#409 - Bob Robertson

Card fact: Is this the only card with a photo showing the player holding the bat by the barrel instead of the handle? Damned if I know. It's 3:40 in the morning, I'm not checking now. But let's say it is.

What I thought about this card then: I had the mini card. I always thought that Bob Robertson had plastic hair, based on this photo. In fact, all of Robertson had the appearance of a wax figure to me. I don't know why I thought that way.

What I think about this card now: I think the shadow across the face really kills the photo. That usually doesn't bother me with these '70s cards, but this one does.

Other stuff: Robertson came up to the Pirates as a three-time minor league home run champion. He was expected to provide impressive power to the Pittsburgh lineup. For a couple of years he did, especially during the Pirates' pennant-winning seasons of 1970 and 1971. Robertson is probably most known for hitting four home runs in the National League Championship Series against the Giants. It was a record, which has since been tied twice.

After those two years, Robertson's hitting fell off dramatically. He had knee surgery and became a part-time player for the Pirates. He was released before the 1977 season and didn't play in the majors until the Mariners picked him up for the following year. After a year with the Mariners and an abbreviated 1979 with the Blue Jays, his career was over.

Back facts: I guess you could say Robertson was a "Wood Man" in 1970 and 1971.

Other blog stuff: This is the final card featured on the blog in 2010. We've gone through 337 cards in the set in the past year. We'll wrap the whole thing up in 2011. Here's to more dy-no-mite '75s in the new year.