#740 Rico Carty

A narration of the back of the card could read like this…1970  batting champion (with .366 avg the best figure in either league since the 1950’s and the best figure in the NL for 50 years)….1971:  On disabled list and out for the season… One of two stars that sat on sidelines in 1971 the other being Bobby Tolan…AKA Beeg Boy…when healthy was one of most dangerous hitters in either league…problem was good health wasn’t that often…that coupled with poor fielding and personality clashes with teammates hampered his career…1972 Carty was trying to come back from his injuries from the year before which hurt production…Atlanta lost favor with him in during the season…It is chronicled in the February 1973 issue of Baseball Digest that paints a less than flattering picture of the man…Shipped to Texas to coincide with the onset of the designated hitter in 1973…Seemed like a match…Didn’t respond well and shipped about both leagues during season hitting .229 with 3 teams…Went to Mexican league and was re-discovered by Cleveland late in 1974 season…Career resurrected…hit over .300 for both Cleveland and the Braves over 4000 ABs and a decent stint with the fledling Blue Jays…Later in his career he hit more for power than average….not sure about his popularity however.