1978 ALL-STAR GAME 1979 HIGHLIGHT CARD

Up on the blog today, we go and celebrate the 1978 Major League All-Star game with a 1979 highlight card, something I always wished Topps did as a kid since the Midsummer Classic was a downright HOLIDAY for me back then:

 

 

The game, held at San Diego Stadium on July 11^th, saw the A.L. jump out to a quick 3-0 lead going into the bottom of the third inning, something they always seemed to do back then, before the N.L. answered back with three runs of their own.

It would remain 3-3 heading into the bottom of the eighth before the game’s eventual MVP, Los Angeles Dodgers star Steve Garvey, led off the inning with a triple of the New York Yankees’ Goose Gossage, setting up an inning that saw the A.L. fall apart, eventually giving up four runs before the dust settled, resulting in yet another N.L. win, 7-3.

Gossage was credited with the loss while Chicago Cubs reliever Bruce Sutter got the win, and Steve Garvey taking home his second All-Star game MVP, first taking home the award in 1974.

It was the seventh straight win for the National league in the All-Star game, and it was KILLING me as I was still waiting for my American League to win a game since I started watching the sport a few years earlier.

Little did I know I’d still have to wait until 1983 to see a win, thanks to Fred Lynn and his grand slam, which had me almost take down the chandelier hanging in my parent’s living room at that time.

1977 ALL-STAR GAME: 1978

Hello everyone.

On the blog today, we move on to the 1977 All-Star game, held at Yankee Stadium in New York, celebrated on a 1978 card:

 

Though the outcome was the "usual", with the National League collecting it's sixth straight Midsummer Classic win, 7-5, it was a thrilling affair, with the A.L. falling just short with their ninth-inning rally.

The N.L. burst out of the gates with four runs in the first innings, helped by home runs by Joe Morgan and Greg Luzinski off of starter Jim Palmer, who ended up giving up five runs over two innings.

Going into the sixth inning the N.L. held a 5-0 lead before the A.L. scored three unanswered runs over the next two innings off of Tom Seaver.

But in the eighth the N.L. came back with two more runs, setting the stage for a ninth inning that saw the A.L. collect two more runs off of Rich Gossage, thanks to a George Scott home run.

But sadly for the Junior Circuit that's all they'd manage, with Gossage shutting them down the rest of the way for that 7-5 win.

N.L. starter Don Sutton was named MVP thanks to his three innings of scoreless ball, walking only one and allowing one hit while striking out four.

Little did the A.L. know they would STILL have to wait another six years before winning an All-Star game, crushing a young ME every year, being an A.L. fan.

1976 ALL-STAR GAME CARD: 1977

On the blog today, we celebrate the 1976 baseball All-Star game with a “missing” 1977 card, featuring the two starters, San Diego Padre Randy Jones and Detroit Tigers Mark Fidrych:

 

 

It was “business as usual” for the National League, as they took their fifth straight All-Star win, beating the American League 7-1, powered by home runs by George Foster and Cesar Cedeno, at Veteran’s Stadium in Philadelphia.

It was an extra festive occasion because of all the Bicentennial celebrations in the “City of Brotherly Love”, with added excitement because of the Major League star of the moment, Mark Fidrych.

The A.L. could only muster five hits off of N.L. pitchers, two by Rusty Staub, singles by Ron LeFlore and Mickey Rivers, and a solo-homer by young Boston Red Sox stud Fred Lynn.

The N.L. jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, tacking on two more runs in the third and three more in the eighth, keeping the game well out of reach from the start.

I’ll always remember this game, as it was the first All-Star game I saw as I was quickly becoming a baseball “junkie” at the age of seven, mesmerized by Fidrych, while rooting for my “hometown” heroes of Thurman Munson, Catfish Hunter, Rivers and Chris Chambliss.

1975 ALL-STAR GAME- 1976 HIGHLIGHT CARD

On the blog today, we have my 1976 highlight card for the 1975 Major league All-Star game, held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin:

 

I used a fun image of the great Hank Aaron, who was the "hometown hero" in his first season back in Milwaukee after the Braves moved from there to Atlanta before the 1968 season.

Aaron was back in Milwaukee to close out his extraordinary career with two seasons in 1975 and 1976, and it seemed fitting the game would be held there for one of those years.

Of course, as the custom card I created states, it was "business as usual" with the National League coming out on top yet again, beating the American League 6-3, scoring the decisive three runs in the top of the ninth after a 3-3 tie heading into the final frame.

