Wednesday, December 2, 2009

#45 - Joe Rudi

Card fact: I am going to go out on a limb here and say this is the best-matched color-combo with a team in the entire set. A player wearing green and gold framed by a green-and-gold border. Rudi is one of six A's in the set to feature green and gold in the design.

What I thought about this card then: Blissfully unaware. Rudi was not kind to the Dodgers during the peak of his career (see 1974 World Series). I would have hated him if I knew who he was.

What I think about this card now: Joe Rudi is a classic name. He sounds like an Old West gunslinger. He looks like one, too.

Other stuff: By the time I knew Rudi, he was hobbled by injury and a disappointment for the Angels and the Red Sox. Now he works in real estate in Oregon. I guess no one can be a gunfighter forever.

Back fact: The write-up on Rudi was outdated by the time the card set hit the streets in 1975. Rudi hit the Series-clinching home run in Game 5 of the 1974 World Series. I'm guessing that was even more thrilling than his 1972 Series accomplishments.

Other blog stuff: Just finished scanning card No. 414. Too bad it's not April 14th.

2 comments:

Play at the Plate said...

I'm glad it's not April 14th. I don't have my W-2 yet!! I agree about the color combo.

Flitgun Frankie said...

Rudi is of Norwegian ancestry and his middle name is Oden. That's pretty cool.