Tuesday, November 3, 2015

no. 469 - bob aspromonte


Who is the man: Bob Aspromonte played in just 62 games for the Braves in 1970, batting .213. After the season he was traded to the Mets for pitcher Ron Herbel.

Can ya dig it: Aspromonte appears to be trying very hard to see the blacked-out logo on his helmet. I'm assuming it's a blacked-out Braves logo, as Aspromonte is wearing a Braves helmet on his previous two Topps cards.

Right on: It is totally cool that Aspromonte spent most of his career with the Astros, and I know everyone agrees because he became known as "Aspro the Astro."

You see that cat Aspromonte is a bad mother: Aspromonte supplied the first hit and the first run in the history of the Houston franchise in 1962, when they were known as the Colt .45s.

Shut your mouth: Aspromonte is part of a famous story about a young boy who was blinded by a lightning strike during a Little League game. Aspromonte was the boy's favorite player and Aspromonte visited the boy in the hospital. The boy asked Aspromonte, who was not a home run hitter, to hit a home run for him. Aspromonte hit a home run that night. A year later, the boy returned to Houston for a second round of eye surgeries. Aspromonte visited him and the boy asked his favorite player to hit another home run. The boy was there at the game to see that home run. Six weeks later, the boy came back again for a third and final set of surgeries and asked again for an Aspromonte home run. Wouldn't you know, Aspromonte hit a home run that game, too -- a grand slam.

No one understands him but his woman: Aspromonte was the last Brooklyn Dodger to retire. He managed one at-bat for Brooklyn in 1956.


(A word about the back): Aspromonte's pinch-hit home run in 1969 came on the last day of the regular season. He was pinch-hitting for the pitcher Mike McQueen in the third inning, even though McQueen had given up just one run.

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