Saturday, June 8, 2013

1987 Fleer Record Setters #14 - Bill Gullickson

Here's a fella very few have heard of: Bill Gullickson. Expos 1979-1985. Reds 1986-1987. Yankees, Astros, Tigers thereafter. Well apparently he had some sort of record in 1986 or 1987, depending on when this card was issued. Another Fleer card in 1987 says he was Pitcher of the Month in April 1986. Perhaps something special happened then. Since the info isn't on the front, let's check the back...


Nothing. Hmm. WHAT WAS THE RECORD, FLEER?!?!? Did he lead this club in ninth inning doubles in the month of August? (Bonus points if you understand that reference). Well let's do some research. Apparently, he set a rookie record for strikeouts in a game, 18 (since broken by Kerry Wood). That was in 1980, for the Expos. Ok. Searching, searching, searching. Pitcher of the Month isn't a record. Is this seriously a card honoring a record set 7 years prior, with no indication of what the record is? Good job, Fleer. Capital effort.

Just got back from a mini-show here in C-bus. Hopefully I'll get a wrap-up posted soon. Go Reds.

3 comments:

  1. I have always wondered that as well with these cards. I have a Rich Gedman card in my Red Sox collection from this. I am not sure he ever really did anything other than appearing in a couple of All Star games.

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    1. According to Wikipedia, your boy Gedman has the putout record for catchers in a game, with 20. This is due to the fact that a strikeout counts as a putout for the catcher, in the books. Gedman happened to be catching for Clemens' 20 strikeout game. he had 16 the next game for another record: most putouts in consecutive games. Pretty weak record, but a record nonetheless.

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