no. 538 - angel bravo

Who is the man: Angel Bravo had completed his first season with the Reds as a role-playing, pinch-hitting outfielder when this card was issued.

Can ya dig it: This is one of Bravo's two Topps cards. He was actually a member of the Padres by the time the card was issued. He was sent to San Diego in mid-May of 1971 for Al Ferrara.

Right on: Look at that choking up on his final card!

You see that cat Bravo is a bad mother: Bravo was an outfielder in a Wright State University German professor's all-religious team, compiled in the early 1990s. The team in its entirety: C Steve Christmas; 1B Luke Easter; 2B Johnny Temple; SS Jose Pagan; 3B Tim Teufel; OF Jesus Alou, Angel Bravo, Bob Christian; P Preacher Roe; RP Jim Gott; Manager Harry Lord

Shut your mouth: When Bravo was with the White Sox in 1969, he received criticism, along with some of the other young White Sox from veteran players who thought they were playing too deep. One unnamed White Sox player in a Sports Illustrated article said: "There seem to be a few people on this club who don't have any pride. Maybe they should send some of these young hotshots back to the minors and let them ride buses for a month."

No one understands him but his woman: This is a great story, also from Sports Illustrated. The story goes that Bravo left the Reds to play in Mexico. But he left no way for Reds traveling secretary Paul Campbell to contact him. Campbell was trying to get into Bravo's company-owned suitcase to which only Bravo knew the combination. Campbell kept the suitcase in his office and randomly tried to open the three-digit lock, attempting one of the 1,000 possible combinations. Then, one day, someone suggested Campbell try Bravo's best seasonal batting average. They looked it up and Bravo batted .342 in 1969 in the Pacific Coast League. Campbell tried 3-4-2 and the suitcase opened. And it was empty.

(A word about the back): This doesn't prove whether he was actually an outstanding base-runner, but Bravo stole two bases in his big-league career and was caught stealing twice. He did steal 60 bases in two separate seasons in Class A ball.