here's the back:
that's a 2004 donruss timelines recollection collection 1986 buyback autograph numbered 23/45.
just look at those innings pitched and complete game stats on the back of the card. crazy by today's standards, and they explain why morris is the way he is on twins (and tigers and used to be on blue jays) broadcasts - critical of the handling of today's pitchers.
i enjoyed following morris' career, just as i had paul molitor's. we sort of grew up together, as i began following baseball with a passion in 1978, which was morris' first full season and the year of his rookie card. the 1979 season is when i really first took notice beyond his baseball cards, as he went 9-2 after the all-star break. two years later, in 1981, he started the midsummer classic for the american league, and then, in 1984, he was in the world series.
i was rooting for steve garvey and the padres that year, but morris and the tigers had different ideas. morris started, won, and completed game 1, and then did the same in the pivotal game 4. the tigers won the championship the next day. another game i recall watching morris pitch in was the next-to-last game of the 1987 season. the tigers and blue jays were tied atop the american league east, and i was again rooting against morris and the motor city kitties. and again, morris dashed my hopes as he pitched 9 innings and held toronto to 2 runs. of course, mike flanagan did the same for the blue jays, and the game went in to extra innings. flanagan actually pitched 11 innings that day, but the tigers got to the jays' bullpen in the 12th to win it.
of course, no post about jack morris is complete without mentioning game 7 of the 1991 world series. my college roommates and i were glued to the tv that night, hoping for a twins win (the braves were not yet a perennial postseason loser, but we did not want a national league west team other than the dodgers to win a title). morris had already beaten the braves in game 1, and then threw 10 shutout innings to set up gene larkin's walk-off, world series winning hit. i felt a little badly for old friend alejandro pena, but was thrilled for morris, kirby puckett, freed halo chili davis, and the rest of the twins.
i never saw morris pitch in person, but i have had the chance to say hello to him a couple of times here in the twin cities, and have been able to have short conversations with him each time. the last time, however, i simply said, "that was a helluva game". he smiled and said "thanks".
here's my hall of famer collection as its been documented so far:
babe ruth - 2003 topps tribute world series edition world series tribute relic 351/425
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honus wagner - 2001 topps tribute relic
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nap lajoie - 2002 topps tribute milestone materials relic
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tris speaker - 2011 topps tribute dual relic green parallel 53/75
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eddie collins - 2002 topps tribute milestone materials relic
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george sisler - 2004 topps tribute hall of fame tribute relic
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mel ott - 2011 topps tribute quad relic 15/99
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dizzy dean - 2001 topps tribute relic
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hank greenberg - 2004 topps tribute hall of fame tribute relic
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bob feller - 2001 topps archives certified autograph
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jackie robinson - 2004 topps clubhouse collection clubhouse relic
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ted williams - 1992 upper deck baseball heroes autograph 1067/2000
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roy campanella - 2001 topps tribute relic
stan musial - 2002 topps team topps legends autograph
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sandy koufax - 1998 donruss signatures significant signatures 1707/2000
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roberto clemente - 2005 donruss greats hall of fame souvenirs relic
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mickey mantle - 2000 upper deck legends legendary game jerseys relic
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ernie banks - 1999 upper deck century legends epic signatures
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al kaline - 2001 fleer greats of the game autograph
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duke snider - 2003 upper deck sp authentic chirography hall of famers 144/250
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bob gibson - 2001 fleer greats of the game autograph
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hank aaron - 2004 topps originals 1979 topps all-time record holders rbi 03/32
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frank robinson - 1995 upper deck autograph
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don drysdale - 1993 nabisco all-star autographs
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harmon killebrew - 2000 upper deck legends legendary signatures
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pee wee reese - 2001 topps tribute relic
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lou brock - 2018 topps archives signature series 1989 buyback 53/61
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jim hunter - 1998 donruss signature series significant signatures 0736/2000
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willie stargell - 2000 upper deck legends legendary signatures
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johnny bench - 2019 topps definitive collection legendary autograph 09/25
red schoendienst - 2012 panini cooperstown signatures 038/549
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red schoendienst - 2012 panini cooperstown signatures 038/549
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jim palmer - 2001 fleer greats of the game autograph
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rod carew - 2004 topps retired signature autograph
