Wednesday, December 18, 2013

#127 Carney Lansford

About the Front: This is the last of Carney Lansford's 15 annual entries in the Topps base set. At least he left behind a sweet-swinging action shot.

About the Back: That's a league-leading .336 average and a paltry 28 strikeouts in 399 at-bats in 1981. What a luxury for the Red Sox to trade him and free up third base for Wade Boggs!

Triple Play:

1. Carney was the leadoff hitter and starting right fielder for Santa Clara, CA in the 1969 Little League World Series finale, which the Americans lost 5-0 to Taipei.

2. He had a cameo role as Kit "Hit or Die" Kesey, a White Sox player who whiffed against pitcher Mel Clark (played by Tony Danza) to clinch the pennant for California in the 1994 film remake of Angels in the Outfield.

3. Lansford has coached for the Athletics, Cardinals, Giants, Blue Jays, and Rockies.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: "Carney" always struck me as an odd name; indeed, he's the only Carney ever to play in the major leagues.

Bill James Said: Nuttin', honey. Lansford played his last game in 1992.

On This Date in 1993: December 17. Rickey Henderson returns to Oakland for a third go-round, signing a two-year deal for $8.6 million. The A's had traded the future Hall of Famer to Toronto last July for prospects Jose Herrera and Steve Karsay.

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