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What's the 411?

 
Earlier this year AT&T ended directory assistance for landline users. A couple years before that it ended the service for wireless callers.

Dialing "411" or "0" for information was a way of life for phone users for decades. I remember dialing "0" as a kid and "0" was the most fascinating number on the dial because of its special ability, you could get another human on the other end just by pressing a single button (or making that rotary dial spin all the way around).

I didn't use "411" but I became aware of it later, and thanks to a couple of musical references (Mary J. Blige's debut album, "What's the 411?" is now 30 years old), I knew it meant the key to unlock information.

In today's internet age, a service like that is pretty meaningless since we're all staring at screens. I can't imagine people are still dialing 411 or 0, although I guess other phone carriers still offer it for a fee.

I am probably just as archaic in expecting baseball cards to still supply information. I grew up with cards that taught me things, interesting backs, they were even my window into baseball before I became an active baseball viewer. That baseball card service kind of died out with the advent of Upper Deck and the '90s. Cards became nothing more than photographs with maybe a few stats if you were lucky. And just like the phone, people go to the internet to look up info on baseball, not baseball cards.

Still I cling to those informational cards, because I consider a card that can show a nice picture and supply stats as a "complete card," just like a pitcher who can pitch and hit as a "complete player" (another idea that's been dismissed).

I decided to find out the 411 on a few cards, which also happen to be numbered 411 to see if I could find anything I didn't know before -- new information, to me.


Ron Cey's 1982 Topps In Action card is No. 411, but since it's The Penguin, there is nothing here that I didn't know already. In fact, I lived most of it, although I wish I was paying attention for that 1974 NLCS.



Moving on to some "new-to-me" info, Reggie Sanders' 1995 Topps 411 card tells me that his dad was a black belt in karate and his mom played softball. Some of those '90s sets actually did still deliver the information, usually it was Topps flagship.



Dick Howser's 411 in 1967 is that he became the first American League shortstop to play in all 162 games in a season. I had no idea that Howser was a full-time starter, but the stats tell me he was -- twice. Later, Tony Fernandez appeared in 163 games for the Blue Jays as a shortstop and Alicides Escobar made playing 162 a habit a few years ago with Kansas City.
 
 
 

Scott Downs -- who looks almost nothing like I remember him looking as a reliever for the Blue Jays and Angels -- was traded for Mike Morgan and Rick Aguilera within six months! Also, I knew this already, but I've interviewed West Tenn manager Dave Trembley, he grew up 12 miles from where I live, and he went on to manage the Orioles.



I'm sure I knew at one time that Calvin Coolidge Julius Caesar Tuskahoma McLish owned the longest name in major league history, but I've since forgotten it. And in that time maybe someone else has surpassed that. But I sure don't have time to figure it out.




Although I remember Carlos Pena's career quite well, for me he'll probably first be known as the player who was told by Jonah Hill that he was traded. It's good to know that I now have another factoid -- a real one this time -- that his hit left a seam imprint on a pitcher's forehead. Would love to know who the pitcher was.



This 411 card is a good opportunity to see if the single-season hits leaders need updating from 1979 (I already know that the career hit leaders do). Obviously, Ichiro Suzuki is now at the top with the 262 he hit in 2004. Suzuki is also at No. 10 with the 242 he hit in 2001. That knocks everyone off the above list that is below Sisler's 1922 total. For whatever reason, Chuck Klein's 250 hits in 1930 are missing here.



This 411 card lets you know that A) There used to be something called the Hall of Fame game in Cooperstown and B) Zaun knew how to keep the crowd happy. 
 


I had no idea -- but I should've known better -- that people are (or were) keeping track of the best batting averages in the first inning. I'd love to know who the all-time leader is for that, but again, no time.



Last 411 card. I have been clued into the info that Phil Niekro struck out four batters in an inning since my early days of following baseball. But I don't remember at all who it happened against, so let's dial 411, er, go to the internet.

The Braves played the Pirates on July 29, 1977. In the sixth inning, Niekro struck out Dave Parker and Bill Robinson to start the inning. Then Al Oliver doubled. Rennie Stennett struck out for what could have been the third out, but the ball got past Braves catcher Biff Pocoroba and Stennett reached first. Then Niekro struck out Omar Moreno for his fourth of the inning. The Braves won 5-3.

