NOT REALLY MISSING IN ACTION- 1979 ROB BELLOIR

Up on the blog today we have a “not so missing” 1979 card for former Atlanta Braves infielder Rob Belloir, who played the last of his Major League games in 1978:

Belloir only appeared in two games during the 1978 season, going one-for-one at the plate with a double, in what I’m sure was not expected to be the last taste of his Big League action.
Originally up in 1975 with 43 games, he played parts of those four seasons between 1975 and 1978, hitting a combined .216 with 36 hits over 167 at-bats, all for Atlanta.
Those 43 games in 1975 would be the most appearances he’d see in his brief career, playing in 30 the following season then only six and two respectively in 1977 and 1978.
It is funny to me that he got a card in the 1978 set considering he played in only six games the previous season, but lord knows I stopped trying to figure out Topps selection process years ago.

MISSING IN ACTION- 1976 ROB BELLOIR: "1976 PROJECT"

The next player to profile for the on-going "1976 Project" is former Atlanta Braves player Rob Belloir.

Check out the card I came up with:

Belloir saw the most action in his short four-year career in 1975, playing in 43 games, good for 118 plate appearances while playing shortstop for Atlanta.

For the season, he posted a .219 batting average with 23 hits in 105 at-bats, along with 11 runs scored and nine runs batted in.

The following season he'd play in 30 games, hitting an even .200 while mixing it up on the defensive side between short and third base, before barely appearing in any games the next two seasons, playing in six and two games respectively in 1977 and 1978.

Oddly, Topps went ahead and gave him a card in the 1978 set, even with only his ONE at-bat for the previous season, which I profiled this past January.

In the end, Belloir played in 81 games, with a final average of .216 based on 36 hits in 167 official at-bats, before calling it a career.

RANDOM QUICKIE: 1978 ROB BELLOIR: WHY NOW?!

Here's a strange one to ponder: in 1978 Topps gave Braves infielder Rob Belloir, he of six games and ONE at-bat the previous year, a card in their set, yet they completely ignored him for their 1976 set after he posted 43 games and 105 at-bats in 1975?!

Take a look at his 1978 card:

Belloir had a short four-year career between 1975 and 1978, appearing in 81 total games with 167 at-bats and 36 hits, good for a .216 average.

As mentioned, even though he had some decent action in '75 he was left out of the (awesome) 1976 set (something my friend Jim and I have remedied in our "1976 Project"-keep an eye out in the near future).

Yet after appearing in a scant six games in 1977, Topps somehow managed to give him a slot in the '78 set.

No offense to Mr. Belloir here, but I sure wish they managed to give Brooks Robinson a "career-capper" card in it's place, or maybe even an Ozzie Smith rookie card.

Oh well, at least it made for an entry on my blog some 36 years later, no?