Who is the man: Skip Pitlock had just completed his first season in the major leagues in 1970. He started 15 games for the Giants and went 5-5 with a 4.66 ERA.
Can ya dig it: If Topps was trying to make Pitlock look like a dopey cartoon character, mission accomplished.
Right on: This is Pitlock's rookie card. He would appear on only one other Topps card, in 1975. He had grown a mustache by then.
You see this Pitlock is a bad mother: Pitlock was a left-handed sidearmer, whose motion was bad-ass enough for him to do well as a rookie. But he didn't return to the majors until 1974, so maybe hitters caught on to the gimmick.
Shut your mouth: Pitlock had 25 at-bats in his major league career. He struck out in 18 of them. But he did have one career home run.
No one understands him but his woman: Pitlock's major league debut came against the Cardinals. Bob Gibson was the other starter. Pitlock gave up four runs in the first three innings and the Giants lost 4-1.
(A word about the back): Semipro ball? Come on, Skip deserves better than that.
I lived in Southern Illinois in the early 80's and when I went to card shows there was always Skip Pitlock this card featured. Apparently, at the time, people still remember him as the local baseball hero.
ReplyDelete25 AB, 18 strikeouts and 1 home run? Rob Deer made a career out of numbers like that!
ReplyDeleteBy semipro, I assume they're referring to some kind of summer league or team for college players with professional aspirations -- Cape Cod league, Alaska Goldpanners, something along those lines.
ReplyDeleteThat's a free swingin' pitcher.
ReplyDeleteHis given name was "Lee" but it always looked like it was actually "Lu"...as in "Lu Clinton."
ReplyDelete