1987 gary ward

gary ward signed as a free agent with the yankees prior to the 1987 season.  here's his 1987 o-pee-chee card:

here's the topps front:

now the o-pee-chee back:

and the topps back:

with the yankees, ward played all three outfield spots (primarily left field) and even dabbled at first base a bit.  he wound up batting just .248 - the second lowest average of his career - in 1987.  the lowest average of his career was achieved the following season, as he hit .225 in his second year in the bronx.  still, ward had a few highlights as a yankee, including two walk-off home runs and his 100th career home run which came against juan nieves of the brewers in june of '87.

the yankees wound up releasing ward early in the 1989 season, but he signed on with the tigers and finished his career with two respectable years in motown.

voici à vous, 1987 gary ward!

1984 gary ward

gary ward was traded from the twins to the rangers in december of 1983.  here is his 1984 o-pee-chee card:

here's the topps front:

now the o-pee-chee back:

and the topps back:

ward had been named a member of the all star team in 1983, and he flew out as a pinch hitter in his lone at bat in the game.  still, the twins had to make room for an up and coming rookie outfielder named kirby puckett, and so ward was expendable (although mickey hatcher wound up taking over for ward in left, while puckett played center). 

with the rangers in 1984, ward played mostly center, and played well.  he hit .284 with 21 home runs and 79 rbi.  in 1985, he switched back to left primarily, and earned his second all star berth.  this time, he lined out against fernando valenzuela in his only at bat.

voici à vous, 1984 gary ward!