Who is the man: Vada Pinson had completed his first season for the Cleveland Indians when this card was released. He enjoyed a brief career resurgence with his 1970 season. It would temporarily delay what had become an annual tradition of Pinson getting traded in the offseason, which happened in 1968 and 1969 ... and again in 1971 and 1974.
Can ya dig it: One of the outstanding cards of the '71 set, as Topps rookie star Thurman Munson makes what would be several card cameos during his career.
Right on: This photo shows Pinson getting tagged out by Munson on a throw from center field by Bobby Murcer during the eighth inning of the first game of a doubleheader on June 24, 1970. But for a very detailed and awesome account of this game and card, you need to go here.
You see this cat Pinson is a bad mother: Pinson led the league in hits twice, doubles twice and triples twice.
Shut your mouth: When Cincinnati sportswriter Earl Lawson wrote that Pinson would hit .350 "if he would only bunt once in awhile instead of going for homers," Pinson took a swing at Lawson.
No one understands him but his woman: Pinson was so quiet during his first major league spring training in 1958 that coach Jimmy Dykes spoke to him in gestures and broken English because he thought Pinson was Hispanic.
(A word about the back): Some very brief research tells me "Vada" means "famous ruler" and is German in origin. It also was most popular as a girl's name in the first half of the 20th century.
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