1977 sparky lyle

here's another autograph placement variation from the 1977 o-pee-chee set.  the facsimile auto on sparky lyle's o-pee-chee card was rotated by the canadian folk such that it clashes with the pinstripes.  here is lyle's 1977 o-pee-chee card:

here's the topps front:

that's much nicer.

now the o-pee-chee back:

and the topps back:

lyle had a big year in 1977.  he wound up winning the american league cy young award with a 13-5 record and a 2.17 era.  he also saved 26 games and appeared in a league-leading 72 contests.  and, having appeared in those games, all as a reliever, lyle passed bob locker to claim the top spot as far as most career appearances for a pitcher without ever having started a game.  for his efforts, lyle got two cards in the 1978 topps set, as his record breaking achievement was deemed worthy of a record breaker card while the dodgers having four teammates each hit 30 home runs was not.  but i digress.

lyle was also dominant in the postseason in 1977.  he was 2-0 with a 0.96 era over 9.1 innings in four games of the alcs against the royals, and then posted a 1.93 era in two games against the dodgers in the world series, earning the win in game 1.

voici à vous, sparky lyle!

1979 sparky lyle

the yankees traded 1977 cy young award winner sparky lyle to the rangers after the 1978 season.  here is his 1979 o-pee-chee card:

here's the topps front:

now the o-pee-chee back:

and the topps back:

i believe it was graig nettles who said 'from cy young to sayonara' when lyle was traded.  the yankees had signed goose gossage for the 1978 season, so the lefty was deemed expendable.  with the rangers in 1979, lyle was the lefty specialist as jim kern was the team's primary closer.  lyle managed 13 saves and a 3.13 era that season, and he added 8 more saves in 1980 before he was traded to the phillies in september.  he was good down the stretch in philly, a 1.93 era in 10 games with 2 saves, but was not eligible for the postseason roster and so missed out on the phillies' world series win.

voici à vous, 1979 sparky lyle!