stick 'em to me

after hosting the 1983 fleer star sticker group break, i was motivated to pick up some more stickers for my collection.  for the longest time, i ignored stickers - seeing them as less important or even not something worthy of being in my collection.  i have since come to recognize that some sticker releases have merit, especially those with different and sometimes better photos than the card releases.  here's a 1982 topps steve garvey sticker

that includes dodger stadium world series action.  topps did not acknowledge the 1981 world series in their 1982 flagship release.  of course, topps also had boring photos in their sticker sets, like this garvey from their 1983 release

which uses a photo from 1981, and this davey lopes sticker

fleer's 1984 stickers set included some nice images, like the one on ken landreaux's sticker

featuring an on deck dodger stadium pose.  fleer went on the road for tom lasorda's photo

as well as steve sax's

but stayed in chavez ravine to capture fernando's eyes to the sky windup

pedro guerrero got two stickers in the 1984 fleer set

i wonder what the story is behind the little prison window in the dugout.

here's fernando's 1985 fleer star sticker

i think fernando was the only dodger who had that type of pullover.  he is featured on a number of cards wearing it, and i don't recall seeing any other dodgers in similar gear on cards.  or stickers.

here's former dodger lee lacy on his 1985 fleer star sticker

i don't know why some years they were 'star stickers' and some years just 'stickers'.  they varied the sticker size, too.  in 1986, fleer went back to full sized stickers.  they stayed that way for the 1987 star sticker release, too.

here are sax

fernando

and reggie williams

from that set, along with former dodger charlie hough

hough is best remembered by most as a ranger, i suppose.  still, i held out a little hope that his sp in this year's archives release would show him in a dodger uniform.  i was also expecting a dodger uniform when i ordered the rick honeycutt 1984 fleer sticker.  instead, i got another ranger

i figured i had a 50/50 shot at being right.  honey has since been sent off to texas where he belongs.

ok, enough with the stickers.  back to cards tomorrow.

cards with pictures on the front from stats on the back

i just discovered a group of scans from some trades completed quite a while back.  just when i thought i was getting caught up.  anyway, expect a smattering of trade posts as we head towards opening day.  today, i apologize for my tardiness in showing off some of the bounty i received from stats on the back.  they've been waiting patiently in digital purgatory, so let's get to it.

1909-1911 t206 dover reprint nap rucker

now, depending on which year this card came out, rucker could be representing either the brooklyn superbas (1909-1910) or the brooklyn dodgers (1911).  he also stuck around in brooklyn long enough to pitch for the robins.  let's go with the superbas.  after all, he did throw a no-hitter for them in 1908.  on the other hand, he appeared in the 1916 world series for the robins.  he is the brooklyn franchise all time leader in shutouts (38) and strikeouts in a 9 inning game (16).  he wound up with an even win-loss record for his career with 134 in each category.

1981 rick sutcliffe

i wonder who sut is cheering for on dwts...not that i watch that or anything.  did you know that the 1979 nl roy made his ml debut in 1976?  he pitched in one game that year, going 5 innings, allowing just 2 hits and no runs for a no-decision.

1985 fleer star sticker ron cey

the penguin stands alone, two empty folding chairs behind him, vacated like the hearts of those who always considered him to be a dodger only to see him get traded to the cubs.

1985 german rivera

rivera was the dodgers' opening day third baseman in 1984.  he had a good september in 1983, and an ok 1984 season, but was sent back to the minors to start the 1985 season before being traded to the astros for enos cabell later that year.  i remember my local card shop charging a whole quarter for this card when it came out just because it was a dodger rookie.  that's what winning all those roys will do for you, i guess.

1991 fleer ultra alfredo griffin

what an awkward swing.  ironically, griffin's worst year offensively for the dodgers was 1988 (he hit .199), the year they won the world series.

1991 leaf studio bert blyleven

having been in orange county during his stint with the angels, and now being in minny where he is the cable color guy on twins broadcasts, i have really grown to like bert.  he's worked his way into my top 10 favorite retired players that were not at one time my favorite dodgers or non-dodgers.  i'll have to do a post.

1998 upper deck hideo nomo history in the making insert

i think this is all about the game where nomo and shigetoshi hasegawa pitched against each other in the same game.  pretty sure i was there, although it occurred at dodger stadium so nomo should be in the home whites.  whatever, upper deck.

thanks mark! sorry it took so long to post.