Random Topps Card of the Day: 1978 Topps #266 Bob Shirley

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Wednesday, November 28, 2012:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1978 Topps #266.
• Player Name, position, team: Bob Shirley, pitcher, San Diego Padres.
• Major League Debut: April 10, 1977.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1977 stats (Padres): 39 G, 214 IP, 12-18, 107 R, 88 ER, 146 SO, 100 BB, 3.70 ERA.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Padres, #1st, January 1976 (Special). Bats: right. Throws: left.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 13. This is his first Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "A non-roster invitee to Padres' 1977 Spring Training Camp, Bob surprised onlookers by making staff. He became workhorse of staff last season, topping club in Innings, Wins, and K's.  Helped pitch Univ. of Oklahoma to 3 Big Eight Conference Titles, 1973-75."
• Commentary: With a unique font used for the team name on the lower left corner of the cards, plus the floating baseball that stated the player's position, the 1978 Topps set was probably the simplest designed of the 70's in terms of elements used.  Based on the back of his Topps card, Bob Shirley performed so well in Arizona that when camp ended, he was added to the 25-man roster.  Shirley was used primarily as a starter that year, and he was an innings-eater to boot, leading the team in that department.  In 1978, he was cast as the team's spot-starter/set-up reliever.  In 20 starts, he had a 6-9 record.  As a reliver, he finished 10 games and earned saves in five of them.  For the year, he went 8-11, with an ERA of 3.69, struck out 102 batters in 166 innings of work.  He would spend two more seasons with the Padres before being traded to the Cardinals in a eleven-player deal.  After a year in St. Louis, he was traded to Cincinnati.  He spent six seasons with the Yankees soon afterwards.  During that time, he was involved in an altercation with Yankees star Don Mattingly, and the roughhousing landed "Donnie Baseball" onto the disabled list.  Released by the Bombers soon afterwards, Shirley signed on with the Royals.  But after three disastrous outings, he was soon released.  On many of the cards in the 1978 Topps set, there was a game that could be "Played by Two" called Play Ball, in which every card would include a play that could be used in a simulated game.  Drawing Bob Shirley's card would give you a single.
• Beckett value: $0.10-$0.25.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 13 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be 1987 Topps Traded #91T. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Hope you will be too.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama