1977 alan ashby

since he was one of the very first players in blue jays history, o-pee-chee in 1977 took the time to get a real photo of alan ashby in a toronto uniform.  they also not only unstacked and moved his facsimile autograph, it looks like they also obtained a different version of his signature.  here is ashby's 1977 o-pee-chee card:

here's the topps front:

did the blue jays even have dirty blue jerseys?  wouldn't topps have known?

now the o-pee-chee back:

and the topps back:

nice cartoon.  ashby would later play in the astrodome as a member of the houston astros from 1979 through 1989.  first, though, he would spend two years with toronto as their primary catcher.  actually, after catching in 124 games for the jays in 1977, he and rick cerone platooned in 1978 with each starting almost exactly half of the team's games.

ashby was not the blue jays' first catcher (that honor went to cerone), he did get the start in their second game in franchise history and became the first blue jay backstop to throw out a runner trying to steal a base.

voici à vous, 1977 alan ashby!