#143 Jeff Huson

About the Front: I know in an instant that the Rangers are visiting the Orioles. When Camden Yards first opened, one of its many retro touches was a Maryland Lottery ad on the right-center field fence that urged players to "Hit It Here". The I in "IT" and the H in "HERE" are visible behind Jeff Huson.

About the Back: I'm guessing that the Rangers' rookie class of 1990 was not a bumper crop if an infielder with a .600 OPS was their top freshman.

Triple Play:

1. Huson was Texas' shortstop for both Nolan Ryan's sixth and seventh no-hitters. In the former, he preserved the no-no with one out in the ninth inning by charging a slow roller by Rickey Henderson and gunning out the all-time steals leader by a step at first base.

2. Jeff was the Orioles' starting third baseman on September 6, 1995, when Cal Ripken started his record-breaking 2,131st consecutive game. That might help you win a trivia contest some day.

3. He is currently a commentator on Root Sports' TV broadcasts of Rockies games.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: I'm sure that my feelings of nostalgia over the "Hit It Here" sign are largely tied to the Hardball III PC game that I played to death. It had 16-bit renderings of the MLB ballparks, including the then-new Oriole Park at Camden Yards...complete with that sign.

Bill James Said: "Huson's 1993 season was destroyed by a broken toe, which he tried to come back from too quickly and re-injured."

On This Date in 1993: January 16. Windsor Castle is reopened only two months after a fire swept through the historical British landmark.