BucCollector's Pirates Autographs, 1970-1979

[BucCollector]

Bill Robinson. I've soured on the generic cut auto cards (see next post) but I like this Tristar because it shows the player, in a Pirate uniform no less, and it is standard sized. The 1977 Topps came from a SCM member.

 

[BucCollector]

Don Robinson. The 1979 Topps was TTM in 2020; not sure where I got the 1984.

 

[BucCollector]

Enrique Romo was an important contributor in the Pirates bullpen from 1978 to 1982. He failed to report to spring training in 1983 and was off the TTM radar until he began signing for pastpros a few years ago.

 

[BucCollector]

Jim Rooker had a long run as a Pirates broadcaster after his playing days, and I have a signed team issue postcard somewhere. The 1974 Topps was TTM in 2019.

 

[BucCollector]

Mike Ryan appeared in 15 games for the Pirates in 1974 and never had a Pirates card. This career capper custom was created by Gio of the blog whentoppshadballs and was signed TTM by Ryan in 2018.

 

[BucCollector]

Jim Sadowski pitched in four MLB games, all with the Pirates. He has only some minor league cards and Venezuelan winter league stickers. These customs came from a Facebook group and were signed TTM in 2020.

 

[BucCollector]

Harry Saferight was a September 1979 callup but never appeared in a game. I've read that he was in the on-deck circle three times but each time the batter ahead of him made the third out.

I've lost track of where I got this, likely in a trade.

 

[mrmopar]

As multi-player prospect cards often were, it's a real Who's Who of obscurity. Cool that each player was featured though, especially for projects like yours.

 

[BucCollector]

Charlie Sands passed away in August 2016, just before I started TTMing for this project. This is his only Pirates card, and it's a high number. And, he played only one game for the Pirates after this card came out. All this is to say that I wasn't sure I would ever see this card signed, much less find one for sale or trade. But I did, in a bin at my local card shop, in 2022, priced at $15.

 

[BucCollector]

Is this too much Manny Sanguillen? In fairness, I was a Sangy supercollector long before I started this project, so this is all attributable to that.

 

[BucCollector]

Sanguillen continued.

 

[BucCollector]

A little more.



The Topps custom and the ticket stub were IP at his barbeque stand in PNC Park.

 

[BucCollector]

I don't have what I would call a marquee Willie Stargell autograph. These work though. The Fleer was purchased 30+ years ago from a card shop in Pittsburgh.

 

[BucCollector]

The Rennie Stennett PC also predates this project. Not as much out there though.