Catfish Hunter and Rich Gossage were the victims of the N.L.'s ninth-inning heroics, with Hunter opening up the inning, allowing a lead-off single to Reggie Smith and a double to Al Oliver, before "Goose" came in and promptly allowed a two-run single to Bill Madlock, followed by a sacrifice fly to Pete Rose, giving the N.L. the 6-3 lead.

In the bottom of the frame, San Diego Padre ace Randy Jones came in to close it up, sporting a 1-2-3 inning.

It was the N.L.'s fourth straight All-Star win, on their way to eleven in a row before losing in 1983, famous for the Fred Lynn grand slam off Atlee Hammaker.

1974 ALL-STAR GAME- 1975 HIGHLIGHT CARD

On the blog today, we move on to the 1974 Major League All-Star game celebrated on a 1975 card, in my on-going thread that should wrap up in a few weeks:

 

For the 1974 "Midsummer Classic", all eyes were on the Los Angeles Dodgers up and coming star first baseman Steve Garvey, who was a write-in vote to start the game, and did NOT disappoint the Three Rivers Stadium fans.

While the American League stars were held to two runs on four hits, Garvey himself went 2-for-4 at the plate with a run scored and an RBI, helping the N.L. to yet another victory, 7-2.

N.L. starter Andy Messersmith allowed two runs in his three innings, while the rest of the staff blanked the A.L. on two hits over the last six innings.

It was the third of what would eventually be eleven straight All-Star wins for the N.L., with the A.L. finally winning one in 1983.

1973 ALL-STAR GAME- 1974 HIGHLIGHT CARD

Today's blog post has us moving on to the 1973 Major League All-Star game with a highlight card for the 1974 set, something Topps (for some reason) never did:

 

Held in Kansas City, MO at Royals Stadium, the National League once again came out on top, with a commanding 7-1 win where they doubled the American League with hits, 10 to 5.

The N.L. actually trailed 1-0 going into the third inning after an Amos Otis RBI single in the bottom of the second.

However, they proceeded to score all seven runs unanswered, hitting three homers: Johnny Bench in the fourth, Bobby Bonds (pictured here on the card) in the fifth, and Willie Davis in the sixth accounting for five of the seven runs.

Bert Blyleven, Bill Singer and Nolan Ryan were the A.L. pitcher tagged for all the runs, while N.L. starter Rick Wise gave up the sole A.L. run, giving way to shutout ball from the rest of the N.L. staff.

The A.L. didn't know it yet, but they'd have to wait another TEN years before they would win their next All-Star game in 1983, and as an A.L. fan myself growing up in that period, it was frustrating to say the least!

1972 ALL-STAR GAME- 1973 HIGHLIGHT CARD

On the blog today, we celebrate the 1972 baseball All-Star game with a 1973 highlight card, giving a spotlight to the "Midsummer Classic" that Topps for some reason never gave attention to aside from All-Star player cards:

 

The game, which was held at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium on July 25th, was an extra-inning affair for the second time in three years, putting the National League back on the winning side after losing the 1971 game, their first loss since 1962.

The N.L. played late-inning heroics, tying the game in the bottom of the ninth before winning it the next inning on fundamental baseball, with the San Diego Padres slugger Nate Colbert leading off the inning with a walk, followed by a sacrifice bunt by Chris Speier of the San Francisco Giants.

With Colbert on second, the Cincinnati Reds Joe Morgan was on to face Baltimore Orioles pitcher Dave McNally, and "Little Joe" did not disappoint the Atlanta citizens on hand, rapping a single to drive home Colbert, giving ther N.L. the win, the first of what would be 11 in a row until the 1983 game.

Morgan would get the game's MVP nod, with the New York Mets' Tug McGraw getting the win in relief, while McNally took the loss.

Other notes from the game: Hank Aaron hit a two-run homer off Gaylord Perry in the sixth inning, while the Kansas City Royals' Cookie Rojas hit the only A.L. homer, a two-run job in the eighth.

Oakland A's star Reggie Jackson was the only player with more than one hit in the game, going 2-for-4 with a double.

 

1971 ALL-STAR- 1972 HIGHLIGHT CARD

Next up on the blog with my on-going All-Star game Highlight cards through the decade, the classic 1971 game, of course most remembered for the mammoth Reggie Jackson blast off of Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Dock Ellis, who started the game for the National league:

As we all remember, the American League entered the bottom of the third inning trailing the National League 3-0 after home runs by Johnny Bench and Hank Aaron.

