Steve Stone, 1981 Topps #520

I like to think that I'm secure in my heterosexuality, as well as my masculinity (so far as that goes). That's why I have no problem saying that in this photo, Steve Stone cuts a pretty handsome figure. Even today, 35 years along, he's aged fairly gracefully. Of course, he's also the rare gentleman who I'd say looks better clean-shaven than he does with a bit of facial hair. There are exceptions to every rule.

Rich Dauer, 1981 Topps #314

O's fans, how can we distract ourselves on an off-day after being no-hit? Well, I'm sure it would help if I stopped bringing it up, but it's too late for that. I did a bit of Googling and learned that the Orioles' record for most hits in a game was set on August 28, 1980. On a Thursday evening in Memorial Stadium, the Birds outslugged the Angels 13-8 as the two teams combined for 40 hits: 26 for Baltimore and 14 for California. Eight of the 11 O's to bat had multi-hit games, and only John Lowenstein (0-for-3 after replacing Ken Singleton in the fifth inning) had an oh-fer. Rich Dauer and Gary Roenicke each had a team-high four hits, with Roenicke rapping three doubles. If you're wondering why the Orioles didn't score even more runs than their baker's dozen, they did fail to hit a single home run and were victimized by a pair of double plays. Still, their six-run, nine-hit fifth inning was instrumental in helping the O's endure an uncharacteristically rocky outing by winning pitcher Jim Palmer, who allowed six runs on 11 hits, two walks, and a hit batter in six and a third innings. Sammy Stewart got the last eight outs, but also gave up another two runs.

Look, I'm not greedy. I'll settle for, say, 10 runs and 15 hits tomorrow. What do you say, guys?

Sammy Stewart, 1981 Topps #262

Alright folks, I'm on the road again - well, nearly. Dark and early tomorrow morning, I'll be accompanying my girlfriend home to Charlotte, NC to meet her family. Eight hours in the car each way seems almost as daunting as being put under the microscope by the girl's loved ones, but at least she's the one driving. Despite having lived in the Mid-Atlantic for all of my 30 years, I have never once visited North Carolina. I'm excited to absorb some of the local color, although my significant other says she prefers the mountains of Asheville in Western Carolina, where she attended college as an undergrad. Asheville is also the birthplace of Sammy Stewart, the former O's relief ace who is currently incarcerated in his hometown but hopes to be released from prison next January after serving a six-year sentence for a number of drug offenses. It's been about a year since Sammy reached out to the Baltimore Sun, so hopefully he's still on the right path.

Mark Belanger, 1981 Topps #641

Did you know that Mark Belanger was one of three Orioles who to serve in the National Guard during the April 1968 riots that erupted after Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination? (Dave Leonhard and Pete Richert were the others.) Would you believe that Belanger stole home plate twice in his career...or that Brooks Robinson holds the team record with four thefts of home in his career?

I learned these fascinating facts and more by opening up Dave Pugh's "The Book of Baltimore Orioles Lists", a true labor of love from someone who was born in the same hospital as the Ripken boys and has lived in Baltimore almost as long as the Birds themselves. Dave recently came across this blog (and my NumerOlogy website) and sent me a very kind email. He also offered to send me a copy of his book, which I can't believe I hadn't come across sooner. The first edition was published in 1993, with a second edition following in 1999. My signed copy of the latter edition arrived in the mail today, and I'm pleased to add it to my bookshelf.

I'd like to offer my thanks to Dave for his compliments, his gift, and his fandom. It's always good to make the acquaintance of a like-minded fanatic.

Gary Roenicke, 1981 Topps #37

It's hard to believe that this look didn't catch on. You might have to click on the image to get a closer look, but Gary Roenicke's batting helmet is adorned with a football-style face mask on the left side of his jaw. It was a temporary precaution that was taken after he was hit in the face with a pitch. There's a clearer shot of the makeshift guard here, and an excellent article by Uni Watch's Paul Lukas here. It largely focuses on former Pirates outfielder Dave Parker; to be fair, his helmet stylings were much more terrifying and unusual than Gary's.

What's your favorite unusual uniform modification? Brooks Robinson's sawed-off helmet brim? Frank Robinson's extended stirrups?

Mike Boddicker, Mark Corey, and Floyd Rayford, 1981 Topps #399

9/23/08: Somehow I had a brain cramp and didn't hit the "Publish Post" button last night. Forgive me.

Topps' Future Stars/Top Prospects/Rookies/etc. cards have always been a delicious exercise in guesswork. In 1982, the Reds' Future Stars were Scott Brown, Geoff Combe, and Paul Householder. Strike three, you're out. The 1980 Mets card featured Dan Norman, Jesse Orosco, and Mike Scott. Two outta three ain't bad. In this instance, they hit on one of the three up and coming Orioles youngsters. Mike Boddicker anchored the team's staff as they won their third World Series in 1983, and was an effective pitcher for a decade. But what of the others?

Floyd Rayford hung around into the late 1980s, and peaked with a .306 average and 18 home runs in 1985, so he at least had something of a career. Plus, as I've pointed out, he was an endless source of entertainment for my uncle. So even though "Honey Bear" is something less than a household name today, he was a better choice for Future Stardom than, say, 1987 selection Tim Pyznarski.

Mark Corey? Well, somebody at Topps just refused to give up on him. 1981 marked the third consecutive year that they had earmarked him as a Future Star. In 1979, he appeared in an Orioles Prospects triptych with John Flinn and Sammy Stewart. The following year, he joined Dave Ford and Wayne Krenchicki as the would-be O's greats. As you may have guessed, Mark never quite made it to the dizzying heights that Topps forecast for him. An 0-for-8 in 1981 slammed the lid shut on his career, leaving him with a career batting average of .211.

But he still had more of a career than 1995's Coming Attraction, Brian Sackinsky.

Dennis Martinez, 1981 Topps #367

That's right, he's Dennis. Not "Denny". Have you ever heard anyone call him "Denny"? This guy is Denny. So is he. I'll even include this Denny. But #30 up there is now, and has always been, Dennis Martinez. Well, either Dennis or "El Presidente". This has been one of my greatest pet peeves as a card collector. Year after year, the Powers That Be at Topps arbitrarily shortened Dennis Martinez to "Denny" Martinez. Every other card company got it right, so why couldn't the original?

It wasn't just Dennis that Topps worked their perverse magic on. Take Benito Santiago, the All-Star catcher with the cannon arm. His name was downright lyrical; it rolled off the tongue. But not for Topps, who soiled his good name, making him the comical and childlike "Benny" Santiago. At least in his case, Topps eventually saw the error of their ways, conferring Benito status upon him near the end of his career.

Most egregious was the case of former Red Sox pitcher Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd. Here was a charismatic player with a great nickname - In Boyd's native Mississippi, beer was known as "oil", and he apparently had a reputation as quite a drinker. As we've seen, Topps is fond of bestowing nicknames upon players, so surely they'd acknowledge this one, right? After all, Donruss did. Nope, no dice. Say hello to (yawn) Dennis Boyd. Gee, I wonder why they didn't just call him "Denny" Boyd?

So welcome to Orioles Card "O" the Day, Dennis Martinez. Don't worry; you'll always be "Dennis" here.