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1976 SSPC Henry Cruz (#85) - Card of the Day
At first glance, you might think this card was a piece of promo material for Major League.
The thick, dark glasses with pitch black, high-gloss frames.
The abbreviated mutton chop peeking out from the helmet earflap.
The split mustache accentuating the Elvis snarl.
The slight body that looks like it can barely support its baggy Dodgers uniform.
Seems like this guy would have made a great teammate for Jake, Ricky, Willie Mays, Pedro, and the rest of the Tribe.
But, nah.
This is no fictional baseball misfit. No diamond savior by the lake. No movie star in polyester.
Heck, Henry Cruz isn’t even a Cleveland Indian…at least not on this card.
What he is on this 1976 SSPC “pure” card is a Dodgers rookie who hit .266 in 53 games (101 plate appearances) in 1975 after toiling in the Los Angeles farm system for most of the previous three summers.
Cruz wouldn’t officially surpass the rookie limits until 1976, when his Topps rookie card was sliding out of wax packs across the land. He led off that four-player number (#590) that he shared with Chet Lemon, Ellis Valentine, and Terry Whitfield.
That makes this unlicensed SSPC beauty Cruz’s first solo card, and he’d score just one more big league card, 1978 Topps #316.
On that one, Cruz is pictured with the White Sox, who claimed him off waivers from the Dodgers in 1977. Overall, he spent two seasons in Chicago before heading back to the minors, and then to Detroit’s minors.
Cruz’s final MLB line was .229 with eight home runs, 34 RBI, one stolen base, and four caught-stealings.
Once he was done in the Detroit system, Cruz spent four seasons in the Mexican League before returning stateside to begin a coaching career that included ten years with — yes — the Cleveland Indians.
Sometimes, you just can’t escape fate.
Just like you can’t escape the march of time — Henry Cruz turns 72 years old today. Happy birthday!
John Lowenstein, Running for Greener Pastures
Cruz made his last appearance as a defensive replacement for left fielder Ralph Garr in the White Sox’ victory over the Rangers on July 30, 1978.
Cruz came in for the top of the ninth and didn’t touch the ball, but he came close — and he witnessed some failed heroics.
After Bump Wills drew a leadoff walk from Lerrin LaGrow, Texas manager Billy Hunter brought in John Lowenstein to pinch hit for Bert Campaneris.
Lowenstein grounded into a fielder’s choice but was safe at first, then moved all the way to third when Mike Hargrove singled to center (the “close” for Cruz).
Then, with Juan Beniquez at the plate, Lowenstein broke for home, but Sox catcher Mike Colbern and third baseman Kevin Bell ran him down. Beniquez grounded out to end the game.
The entire sequence was no doubt exciting, but it’s also consequential as both Cruz’s last game and one of only 77 Lowenstein would ever play for the Rangers.
Texas had acquired Lowenstein and Tom Buskey from the Indians in exchange for David Clyde and Willie Horton in February of 1978. The Rangers would waive him in November that same year.
Did the caught-stealing-home in this game weigh into their decision? Probably not as much as his .222 batting average and the presence of Toby Harrah and Al Oliver to man third base and left field, respectively.
At any rate, 1979 Topps card #173 captures the short marriage. Of course, by then, Lowenstein was on to the greener pastures of the Baltimore Orioles, for whom he’d find his way into two World Series lineups (1979 and 1983).
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Hope you have a great Tuesday and that all your attempts to steal home are successful.
After all, your baseball cards are (probably) there at home waiting for you, and you need a solid dose of cardboard every day.
Thanks for reading.
—Adam