Who is the man: Dave Concepcion had just completed his first major league season for the Big Red Machine in 1970. He appeared in 101 games and would go on to a 19-year career with the Reds.
Can ya dig it: This is Concepcion's rookie card.
Right on: Those batting gloves from this period look positively prehistoric.
You see this Concepcion is a bad mother: This card is the model for one of the freakiest cards that I have ever seen. It was from the 2009 Upper Deck Goudey set, and I'm sure it's given some collectors nightmares.
Shut your mouth: Toward the end of his career, there was a lot of talk about Concepcion bouncing throws to first base in order to get a runner out. Announcers implied that the ball would pick up speed on the artificial turf on the way to first. That is impossible. What Concepcion was doing was saving time by not turning and setting his feet before he threw. He would only do this with particularly fast runners or on awkward throws.
No one understands him but his woman: Concepcion was Joe Morgan's double play partner for eight years. I wonder what that was like.
(A word about the back): The other rookie in the Reds' opening day lineup in 1970 was left fielder Bernie Carbo, who went on to finish second in National League Rookie of the Year voting.
Funny you should mention Joe Morgan. His 1979 card was posted today too.
ReplyDeleteOn the batting glove. I seem to remember reading somewhere that the first batting gloves were actually golf gloves. That's probably what he's wearing there.
ReplyDeleteIt almost looks like a work glove. For Dave's sake, I hope Morgan wasn't as irritating in his playing days.
ReplyDeleteI just saw the UD Goudey card for the first time. Yikes, how could they publish such an abomination?
ReplyDeleteMy first thought above his batting glove is that it looked like a gardener's glove.
I think Hawk Harrelson is credited (takes credit) for using a golf glove at the plate.
ReplyDelete