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1992 Fleer Terry Pendleton (#691) - Card of the Day
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For collectors who followed Terry Pendleton from the time he and his twin brother Jeff crashed the 1985 Donruss set, the 1991 season was like a dream. Maybe even vindication, depending on how hard you went in on Pendleton’s cards.
After all, back in 1985, we had our pick of fire hydrant prospects popping out of our wax packs. Were you Team Terry…or Team Kirby Puckett?
It didn’t take long for Puckett to win the battle on the field and on wantlists across the land, thanks to his breakout 1986 season — .328, 31 home runs, 96 RBI, 20 stolen bases. He followed up with another big campaign and a World Series ring in 1987 as the Twins went (nearly)worst-to-first.
Meanwhile, Pendleton claimed the Cardinals’ third base job and went about establishing himself as a star at the hot corner and usually good enough at the plate, especially when augmented with solid speed and baserunning.
And, if you were still on the fence about the two spark plugs come October 1987, the Fall Classic didn’t help much. Because, while Kirby hit .357 with three RBI, five runs scored, and a stolen base, Pendleton went .429 with one run, one RBI, and two steals. (Kirby did lead in games played, 7-3, though).
From there, it was pretty much all Kirby, all the time, at least when it came to comparisons with Pendleton, and at least in terms of their profiles in the game.
That all changed in December of 1990, though, when Pendleton signed as a free agent with the last-place Braves. Even if no one realized the ramifications of that move at the time.
Suffice it to say our erstwhile Jeff found Atlanta to his liking.
In 153 games with the Braves, Pendleton hit .319 to win the National League batting title. He also chipped in 22 home runs, 86 RBI, and a league-leading 187 hits and 303 total bases. The Braves were baseball’s darlings, holding off the Dodgers to win the old N.L. West by one game.
Then they outlasted the Pirates in a thrilling seven-game National League Championship Series to set up a showdown with…yes, Puckett’s Twins.
Minnesota also went worst-to-first, then took the ALCS in five games over the Blue Jays.
As they had done in 1987, Puckett’s team and Pendleton’s team battled down to the wire, with the Twins again prevailing in another heart-shearing seven-game Fall Classic. As for the head-to-head player battle?
You be the judge:
Pendleton: .367, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 6 R, 3 doubles
Puckett: .250, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 4 R, 1 SB, 1 triple
What’s not in question is that, that November, Pendleton was named National League MVP, edging out Barry Bonds. It was the only time from 1990 through 1993 that the future home run champ didn’t take home the hardware.
Pendleton would lead the senior circuit in hits again in 1992, with 199, and finish third in MVP voting.
While he was busy putting together his follow-up season and helping the Braves repeat as National League West champs, Pendleton also made the cardboard rounds as a hobby celebrity.
Among his “special” 1992 cards was the Fleer League Leaders card you see above that’s thick on border and design, low on photo space, but all early-90s. One of a 12-card subset included in Fleer’s revamped and expanded (720-card) offering, the Pendleton special made you turn it over to get the full story:
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Pendleton never again scaled those diamond heights, and Puckett outdid him in the race to Cooperstown. But for those who watched the breathless drama unfold, Jeff Terry will always look like the embodiment of that unforgettable summer of 1991.
And today, Terry Lee Pendleton turns 65 years old.
1979 Topps Fred Lynn Was Ready for Its (Blue Light) Closeup
Pendleton recorded his first big league hit against Giants starter Atlee Hammaker on July 18, 1984. A little more than a year earlier, Hammaker gave up the first and still only grand slam in All-Star history…to Fred Lynn.
And four years before that, Lynn put together a pretty good case for his second MVP award while sporting a championship coif on his Topps card. Read all about it right here.