Bobby Bo and the Sport’s Most Famous Contract
A contract so good it gave rise to the semi-official New York holiday of “Bobby Bonnilla Day.”
Suicide Among Professional Athletes
The Journal of the American Medical Association published a study covering suicide rates among professional athletes. Former big leaguer Red Stallcup was one of several ballplayers who died in a short span in 1989.
Dale Mitchell Was More Likely to Hit a Double Than Strike Out
Dale Mitchell struck out looking for the final out of Don Larsen’s perfect 1956 World Series game. What is so interesting about this fact is not that Larsen had just made history, but rather that anyone could get a strike past Mitchell.
The Closest Thing to a Rookie Pitcher in ’93 Finest
Topps generally avoided putting rookies in the ’93 Finest set. Cal Eldred’s incredible rookie performance in 1992 got him into the checklist.
1993 Finest: Darryl Hamilton
A hidden ball trick, sneaky trade demands, and a murderous girlfriend.
VIEW From the Mound
My first 1993 refractor features the lead singer of two different alternative rock bands.
A Desire to Remain Firmly Grounded
A seemingly unstoppable football and baseball talent was pushed off the field by recurring panic attacks.
1952 Topps #83 Billy Johnson
Cardinals third baseman Billy Johnson wasn’t going to make it to the big leagues on name recognition alone: He has one of the most generic sounding names in the sport.