fergie jenkins - 2013 topps five star baseball autograph 154/333
gaylord perry - 2003 topps finest finest moments autograph
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fergie jenkins - 2013 topps five star baseball autograph 154/333
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gaylord perry - 2003 topps finest finest moments autograph
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rollie fingers - 2018 topps archives signature series 1978 topps buyback 1/3
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hal newhouser - 1993 front row premium all-time greats autograph
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tom seaver - 2013 topps five star baseball autograph 44/50
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reggie jackson - 2018 topps tier one tier one talent autograph 19/60
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reggie jackson - 2018 topps tier one tier one talent autograph 19/60
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steve carlton - 2018 topps five star career year autograph 43/45
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mike schmidt - 2002 topps archives autoproof 1980 topps buyback 048/147
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phil niekro - 2017 panini donruss recollection collection 1983 donruss buyback autograph 13/33
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don sutton - 2001 fleer greats of the game autograph
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robin yount - 2001 upper deck ultimate collection ultimate signatures 112/150
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carlton fisk - 1999 upper deck century legends epic signatures
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carlton fisk - 1999 upper deck century legends epic signatures
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dave winfield - 2003 upper deck sp authentic chirography hall of famers 121/350
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ozzie smith - 2019 topps finest finest origins autograph
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gary carter - 1999 fleer sports illustrated greats of the game autograph collection
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eddie murray - 2004 upper deck sp legendary cuts legendary sigs 45/50
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dennis eckersley - 2017 topps archives signature series 1984 topps buyback 47/99
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paul molitor - 2016 topps museum collection archival autographs 021/125
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wade boggs - 2005 upper deck baseball heroes autograph red parallel 30/49
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ryne sandberg - 2016 topps five star autographs gold parallel 17/50
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bruce sutter - 2003 topps all-time fan favorites certified autograph
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ryne sandberg - 2016 topps five star autographs gold parallel 17/50
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tony gwynn - 1997 donruss signature series millennium marks autograph 0702/1000
cal ripken jr - 2018 topps high tek portraitek autograph 32/75
goose gossage - 2003 topps finest finest moments autograph
jim rice - 2005 upper deck past time pennants past time signatures
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cal ripken jr - 2018 topps high tek portraitek autograph 32/75
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goose gossage - 2003 topps finest finest moments autograph
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andre dawson - 2000 fleer greats of the game autograph
bert blyleven - 2004 upper deck legends timeless teams autograph
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ron santo - 2004 topps retired signature autograph
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greg maddux - 2018 topps luminaries masters of the mound autograph 13/15
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pedro martinez - 2018 topps high tek portraitek autograph 09/60
ken griffey jr - 2003 upper deck game face autograph
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bert blyleven - 2004 upper deck legends timeless teams autograph
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greg maddux - 2018 topps luminaries masters of the mound autograph 13/15
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pedro martinez - 2018 topps high tek portraitek autograph 09/60
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ken griffey jr - 2003 upper deck game face autograph
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mike piazza - 2014 topps five star autograph 35/50
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tim raines - 2018 topps tribute tribute autograph green parallel 26/95
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jack morris - 2004 donruss timelines recollection collection 1986 buyback autograph 23/45
alan trammell - 2001 fleer greats of the game autograph
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roy halladay - 2017 topps archives signature series 2004 topps buyback 15/23
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pete rose* - 2018 panini flawless legendary signatures 15/25
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roger clemens* - 1995 upper deck autograph
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roy halladay - 2017 topps archives signature series 2004 topps buyback 15/23
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barry bonds* - 2001 bowman heritage autographs
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roger clemens* - 1995 upper deck autograph
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you can find the full list of hall of famers (and some not - yet) that i aim to include in this collection at my want list site.
Another great addition. Morris has a beautiful signature. And I was pulling for the Padres too back in 1984. It's one of the things that led me to rooting for Gwynn and the brown and gold.
ReplyDeleteGood looking card, and it really adds some variety to the collection.
ReplyDelete