FAVORITE BRAVES PLAYERS OF THE 1970'S
#85 (tie) TONY LARUSSA
ATLANTA BRAVES 1971
The future four time manager of the year seemed to live by the adage that those who can't do, should at least learn to teach.
Bumming around the majors between 1963 and 1973, Tony managed a career .199 average, 43 hits and zero home runs. I mostly remember him for the baseball card I had above. Interestingly, both his career Brave hits came off of Milt Wilcox and the Reds on September 30, 1971.
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CITO GASTON
ATLANTA BRAVES 1967, 1975-1978
Clarence "Cito" Gaston also is best known for being a manager, though he also had his moments as a player, including making the All-Star team with the Padres in 1970. He actually got his first major league hit with the Braves in 1967 off of Nelson Briles and the St. Louis Cardinals. He was traded to San Diego the following year before returning to the Braves in 1975, mostly as a reserve. One moment I do remember with Cito was during the Expos 19-0 massacre of the Braves on July 30, 1978. I was at that game and I remember Cito getting on first and the team down 19 runs. Someone from the stands shouted out, "Come on Cito, get in scoring position!" I believe the fan was using sarcasm, at least I hope so.
I had that LaRussa card and remember exactly where I was when I got it; a gas station on the outskirts of Cleveland in August 1972. Love the A's uniforms and Yankee stadium in the background but not that bad of Braves cap airbrush job.
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Thanks! And I also would have never recognized LaRussa from this card as the guy who went on to manage White Sox and A's if his name wasn't on the card.
ReplyDeleteReminds of once I had a 1963 card of a Cubs Outfielder named Dan Murphy...then I had a 1970 card of a White Sox Pitcher named Dan Murphy. It took me decades to realize it was the same guy!
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