Wednesday, January 26, 2011

#49 - Steve Renko (MON)


A veteran with numerous ball clubs (Expos, Cubs, White Sox, A's, Red Sox, Angels, Royals), Steve wore many different uniforms.  He finished his career 12 games under .500 with an ERA of about 4.00.  He's also the first above 200 pounds card seen in a while.  I always loved these cards with the player wearing the wind breaker under his uni.  Was it a fad back then?  I see this all the time in the 70's cards.  Steve was traded in the middle of a year to an expansion team in its first year - for Donn Clendenon.  This would figure in Steve's ring total - Zero!  What a bummer, to be traded away from a team just before they win a Wolrld Series, and to never win one yourself.

Cartoon:  I wonder if Steve also enjoys horseback riding.  Are they the same, riding horses and horseback riding?  The only thing missing is a polo mallet.

Ballpark background:  This is a recurring theme in Expos ball cards, it seems.  The spring training site.  You can see the palm trees over Steve's right shoulder.  What I like, though, is the transformer on the telephone pole.  Didn't Candlestick have one of those?  I forget. 

2 comments:

  1. Yeah! I've noticed how Expos cards even as late as '82, always were spring training shots or they're in their visitors uni. I haven't noticed if this is a recurring theme in Blue Jay cards through the years too. If so, then maybe it's something to do with taxes related to doin' business over the border? Maybe they just didn't want some extra hassle of going through customs or something?

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  2. I read on uniwatchblog.com that the windbreakers were actually a special jacket players would purchase in spring training that would help them lose weight. They were very popular in the 60's and 70's.

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