Showing posts with label Wrigley Wax. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wrigley Wax. Show all posts

Tony LaRussa Played for the Chicago Cubs?

Everyone knows Tony LaRussa is having a Hall of Fame managerial career. Most people know LaRussa had a modest playing career. A lot of people don't know that LaRussa actually ended his major league career with the Chicago Cubs.
Most diehard sports fans know of LaRussa's one game with the Cubs. On Opening Day in 1973, LaRussa pinch-ran for Ron Santo and scored the winning run. A few days later he was sent to the minors, never to return to the majors as a player.
LaRussa's last baseball card as a player was his 1972 Topps card as a member of the Atlanta Braves. That is, until now.
Paul over at Wrigley Wax has given LaRussa his final player card as a member of the Cubs. Paul had a great post (and not just because he dedicated it to me). Paul gave a great effort in creating a LaRussa Cubs card, primarily because pictures of LaRussa in Cubs blues are uncommon.
Wrigley Wax is one of my regularly visited sites. It has regular features like 5 Random Cubs Cards and 196(9) at a Time. Paul is a fan and collector. Most of all he is interesting and fun.
Thank you, Paul. Thanks for creating the LaRussa card. Thanks for thinking of me. Thanks for being one of the good guys.
Tony LaRussa 1973 Topps card as created by Paul at Wrigley Wax.

Cards That Never Were

When I discuss Cards That Never Were, I usually am talking about Steve over at White Sox Cards. Today, I am highlighting Paul over at Wrigley Wax, a great blog mostly about Cubs card collecting.
On Saturday, Paul posted a piece entitled 'Topps 1969 Update Set, Cubs', in which he produced updated (better) versions of the 1969 Topps Cubs cards. His set featured all of the positional starters and a few pitchers. He even added Paul Popovich, the super sub. Ordinarily the Popovich card would be the one to really catch me...and it did. However, when I left a comment, I couldn't help but mention a couple others I would have liked to see. Who would have thought he would jump into action and produce my requests?
I mentioned Ken Rudolph, the backup cather. Coincidentally, I had a post set to run today about meeting Ken Rudolph. As everyone knows, I have a special place in my heart for backup catchers and Rudolph was a pretty good backup.
I also asked for Oscar Gamble, just because I always wanted to see a good card of Gamble with the Cubs. This would really have been Gamble's rookie card, as '69 was his first season.
Late last night, while checking my blog, I saw Wrigley Wax had a new post entitled 'As Requested' and there was a small picture of a Ken Rudolph 1969 card. I eagerly clicked on the link and was greeted by the cards shown below. Paul had granted my request by producing 2 fantastic looking additional cards to his set.
Thanks Paul and really great work!
1969 Topps cards of Ken Rudolph & Oscar Gamble as reproduced by Paul of Wrigley Wax.