Project Durham Bulls #56 - Dennis Burlingame

1989 & 1990 Durham Bulls 

Background- 

The Braves selected Burlingame in the 5th Round of the 1987 Major League Baseball Draft.  While he was in the lower Minors, Burlingame was a serious pitching prospect, ranking as high as 50th with Baseball America.  In 1989, he appeared for the Durham Bulls in 11 games, went a perfect 4-0, and had an ERA of 0.50.  On Opening Day in 1989 Burlingame threw a perfect game against the Fredrick Keys, which was apart of a double header where Steve Avery hurled a two hitter in the second game.  Not quite Johnny Vander Meer, but close.  It is said to be the only perfect game ever thrown on Opening Day, not sure if that is true.  

Burlingame missed a chunk of the 1989 and 1990 seasons with arm troubles.  He pitched the second half of 1990 with the Bulls, but was not the same pitcher.  Still good enough to make it up to Triple A with the Braves in 1993 before his career came to a halt.  

Card- 

This looks like a pretty run of the mill Minor League card from the 1990s, but the 1997 Bulls to Braves set is one of the toughest sets of the Durham Bulls out there.  I am missing Durham Bulls sets that are out there in my collection, but I have at least seen the cards.  I have passed on them because of price, or lost auctions.  The Bulls to Braves set?  I think I have only seen half of the cards in the set, and they are expensive.  

I am still not even entirely sure how the cards were sold. or given out.  

Here is the back of the card, which gives a short bio on the former Braves Minor Leaguer.  

I have posted some really good cards on this thread of Durham Bulls players, this might be one of my modern favorites.  Really great card.