Random Topps Card of the Day: 1976 Topps #655 Mike Vail

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Tuesday, September 14, 2010:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1976 Topps #655.
• Player Name, position, team: Mike Vail, outfielder, New York Mets.
• Major League Debut: August 18, 1975.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1975 stats (Mets): 38 G, 162 AB, 17 R, 49 H, 8 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 17 RBI, .302 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Cardinals #4th, June 1971 (Special). Traded by the Cardinals to the Mets 12/11/1974. Bats: right, Throws: right.
• Any special information about this specific card: Looking at the scoreboards at stadiums now, it's hard to believe that the one behind Vail in this card was considered high tech in the 1970's. And that's a big one too. The colors used for the 1976 Topps cards almost makes sense. The blue fits perfectly, and while it should have been orange, the shade of yellow does seem to fit for the Mets. The back of Vail's card, with it's dark green background and brown text, is a bit hard to read. The blurb on the back mentions that Mike tied a rookie record for hitting safely in 23 straight games, a record. He did lead the International League in batting average in 1975 (a high .342). Vail and his hitting gave the Mets good reason to trade Rusty Staub to the Tigers. But Vail would injure himself in the offseason, and his hitting did not return. He would go on to have the journeyman's career, travelling from the Mets to the Indians, Cubs, Reds, Giants, Expos and Dodgers.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.15-$0.40.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 12 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 2004 Topps #559. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. We're looking back at a card from 2004 here on the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama