG: Home Run Derby 2005

Ten Years ago The Home Run Derby was won by the Phillies Bobby Abreu

 2005 Topps Updated #UH218

For the Phillies the early 2000s were a pretty dark time. They were not as bad as this year squad, but they were stuck in mediocrity. The 2005 Phillies finished just a tick above .500, which was the fate of several of their seasons during the era.They were over a decade removed from their last playoff appearance which was a lone bright light in a 22 year drought.

Prior to Chase Utley emerging on the team, their best position player was Bobby Abreu.

On July 11th 2005 he got to make a splash on the big stage by winning the Home Run Derby Easily.

2005 Topps Updated #UH218 (b-side)

As noted on the flip side of the card above Abreu homered 41 times during the 2005 Derby. It remains the cumulative record for the Derby - 6 more than the 35 that Josh Hamilton hit in his Memorable Performance at Yankee Stadium in 2008. In addtion Abreu's first round total of 24 is second only to Hamilton (28 in 2008) for a single round total. 

Sources and Links
2015 Phungo ASG coverage
Phungo Game Dated Cards
MLB
baseball-ref