1977 Topps Baseball #161 - Garry Templeton

• Garry Templeton was the St. Louis Cardinals' first round draft choice in 1974. Templeton moved through the Cardinals' system quickly and was brought up in August 1976. Garry became the starting shortstop for the Cardinals and batted .291 in 53 games.
• In 1977 Templeton was selected to the All Star Game (he doubled and scored a run), finished 12th in NL MVP voting, and batted .322 in 153 games. Garry led the NL in triples (18) and in caught stealing (24).
• Garry Templeton: His Horizons Are Unlimited! - September 1977 Baseball Digest
• In 1978 Garry had a bit of a drop-off. His batting averaged dipped to .280, although he still led the NL with 13 triples.
• Garry Templeton: The Cards' Talented Young Shortstop - June 1978 Baseball Digest
• Templeton had his best year in 1979. Before the season he said that he was displeased with Cardinals management. Garry set a record by getting over 100 hits from both the left and right sides of the plate. Garry got his last six hits as a right-hander batting against right-handed pitching. Templeton led the NL in hits (211) and triples (19). He did all of this in spite of suffering a wrist injury on May 12 that kept him from batting for several games.
• Garry made news by refusing to go to the All Star Game after he was named to the team as a reserve.   Templeton was quoted as saying, "If I ain't startin', I ain't departin'." This quote may be apocryphal (a Cardinals announcer may have actually said it), but it is a famous part of Garry's story.
• Before the 1980 season Templeton signed a six-year contract worth more than $4 million.
• Templeton got the first Silver Slugger award for shortstops in 1980. He played in only 113 games due to a broken thumb suffered in July, but Garry batted .319 for the season. Templeton again refused an invitation to the All Star Game and said he preferred to have the three days off.
• Garry had a tempestuous 1981 season. Before the strike, Garry voiced his desire to be traded to a west coast team. The fans in St. Louis were on him and Garry responded with an infamous obscene gesture during a game on August 26. Templeton was suspended for three weeks and underwent tests for depression. 
• Templeton came back after his suspension to be named Player of the Week by Sports Illustrated. Garry had 14 hits in 31 at bats for a .452 average. For the season Templeton batted .288 in 80 games.
• After the 1981 season Garry was traded (with Al Olmsted and Sixto Lezcano) to the San Diego Padres for Ozzie Smith, Steve Mura, and Luis DeLeon.
• Templeton was upbeat after the trade and looked forward to playing for manager Dick Williams. He was still only 26 years old in 1982. Unfortunately for Garry, his best seasons were already behind him. In 1982 Templeton batted .247 in 141 games. Garry batted .263 in 126 games in 1983.
• Garry had a similar year in 1984 and got his second Silver Slugger Award. Templeton batted .258 and led the NL with 23 intentional walks. Most of the time Garry batted eighth in the order. Templeton batted .333 (5 for 15) in the NLCS and .316 (6 for 19) in the World Series.
• How Garry Templeton Emerged as a Leader for the Padres - July 1985 Baseball Digest
• Templeton had his best year as a Padre in 1985. He made the NL All Star team (he singled as a pinch hitter) and batted .282 in 148 games. Garry missed the last five games of the season after he suffered a bone fracture in his leg.
• Garry turned 30 during the 1986 season, but the leg fracture and knee problems sapped his offense. Templeton batted .247 in 147 games in 1986, .222 in 148 games in 1987, and .249 in 110 games in 1988.
• Templeton spent two more seasons as a starting shortstop. In 1989 he batted .255 in 142 games and in 1990 Garry batted .248 in 144 games.
• Garry spent the first two months of the 1991 season with the Padres and batted .193 in 32 games. On May 31 he was traded to the New York Mets for Tim Teufel. Templeton batted .228 in 80 games for the Mets in 1991. Garry retired after the 1991 season.
• After his playing career Templeton coached and managed for various teams in the minor leagues.
• Here is a 2009 interview with Garry Templeton. At the time he was managing the Long Beach Armada of the Golden League.
• Herzog and Templeton: No Grudges, No Regrets - 22 July 2010, stltoday.com.
• Garry now manages the Yuma Panthers of the independent North American League.
• 1977 Stats:.322, 94 runs, 200 hits in 153 games
• 1977 Highlights:
• July 25 - Went 2 for 4 with two RBI and a run scored as the Cardinals beat the Cincinnati Reds 9-8 in a nationally televised game. Although I can watch as much baseball as I want on TV and on mlb.tv, part of me still misses the days when a nationally televised game was a really big deal.
• Sept 2 - Garry's bloop single in the 9th inning knocked in the winning run in the Cardinals' 6-4 win over the San Francisco Giants.
• Oct 25 - Was selected as part of the Associated Press 1977 NL All Star team.
• Other card blogs: 1979, 1980, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, Cardboard Gods