1983 TCMA , Jack Maloof

#21 Jack Maloof

Here is an old minor league card that my girlfriend got signed for me at a Spring Training this past spring. Jack was the hitting coach for the Royals and she was able to get it signed after the game we attended. Jack saw this card and said "now that is an old picture". It is always cool to get a reaction when you get an unusual card signed.

Like I said, Jack was the hitting coach for the Royals when the season started. But, the team hit a major slump early in the season. So, he and assistant hitting coach, Andre David, were reassigned to other roles. George Brett stepped in as the interim hitting coach before Pedro Grifol was ultimately named the hitting coach.

I like this card because it shows a team that I had never heard of before- the Beaumont Golden Gators. The Gators were the AA team for the Padres in the Texas League. They only lasted for four seasons before moving to Wichita. At least they had a cool jersey. I wish I could say the same about their hat.

1982 TCMA, Steve Shirley

#343 Steve Shirley

Here is a card that I got signed at a Wichita Wingnuts game last week. Steve was the visiting manager for the Sioux Falls Pheasants. I got this card signed between games of a doubleheader. The clubhouses in Wichita are in left field and I was hanging out by the Pheasants dugout. Steve walked up with his hands full of rosters and whatnot, but I asked him to sign anyway. He told me to give him a minute and a minute later, he popped back out to sign the card. I was hoping I would get some kind of response from him for having an oddball card like this, but I didn't.

I found this card on ebay earlier this month. The seller was trying to get $7 for it with $1.95 shipping and handling. I offered him $5 for it with $2 shipping and he accepted. It's still more than I wanted to spend on it, but I'm glad I did. This is now my oldest signed minor league card.

Speaking of this card, I know nothing about it. It has a copyright date of 1982 and it shows his '81 stats. But, the card isn't listed on Beckett.com. I'm not even a hundred percent sure that 343 is the card number.

Steve pitched in the minors for thirteen seasons while getting a brief cup of coffee with the Dodgers in 1982. He pitched in 7 games in relief and posted a 1-1 record with a 4.14 ERA. He pitched in Japan in '83 and '84 before coming back to the States in '85 and pitching for four more years at AAA. 1988 was the last season he played.

Steve is pictured as an Albuquerque Duke in this photo. The Dukes moved to Portland in 2001 and Albuquerque is now the home of the Isotopes. But, they are again affiliated with the Dodgers after a six year break.