The basics: This is one of Sterling Hitchcock's rookie cards. He has several in 1993, which was his major league debut on cards. His '93 Score card features a very similar photo to this one.
Card thoughts: Hitchcock is unfurling -- is there any other way of describing his pitching motion? -- a pitch in old Yankee Stadium. Because of the darkness of the stands at the old stadium, photos on cards taken there seem like they were taken at night when it's actually a daytime shot. I think this might be a night shot though.
Backs are important in '93 UD: Well OK, bio writer, you don't have to compare every Yankee left-hander to Ron Guidry, but I guess you just did. Hitchcock and company did not resurrect the Yankees' pitching staff, that would be Andy Pettitte and a bunch of imports like Jimmy Key and David Cone later in the decade. But Hitchcock would return to the Yankees in time to throw for them in the 2001 postseason and he had a decent career in between with the Padres and Mariners.
More from '93: On this date in 1993, the brand-new Florida Marlins introduced Billy The Marlin as their mascot. The name "Billy" came from the description of a marlin as a kind of billfish.
I always thought Billy The Marlin was a nod to Billy Martin. Glad I never said that out loud.
ReplyDeleteAll 3 of his 1992 starts were night games, so it's safe to call this one a night card.
ReplyDeleteHitchcock didn't resurrect the Yankees, but the trade to Seattle helped a lot (Tino and Jeff Nelson)