My First Cards

If the Phillies didn’t trade Lonnie Smith to the Cardinals in November ’81, they probably would’ve eeked out another division title in ’82 and maybe a 2nd World Championship. Lonnie became the NL’s runner-up MVP that season in St Louis and beat up the Phillies pitching staff when the two met again.

The first day back in action after the strike, there was the All-Star game. The second day after the strike, Pete Rose resumes his assault on the all-time hits record by becoming the National League’s career leader in hits.

On September 21, 1981, Steve Carlton passed Bob Gibson for the all-time strikeout lead in the National League. It didn’t come easy, but you don’t get 3,118 strikeouts by falling short in tough situations. Is it just me, or does he look like he’s missing part of his arm in this picture?

Bought from Philadelphia for $300,000 in late ’81, Bob Boone became a very important part of the why the Angels won the AL West in ’82.

Manny Trillo’s another one of the best cards in the set, as this also has 3 All-Stars in it (one of them being a Hall of Famer). How cool is that? Manny was one of the best gloves in his day, but he can sympathize with Bill Buckner …or laugh at him.

Aviles was a man who’d lived a dream by playing for the 1980 World Series Champion Phillies, even if it was just as a backup role. When I looked further into this player, I found he had some surprising statistics and a nephew playing in the major leagues 20 years after himself. I love this card, as the photo really captures a part of what the game is all about.