So there you are, 411 can still be useful and provide some information at least I didn't know after all these years.

Comments

Chris said…
I miss the days when card backs contained interesting information and/or personal anecdotes. I know we all have the internet now, but it would be nice to have a 'memorable moment' story with a quote from each player.

Something I learned recently (not from a card back, but...) is that Reggie Sanders had 300 career home runs and 300 career stolen bases. The 300/300 club only has a handful of players - mostly HOFers, guys named Bonds, and... Reggie Sanders.

I think the reason why that Record Holders card doesn't include Klein's 1930 total is because he didn't lead the league in hits that year. Bill Terry had four more. (Now that's a stat I learned from a card back!)
Nachos Grande said…
I caught a MLB batting practice home run one time that was a screaming line drive...true story, it left seam prints in my hand for the entire game and then some. Zero stars, would not recommend.
Call me a sap because I'd be guilty as charged. I'm eight years your junior so I remember the world you often describe. The highest compliment I can give you is that you make me see cards in an entirely different light. I have spent a lot of money on some pricey vintage over the years, and I can't say that it gives me any more satisfaction than the cards from my childhood era and even the base Topps prints now. I haven't thought about dialing 411 or o in many years. Takes me back a few years...
Jimetal7212 said…
Justin Huisman was the pitcher hit by the line drive off of Pena's bat. You can see it at the :40 mark in the below video. It recaps Pena's 6 hit day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWa0qzm-rOQ
1984 Tigers said…
The cartoon info on the back of cards from the 1950s to early 1980s was truly a fun part of reading about something unusual about the player or another event. Love the 1975 minis set for that.

It's where I learned that mickey mantle hit the 1st hr in the astrodome (though an exhibition game), Larry Biitner once hit a base hit while being intentionally walked, Gene Locklear had a painting in the white house, and so on

Still love pulling out the binders from.my sets during those years and reading the info. 1971 topps wasted a black and white photo instead of a storyline.

Topps must have had the design for 1982 topps ready prior to the 81 ws as it would otherwise have mentioned his co.mvp exploits.

Paul t
TwinKiller said…
I here the number and I instantly go to this clip for some reason...

https://youtu.be/k7YQX1QRplI
Crocodile said…
I probably pay more attention now to the backside of cards then when I was a kid.
Card backs can be awesome.
Michael D said…
What a great post. I need to figure out how to be more creative! How many cards numbered 411 did you check out?
This was a neat idea and a fun read!
night owl said…
@Michael D ~

A whole bunch. A lot of them were pretty boring.
Brett Alan said…
I had no idea 411 ended. I suppose it makes sense, but I'm surprised I was unaware of it.

My brother's name is Gregg, so it screams out at me that the Greg Zaun card calls him "Gregg" in the writeup (but "Greg" elsewhere).

It would crack me up if the Dick Howser card said "The Yankees acquired Dick last December from the Cleveland Indians, which explains the red on his uniform on the front of this card."
Nick said…
Diving into seemingly random card numbers is always fun - nowhere else would you get a mix of players like this. I also have that Zaun card but never read the back.
Alas, Howser did not win that SS job in 1967. The Yankees acquired John Kennedy from the Dodgers just before the start of the season. After a few weeks, Kennedy was replaced by Ruben Amaro.
Nick Vossbrink said…
There's an interesting idea here about what card backs should be if they attempted to do something you couldn't easily find on the internet.
Mike Matson said…
If they continues with the little factoids for a while, once Zaun got to Toronto, they might mention his fan section.. The Zaunbies...
1984 Tigers said…
Heading out of town for the weekend with the family. Bringing an 800 count box of 1975 topps that I bought ebay probably 15 years ago. The cards make for good reading while sipping beer after the wife and daughter have crashed. Will find out who number 411 is and enjoy the card backs during the slow times late in the evening.

Paul t
Jafronius said…
Interesting card backs...that's kinda why Topps Big League is/was pretty popular in the blogosphere.