Back in the Day

Like I mention previously I deemed the A's my favorite team back when I was a kid, mainly because Florida had yet to get a team. It was really cool checking the paper everyday with a purpose, instead of just reading all the box scores with the attitude of I wonder who did well today. It seemed like everyday McGwire had another homer and to see how the A's did, really made being a baseball fan a lot more fun. The A's had a nice mix of veterans and up and coming young players. So in the off-season between 87 and 88 I decided that I was going to get a rookie card of all the players of my favorite team. I do believe this activity took over a year and ran into 1989.

Lets start in the infield

First Base

I had the standard 87 Topps card but wanted showed off something a little different.

Second Base

Hubbard wasn't a favorite of mine I preferred Mike Gallego and Tony Phillips, but I enjoyed getting the older cards since I had so few.

Third Base

Carney was a favorite of mine, he had his distinct stance and was a great hitter.

Did you know Lansford was the highest paid Athletic in 1988 at 1.3million dollars?

Shortstop

Walt made three million dollars his last season playing in 2000 and made just over 19 million dollars in his career. That is freaking amazing considering he only hit 25 homers his whole career and batted .260.
*facts courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com

Super Utility Man

Moving to the outfield

Leftfield

I know Rickey didn't come over till 89 but I don't have a memory of anyone else at this position.

"If my uniform doesn't get dirty, I haven't done anything in the baseball game." - Rickey Henderson

Centerfield

Hendu had a great 88 .304 24 HRs and 94 RBIs, random fact Hendu was a 1st round pick in 1977.

Rightfield

Catching

The things you learn doing something like this, is amazing, at age 34 Terry hit 35 homers and had his only 100 RBI season. Before that 1987 was his best year with 16 homers .284 and 56 RBIs at the age of 25. I wonder if he experiment with anything that year? His highest salary was 4.2 million in 95 and 96 and he made 25 mill over his career.
*more facts courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com

On to the Pitchers

My favorite card I acquired was Eck's rookie card, it introduced me to the 1976 card design. One that I like very much, even to this day and it is just a great card over all. With him going into the wind up, even though I'm sure it is a pose, it is unique enough that I don't care. The card is a little off center, but I got it for like two dollars and it wasn't like the internet was available back then to shop around.

Then the rotation

The thing I remember most about Stewart was how intimidating he was. He had the I'm going to kill you face. Stewart started a streak of four 20 win seasons in 87 but did you know he had 14 complete games in 88. Dave had a career high 22 wins in 1990 but was out done by Welch who had 27 wins and earned the Cy Young Award that year.

Unfortunately, I never got a 1980 Rickey Henderson, so that is a 2010 CMT, and the players that cards are MIA are Mike Gallego, Luis Polonia, Storm Davis, and Rick Honeycutt, I know I have them, just not sure where they are.

* All facts and quotes not specified are courtesy of Baseball Almanac, they have a page dedicated to the 88 A's - very cool

My First Vintage Card

When I first started collecting, way back in forth grade, I didn't really have a clue about baseball, baseball cards or anything really. Lucky for me, some friends that I shared the same class with, were really into baseball. They taught me all about card collecting and baseball, usually during lunch time. I never played little league because I was to busy playing soccer, so while they played baseball in leagues I waited till summertime. It was the only time I played baseball, if you can call it that because we never had nine on either side. So we often played pickle, and the best way to play pickle was on a slip 'n slide. It was a blast, definitely one of my favorite childhood memories. As for collecting, they all loved the Braves and Dale Murphy, I for some reason gravitated to Pete Rose and Reggie Jackson. I think it was because they were established players that were already great and they both had great nicknames. Charlie Hustle was a player that played hard, was a great hitter, and who had won a few championships. Mr. October was the guy who swang for the fences every at bat, had some attitude, and also won a lot. I was young what did I know. Although I had a few cards of each from opening packs in the mid-eighties, the first vintage card I got came from the card store in the mall and was this beauty.

I still remember looking in the glass case and picking it out between a few other 70s cards of Reggie. I loved it so much I eventually saved up for this. One of the other cards in the case.

Because there were no MLB teams in Florida at the time, I do believe these two cards are what lead me to being a fan of the Athletics, along with the Bash Brothers coming along. Still to this day I like their name, the Athletics or A's, its unique and quintessential to a sports team, the elephant logo on the sleeve was a design I liked, and I love their colors. The bold colors of green and yellow are a welcome contrast to all other teams.