Random Topps Card of the Day: 1985 Topps #289 Tom Underwood

We reset the Topps Card Randomizer to come up with seven new cards to present for this week. Introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Monday, August 16, 2010:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1985 Topps #289.
• Player Name, position, team: Tom Underwood, pitcher, Baltimore Orioles.
• Major League Debut: August 19, 1974.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1984 stats (Orioles): 37 G, 71.2 IP, 1-0, 33 R, 28 ER, 39 SO, 31 BB, 1 GS, 0 CG, 0 SHO, 1 SV, 3.52 ERA.
• Any special information about players: Drafted by the Phillies #2nd, June 1972. Signed with the Orioles as a Free Agent 02/06/1984. Bats: right, Throws: left.
• Any special information about this specific card: Underwood's twelfth and final Topps card (total includes regular and traded cards only). It seems that long careers and long biographies on the back of the 1985 Topps cards really don't mix. Why? Because, in the case of Mr. Underwood's card here, the text for the statistics box was so small that it was very hard to read the numbers. It doesn't help that the color scheme here was green, with a grey stat box, and is that red, or pink, for the text. Maybe it's the lighting in the house, I'm not sure. As 1984 was the final year of Tom Underwood's MLB career, the statistics on the back are complete. Now if they were only easy to read. Primarily a starter, he played for the Phillies, Cardinals, Blue Jays, Yankees, A's (not Athletics apparently), and finally the Orioles. As a relief pitcher, his 1984 numbers aren't too shabby. He finished his career with a record of 86-87, 948 strikeouts, and an ERA of 3.89. He was also named to the 1975 Topps All-Star Rookie Team. The bio on the back mentions that both his father and brother played professional ball. Father John Underwood played in the Phillies' organization. Brother Pat pitched for the Tigers from 1979 to 1983. In fact, Pat made his MLB debut facing brother Tom, who was pitching for the Blue Jays, on 05/31/1979. Pat won the game 1-0.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.05-$0.15.
• How many cards of each player do I own?: 12 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1993 Topps #695. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. See you then.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama