Who is the man: Ted Abernathy played for three teams in 1970, spending most of the season with his third team, the second-year Kansas City Royals. He won nine games in 36 relief appearances for K.C.
Can ya dig it: Abernathy is airbrushed into a Royals cap. You can see the hint of a Cubs jersey in the photo. Abernathy spent the 1969 season and started the 1970 season with the Cubs.
Right on: This is one of the first 1971 cards I ever owned. I remember being blown away by the fact that Abernathy was pitching in the major leagues in the 1950s. I had a card of a player connected to the '50s!!! The '50s seemed so far away and Abernathy seemed so old.
You see this cat Abernathy is a bad mother: In 1965, Abernathy set what was then the record for the most appearances by a pitcher in a season. He appeared in 84 games for the Cubs.
Shut your mouth: Abernathy, a submarine pitcher, was the inspiration for Kent Tekulve. Tekulve said he patterned his delivery after Abernathy when he decided to stop pitching overhand.
No one understands him but his woman: Abernathy was the only submarine pitcher in the majors for much of his career. He is looked at as the link from older submariners like Joe McGinnity to younger ones like Tekulve and Dan Quisenberry.
(A word about the back): The bio writer is going all the way back to 1952 for stats!
