In my continuing effort to keep the 1975 Topps set alive, I've been posting on Twitter the '75 Topps cards that correspond with a player's birthday.
I started this last month and if a player who is in the '75 set has had a birthday since June, I've posted it. Sometimes it's three or four cards, sometimes it's just one, but that gives me an opportunity to show off the mini card as well.
Sometimes it's no cards and so no '75 post that day. 😞 The last couple of days it's been two days in a row with no '75 birthdays, which is super sad, not just because that's two days without a '75 card appearance but also because today is my birthday and there's no '75 guy born today.
I'm well aware of the dearth of baseball players born on this day. That's why I've mentioned Shoeless Joe Jackson, Terry Pendleton and Norm Sherry repeatedly. Heck, even Lee Elia, Eddie Fisher and Larry Jansen.
But all those guys were a long time ago. Not since William Van Landingham in the late '90s has there been a notable player born the same day as me. All I've had to settle for recently is:
Last MLB game was in 2017.
Has played 10 games for the Cubs this year. Batting .138.
There's also some guy named Phillip Diehl, who has been battered around a couple of games pitching for the Reds. And there have been a few players between 1996 and now but I don't even have cards of them.
Heck, even expanding outside of baseball, old standby Duncan Keith just retired last week. Football is a little better with Jordan Matthews, Brian Winters and Kevin Huber, but I don't collect football much (don't even ask about basketball).
So when my birthday rolls around, I find another birthday-related topic to post about here rather than who shares the best day for birthdays ever.
However, recently I was made aware of another baseball player, with some potential staying power, who also has a birthday today.
Jarred Kelenic was born today!
And I also have a card of him!
Kelenic has been such a prominent prospect over the last 3 or 4 years that even I have been aware of him, and you know how difficult it is for me to pay attention to Mariners all the way over here.
Apparently, though, I haven't paid enough attention.
My enthusiasm dropped when I looked him up for this birthday post. He was sent down to the minors ... two months ago ... and he hasn't been called up.
Uh oh.
Is there a birthday jinx?
No, I refuse to believe that. Kelenic will be back. HE WILL BE BACK. AND HE WILL RULE MLB FOR 100 YEARS!!!
Or I'll settle for 10.
I'm just glad I have a card of a player born the same day as me that says "Future Star."
That's all I have for you today. There's ice cream to eat.
Comments
The Mets in recent years called up two minor league pitchers who share my birthday. Corey Oswalt was DFA'd before last season and is currently in the Rockies system, but David Peterson is going strong and will start for them tomorrow. Other notables with my birthday are Eddie Stanky, Luis Gonzalez, and Carter Keiboom. Not a lot of general big names with my birthday, but not too bad for the baseball.
I actually share a birthday with former outfielder (and famous finger-gun and cowboy hat wearing card subject) Michael Tucker. My sister shares her birthday with Nomar Garciaparra.
I also have Doug Gilmour, Aaron Sele, Carlos Delgado, Aramis Ramirez to share birthday cake and ice cream with (although my preference is a Dairy Queen frozen cake-the best of both worlds!)
Never thought to look this up. Daniel Bard made his debut in 2009 and is the last player of any significance that shares my birthday. Only two in the last 13 years since.
Nothing better than Joe Kuhel and Don Demeter for a long time, than an explosion in the 90s with Mike Stanley, Aaron Sele, Carlos Delgado and Aramis Ramirez.
And . . . now I look up and notice I have the same birthday as Bryan Was Here! Sorry, I don't know you Bryan, but hi birthday buddy!
(And as a Yankee fan, this year was not the best birthday, Yankees got no-hit that day.)
I don't have many athletes who share my birthday, Lindsey Vonn shares to the exact year though. I also have Chuck Berry as a birthday sharer so that's cool.
Let's see. bbref shows these active players with my birthday: Nico Hoerner, Justus Sheffield, Willson Contreras. All WAY younger than me. All time leader in WAR is Larry Gardner, born in 1886. Never heard of him until just now.
You share your day with a few Pro Football Hall of Famers (Barry Sanders, Jimmy Johnson and Ron Yary), but you weren't kidding about the void in pro baseball, basketball and hockey.
Maybe next year you and Will Ferrell can eat some birthday ice cream and root for Kelenic in his first All-Star game.