Radio Baseball Cards

Some people remember the incredible plays made at third base that Graig Nettles made to help the Yankees beat the Dodgers in the 1978 World Series. In this episode of Radio Baseball Cards, Nettles remembers his contribution and that of the entire team.

Hall of Fame Pitcher, Don Sutton started and ended his 23 year career (1966-1988) with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but had stops at five other franchises along the way. Over tha span he pitched in five World Series, and even though he and the Dodgers lost to Oakland in 1974, he'll never forget what it was like to pitch in his first World Series. In this episode of Radio Baseball Cards, he shares his memories.

Willie "Pops" Stargell was a power hitting outfielder playing alongside his legedary mentor, Roberto Clemente, on the 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates. That year the Bucs outlasted the Baltimore Orioles in a seven game World Series classic. Clemente taught Stargell "how" to win and it was the greatest moment of his career.

The 1954 World Series was the only year between 1949-1958 when the Yankees didn't represent the American League. That year the Cleveland Indians played another New York team, the Giants. The Giants swept the Indians 4-0 and one of the stars of Leo Durocher's Giants was pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm. In this episode of Radio Baseball Cards, Wilhelm (1922-2002) remembers the 1954 World Series.

The A's were one of the original baseball franchises opening in 1901 at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. They moved to Kansas City after the 1954 season, and then controversial owner Charlie Finley moved them to Oakland, California in 1968. They had a rich and colorful history, winning five World Series Championships before 1930, but never again till 1972, when they won three in a row. Roland "Rollie" Fingers, the man famous for the handle bar mustache style that symbolized the struggle the players had with the owner, was a key part of the team that won the Championship three years in a row.

September 11, 1985 Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, OH, home of the Reds. The world is watching as Pete Rose is only one hit away from breaking the all time hits record set by Ty Cobb in 1910. Pitching for the San Diego Padres that night is Eric Show. In this episode of Radio Baseball Cards, Eric reflects on his mixed feelings about that night.

In this episode of Radio Baseball Cards, originally published in 1987, Whitey Ford shares with Don Drysdale what may have happened to his Hall of Fame Pitching career if he didn't play baseball.

Anthony Keith Gwynn Sr. (May 9, 1960 – June 16, 2014), nicknamed "Mr. Padre", played 20 seasons (1982–2001) for the San Diego Padres. The left-handed hitting Gwynn won 8 batting titles in his career, tied for the most in NL history. He is considered one of the best and most consistent hitters in baseball history. He had a .338 career batting average, never hitting below .309 in any full season. Gwynn was a 15-time All-Star, recognized for his skills both on offense and defense with 7 Silver SluggerAwards and five Gold Glove Awards. He was the rare player in his era that stayed with a single team his entire career, and he played in the only two World Series appearances in San Diego's franchise history. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007, his first year of eligibility.

Gwynn died of salivary gland cancer in 2014 at the age of 54.

Carney Ray Lansford (born February 7, 1957) is a former third baseman and former hitting coach of the Colorado Rockies. Lansford, who played for the California Angels (1978–80), Boston Red Sox (1981–82) and Oakland Athletics (1983–92).

He is a direct descendant of Sir Francis Drake.

His son, Jared, was drafted by Oakland in the 2005 amateur draft. His other son, Josh, was a third baseman in the Chicago Cubs minor league system. His brother, Jody Lansford, spent nine seasons in the minor leagues, briefly breaking into the big leagues with the Padres. His other brother, Phil, was drafted 10th overall in the 1978 draft but never made it to the majors.

He played for the Briarwood Little League team, from Santa Clara, California, which made it to the finals of the 1969 Little League World Series. In the final game of the World Series on August 2, Carney's team was defeated 5-0 by the team from Taipei City, Taiwan. Lansford is one of fewer than a dozen men who have played in both the Little League World Series and the MLB World Series.[5]

Lansford went to Wilcox High School in Santa Clara, California, and due to his success, the school's baseball field is named for him.

Dwight "Doc" Gooden, nicknamed "Dr. K", pitched 16 seasons 1984 to 1994 and from 1996 to 2000 for the New York Mets, New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, Houston Astros, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. In a career spanning 430 games, he pitched ?2,800 2⁄3 innings and posted a win–loss record of 194–112, with a 3.51 ERA, and 2,293 strikeouts.

Gooden made his debut in 1984 and quickly established himself as one of the league's most talented pitchers; as a 19-year-old rookie, he earned the first of four All-Star selections, won the NL Rookie of the Year Award, and led the league in strikeouts. In 1985, he won the NL Cy Young Award and achieved the pitching Triple Crown, compiling a 24–4 record and a league-leading 1.53 ERA, 268 strikeouts, and 16 complete games. The following season, he helped the Mets win the 1986 World Series. Gooden's career was ultimately derailed by cocaine and alcohol addiction. He was suspended for the 1995 season after a positive drug test while serving a prior suspension. As a member of the Yankees in 1996, Gooden pitched a no-hitter and helped the team on its path to a World Series championship.

Gooden's troubles with addiction continued after his retirement from baseball and resulted in several arrests. He was incarcerated for seven months in 2006 after violating the terms of his probation.