I'm going to make an attempt to collect as many baseball cards as possible from 1976. I was 9 when the 1976 Topps baseball cards came out. I have most of those cards, but I'd like to expand and get the other cards from this great year.
Al Hrabosky pitched in the majors from 1970-1982. He was originally drafted by the Minnesota Twins in 1967 but he didn't sign. The St. Louis Cardinals drafted Hrabosky in the first round in 1969. Hrabosky signed with the Cards, spent a year in the minors, and was up with the Cardinals at the end of the 1970 season. Al pitched in 16 games (1 start) in 1970 and was 2-1 with a 4.74 ERA.
Hrabosky spent most of the 1971 and 1972 seasons in the minors. The Cardinals weren't sure whether he would be a starter or a reliever. He relieved for most of the '71 season and then started in the '72 season. Al was called up at the end of both seasons and pitched in a total of six games.
Al started the 1973 season in the minors and was called up in early June. He pitched in 44 games for the Cardinals and was 2-4 with 5 saves and a 2.09 ERA. Hrabosky had his first big season in 1974. He finished 5th in Cy Young Award voting and was 8-1 with 9 saves and a 2.95 ERA in 65 games. The Cardinals' Mad Hungarian - Baseball Digest January 1975
Hrabosky's best season was 1975. He was the NL Fireman of the Year that year and finished 3rd in Cy Young Award voting and 8th in MVP voting. Al went 13-3 with a league-leading 22 saves and an ERA of 1.66 in 65 games. The Game I'll Never Forget - June 1983 Baseball Digest (describing a 1975 game)
Hrabosky had a good year in 1976, but not as good as '75. He was 8-6 with 13 saves and a 3.30 ERA in 68 games. When Vern Rapp was hired as manager of the Cardinals in 1977 he made Al shave his famous Fu Manchu mustache and cut his hair. Al struggled in 1977 (6-5, 10 saves, 4.38 ERA in 65 games) and after the season he was traded to the Kansas City Royals for Mark Littell and Buck Martinez.
Al spent two seasons (1978 and 1979) with the Royals. He had a good year in 1978. Hrabosky was 8-7 with 20 saves and a 2.88 ERA in 58 games. He appeared in three games in the ALCS, pitching three innings and allowing one run. Hrabosky was 9-4 with 11 saves and a 3.74 ERA in 1979. After the 1979 season Al became a free agent and signed with the Atlanta Braves.
Hrabosky had one so-so year, one good year, and one poor year with the Braves. In 1980 he was 4-2 with 3 saves and a 3.62 ERA in 45 games. In 1981 Al had a 1.07 ERA in 24 games and was 1-1 with one save. Hrabosky's last season, 1982, wasn't a very good one. He was 2-1 with three saves and an ERA of 5.54 in 31 games. He pitched his last game on August 18 and missed the NLCS. The Braves released Al after the 1982 season. Al tried to hook on with the Chicago White Sox and pitched for their AAA team, but he didn't get called back to the majors.
After his playing career Hrabosky has been a broadcaster. He's broadcasted for the Cardinals or for Fox Sports Midwest (covering the Cardinals) since 1985. Al also devotes times to various charities and is a motivational speaker.
Hrabosky had his "Mad Hungarian" routine that he did before he pitched. He would walk behind the mound, yell at himself to psyche himself up, then pound the ball in his mitt while striding to the pitching rubber. Fans loved it but opposing hitters didn't like it. Remembering the Mad Hungarian - June 2003 Baseball Digest. Here is a video of Al describing how and why he became the Mad Hungarian:
Al's website. It's interesting to see the evolution of Hrabosky's facial hair in the "trading cards" section. From 1971-1973 he's pretty clean shaven. In 1974 and 1975 Al sports some pretty good-sized sideburns. His 1976 card is the first one in which he has a mustache. The mustache becomes fuller and he has longer hair in 1977. In 1978 and 1979 Al has a full beard. He's back to the mustache in 1980 and 1981, then has the beard back in 1982.
What is a fireman? That's what we wondered when we got these cards. Most of the time these pitchers weren't really considered to be stars (at least not like the other leaders). Now everyone knows who the better stoppers are.
Rich Gossage led the AL in saves three times (1975, 1978, 1980). He won only one Rolaids Relief Man of the Year award (1978), but he was the best reliever of his time.
Al Hrabosky had his best season in 1975. He was 13-3 with a league-leading 22 saves and a 1.66 ERA. Al finished 3rd in NL Cy Young Award voting and 8th in MVP voting.
