Who is the man: J.C. Martin was in the midst of his second season with the Cubs when this card was issued. He spent his time with his final major league team backing up Randy Hundley behind the plate.
Can ya dig it: I appreciate this blog because I can figure out for the first time that "J.C." stands for "Joseph Clifton".
Right on: Martin is posing in his former home, Shea Stadium. He played for the Mets in 1968 and 1969.
You see that cat Martin is a bad mother: Martin put away Game 1 of the 1969 NLCS when he hit a three-run single in the top of the eighth inning to give the Mets a 9-5 lead over the Braves. New York entered the inning trailing 5-4.
Shut your mouth: After his career, Martin worked in the White Sox broadcasting booth with Harry Caray for one season. But he didn't get along with Caray and was done at season's end. "He didn't want to work with me. We didn't hit it off at all," Martin said.
No one understands him but his woman: Martin, while catching White Sox knuckleballers Eddie Fisher and Hoyt Wilhelm in 1965, set a modern record with 33 passed balls in a season. The record stood until 1987 when Geno Petralli broke it.
(A word about the back): It's the rare unkind word from the card back bio writer! You know you're in trouble when the word "dubious" appears on the back of your card.
I have read that kind of thing elsewhere about Harry Carey. He did not want to share the spotlight and he was underhanded in the way he went about hogging the spotlight.
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