1981 Donruss, Larry Gura

#461 Larry Gura

This is the second Larry Gura card that I got signed through the mail last November. I posted the first one some time ago and it was a Topps Million Card Giveaway that kept getting returned to sender every time I sent it to him. Then, of course, when my attempt finally does come through for me, the cards make it back with creases in them.

Larry pitched for the Royals for ten seasons. He won 10 or more games seven straight years with the club and reached 18 wins twice. He was an All Star for them in 1980 and that was probably the best season of his career. He finished that season 18-10 with a 2.95 ERA and 113 strikeouts, the only season that he struck out 100 or more batters.

For Larry's career, he was 126-97 with 14 saves and a 3.76 ERA. He ranks in the top ten of most Royals all-time pitching categories including wins (5th), W-L% (2nd), and complete games (4th). He was elected to the Royals Hall of Fame in 1992.

Royals.com named the trade that acquired Gura from the Yankees the best in-season trade ever made by the club. They gave up Fran Healy for him and Fran played just three seasons for the Yanks.

'81 Donruss Tracker: 147/100