this time, i niedenmor - not fuer

i love tom niedenfuer's name.  more than once i am sure i have recounted the fantastic letter to the editor of the la times that ran sometime after the 1985 nlcs in which the author suggested that 'there is a certain pitcher we niedenfuer games'.  awesome.

truth be told however, niedenfuer was a pretty good reliever for the dodgers in the early 1980's.  in fact, prior to the 1985 nlcs, niedenfuer had not allowed an earned run in 6 postseason innings, spanning from the 1981 nlds through the 1983 nlcs.  his 1983 season was outstanding, as he won 8 games, saved 11 and posted an era of 1.90 which was complemented by his whip of 0.887.  

he's also a good through the mail signer, and i have had a few successes with him over the last three years.  unfortunately, i erred and sent him what apparently was my lone copy of his 1984 fleer card.  he signed it of course, but now i am left with a gap in my collection.

i've added it to my nefarious 9 over there on the right.  can't you help a blogger out?

while i wait for the answer to this non-rhetorical question, here are some other cards mr. niedenfuer returned to me - his 1982 fleer

1984 topps

1985 topps

1986 donruss

1986 fleer

with a dodger stadium photo that fleer re-used in 1987

1986 topps

and a similarly posed 1987 topps

and finally, his 1987 donruss

niedenfuer was traded early in the 1987 season to the orioles for brad havens and john shelby.  he actually saved 18 games (a full third of the orioles' victories) for baltimore during their abyssmal 1988 season.  eventually, niedenfuer ended up in saint louis of all places to finish out his career.

thanks tom - and please let me know if you have an extra 1984 fleer card for me.  you will be rewarded!