Note: When you click on links to various merchants in this newsletter and make a purchase, this can result in this newsletter earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
1980 Topps Cardinals Future Stars (#684) - Card of the Day
As the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona approached, Adidas seized on a local rivalry that promised to bring home a couple of medals for the United States.
To wit, Americans Dan O’Brien and Dave Johnson had spent years building their reputations as among the best decathletes in the world and often traded metaphorical punches at meets leading up to the Olympic year.
Seeing an opportunity to cash in on building patriotism and a potential American gold-silver sweep, Adidas signed both guys and pitted them against each other in a series of “Dan & Dave” commercials.
Starting with the Super Bowl in 1992, TV viewers would scarcely click the remote without landing on one of these spots.
But then, a month or so before the Olympics, O’Brien couldn’t clear the bar (literally) in the pole vault and failed to qualify for Barcelona. Johson would go on to win a bronze medal, and Adidas would modify their commercials to show Dan rooting on Dave.
In some ways, the Dan O’Brien rookie card you see above is like those old Adidas commercials.
Here you have a guy — O’Brien — who was drafted three times before finally signing as a third-rounder with the Cardinals in 1976. He then spent most of three years in the minors before making his major league debut in September of 1978.
After going 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA, O’Brien was back in the minors in 1979. His first full(ish) season at Triple A saw his strikeout numbers tumble and his home run rate soar, even as he cut down on his walks.
It was enough to get O’Brien another look in St. Louis late in the season, where he would go 1-1 with a *gulp* 8.18 ERA.
At about the same time, second baseman Tom Herr was getting his first look at major league pitching, and reliever George Frazier was wrapping up a full half-season (plus) with the big league Cardinals.
All of that convinced Topps it was time for the George, Tom, and Dan show in their 1980 set, and the anointed the trio as Cardinals Future Stars on card #684.
Alas, in a development that foreshadowed his Olympic namesake, the baseball Dan O’Brien never made it back to the majors. In fact, the Cards sold his rights to the Mariners in the offseason, and O’Brien spent two more summers in the minors before heading off to the college coaching ranks.
Meanwhile, George Frazier went on to craft a ten-year big league career as a reliever, though never really a closer. Still, he saw postseason action in 1981, 1984, and 1987, winning a ring with the Twins that last year.
He’s something of a baseball equivalent to Johnson and his bronze medal.
And Herr? Well, you have to consider him the gold medalist here, what with an All-Star appearance, MVP votes two times (1981 and 1985), three World Series appearances, and a championship.
But, hey, even though our baseball Dan O’Brien checks in as a DNQ (did-not-qualify) on his 1980 Topps rookie card, he was a major leaguer — twice! More than reason enough to celebrate his 70th birthday today, don’t you think?
One Degree of Dan Driessen
Tom Herr authored one of the most amazing seasons I’ve ever watched unfold — he drove in 110 runs while hitting just eight home runs for the National League champion Cardinals in 1985.
That was just part of his special summer, too.
Then, two years later, he was back at it, smacking a World Series homer that would land him on a baseball card with one of my favorite Reds — Dan Driessen.
You can read more about Herr’s exploits and this card right here.
And if you have a few hours or days to twiddle away, baseball-style, why not dig in and play a few rousing rounds of 6 Degrees of Dan Driessen??
—
Alright, that’s about all the Cardinals talk this Reds fan can handle on a Monday. But I guess it’s like Mark Twain said: eat that frog right up front.
Cardinals or no, I can tell it’s going to be a good week. After all, we’ve already managed to squeeze in a couple of Dan Driessen references.
Thanks for reading.
—Adam