1980 Topps, Chris Knapp

#658 Chris Knapp

Here is the final card from the Topps Million Card Giveaway that I was able to get signed through the mail. I sent this card to Chris on February 8 and I had it back eight days later.

I think I did alright with the MCG. I didn't unlock anything cool or really old, but I was able to add a few autographs from people I otherwise wouldn't have wrote to. The only thing I would have done differently is that I would have looked for Chris' '81 Donruss card to send along with this one. I had never heard of Chris until I unlocked this card, so I just assumed that I did not have his '81 Donruss. A few months after getting this card back, I came across my Chris Knapp '81 Donruss card. Now I am wondering if I have an '81 Donruss of Woddie Fryman that I missed out on.

Chris pitched in the big leagues for parts of six seasons with the White Sox and Angels. He was mainly a starter and his best season came in 1978 with California. He had career bests in nearly every stat including wins (14), ERA (4.21), complete games (6), innings pitched (188.1), and strikeouts (126). For his career, Chris was 36-32 with a save and a 4.99 ERA.

Speaking of '81 Donruss, I will start posting cards from that set tomorrow. But, I will not be posting as many as I would like as it has been a slow summer on the road to 100 signed cards from the set.

1980 Topps, John Mayberry

#643 John Mayberry

Here is the second John Mayberry card that I got signed at Royals Fanfest this past off-season. I think that John is probably the player that I have posted the most cards of. So to celebrate (and because I really can't think of anything else to say about Big John), here are links to all of my other John Mayberry posts.

1971 Topps

1973 Topps

1975 Topps

1978 Topps

1981 Donruss

1983 Topps

My hyperlink button doesn't work on blogger, so I hope all of those came out alright.

1980 Topps, Jim Wright

#524 Jim Wright

Here is the next to last Topps Million Card Giveaway card that I have to post. This one features Jim Wright, one of three Jim Wright's to play in the Majors. I sent this card to Jim on January 15 and I got it back on February 4.

Jim had a very short Major League career- just two seasons. He did pretty well in his rookie year when he went 8-4 with a 3.57 ERA in 24 games (16 starts). He even recorded 5 complete games with 3 of them being shutouts. But, the following year, Jim must have ran into some arm trouble as he only appeared in 11 games and did not pitch in the minors that season. That was the end of his Major League career.

Jim still pitched in the minors for parts of three seasons before hanging them up during the 1982 season. Even though he only pitched in 35 games in the Show, Jim still had a fourteen-year career in pro ball.

Of the three Jim Wrights that played, I now have autographs from two of them. The third one pitched in four games with the Browns in the '20s, so I doubt that I am going to be obtaining his signature any time soon. Two out of three will have to work. The other Jim Wright can be seen here.

1979 Topps, Woodie Fryman

#269 Woodie Fryman

Here is the next card that I unlocked or traded for on the Topps Million Card Giveaway site. I sent this card to Woodie on January 15 and I had it back in hand on the 27th. Then a week later, Woodie passed away.. That just goes to show how fragile life can be. Here one day and gone the next. I can't find a cause of death, but it appears that Woodie was signing up until his death.

Woodie has an interesting story. He didn't sign with a Major League team until he was 25-years old. The reason he held out so long was because he was making more money as a tobacco farmer than he would have been playing ball. But, he finally relented and he made his Major League Debut with the Pirates on his 26th birthday. It was the start to a long Major League career, one that had him pitching in three different decades.

Woodie spent time with the Pirates, Phillies, Tigers, Expos, Reds, and Cubs during his eighteen year career. But, it seems like his most talked about "season" was the final two months of the 1972 campaign. Woodie was 4-10 with a 4.36 ERA with the Phillies and they put him on waivers. The Tigers, in the midst of a pennant chase with Boston, picked him up and he went on a terror. He went 10-2 with the Tigers and he got his tenth win on the next to last day of the season by beating Boston and clinching the AL East title. He didn't do quite as well in the ALCS, but if it weren't for his run, the Tigers probably never even made it that far.

For his career, Woodie was 141-155 with 58 saves and a 3.77 ERA. He was a two-time All Star.

1979 Topps, Paul Dade

#13 Paul Dade

Here is the next Million Card Giveaway TTM success. This one features the former Angel, Indian, and Padre, Paul Dade. I wish that the Million Card Giveaway site was still up and running so that I can see what card it took for me to land this beauty. Once I saw that he signed TTM, I knew I had to have this card just because of that fantastic Indians uniform. I doubt that I have a card that features that uni and I know I don't a have a signed card of one. But, now I do, and it is spectacular. The only thing that could have made this card any better is if Paul would have included his jersey number with his signature. He wore 00 while with the Tribe. That would have been another first for me.

Paul played in the Majors for parts of six seasons. He only got into a hundred or more games twice in his career and that was with Cleveland in 1977 and a season split between Cleveland and San Diego in 1979. With the Indians in '77, Paul put up career numbers in hits, RBI, and average. Then in his split season, he had career highs in doubles, home runs, and stolen bases. He would only play one more season in the Majors after that and he hit .189 in just 53 at-bats.

I sent this card to Paul on January 15 and I got it back February 7.

1978 Topps, Gary Lavelle

#671 Gary Lavelle

Here is the next card that I got via the Topps Million Card Giveaway. This one features the two-time All Star, Gary Lavelle. I sent this card to Gary on the third of February and I had it back nine days later.

Gary pitched in the Major Leagues for thirteen seasons. He spent the majority of the time with the Giants, but he did also play briefly for the Blue Jays and A's. In 1978, Gary won a career high 13 games and he did not start a single game that season. His best season probably came in 1977. He only won 7 games that year, but he did record 20 saves and he posted a career-best ERA of 2.05. He made his first All Star team that year as well.

Gary never had more than 20 saves in a season, but he did hit the 20 save plateau three times. He was an All Star the first time he had 20 and he was an All Star the last time he had 20 in 1983. For his career, Gary was 80-77 with 136 saves and a 2.93 ERA. His 127 saves as a Giant ranks him fourth on their all-time list, right behind Brian Wilson (who could be at the top by the end of next year).

1978 Topps, Jerry Mumphrey

#452 Jerry Mumphrey

Here is the next Topps Million Card Giveaway card that I unlocked last summer. It was because of the the TMCG that I decided to sign up for SportsCollector.net's premium service. Before that, I would use the free features and it suited me just fine. But, when the TMCG came around, I needed to know instantly whether or not that player signed through the mail. If he did, I kept the card. If he didn't, I tried to trade the card. Jerry Mumphrey signed TTM, so I kept this card. I sent it to him on January 19 and I had it back on the last day of that month.

On an unrelated note, this will be my last post until Sunday. I'm going ballparkin' for a few days and I will be away from the computer. I'll be seeing the Iowa Cubs tonight, the Twins tomorrow, and the Omaha Storm Chasers on Saturday.

Justin and Ryan- I still have not mailed out your prize packages and I am sorry. It has been a hectic last few weeks here and I am behind on everything. I will get them out to you sometime next week, though. Just bear with me.