1990 rick cerone

rick cerone became a yankee for the third time when he was acquired prior to the 1990 season.  here's his 1990 o-pee-chee card:

here's the topps front:

now the o-pee-chee back:

and the topps back:

cerone was primarily a back up to bob geren, and played in just 49 games.  he did hit .302 in 139 at bats though, and had a couple of dingers to boot.  after the season, he was on his way again - this time to the crosstown mets.

voici à vous, 1990 rick cerone!

1980 rick cerone

the yankees traded chris chambliss and others to the blue jays in november of 1979 to acquire rick cerone and a couple of other players.  here is cerone's 1980 o-pee-chee card:

here's the topps front:

now the o-pee-chee back:

and the topps back:

the yankees needed catching after thurman munson died, and cerone was tabbed as the guy to replace him.  he didn't disappoint - in his first season with the yankees, cerone played in 147 games and set career highs in pretty much every offensive category while helping the bronx bombers get back to the alcs after a one year hiatus.  he also finished 7th in the al mvp voting.

voici à vous, 1980 rick cerone!

1977 rick cerone

to celebrate his selection by the blue jays from the indians in the expansion draft, o-pee-chee liberated rick cerone from his 4-in-1 rookie card prison, and gave him his very own card in their 1977 set.  here is his 1977 o-pee-chee card:

here's the topps front:

now the o-pee-chee back:

and the topps back:

looks like o-pee-chee also smoothed out his 'fro as part of the airbrushing effort.  as for the o-pee-chee back, they sure came up with some lame cartoons for the cards topps didn't produce.  i don't think they took cartoons from topps cards that were not included in the o-pee-chee set, but i could be wrong. 

anyway, cerone was the first ever starting catcher for the blue jays, going 2 for 4 with a double in their inagural game on april 7, 1977.  he didn't play much  more until august (not sure if he was hurt or just sent to the minors).  he stayed with toronto until after the 1979 season (his first as the first string catcher) when he was traded to the yankees in the deal that sent chris chambliss (for a very short stay) to toronto.

voici à vous, 1977 rick cerone!

1985 rick cerone

rick cerone's first tour of duty with the yankees ended in december of 1984 when he was traded to the braves for brian fisher.  here's his 1985 o-pee-chee card in all of it's team and text variation glory

here's the topps front:

now the o-pee-chee back:

and the topps back:

one of the cool things about this is that we learn how to say 'italian stallion' in french - l'etalon italien.  phil rizzuto is still phil rizzuto in any language.  cerone would re-sign with the yankees as a free agent in 1987 and late 1989, spending the 1988 and 1989 seasons in boston.  he's also among the select group of players to have played for both canadian teams.

voici à vous, 1985 rick cerone!