elias sosa final tributes

elias sosa got a final tribute from topps and fleer in 1984.  no donruss, unfortunately.  here is his 1984 topps card - front

and back, with complete career stats

here's his fleer card - front

 and back - also with complete career stats

including minor leagues, as fleer is wont to do.  sosa did pitch in the independent california league in 1987, but we won't let a brief return to the minors deter us from enjoying these final tributes.

sosa was the 11th member of the 1978 topps dodgers to retire (not counting tommy lasorda who will keep showing up on cardboard for awhile), and he went out a winner.  sort of.  the padres won the last game in which he pitched, although he did not figure in the decision.  he did single in his final big league at bat, however, which is probably almost as good as being an answer to a trivia question in a major motion picture featuring clint eastwood and justin timberlake.

here's to you elias sosa, even if you gave up one of reggie jackson's three home runs in game 6 of the 1977 world series.