Bobby Abreu to represent Phillies at 2015 Hall of Fame Classic

The Hall of Fame Classic is an Alumni game played at Doubleday Field in downtown Cooperstown.

1998 Topps #351 Bob Abreu

Like the Major League All-Star game the HoF Classic gathers players from each Major League Team to play in the contest. In addition to the Bobby Abreu several other Phillies Alums will be on hand representing other teams including Tony Perez, Bob Dernier, Jim Eisenreich, Aaron Rowand, Roy Oswalt, and David Delluci.

There are six Hall of Famers scheduled to be on hand for the day. The Team Captains are Ozzie Smith and Phil Niekro with Perez, Tom Glavine, Robin Yount and Rollie Fingers acting as coaches.  

For further information on the classic click here.

1998 Topps
This is the first Topps issue Bobby Abreu on a Phillies card. He was known as Bob Abreu to Topps until 2003.

2011 60 Years of Topps #60YOT-47 Bob Abreu (right)

The 1998 Abreu card made the cut for the 60 Years of Topps series.  The name plate on the cards is different. The same style of Phillies logo shows up on both cards but on the 60YoT version on the riht the liberty bell is white, while on the original it is red.

The Flip side of the card mentions Roberto Clemente - I assume the connection is both are Latin American players. But they could have gone with a more direct connection of one of Clemente's countryman like Roberto Alomar, Ivan Rodriguez, or Carlos Delgado.

2011 60 Years of Topps #60YOT-47 Bob Abreu (b-side)

Of course my other less likely thought is that Topps mentions Roberto Clemente here because they used to call him Bob, just like they at one time referred to Bobby Abreu as Bob.

Below we have a picture of the box Top referred to in the text of the 60YoT card. 

1998 Topps Box (image swiped from Baseball Cardpedia)

Sources and Links
Baseball Hall of Fame
baseball cardpedia
Topps Baseball Card Database

ReWind - 2009 World Baseball Classic

Ok I realize that I am the only person that cares about the WBC - just deal with me for a posting.

I do understand there is a great element of baseball light - all the rules for pitch counts and pitching dates.  And there are all the adverse affects for the MLB teams that are sending teams to the WBC. 

But....

I like seeing players w/ different unis and teammates.  I enjoy the spirit of the World Baseball Classic and it is cool to see a baseball event in March that isn't totally meaningless.  I get the meh reaction by most fans, but I would like to see more fans become interested in the event - and I will blather on about it occasionally. 

Here are some Phungo Cards from when Team Phungo checked out the WBC qualifer in San Juan. 

 

2010 Phungo #21 Bernie Williams 

Bernie was retired from MLB for three years when the 2009 WBC rolled around.  He came out of retirement to represent Puerto Rico and he even threw out the first pitch prior to one of the games we attended.

This is one of the things I like about the event - it is an opportunity to bring back some players from the recent past.  As far as I know this hasn't really occurred in 2013 - Johnny Damon represented Thailand in the Fall Qualifiers but that doesn't really count.  Bobby Abreu and Jim Thome would be great guys to send out for the WBC. 

Minor leaguers also can get mixed in as well.  There really isn't a critical need for all the Major League stars to get involved. It only happens once every four years.  If an all-star caliber player can represent his country once in his career it is a great opportunity. 

 2010 Phungo #35 David Ortiz

The WBC does use a DH, but David Ortiz had to bring his glove and play first in 2009.  This is because the Dominican squad was LOADED at shortstop.  I think they had Jose Reyes, Hanley Ramirez, and Miguel Tejada all manning the position.  We ended up seeing the rare game where Big Papi played in the field and Reyes was a DH.  

2010 Faux Phungo Sidney Ponson

I never really mentioned this, but several Phungo Cards end up on the cutting room floor.  Sidney Ponson was one of those cards.  He is to much of a jerk, and really lacks any hipness - I just couldn't give him a card despite having a fairly decent close up.   Card #37 in 2010 was awarded to a combo card of Juan Pierre and Jeff Kent.

I will likely have a few more WBC ramblings over the next couple of weeks - just a warning.

Looking Back

2009 Travelblog San Juane PR and WBC
Roberto Clemente Retired Number at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan

Roberto Clemente (1934-1972)

Today marks the 40th anniversary of Roberto Clemente's death in a plane crash off the coast of Puerto Rico.

 2013 Phungo Retired Number #42-SJP21 Roberto Clemente

Clemente died before I had a concept of baseball, life or death. However is legacy is important to both the Latin Americans and to baseball.

I have jumped the gun a bit on the 2013 Phungo card release in order to honor Clemente today. This is his retired number not from Pittsburgh, but from Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan Puerto Rico. I am pretty sure that his number #21 is honored and retired across the entire commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

This is another first for Phungo Cards.  There have been other retired numbers in the series but this is the first one from outside of Major League Baseball.  The Photo was taken during the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

Enjoy your New Year's Eve safely and think about Roberto Clemente he spent his last New Year's Eve trying to help needy people after an earthquake in Nicaragua.

Phungo Roberto Clemente HoF Profile

1968 Topps #374

  

Hall of Fame Thursday - Roberto Clemente

1968 #374 Roberto Clemente (All-Star)

I wanted to get this post out while the WBC was still being played, specifically when Puerto Rico was playing.

The Clemente's story is well documented. At the time of his untimely death the career .317 hitter had just recorded his 3000th hit. He was a 15 time all-star, who won an MVP award. He spent his entire career as a Pirate and was a member of both the 1960 and 1971 World Series Championship teams.

