1980 Kellogg's Baseball Card Backs #19 - 21

 Back to the Kellogg's card backs.  I am enjoying checking out my old Topps cards and sorting cards since track is starting 10 weeks later than usual this year.

#21 - Ellis Valentine

Valentine had three good seasons in a row even though Kellogg's noted that he had a bit of a drop-off in his performance in 1979.  He is noted as having power, speed and a great throwing arm.  He won a Gold Glove in 1978.

Not on the card - the Expos had quite a team with Valentine, Dawson, Carter, Tony Perez and Larry Parrish.  They did win 95 games.

He was traded in early 1981.  Injuries, a hit-by-pitch to his face and other issues meant that he didn't play much after turning 28.

#20 - Nolan Ryan

Unlike Valentine, Ryan played 19 years after he turned 28.  He led the league in strikeouts for the seventh time in eight years.   Even with that, Ryan didn't get a Kellogg's card in 1976, 1977 and 1979.  

At the time, he is already fourth on the all-time strikeout list with 2,909.

Not on the card - that is barely over half of his career total Ks.

The Ryan Kellogg's cards from the 1980s are the only cheap ones.  

Notice the Astros logo on the back.  The card mentions that he signed with them. 

#19 - Ron Cey

Kellogg's noted that Cey was one of the most consistent player on the Dodgers and it showed with his sixth consecutive All-Star game selection.  

In 1977 he had 29 RBIs in April.  That's a great start.

I couldn't think of how the Cubs acquired him.  The Cubs gave up two players to the Dodgers who never really made it big.  I also didn't realize that the Cubs traded him to the A's for Luis Quinones, who is famous in my house because I caught his first career home run.