In addition to my hometown teams, I'm also an active TTM collector, as well as having a propensity for picking up anything and everything that catches my eye. The end result? A few thousand cards that really have no place in my collections proper. And after all, I can only come up with so many creative Pirate-themed posts before I start spewing out an endless parade of base cards.
So hopefully this semi-regular feature will meet both those needs. Buc Battlers will feature players that suited up for the opposing side. Sometimes the posts will include those players who were a thorn in the Pirates side (see Fielder, Prince), other times it will most likely just be something that strikes my fancy.
The 1960 Wold Series is one of, if not the, most poignant moments in Pirate history. The finish of game 7 can arguably considered the most dramatic moment in baseball history.
But let's take a look at things from the flip side. Suiting up for the Pinstripes was Hector Lopez, appearing in three games in the series: once as a starter and twice in pinch hit appearances. Getting the start in Game 1, Lopez delivered an unimpressive 1-5 performance in a 6-4 Yankees loss.
That would be his only start of the series. He appeared as a pinch hitter in Game 5 and the deciding Game 7, delivering pinch hit singles in both at bats. However, both games would ultimately end in Yankee losses in the David vs. Goliath matchup.
Lopez was a great TTM signer whose autograph I had wanted for a while. I finally found this card in a discount vintage box at a show and for $..50 it was in my collection and off to the mailbox the next day. Though '61 was Lopez worst season in the majors, he shined in the postseason racking up 3 hits with a HR, 3B, and 7 RBI in 9 at bats during the '61 series. Needless to say, I'm glad he put up less impressive numbers against the Pirates.
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