Being April Fool’s Day, I toyed with the idea of maybe posting a Babe Ruth or Rogers Hornsby card for Terrible Card Tuesday but I figured you all have seen enough fake stuff on the web today. Brought to by Scott Veatch, today’s selection IS a Hall of Famer but he certainly didn’t earn it as a player. While Tony LaRussa’s 1970 card isn’t downright awful, it is less than mediocre.
Larussa was playing for the Oakland A’s from 1968-1971 and 1970 was the one year he got any semblance of playing time. He had 123 plate appearances, more than the rest of his career combined.
He went 21 for 106 for a .198 average. He collected four doubles and one triple.
| Split | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 Totals | 52 | 123 | 106 | 6 | 21 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 15 | 19 | .198 | .301 | .255 |
The eventual four-time Manager of the Year didn’t exactly wow the pitchers in Oakland. With a 2B-5 fielding rating, one power number and a 25-14, Dick Green’s replacement didn’t see much time and we can see why.
Ugly numbers: 2B-5, 25-14, 11-7
Interesting to note that LaRussa’s last game was in 1973 for the Cubs but he journeyed from team to team till the Cardinals finally released him in 1977.
La Russa not LaRussa
And a Hall-of-Famer, at that.
You’re right, Bill. There is a space. Baseball Reference got that wrong.