Who is the man: Elliott Maddox was traded from the Tigers to the Senators the October before this card came out. Just off his first major league season in 1970, he was dealt along with Denny McLain and Don Wert in exchange for Ed Brinkman, Joe Coleman, Jim Hannan and Aurelio Rodriguez.
Can ya dig it: This is Maddox's first solo card. He is capless because of the trade and likely wearing a Tigers uniform.
Right on: This card is among the first 1971 cards I acquired, while sitting on the porch of my friend's house. His older brother -- older by about 5 years -- gave him a bunch of cards from the late '60s and early '70s, and my brothers and I proceeded to trade current Yankees cards (this was around 1978) for those '60s and '70s cards.
You see this cat Maddox is a bad mother: Maddox sued the Yankees, Mets AND New York City all at the same time. It was in response to slipping on wet turf at Shea Stadium -- where Maddox and the Yankees played home games at the time -- and suffering a knee injury. The case was thrown out of court.
Shut your mouth: Maddox was articulate and outspoken, not afraid to support causes he felt were right. That didn't sit well with his manager with the Rangers, Billy Martin, who didn't like players who broadcast their intelligence. Maddox was sold to the Yankees at Martin's request.
No one understands him but his woman: Maddox has undergone at least 13 surgeries on his injured knee.
(A word about the back): There are numerous instances in this set of a player being airbrushed into his new team's cap on the back of the card. This is the first one.
I didn't realize Maddox was considered an infielder. Nine out of eleven cards in his career (and all cards I had of him) listed him as an outfielder.
ReplyDeleteSuing over wet field conditions? That's ballsy.
ReplyDelete@ Douglas, I think Garry Maddox who played a few years later was the outfielder...
ReplyDeleteElliott Maddox started out in 1970 splitting time between the infield and outfield. He played third base and a little shortstop, but an equal amount of time in the outfield. I don't know why Topps just listed him as an infielder.
ReplyDeleteAfter 1970, Maddox was mostly an outfielder. Each year he'd have a handful of games at third base. Interestingly, in his final year in 1980, he played more games at third base in a season (115) then he had his entire career.
This one and Von Joshua have got to be the most common '71s. I see them in every stack I pick up.
ReplyDeleteHow much is this card worth?
ReplyDelete