1977 richie zisk

this is one of the better known o-pee-chee variations from the 1977 set.  without it, we wouldn't have much to remember zisk's days in chicago by.  that's because topps left him in his pirates uniform in 1977 and then hurried to show him as a ranger in 1978.  at any rate, we get a team variation, photo variation (both cropping and airbrushing), and the good ol' autograph placement variation (plus they shrunk his auto!) from o-pee-chee.  here is richie zisk's 1977 o-pee-chee card:

here's the topps front:

now the o-pee-chee back:

and the topps back:

the white sox acquired zisk after the 1976 season in the deal that sent goose gossage and terry forster to pittsburgh.  oh, how i wish forster and gossage were part of the 1977 o-pee-chee set.  like zisk, topps didn't acknowledge their one year on the move and airbrushed forster into a dodgers hat and gossage into yankee pinstripes for the 1978 set.  i don't know if there are any cards of forster or gossage in pirates uniforms.

back to zisk - the chisox moved him from left to right field and he responded with a career high 30 homers and 101 rbi.  ok, the two probably don't have anything to do with each other, but zisk did play well enough to earn a starting spot for the american league in the 1977 all-star game.  he made the start in left, and went 2 for 3 with 2 rbi and a double off of tom seaver.  of course, topps gypped him out of the all-star shield in 1978. zisk also homered in his first at bat with the white sox, and in doing so, became the first player to hit a home run against the blue jays.

voici à vous, 1977 richie zisk!

1981 richie zisk

richie zisk was traded from the rangers to the mariners in december of 1980 in the deal that sent rick honeycutt to texas. here's zisk's subsequent 1981 o-pee-chee card

here's the topps front:

now the o-pee-chee back:

and the topps back:

although the card still says 'outfield/voltiguer', richie left his glove in texas, as he became a full time designated hitter in seattle. even so, he was named the al comeback player of the year in 1981, posting a .311 average with 16 home runs in the strike-shortened season. strangely enough, i would contend that his 1980 season was a bigger 'comeback season'. anyway, zisk played for the mariners for 3 years before hanging it up. he has the distinction of singling in his first and last major league at bats. not a bad way to sandwich a career!

voici à vous, 1981 richie zisk!