Jersey devolution aside, thumbs up to the editor's "Orange Crush" border and Kurt Russell look-a-like photo choices. Eerie resemblance!
Kurt--I mean, Ken--spent 21 games on the Texas roster in 1976 and hit his only MLB homer in baseball's equivalent of "garbage time," late in a 13-3 drubbing at the hands of AL West rival Oakland. Pape also wore uniform #5 for his time with the Rangers, a nice bit of numerological synchronicity. Following that inspiration, the box score for Ken's single homer overlaps with several other #5 luminaries.
- Paul Mitchell: teammate of 1977 San Jose Missions #5, Milt Ramirez
- Chuck Tanner / Jim Fregosi: united in 1978 for Fregosi's single inning at 2B
- Sal Bando: played everyday for two years? The heck you say!
- Gary Woods: and his amazing technicolor dream-jersey
Prior to becoming Pacific Trading Cards and chewing through an MLB license during the junk wax era, Cramer Sports Productions competed with TCMA for 1970s minor league attention. 1977 marked their first year in full color, which they brightened further for Southwestern teams like the Albuquerque Dukes.
Tucson's checklist went by uniform, with trainer Chip Steger receiving the single unnumbered card.
- NNO Chip Steger
- 2 Dave Moates
- 4 Lew Beasley
- 5 Ken Pape
- 6 Wayne Pinkerton
- 7 Larue Washington
- 8 Greg Mahlberg
- 11 Keith Smith
- 12 Keathel Chauncey
- 13 David Moharter
- 14 Rich Donnelly
- 17 Rick Stelmaszek
- 19 Gary Gray
- 20 Bob Babcock
- 27 Ed Nottle
- 32 David Clyde
- 33 Kurt Bevacqua
- 35 John Poloni
- 40 Len Barker
- 45 Mark Soroko
- 51 Pat Putnam
- 52 Mike Bacsik
- 53 Bobby Cuellar
- 59 David Harper
Value: Ken's #5 cost me $2 at MinorLeagueSingles.com. Teammate Len Barker later hit the apex of MLB success by throwing a perfect game (video highlights at MLB.com) and might run a little more.
Fakes / reprints: I doubt anyone on Tucson's roster found enough collector interest to be worth reprinting, other than immediately after Barker's perfecto.
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