Wednesday, January 3, 2018

no. 739 - barry lersch


Who is the man: Barry Lersch completed his first full season in the majors in 1970, appearing in 42 games, most of them in relief.

Can ya dig it: Lersch's photo session appears to have some spectators.

Right on: This is Lersch's first solo card. He shares a rookie stars card in the 1969 Topps set with Larry Hisle.

You see that cat Lersch is a bad mother: Lersch was a talented all-around athlete. Aside from possessing a major league fastball, he was also a champion diver in the Colorado area and a standout golfer.

Shut your mouth: Lersch is listed as being with the Atlanta Braves on a 1974 Topps Traded card, but he never played in the majors for the Braves. After a December 1973 trade, he pitched for Atlanta's Triple A team in Richmond before being acquired by the Cardinals in September of 1974.

No one understands him but his woman: Lersch died from a heart attack in 2009. In the guest book for his obituary, a doctor left a remembrance about working as a vendor in Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia in 1971 while going to medical school. He sat in a seat to rest and struck up a conversation with Lersch's wife, mentioning that he would be traveling to Los Angeles to attend the wedding of two medical student classmates. Lersch's wife mentioned that the Phillies would be in L.A. at the same time to play the Dodgers and asked for the student's name so Barry could leave tickets for the student and his friends in L.A. The student did find tickets at will call at Dodger Stadium.


(A word about the back): Lersch's bid for the Olympics kept him from pitching for the Phillies in 1964. He started his pro career the following year.

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