Willie Stargell Game Used Bat Card

In my quest to obtain inexpensive autograph and relic cards of members of the Hall of Fame, I ran across this 2002 Topps Gold Label Willie Stargell bat card. The actual subset title can be found between the images. It is much longer.

2002 Topps Gold Label, Class Two Platinum Memorabilia, MVP Winner

Willie Stargell (card # ACR-WS)

The wood of the bat is quite rough as if they rip cut the bat and didn't plane it at all. One can see the bat from the back, but can only touch it from the front. There's some plasticky film covering it. The positioning of the card and punching out of the window was off on the back.

I picked this up for $1.04 plus $3.95 shipping and handling. A bit steep on the transport, but it is within my pricing range ($5.00 total).

I was interested in this card because I got to see Willie Stargell and the Pirates play the Expos. It was July 25, 1974. Parc Jarry. They split the double header that night with the Expos winning the first and the Pirates winning the second. Willie almost hit for the cycle that night. I know, it is generally considered proper to hit for the cycle in a single game. This was spread out over the two games. You'd think that a man of his power and stature could get a single. Nope. But that means that he did hit a home run. That was just one out of 475.

My brother ordered a pizza at that game. From somewhere not in the park. Or parc. He had it delivered. He put the money through the fence and they slipped it under.

Willie's stats are solid, to say the least. He spent all 21 seasons with Pittsburgh, playing on two World Series winners (1971 and 1979). He was a seven time All-Star with a lifetime Batting Average of .282. 1979 was his banner year. He won the NL Babe Ruth Award, Major League Player of the Year, NL Player of the Year, NLCS MVP and the WS MVP. Nothing to sneeze at.