no. 616 - larry hisle

Who is the man: Larry Hisle was coming off the dreaded sophomore slump when this card was issued. After a strong 1969 season in which he was one of the top rookies in baseball, he hit just .205 in 1970 and was reduced to a platoon role. (It would get worse as he would toil in the minors and change teams three times from 1971 to 1974).

Can ya dig it: For the second straight post, we have a very nice close-up shot of a tried-and-true baseball pose.

Right on: I discovered Hisle when he was battering balls for the Twins in the late '70s. I thought he was a young player just a couple years into the league at the time. I was surprised to learn later that he'd been in baseball since the '60s.

You see that cat Hisle is a bad mother: Hisle led the Brewers to what was then their best season in franchise history in 1978. He hit 34 home runs and finished third in the AL MVP voting, behind only Jim Rice and Ron Guidry, who each enjoyed phenomenal seasons.

Shut your mouth: Hisle was known as one of the nicest and most humble players of his era. He has been part of charitable efforts for children and families throughout his baseball career and afterward.

No one understands him but his woman: Hisle's baseball career was a tribute to his mother, who was a huge baseball fan (he is named after Larry Doby) and died at an early age.

(A word about the back): That head shot is the same photo that appears on the Phillies' team photo issue in 1971.