Random Topps Card of the Day: 1983 Topps Traded #22T Terry Crowley

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Tuesday, October 8, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1983 Topps Traded #22T.
• Player Name, position, team: Terry Crowley, first baseman, Montréal Expos.
• Major League Debut: September 4, 1969.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1982 stats (Orioles): 65 G, 93 AB, 8 R, 22 H, 2 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 17 RBI, 0 SB, .355 SLG, 21 BB, 9 SO, .237 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Orioles #11th, June 1966. Signed with the Expos as a Free Agent 05/24/1983. Bats: left. Throws: left.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 15. This is his fourteenth Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "Terry delivered with 9th-inning, pinch-Grand Slammer to give Orioles 10-6 win over Royals, August 8, 1982."
• Commentary: After a three-year run with the Reds and the Braves in the mid 70's (which included a World Series title with the 1975 Reds), Terrence Michael Crowley returned to the Orioles, knowing full well that with a roster of All-Stars and future stars, that the chances of him being on the roster was not the best (he didn't make it onto the roster in 1977 as the team decided to take rookie Eddie Murray instead). Knowing that he didn't belong in the minors, Crowley tore through the International League (30 homers, 80 rbi's, and a .308 average) and after a September call-up to Baltimore, never had to play in the minors again. From 1978 through 1982, Crowley was the O's primary pinch-hitter, earning the respect from managers throughout the AL by being voted the best PH in 1979. But after the 1982 season, he was released by the O's, but the Orioles had a plan to name him a hitting instructor. He was considering the new job, thus ending his MLB career, but when the Expos called, he decided to take the job for at least one more run. In 50 games, 55 plate appearances, Crowley hit .182 with three rbi's and 2 runs scored. After the season ended, Crowley decided to retire from playing. After spending time as a hitting instructor or coach with the Orioles and Red Sox, Crowley was named the hitting coach of the 1991 Minnesota Twins, the team that went from "worst to first" and won the 1991 World Series. Eight seasons later, he returned to the O's, becoming their hitting coach through the 2011 season.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.08-$0.25.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 8 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 2008 Topps #366. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. We're looking back at a card from 2008 here on the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama