1978 Kellogg's Card Backs - #04 - 06

I've been struggling with car issues all week.  I'm also trying to buy a new car but the events that have transpired could certainly work their way into a sit-com somehow.  I need this break so it's time to check out the next three card backs from the 1978 Kellogg's baseball card set.


06 - George Brett

George listed his hobbies as horses and surfing.  I imagine that was an issue with contract negotiations.

He already has a career average of .308.  And, of course, he already has injuries.  

Wow, he struck out  only 24 times in 564 at-bats.  

He is the younger brother of Ken who also got himself into a Kellogg's set.  

Back to the strikeouts.  Only 24 players since WWII have batted that many times in a season and struck out less than 25 times. Nellie Fox did this 12 times and no one else managed to do it more than three times.  It has only happened six times since Brett did this and two of those times it was Tony Gwynn.

05 - Al Cowens

Cowens was teammates with Brett for six seasons.  He preferred to keep his hobbies standard for MLB players - hunting and fishing.

He was a top candidate for AL MVP.  I didn't remember him having such amazing stats.  He played in all 162 games in 1977.  His 112 RBIs is a team record.  

He has been recognized as having great range in the outfield to go along with a strong arm.

Not on the card - he was a Gold Glove winner in 1977.   Dwight Evans, Fred Lynn and Dwayne Murphy kept him from winning another Gold Glove Award.  

Not on the card - he was second to Rod Carew (100 RBIs and .388 average) in the MVP voting.  He never got MVP votes in any of year.   Cowens never exceeded 78 RBIs or an average of .295 in his 13 seasons. 

04 - Ken Griffey

Griffey listed his hobby as drawing cartoons.  I wonder if that is still a hobby of his.  

Like Brett, Ken's first name is also George.  Also like Brett, Griffey hit over .300 for the last three seasons.  He narrowly missed the 1976 batting title when Bill Madlock went 4-for-4 on the last day of the season.

Not on the card - he just Ken Griffey from my childhood, not Ken Griffey, Sr.  He had a career .296 average, 2,143 hits and 200 stolen bases in his career.  

Not on the card - he bested Junior in steals and career average, but Ken Griffey never led the league in any batting category like his son did (HR, RBIs, Runs and a few others).