It’s been a while since I’ve done a Terrible Card Tuesday but the incomparable Jim Fraasch provided a good, tongue-in-cheek example that I couldn’t resist. It’s Jim Bouton’s APBA card from 1978 when he with the Atlanta Braves. This particular card is a reprint which was published in 2019.
Jim F writes:
If you are still looking for suspects for Terrible Card Tuesday, I have provided Jim Bouton’s “comeback” 1978R card from the 2019 issue.
I will always be a HUGE Jim Bouton fan. I met him once in 2000 at a book signing where sadly, I was the only person in line at the time. One of the friendliest former players I have ever met. He played a hidden ball trick with my then 4 year old daughter.
If the iPhone camera had been around back then, I would have had a nice photo op.
This was the year Bouton attempted his comeback to the bigs at the age of 39 after a seven year hiatus. Though he won a game, he walked twice as many as he struck out. His hit to IP ratio wasn’t bad but he still gave up 16 earned runs in 29 innings.
For the record, here are Bouton’s 1978 stats:
| Split | W | L | W-L% | ERA | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 Totals | 1 | 3 | .250 | 4.97 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29.0 | 25 | 18 | 16 | 4 | 21 | 10 |
Yes, Bouton is a Grade D pitcher and it shouldn’t surprise anyone that he has a R and a W rating. Both fit his performance in 1978. Bouton walked 6.5 per 9 IP and struck out 3.1 per 9.
I noticed that Bouton has four 14s on his 1978 card so of course, I looked up his hitting stats. He walked once in eight plate appearances which roughly warrants three extra 14s.
Jim Fraasch threw in an extra photo of an autograph he got which is pure Bouton.
thanks, Jim!
Bouton started his comeback that season by pitching for the Richmond Braves in an exhibition game against the A-Braves in Richmond’s Parker Field. I was at that game and never will forget it. Ted Turner served as the third base umpire.
Turner as the ump? That’s hilarious!
“Smoke ‘em inside.” That’s a reference to “Ball Four,” in which Bouton told of the pitching staff going over opponents’ weaknesses and how they could get them out. If you could “smoke ‘em inside,” meaning you could get your fastball past hitters on the inside corner whenever you wanted, you wouldn’t need anything else. That’s because few can do it.