A 1980s Card Part 3 - 1987 Topps Mike Laga

There are two things that I remember about Mike Laga.

First, he's the only player to have ever hit a ball out of Busch Stadium II.  That was the 1960s-early 2000s cookie cutter bowl.  The ball that was hit out of the stadium was a foul ball.

Laga was a terrific Minor League power hitter when the Cardinals picked him up in a trade for catcher Mike Heath.  While playing for the Tigers in the Minors Laga had posted home run totals of 31, 34, 16, 30, and 20.  Every year the Tigers seemed to bring him up for a few at bats, but the power never followed him to the Majors.  

The back of his baseball card shows that Mike Laga hit some home runs, and he struck out when the ball did not go over the fence.  

Luckily, the Cardinals also got Ken Hill in the Mike Heath trade.  He ended up being a decent starting pitcher.  

Second thing I remember Mike Laga for is this baseball card.  Yes, it's airbrushed.  Yes, it's airbrushed pink.  My wife says it's actually old lady pink.  

There is a player wearing a blue jacket over Laga's right shoulder, so I assume that this was a picture of him on the Tigers, rather than him in a Cardinals Minor League uniform.  Topps managed to get a blue Tigers hat airbrushed to red, but a white or gray Tigers jersey got turned pink?  Sometimes I wish there were documentaries on how baseball cards like this one were made.   There has to be a good story, right?   

A movie I like from 1987 is The Princess Bride.  Inconceivable.