#79 Red Sox Rookie Stars,

Highly coveted card with HOF Fisk in addition to longtime star Ceil Cooper....

Mike Garman quietly appeared in 9 MLB seasons for a total of 303 games all but 8 in relief....6 starts took place during multiple call ups for the Red Sox....otherwise his Boston time was transitory walking away with a 2-2 record....better times lay ahead after being acquired by St. Louis....in two years relieved 130 games winning and losing 10 decisions....despite this solid work took routes to Cubs, Dodgers.  and Expos....shut out the opposition in 5 WS innings.... from Idaho....not exactly a baseball breeding ground. 

Carlton Fisk....“Pudge”, a more complimentary version of his early childhood nickname “Pudgy”..... now the term is a brand of honor for backstops.....New England’s pride and joy....born in Vermont, HS in New Hampshire, drafted and starred for Red Sox....HOF inductee second year on ballot....11 time all star....drafted  fourth in the 1967 draft....minor league development was decidedly uneven especially at upper levels....one asset hit well in a MLB call up 1971....Took the baseball world by storm 1972....best receiver Boston had as any long time fan could remember....most home runs (22) by a Red Sox backstop at the time....Led the American League in Triples with 9 (only time he led in an offensive category)....took home the Golden Glove (also only time in career) and most notably Rookie of the Year....once quoted in a self deprecating manner “I don’t know what I’m doing right”....more importantly Fisk never stopped doing right....sophomore effort was strong albeit BA dipped....Sorely missed a good chunk of 1974 as Red Sox continued to fall short in the AL east....while the injury bug continued into 1975, but when healthy hit .332 to catapult the Sox to the WS....his stay fair gesture in walk off home run in game 6 remains a baseball iconic moment.....Stays in Bean town up to the 1980 season....Hesitancy by the Red Sox during contract negotiations resulted in being a Free agent for 1981.... signs with the White Sox.....Once again a cog to transforms the team into a contender....While the south siders fortunes waned, Fisk weathers on with full time status thru 1991...once tagged out two Yankees on one play in 1985....relegated to DH and backup for 1992 and 1993.....Logged in 13 years in Chi town compared to 11 in Boston..... Has incredible legacy of leadership, hustle, work ethic..... Played 2226 games behind the plate, once the MLB record, now held by namesake Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez.  

Ceil Cooper   “Cooooop” to the Milwaukee faithful where his career fully blossomed...a case of good seasons with Red Sox but utilization was limited and did not start until 1974....1977 trade to Milwaukee was a steal for the Brew Crew....cost of the transaction were veterans George Scott and Bernie Carbo, both on the back sides of their years....initial year as a Brewer, hits .300......first of six consecutive seasons of reaching .300 or better....Improves over time using a batting stance similar to Rod Carew’s....Cooper displays more power....His .352 BA in 1980 would have taken the BA crown in most years but finished a distant second to George Brett’s .390.....Twice led the AL in RBIs....Gradually lost numbers over time but was able to make all star team for the 5^th time at age 35....other accolades include  two golden glove and three of the newly minted Sliver Slugger awards starting in its initial year of 1980 to 1982...departed playing in 1987 while still a platoon player.