That Guy Was a Red? - Autograph Edition

In the annals of "Dudes you didn't know were a Red", nothing comes even CLOSE to Christy Mathewson. Pitched ~4800 innings and piled up 373 wins for the Giants over 17 seasons, then, as the Reds "player"-manager in 1916, he came out of de facto retirement for one game to pitch against rival Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown, who was also retiring. Both went the distance. Reds won 10-8. 

 

Autos I also don't have are Reds minor league legends Trevor Hoffman and Randy "Macho Man" Savage (né Poffo) as well as American icon Jim Thorpe. 

 

No card of Mathewson as a Red existed until a 1980 Exhibits release, so a Reds auto is highly unlikely. Similar for Thorpe in '81. Hoffman has a few minor league Reds releases and a '92 Bowman. That'll run ya a hundred bucks. The Macho Man? Never blessed with baseball cardboard. His signed wrestling cards go for four figures. Feel free to send me one.

 

Here's what I do have.

 

 

Jeff Conine. 17-year career. Marlins Hall of Fame. 80 games for the Reds in '02. 

 

 

Ron Gant. 30-30 man for the Braves. 16 year career. 119 games for the Reds in '95. He was an All-Star that year, so maybe people are aware.

 

  

Kent Tekulve. Teke! A Cincy native. Finished his 16-year career with 52 innings for the Reds in '89. 

 

 

Terry Francona. This would've hit harder a few years ago. Our current skipper played 102 games for the Reds in '87.

 

Roger Craig. Legendary Giants manager. Lost the 1989 Earthquake Series to the A's. Pitched 64 innings for the Reds in '65.

Kevin Mitchell. This is the only entry in which the player was with the Reds for multiple seasons. Doesn't really fit, I just want to show off a Kevin Mitchell auto.

 

Jeff Montgomery. 12 years as a Royals All Star closer. But he began his career with 19 innings for the Reds in '87.

 

Terry Pendleton. 15-year career. 1991 NL MVP (f outta here, Barry Bonds). Played 50 games for Cincy in '97.

 

  

Yasmani Grandal. Bounced around the Bigs for a dozen years, making multiple All Star games, but began as a minor leaguer for the Reds. We traded him and others for Mat Latos.

 

Ruben Sierra. Twenty(!) years in the majors. 80's and 90's baseball royalty. Played for 9 teams, including 96 games for the Reds in '97.

 

Honorable mentions that I also do not have: Lee Smith, Leo Durocher, Al Simmons, Mordecai Brown, Rogers Hornsby (manager only). 

Go Redlegs.