Sharing the spotlight 1

Over the years Tony Gwynn appeared on a few cards with other players. This is the first in a series where I show those cards.

I've already posted one card on this blog, the Topps 1988 Padres Leaders, with Tony posing with Benny Santiago.

I pointed out in that blog post that Benny wasn't listed as a leader on the back of the card. In the comments, Fuji reminded me that Benny was Rookie of the Year in 1988. That was a fair point as it meant Benny was probably much more recognisable than most of Tony's other team mates.

The cards I'm including today are also from 1988, from the Fleer set. I've already included Tony's base card in my Sheer Fleer post.

Card Number 37: Fleer 1988, #631

The 'Superstar Specials' were a subset towards the end of the Fleer set. It paired a number of different players who excelled at different aspects of the game. Tim Raines was also a team-mate of Tony's in the All Star Games when he played for the Expos and was selected for the National League team.

Tim was one of Tony's main rivals for batting honours, winning the batting title in 1986. (Nowadays there would be some kind of fan movement calling on him to 'Make it Raine' or something like that, a bit like the Judge's Chambers in Yankee Stadium.)

There's a big write up on the card back.

After 13 seasons in Montreal, Tim moved to the White Sox and the Yankees, where he won two World Series (1996 and 1998). He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2017. He's also one of the very few Major League Baseball players to play in the same team as his son, after an October trade to the Orioles where his son Tim Raines Jr was playing.

Card Number 38: Fleer 1988, #634

Being called a thief on a baseball card isn't the most flattering thing really, even if it's referring to your talent for stealing bases. Tony stole a lot of bases, but Vince Coleman was incredible, stealing 752 bases over the course of his career. He is sixth on the all-time list of base-stealers. He also holds the MLB record for 50 consecutive stolen bases without getting tagged.

After several years with the Cardinals, Vince moved to the Mets and then a string of other clubs. He retired in 1998 after being demoted back down to triple-A. It's a bit of a sad end for a man described on this card as "the most wanted man in baseball" and "one of the most disruptive forces in the game". 'The Hitting King and the Disruptor' would have been a better title for this card. Nicer than 'Thief', anyway.

Total 38/394