“I don’t accumulate playing cards,” I mentioned. Repeatedly.
The final new packs I ripped have been in 1993. In 1994 I acquired my first guitar and, nicely, priorities shifted.
The pandemic drew lots of people again into the interest, however not me. That mentioned, I loved seeing the playing cards you have been all posting on social media. Then earlier this yr, I lastly broke my “I don’t accumulate” rule by selecting one participant to chase: Julio Franco. One among my favourite gamers as a child, Franco is a contemporary model of the Outsider Baseball stars I’ve targeted a lot of my analysis on recently.
At SABR 52 in Minneapolis, I frolicked with you all as you ripped packs. Everybody gave me their Julio Franco playing cards (and John Franco playing cards, as a result of y’all are a intelligent bunch). I attended the Baseball Playing cards Committee Assembly. Man, all of it felt like dwelling.
Earlier than lengthy, I began shopping playing cards on eBay. Only a month in the past, I positioned a pair random bids and ended up with a 1968 Topps Billy Williams and a 1960 Minnie Miñoso. However, you recognize, I nonetheless solely collected Julio Franco.
Per week after that, I used to be shopping different 1960 Topps playing cards on eBay and located a vendor with a bunch of low cost playing cards of men I used to be inquisitive about, free transport, and a “purchase 5 get three free” deal. Earlier than I knew it, a pair dozen lovely playing cards have been headed my approach. This batch included gamers who performed within the main Negro Leagues and AL/NL (Jim Gilliam, Al Smith, Bob Boyd, and many others.), Latin American/Outsider Baseball stars (Vic Energy, Bobby Avila, Juan Pizarro, and many others.), and another guys I used to be inquisitive about (Billy Pierce, Invoice White, Vada Pinson, and many others.).
The floodgates are open. I accumulate now.
I changed scrolling social media with scrolling eBay. I put collectively a dashboard to trace the playing cards of the gamers I’m searching for. I’ve been posting the playing cards on social media (first Twitter, now Bluesky).
That was a protracted lead-up to the cardboard I wish to let you know about. One evening when scrolling eBay earlier than mattress, a card took my breath away. After zooming previous numerous Hank Sauers, Granny Hamners, and Jim Riveras, I noticed a 1954 Topps Ángel Scull (#204). “Wait a minute,” I believed. “I do know that title.”
One among my favourite books for baseball analysis is Cuban Baseball: A Statistical Historical past, 1878-1961 by Jorge S. Figueredo. I’ve use the ebook numerous instances to tug stats for the Outsider Baseball All-Star profiles I prefer to construct (for instance, Lázaro Salazar and Silvio García). Within the pages of that ebook, I noticed a photograph of Scull (pronounced “faculty”) noting his 1954-55 batting title. That season he batted .370 with a league-leading 12 stolen bases for Almendares. On the time I did a fast seek for Scull and located that he by no means performed within the Negro Leagues nor the AL/NL. Therefore my shock to see he had a Topps card.
Scull, a 5’6” outfielder weighing simply 162 kilos, was anticipated to make the Washington Senators roster in 1954. Within the course of, he would have built-in the group. He was coming off a 1953 season with Charleston of the American Affiliation the place he hit .286 with 29 stolen bases. Over the winter, he hit .321 for Almendares within the Cuban League, serving to them to the Caribbean Collection (the place he hit .391). Sadly, throughout spring coaching Scull supposedly was injured and subsequently didn’t break camp with the Senators. The damage couldn’t have been too extreme as a result of he caught on with the Havana Sugar Kings within the Worldwide League, batting .269 with 31 steals. Later in 1954, Carlos Paula broke the colour line for the Senators.
Scull would find yourself taking part in a whole decade at AAA (one season within the AA, 8 ½ within the IL, and half a season within the Pacific Coast League) with out getting one other probability within the main leagues. Every winter, he went again to his native Cuba and performed for Almendares. Now in his mid-30s and with the Cuban League shut down, he launched into a brand new profession in Mexico. He performed 5 ½ seasons for Poza Rica and a season and a half for Campeche within the Mexican Southeast League earlier than calling it a profession.
If there’s one factor I love to do with my Outsider Baseball All-Stars, it’s add up stats throughout many alternative international locations. Baseball Reference had all of Scull’s minor league stats and most of his stats from Mexico. By sifting via the pages of Figueredo’s ebook, I tallied his stats from Cuba. Added up, I already had 2,780 hits. From there, I set my deal with the Mexican seasons Baseball Reference didn’t have. One was a partial season within the Mexican Southeast League. I don’t know find out how to find stats for that one. However 1963 and 1964 have been additionally clean. I knew I had these stats in one other ebook—The Mexican League: Complete Participant Statistics 1937-2001 by Pedro Treto Cisneros. That is one other ebook I exploit on a regular basis in my Outsider Baseball analysis.
It seems these have been Scull’s greatest seasons in Mexico. I entered 1963 (132 hits, .343/.398/.527 slash line) and 1964 (174, .331/.405/.540) and re-ran my totals. I did it—3,086 hits.
I really like these hidden 3,000 hit males. After all, there may be Minnie Miñoso (4,460 hits) and the aforementioned Franco (4,410 hits). However there may be additionally:
- Héctor Rodríguez (3,847 hits). Performed within the Negro Leagues (1944 for the New York Cubans) and AL/NL (1954 with the White Sox). He even had a 1953 Bowman card, one in every of my most up-to-date (and favourite) additions. He had a protracted profession in his native Cuba, Mexico, and the organized minors.
- Carlos Bernier (3,563 hits). Performed for the Pirates in 1953, resulting in 1953 Topps and 1954 Bowman playing cards (I solely have the Bowman to this point). He’s a Corridor of Famer in his native Puerto Rico, the place he had a protracted profession. Additionally spent many seasons within the organized minors with transient stints in Mexico and the Dominican Republic.
- Luis Márquez (3,468 hits). He was an All-Star for the Homestead Grays and broke in with the Braves in 1951 and Cubs and Pirates in 1954. He additionally was a Corridor of Famer in Puerto Rico and had a protracted profession within the organized minors (with a short look within the Dominican Republic).
- Luis García (3,168 hits). Like Scull, this Venezuelan third baseman by no means appeared within the majors (Negro Leagues or AL/NL). However within the minors, in Mexico, and in a protracted profession in Venezuela (the place he’s a Corridor of Famer), he surpassed 3,000 hits.
Scull’s final numbers (lacking half of a season): 10,657 AB, 1625 R, 3086 H, 422 2B, 161 3B, 109 HR, 1067 RBI, 417 SB, .290 BA, .390 SLG.
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