Why this card is awesome: Because Show (for those who do not know, it rhymes with "how" not with "know") was born in Riverside, just about 100 miles from San Diego. Nice to think that he got to grow up and play for the team he probably rooted for as a kid. Sadly, the story of his life did not turn out so nicely.
Show is best-remembered as the player who gave up Pete Rose's record-breaking hit, when Rose passed Ty Cobb for most career hits in 1985. Later, in 1994, Show died while in rehab, trying to deal with his addiction.
I believe, but could be wrong, that Show is the first player from the 1988 Topps set to pass away, dying just 6 years after this set was issued.
Cool stat: Three guys (Frank Viola, Jack Morris, and Charlie Hough) pitched at least 200 innings in each of the 6 seasons from 1983 to 1988. Show is among a group of 11 others who did it in at least 5 of those years.
Deceased players and managers: 11
Crap, that's two deceased players back-to-back.
5 comments:
I think Bo Diaz was the first player from the 1988 set to pass away: Nov 23, 1990.
Clearly you're right.
There are a handful of tragic early deaths in the set - Donnie Moore infamously committed suicide in 1989.
Yeah..we'll come to Donnie Moore soon enough. We've already seen Tim Crews. Steve Olin doesn't have a card in this set, although he died in the same accident as Crews.
I didn't realize Show had died.
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