It was very enjoyable to go to Puerto Rico and see the enthusiasm of the fans firsthand. Roberto Clemente is definitely celebrated as a Baseball Hero in Puerto Rico. His number is retired at Hiram Bithorn Stadium, and there is another stadium in Puerto Rico which bears his name.Retired Numbers Hiram Bithorn Stadium #30 Orlando Cepeda, #21 Roberto Clemente (click to enlarge)

Carlos Delgado was a member of the Puerto Rico WBC team and asked the Clemente family to allow him to wear Roberto Clemente's #21 during the Classic.2009 Phungo #21 Carlos Delgado

This the Phungo card for Carlos Delgado. His card number is 21 to match his uniform number which he wears to honor the memory of fellow countryman Roberto Clemente.

A few months back I ran a column on the film "Grand Canyon" and its connection to Roberto Clemente, you can read this entry here. 

Phungo Roberto Clemente HoF Index
1959 Topps #478

1967 Topps #242 LL RBI Aaron Clemente Dick Allen (2016 Heritage Preview) 

2013 Phungo Retired Number #42-SJP21

 

Phungo World Baseball Classic Report and Traveblog from San Juan

Random Observations team Phungo made during the World Baseball Classic in San Juan Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico is sort of like being in an ethnic neighborhood in Philadelphia or New York. Lots of stuff is very different and some stuff is a lot the same, many folks speak a different language but if you need somebody who can speak English you can usually find them. They use the same currency and you don't need a passport.

The local delicacy is the Mofungo - Mashed Plantains which are then fried and topped with your choice of Meat, Fish or Vegetables. (I think there is a Mo Phungo joke in here somewhere) Plantains go with everything and are even used as a Pizza topping.

Mofungo with Chicken or - Mofungo Con Pollo - I think.

Hiram Bithorn Stadium is a loud and rockous environment. Games are as much an event as they are games. The Crowd noise rivaled that of a Major League Playoff game.

Bithorn is a 20,000 seat stadium which I would equate to a large Minor league park. They have dizzy bat races and there are fireworks for the 7th inning stretch.

If you want free junk they got it. Some company was giving out 64 oz bottles of household cleaner - I have fears some drunken American may have confused it for gatorade.

Hiram Bithorn was the first Puerto Rican to play in the Major Leagues. Bithorn was a Right Handed Pitcher for the Cubs and White Sox for four seasons between 1942 and 1947. His career was interrupted for Military service in 1944 and 1945.

I saw the Netherlands play twice, once as the Home team and once as the Away team, yet they used the same dugout both times.

When they announce David Ortiz at Hiram Bithorn, they follow his name with "Big Papi"

The 375 sign in Bithorn's left field power alley was absolute death valley for hitters. I saw 4 or 5 balls caught in that very spot.

Free T-Shirts are just as popular in Puerto Rico as they are in America.

For one of the games 3 National Anthems were observed, none of which were the United States Anthem.

The lines in the Mens room were so long that a vendor came in to sell beer.

Concessions at Bithorn are run by Fuddruckers/Pizzeria Uno and include basically American food, but the Menu is in Spanish. The prices were more reasonable then an American stadium. $2 for a bottle of water and 2.50 for an order of fries. I think beers were $4 and they have Pina Coloda vendors.

You get fans of all types at the WBC, I met great folks from all over and even shared a cab with a Mets fan.

One local told me that Hiram Bithorn is not the nicest stadium in Puerto Rico. It is located in close proximity to the Airport and San Juan which makes it more convenient for big events like the WBC. He preferred a newer Stadium Named for Roberto Clemente that was further away from San Juan.

In the game in which the Dominican Republic was eliminated Big Papi played in the field, while Hanley Ramirez was DH. The Dominicans were so loaded at SS that Miguel Tejada played 3B and Jose Reyes started at short. Oh and Hanley is a pretty big man.

Randall Simon was clearly the on the field leader of the Netherlands Squad.

Walgreens in San Juan carry 75 card re-packs of baseball cards. they did not appear to have a regional flavour.

Mrs Conley would be very disappointed w/ me... I don't think I could recall much of my High School Spanish. Near as I can tell the only Spanish I know comes from mexican food menus, beisbol cards, and Madonna songs.

If you want to chase autographs or see ballplayers off of the field, the team hotels are in Isla Verde, which is supposed to be one of the nicest beaches in San Juan.

I am ashamed to admit that we attended the game where the Netherlands upset the Dominicans but did not stay to it's conclusion.This the meager crowd that witnessed the biggest game in Netherlands History

This is a far more crowded stadium for the Puerto Rico v Netherlands game.


Free Agent Pedro Martinez pitching for the Dominicans

Team Phungo received great tips and helpful information from many baseball fans including: Angels Mark, Nats Lisa, Lebanon Valley Carl, and locals Rafael, Nestor y Magdalena - Thanks to all of them and I hope they had as good of a time in Puerto Rico as we did. 

Sources and Links
Pedro Martinez HoF Index  

Phungo Cards - James Bond Island

2009 Phungo #19 James Bond Island

Last year we took a vacation to Thailand to visit relatives on my mothers side of the family. It was a fun, crazy, and adventurous two weeks. I had not been there in 20 years, and had not seen my aunt uncles and cousins since my last trip in the late 80s.

While there we spent a couple of days in Phuket, which is a beach resort area near the equator. James Bond Island is a tourist attraction near Phuket, It is featured in the film "Man with the Golden Gun"

This week Team Phungo is heading off for vacation in Puerto Rico for spring break and....



The World Baseball Classic.

I hope to take some pictures and possibly get some autos. Expect a full report when we return.