After a lead-off single by Luis Aparicio to start the inning, Oakland’s young slugger was called upon to pinch hit for starter Vida Blue, and what followed was historic, as Jackson sent the pitch soaring into the light tower above the roof of Tiger Stadium, cutting the lead to 3-2.
By the time the inning was over, the A.L. took the lead 4-3 thanks to another two-run homer by yet another future Hall of Famer, Frank Robinson after a walk to Rod Carew.
When you look back at this All-Star game, it was about as loaded a game with superstars as ever, with Hall of Famer after Hall of Famer making up the roster. Just amazing.
Although Reggie Jackson already made his mark in the Majors by the time this home run happened, it was for many the first time they really noticed the young slugger on such a national stage.
I’ve always been in awe of the footage, with Jackson running the bases like a King among men, knowing of course what the future was bringing very shortly: three straight championships beginning in 1972 with the Oakland A’s, followed by two more while with the New York Yankees in 1977/1978, with the birth of the “Mr. October” moniker.
It’s as if the phrase “larger than life” was created for him as he marched towards a Hall of Fame career through the 1970’s and 1980’s, whether you loved him or hated him.
Me? I loved him as a kid growing up in Brooklyn at the time he brought his talents to the Bronx. I still do!

1970 ALL-STAR- 1971 HIGHLIGHT CARD

Moving on in my new thread celebrating the All-Star games held between 1969 and 1978, we have the now classic 1970 game, of course remembered for Pete Rose and his game-winning take-out of American League catcher Ray Fosse at the plate:

 

Played at the new Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, it was the first All-Star game played at night, and featured starters Jim Palmer going up against Tom Seaver.

The game was scoreless until the sixth inning, when the A.L. put up a run, then added a second run in the top of the seventh before the N.L. got on the board in the bottom of the inning.

In the top of the eighth, the A.L. answered back with two runs, giving them a commanding 4-1 lead and looking at their first All-Star win since 1962.

But in the bottom of the ninth against young Oakland A's pitcher Jim Hunter, the N.L. came back and scored three runs to tie it, helped by a Dick Dietz solo shot, setting up an extra-inning game that would give us an iconic moment in the game's history.

Scoreless to the 12th inning, the N.L. had Pete Rose single with two outs against California Angels' pitcher Clyde Wright, followed by another single by Los Angeles' Billy Grabarkewitz, sending Rose to second.

Up comes the Chicago Cubs' Jim Hickman, who lines a single to center field, sending Rose flying around third straight for the plate.

As we all know by now, the young Indians catcher Fosse was preparing to catch the throw in from centerfield, and just as he caught the throw, Rose comes and barrels into him, causing him to drop the ball, thus giving the N.L. their All-Star win.

Of course Rose has caught a lot of flack ever since then, some saying derailing Fosse's career just for an exhibition game. I tend to agree.

The Red Sox Carl Yastrzemski was actually named the game's MVP, only the second time a winner was chosen from the losing team, based on his four hits.

Clyde Wright took the loss while Claude Osteen got credited with the win.

ALL-STAR HIGHLIGHTS- 1970

Today on the blog I start a brief thread on a subject that quite frankly, I'm surprised took me so long to do, a highlight card for each All-Star game between 1969 and 1978, so I can create cards for all Topps sets between 1970 and 1979.

We begin with a 1970 "All-Star Highlights" celebrating the 1969 Midsummer Classic:

 

You can say that the game, which took place at RFK Stadium in Washington DC, was the "Willie McCovey Show", as the big man went 2-for-4 with two home runs and three runs batted in for the National League.

Two other N.L. starters also collected two hits apiece (Johnny Bench & Matty Alou), while Felix Milan of the Atlanta Braves went 1-for-4 with two RBIs, but "Stretch" was clearly the star of the show on this day, helping the Senior Circuit win 9-3, with Hall of Famer Steve Carlton picking up the win.

Hometown fan favorite Frank Howard did not disappoint, as he'd hit a homer in the second inning off of Carlton for the American League's first run of the game.

Blue Moon Odom of the Oakland A's got hit hard, allowing four earned runs and five hits in just a third of an inning, though starter Mel Stottlemyre of the New York Yankees took the loss, giving up the initial three runs (two earned) over the first two innings of the game.

Next up on the thread, the 1970 All-Star game and the unforgettable ending that of course made the front of the card...see you then!