Legend of cardboard: Mike Fiore

 

I'm working on a couple of blog posts that involve research and I was hoping one of them would be ready today, but it turns out we're a long way from that. Thanks, work week.

So I've got a fairly quick post instead.

 

I think we can all agree that among the poses that appeared on baseball cards from the '50s through the '80s, one of the best was the first baseman's pose with mitt outstretched waiting for the throw, or even better, with the ball nestled in his glove.

 

I liked those shots a lot. There's a reason that you haven't seen the few examples of that pose in the 1975 Topps worst to best countdown yet. They're just too good.

 

I believe the first time I became familiar with that pose was with the 1976 Mike Hegan card. It was so cool. Had no idea who Mike Hegan was (didn't pull his card in '75), but that card couldn't have been a better introduction. It sure left an impact, and it's never left my brain.

 

So any player making that pose choice at the time (or the photographer choosing that pose for him) was doing himself a favor. I don't need you to autograph anything for me, sir, just pretend you're receiving a throw at first!

 

There is one player who knew exactly what to do. His career didn't last very long. But, on all of his Topps solo cards, he is striking that wonderful pose.

 

 

Mike Fiore's career last five season, just 556 at-bats. He finished it up splitting time in 1972 between the Cardinals and Padres. But there's no card of Fiore in '73 so this trifecta had to do.

 

For me, that's worthy of being a Legend of Cardboard. Every single one of your cards is memorable, even if you have just three.

 

You can also find a postcard of Fiore in a similar pose.

 

 

 I've known about Fiore's first base stunt on his cards for awhile, ever since I did the 1971 Topps post, maybe even earlier. I referenced it when I wrote about his card.

There, you can find a few other random details about his career, such as him hitting the first home run in Kansas City Royals history.

So if the first baseman pose doesn't impress you maybe that will.