Card fact: This is the first and only solo Topps card of Chris Ward.
What I thought about this card then: I didn't know it existed. In fact, it is yet another Cubs card from this set that features a player I knew nothing about until I tracked down the card while completing the set in 2004. The Cubs sure had a lot of players in '74 that made little impact.
What I think about this card now: The cap he's wearing looks like some sort of denim trucker's cap.
Other stuff: Except for a single at-bat in 1972, Ward's entire major league career occurred in 1974 when he played 92 games for the Cubs. He finished with 28 hits in 137 at-bats, hitting a mere .204.
Ward would return to the minors for the 1976 and 1977 seasons, playing in the Chicago, Cleveland and San Diego organizations.
Back facts: Wilmer "Vinegar Bend" Mizell was a U.S. congressman in North Carolina. In fact, his tour as a congressman ended just before this card came out as he did not win a fourth term in 1974. But Mizell went on to serve in the Ford, Reagan and Bush administrations.
Other blog stuff: On this date in 2005, the sports of baseball and softball are dropped from the Olympic Summer Games. Summer without baseball. This makes no sense.
4 comments:
"The Cubs sure had a lot of players in '74 that made little impact."
Sadly, the entire team made little impact!
I saw Ward play in Wichita in 74 or 75. He had a crazy good night. He went 4-4 with about 7 rbi's and 1 or 2 HR's. I think he won a car as some sort of promotion.
Your right Wrigley Wax. 1973/1974 was the end of good-excellent teams of the late 60's and early 70's and start of sub .500 squads that didn't stop until 1984. The mainstays were getting too old. A lot of call ups from the minors and the Cubs did not have a good system at the time
There's a lot of blue on that card. It looks good. Baseball is one of a few sports looking to return in the 2016 Olympics. I hope they bring it back.
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