1980 Future Stars

A couple weeks ago I found myself attending my first baseball card show in about a quarter century.  I sold off 95% of my card collection in the late 90's, but don't miss much of it because it was mostly the pulp 80's Topps that are barely worth their weight in cardboard.  What was different about this trip down memory lane was that I was now digging for any Topps Pirates I could find.  And I found at least 100 or so for maybe a couple sawbucks.  Growing up in Maine in the 80's, my baseball card obsession consisted mainly of a huge Red Sox collection, along with as many Eric Davis, Bo Jackson and Gregg Jefferies' rookie cards I could get my hands on because supposedly they were the next wave of superstars.  There were a few specific players I collected as well, such as Joe Morgan, Robin Yount, Alan Trammell, Lou Whitaker - I had an obsession with middle infielders.  I always imagined myself as a second baseman or a shortstop in real baseball, if I ever played it.  Sadly, I could never get over my fear of the ball.  I would bail out at the plate, and turn my body to miss grounders.  The game was never meant to be played by me.  If I could take that quantum leap back in time, I certainly would have forced myself to man up and play ball.  But back to reality I snap - the best I have is an abnormal obsession with the game, and now a fresh binder full of Pirates past glory.  I will try and share my joy and discovery with a few of the new Pirate cards I now own.

First up, 1980 Topps #683 Pirates Future Stars.  Dorian Boyland, Alberto Lois and Harry Saferight are the 3 future stars to the '79 World Champs?  Not a one of these have I ever heard of.  Fortunately, they're just a google search away .... Dorian Boyland, or "Doe" as he was called could have been the heir apparent to Pops, but somehow only managed to play in 21 games over three seasons, hitting a robust .105, and posting a -28 OPS+.  The University of Wisconsin grad who was a second rounder in 1976 made a name for himself in auto sales, owner of the six-state Boyland Auto Group, and apparently is doing quite well for himself outside of baseball .... Alberto Lois was primarily a speedy pinch runner in his two-year, fourteen-game career, once dubbed the next Roberto - his bio is here.  Sadly his career came to an and when the truck he was driving crashed as he was trying to beat a train; six passengers were killed and he injured his eye .... and then there is Harry Saferight, who is among a small group of players known as "phantom major leaguers".  Three times, Harry was on deck, watching the guy at the plate make the third out.  After twelve seasons in the minors, at least skipper tried to give him a shot.