Who is the man: Marcelino Lopez had already been dealt to the Milwaukee Brewers by April of 1971 after coming off his most successful season since his days as a starting pitcher for the Angels in the mid-1960s.
Can ya dig it: I love any spring training shot where you can see palm trees. It makes viewing the card an instant pick-me-up.
Right on: Check out Marcelino's signature. Did he scribble an "M" and a line for his first name? No sir. All autograph class for Mr. Lopez.
You see this cat Lopez is a bad mother: Lopez broke into the major leagues in a big way, winning 14 games with a 2.93 ERA for the California Angels in 1965. He finished second in the rookie of the year voting to Curt Blefary and received a big-ass trophy on his 1966 Topps card.
Shut your mouth: Lopez defected from Cuba in 1959 at age 16. He told teammates that he knew Fidel Castro, saying that Castro was a big baseball fan but a lousy player.
No one understands him but his woman: Lopez struggled with wildness and arm problems. When he was acquired by the Orioles, manager Earl Weaver would hassle him relentlessly about his inability to throw strikes. But Lopez had a strong season for the 1970 Orioles and Baltimore won the World Series that year.
(A word about the back): Lopez was pitching for the Rochester Red Wings when he threw the no-hitter against Richmond in 1969. It was a 7-inning no-hitter and he allowed a run as Rochester won 5-1.
I've never been to Baltimore, but I imagine any time in a locale with palm trees had to be a treat. Mr. Lopez should give autograph lessons to the current crop of major leaguers.
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