Random Topps Card of the Day: 1991 Topps Traded #3T Wally Backman

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Wednesday, October 2, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1991 Topps Traded #3T.
• Player Name, position, team: Wally Backman, third baseman-second baseman, Philadelphia Phillies.
• Major League Debut: September 2, 1980.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1990 stats (Pirates): 104 G, 315 AB, 62 R, 92 H, 21 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR, 28 RBI, 6 SB, .397 SLG, 42 BB, 53 SO, .292 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Mets #1st, June 1977. Signed with the Phillies as a Free Agent 01/10/1991. Bats: both. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 12. This is his eleventh Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "He belted 1st major league Home Run: 05/26/1982. His first inside-the-park Home Run: 07/31/1982."
• Commentary: By the time Walter Wayne Backman arrived in Philly, the glory days of the 1986 Mets were long over, but not Backman's ability to play the game. After a year with the Pirates, Backman moved across the state, signing with the Phillies to back up youngsters Mickey Morandini and Charlie Hayes. Backman held his own with the new team, hitting .243 with 15 rbi's and percentages (OBP/SLG/OPS) of .344/.308/.652. He would spend another year in Philly, playing in a limited role (42 games). He signed with the defending NL champion Braves, but released before Opening Day. He then signed with the Mariners, which is near his home state of Oregon. But after 10 games, and a .138 average, he was released by the M's. He subsequently retired as a player soon afterwards. Wally Backman was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 2002 and has found success as a minor league manager. His final card as a player was in the 1992 Topps set, but he has made cardboard appearances since then. His most recent appearance was an autograph exclusive subject in the 2012 Topps Archives set as one of the Fan-Favorites. He did not appear in the base set, so his autograph card was one I had to have for my collection.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.01-$0.05.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 16 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1994 Topps #660. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. We're looking back at a card from 1994 here on the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama