Card front (blank back) |
Fort Lauderdale played in the single-A Florida State League, which now comprises 12 teams. They're split between "North" and "South" divisions, but most play the state's peninsula (instead of its panhandle). 15 big league franchises hold spring training in Florida; the other 15 go to Arizona's Cactus League.
The minor leagues aren't all about grooming high-round draft picks; many teams place equal emphasis on developing their trainers and coaching staffs. Several of Fort Lauderdale's managers, for example, went on to play important roles for their parent club.
- Bobby Cox (1971): future Yankee coach and HOF manager for Atlanta and Toronto
- Leo Posada (1975): uncle of future Yankee star Jorge Posada
- Stump Merrill (1982-83): future Yankee manager
- Bucky Dent (1985-86): future Yankee manager
- Buck Showalter (1987-88): future Yankee manager
Value: Today's #5 cost $3 at MinorLeagueSingles.com. Willie Upshaw's the best known player from its checklist and would run a little more.
Fakes / reprints: Haven't seen any in the market, though they'd be easy to reprint with modern equipment.
No comments:
Post a Comment