Monday, November 16, 2009

#32 - Reggie Cleveland

Card fact: We have begun the second rotation of teams in the 1975 set. The rotation is a pattern that begins with the Red Sox, runs through all the major league teams, and ends with the Giants. The second go-around holds to the pattern, team by team with one exception, which you will see later. And then the pattern starts to go haywire after that.

What I thought about this card then: I had the mini card. My main fascination with Reggie Cleveland was that he is from Canada.

What I think about this card now: Tilted background, off-center card. Adults can be so critical.

Other stuff: Folks who don't remember Reggie Cleveland's career, probably know the name because of ESPN blogger/writer Bill Simmons, who created the "Reggie Cleveland All-Stars," which is catch-all title for a category of athletes whose names sound as if they are of a different race or ethnic background than they actually are. I always knew Cleveland was a white, fair-haired dude from Canada, so I think Simmons could have picked a different guy.

Back facts: You'll see in the bio info that Cleveland is from Swift Current, Saskatchewan. I know Swift Current because it's been the home of a junior hockey team for years and plenty of college and NHL players have gone through there. The team has also been through some hardship over the years -- a deadly bus crash in the 1980s and a coach convicted of sexual offenses in the 1990s.

Other blog stuff: Nothing blog related. But Julio Lugo was born on this date in 1975. Keep on truckin', Julio. Just stay away from the Dodgers.

2 comments:

Play at the Plate said...

Who knew when they made that card that Harry "Suitcase" Simpson would be signing TTM on A&G cards all these years later?

Flitgun Frankie said...

Swift Current is where Hockey Hall-of-Famer and all-time Islander great Bryan Trottier was from. Saskatchewan must have been a baseball talent hot bed in the 70's, producing Terry Puhl and Dave Pagan as well as Cleveland. Plus NHL stars, and Saskatchewan natives (and Islander teammates of Trottier) Clark Gillies and Bob Bourne also played minor league baseball, in the Houston Astros chain, before sticking full time with hockey.