1977 bill travers

as you can see by the fact that his hat is closer to the top of the photo window and his facsimile autograph is shifted to the right, bill travers' 1977 o-pee-chee card is a photo and an autograph placement variation.  here is travers' 1977 o-pee-chee card:

here's the topps front:

now the o-pee-chee back:

and the topps back:

travers had posted a 2.81 era in 1976, but in 1977, his era was 5.25. he made only 19 starts and had a record of 4-12, although he did manage to throw a shutout in his third start of the season.  travers missed all of june and most of july due to injury, and when he returned, the brewers called on him to start the back end of four august double headers.

i am guessing the bullpen was pretty depleted, because on august 14, 1977, in the second game of a double header (their third in 13 days), travers was allowed to pitch 7.2 innings in which he allowed 14 earned runs (a feat equaled most recently by vin mazzaro of the royals in 2011)!  his era jumped over an entire run that day!  he was 4-5 entering that game, but wound up losing it and 6 of his next 7 starts.

voici à vous, 1977 bill travers!